Category Archives for "FAQ"

How do I control RGB color for Fixture Effects?

To control the RGB color in a fixture effect you need an RGB Fixture that contains a dimmer channel.

You will need to create two Control Tracks. The first control track (Control Track A) is where you will set the color. The second control track (Control Track B) is where you will place the Fixture effect.

Control Track A:

  1. Go to the Fixtures folder in the project window
  2. Click on the expand (+) button to the left of your RGB fixture
  3. Inside the RGB fixture, you will find a group of Channels called “RGB“
  4. Click and drag it onto Control Track A
  5. Next, Add a Level Control effect to the Control Track.
    Click on the link below for a review on how to setup RGB color in the Envelope Editor:
    https://youtu.be/lC0pKMyL7DA?list=PLbPdz-0QHwKnFC_cYWcYCpWSEYlbEXMk3
Control Track B
  1. Expand the fixture in the project window again and this time drag the Dimmer channel into Control Track B
  2. Now drag your desired Fixture effect on to Control Track B

Please submit any questions to support@venuemagic.com

Does VenueMagic support surround sound?

If you have surround encoded audio, and you want it to play it in surround channels, you need to put the audio file in the video track (only available in DMX+AV and above). You are limited to one video track per timeline.
Audio tracks are limited to Stereo sound, but you can have an unlimited number of audio tracks. You can set different audio tracks to different audio channels, which is how some of our customers create a surround sound feel (ie: in a haunted house having different sound effects coming from different speakers around the room), and how customers with multiple rooms direct different audio to different rooms. Some of our customers have used over 60 Audio Channels in a single project.
Click here to learn how to assign Audio Tracks to specific channels

How do I assign an audio channel to an Audio Track?

First, go to Devices/Setup Devices and click on the audio tab. Then click “Add” to add each of your separate audio outputs into VenueMagic. Please note that they are added as stereo pairs.

You can then set each audio track to a different audio output: Open up a timeline and double click on an audio track to open the Audio Track Properties window. Click on the Audio tab. Select your output device, then select the audio channels you want to use (Left, Right, or Stereo). Keep in mind that VenueMagic does not work with ASIO your audio devices must support Windows Device Manager or it will not show up in the list when you try to add the channels.

We recommend using the Allen&Heath ICE 16

Which video formats will VenueMagic support?

VenueMagic uses your computer’s codec for video. Most computers come with codecs for AVI, WMV, MP2 and others. We recommend installing the K-lite Codec pack if you would like to use more video formats, including MP4, VI, MKV, and OGM

Click here for a YouTube tutorial on downloading and installing the K-lite Codec pack

Click here to learn more about the K-lite Codec pack

Video is only available in VenueMagic DMX+AV and above.

Supported DMX512 Interfaces

VenueMagic 2.1 supports an ever-growing list of popular DMX512 interfaces.  If you don’t see yours on this list, shoot us an email at support@venuemagic.com and we’ll see what we can do about adding it in.

VM-USBDMX-01
VM-USBDMX-01
This interface was developed by Entertainment Sciences Group, Inc. to be sold as an option with the VenueMagic Show Control Software.  It will control 512 DMX channels (1 universe) and is functionally equivalent to the ENTTEC Open DMX USB.  Works for DMX output only (no input).  For more information, click here.
(Supported by all editions of VenueMagic)
ENTTEC Open DMX USB
ENTTEC Open DMX USB
Manufactured by ENTTEC (www.enttec.com), this low-priced DMX interface will control 512 DMX channels.  It has proven to be very reliable when used with the VenueMagic software.  It has no DMX input capability when used with VenueMagic.  The Open DMX USB will appear as “USB Serial” or “FT232 USB UART” device in the VenueMagic device setup.
Driver included with VenueMagic installation.
(Supported by Classic, DMX+AV and SC+ editions only)
ENTTEC DMX USB Pro
ENTTEC DMX USB Pro
Also manufactured by ENTTEC (www.enttec.com), the Pro offers more features than the Open DMX USB, including optical isolation and DMX input, which VenueMagic can use.  DMX input and output cannot be used at the same time.
Driver included with VenueMagic installation.
(Supported by Classic, DMX+AV and SC+ editions only)

 

ENTTEC PRO Mk2

ENTTEC DMX USB Pro
Also manufactured by ENTTEC (www.enttec.com), the Pro Mk2 offers more features than the Open DMX USB, including optical isolation and DMX input, which VenueMagic can use.
Driver included with VenueMagic installation.
(Supported by Classic, DMX+AV and SC+ editions only)
DMX4ALL Mini-USB-DMX
Dmx4All Mini-USB-DMX
Popular in Europe (www.dmx4all.de).  DMX4ALL  supports 512 channels of DMX output (no input).  DMX4ALL may appear twice in the VenueMagic device setup window, as “DMX4ALL” and as “USB Serial” (or something similar).  Select the DMX4ALL device for it to work properly.  Also, enabling the DMX4ALL in the Supported Devices window will slow down device initialization (which occurs at VenueMagic startup and when changes are made in the Setup Devices window) if there are multiple USB-Serial devices plugged into your computer.
(Supported by Classic, DMX+AV and SC+ editions only)
VELLEMAN K8062 or VM116
Velleman VM116
The Velleman interface (www.vellemanusa.com) provides 512 channels of DMX output (no input). Only one Velleman interface can be connected to your computer at a time.
The VenueMagic installation does not include the Velleman drivers so they must be installed from the VM116 driver disk.
(Supported by Classic, DMX+AV and SC+ editions only)
ArtNet
Artistic Licence 

 
VenueMagic incorporates the Artistic Licence Artnet (www.artisticlicence.com) library to provide multi-universe (# of universes depends on which version of VenueMagic you own) input and output over ethernet.  VenueMagic can use this interface to communicate to a variety of ArtNet capable DMX adaptors including the ENTTEC Open DMX Ethernet (www.enttec.com).  In Windows Vista and Windows 7 you may need to run VenueMagic with administrator priviledges for Artnet to work properly.  This is a characteristic of the Artistic Licence driver.
(Supported by DMX+AV & SC+ editions only) 
myDMX / DASLight / Sunlite SIUDI 6
Artistic Licence
Essentially the same hardware in different packages, these interfaces support a single DMX512 output.  MyDMX is available from American DJ (www.americandj.com). VenueMagic is compatible with the MyDMX Version 1 only.  MyDMX 2.0 includes a new adapter which is not compatible.
(Supported by Classic, DMX+AV and SC+ editions only)
Gus Electronics ISB-VL344
Artistic Licence
Manufactured by Gus Electronics (www.guselectronics.com), controls 512 DMX channels.  No DMX input capability when used with VenueMagic.  The USB-VL344 will appear as “USB Serial” or “FT232 USB UART” device in the VenueMagic device setup.
Driver included in VenueMagic installation.
(Supported by Classic, DMX+AV and SC+ editions only)

DMXKing USB DMX512-8

ENTTEC DMX USB Pro
The DMXKing (www.dmxking.com) USB DMX512-A is 100% compatible with the ENTTEC USB Pro (shown above).
Driver included with VenueMagic installation.
(Supported by Classic, DMX+AV and SC+ editions only)

WeiglWorks WEMC-1 ProCommander

 
Powerful standalone audio and DMX control along with digital/analog/PWM control.  (www.weiglworks.com)
(Supported by SC+ edition only)