Qlabs-Esque program for Windows?

[LXPlot]

Hello,

I am doing projections for an upcoming show. Most of the projections we are using will be fairly simple pictures dropped into Moviemaker, and will be controlled mostly by pausing when a picture is showing and unpausing when a transition is needed.

Or that was technical direction's plan.

The show calls for several points where multiple videos need to loop on the screens, and change on cue. Ideally, we could put the show into Qlab and simply use it for its designed function; however, we do not have access to any computers running Macintosh and therefore cannot use Qlab effectively. My second plan would be some way to create a macro in Moviemaker to make it jump to a certain timestamp upon a certain command, and then load tons of extra footage into the video and do this.

Does anybody know a good PC alternative to Qlab or how to do this in Qlab?

PS: Please don't turn this into a Mac Vs. PC war. I've used both, and they both have things I prefer about them, but saying "Get a mac and run Qlab" is neither helpful nor friendly.

 

[Morte615]

Do a Power Point presentation, the newer versions should be able to handle video as well as pictures and audio. Then when you are ready to move to the next just hit the spacebar (or mouse button.) Not really show control but you probably already have everything need.

 

[NickVon]

a Program called Screen Monkey might do what you need it too. I'll admit that it's okay but you get what you get for free. I find that it is slow and sometimes clunky when doing simple playback on my average power workstation. It's free, so you get what you pay for. But there is a fairly active community to help you trouble shoot any problems you might have.

Screen Monkey:ownload - Show and Presentation Control Software

 

[josh88]

I've only just downloaded this so I haven't really checked out its features, but I know multiplay is windows, it might have what you need, but I honestly don't know.

Edit: though now that I'm back at a computer and double checked, its audio only
Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

 

[scapino]

Try Show Cue System (Formerly Sound Cue System). It allows sound AND video cues, and it automatically outputs a black screen when a video cue is not running. You can do all of your sound cues on it as well.

Kurt

 

[blackisthenewblack]

I believe that VPT V.6 is free as a media server software. Never tried it, but looks promising.
VPT 6.0 « Conversations with spaces

 

[whistler]

Depending on the level of control you need:
SFX, which is my current sound cue playback application of choice for windows, from stageresearch has basic cue-based video and powerpoint playback when combined with their free to download videomanager and powerpoint manager. Can be used either locally on the same computer as you are running SFX or across a network.

Isadora is a considerably more in-depth video playback application that is scene-based. Allows you to process video, stills or audio and can accept input, process it and send it back out, etc. Can send or receive midi data to control from a lightboard, etc. Windows or Mac.

Neither one is free, I believe both offer educational discounts though and there are demos so you can play with them first.

If you have questions about either send me a message and I'll try to help. The tech staff for SFX respond pretty quickly to emails, usually next day. I've had less luck getting quick responses from the people at Isadora, but they have more documentation and a better forum.

Tom

 

[wavemaster447]

I'm a big fan of Multi-Play, it's Windows Freeware and so far I haven't found a single advantage that Qlab has over it, other than shine and polish. It has some basic video/image projection functions that you may be able to use.Audio-Visual Devices.com.au - Multi-Play Software
They haven't updated the front page to reflect that it can do video, but download it and give it a try.