Edition Comparison

VenueMagic Edition Comparison

The tables below compare features between the available editions of VenueMagic.  Features are divided across various application needs to make it easier to find the right product with the features you need.  Click on a feature to get more information.

Common

This table compares VenueMagic features common to most applications.

Feature

Express

Classic

DMX+AV

SC+

Multi-track timeline-based show design

VenueMagic uses a timeline-based approach for show design that is similar to audio or video editing software.  Audio clips can be dragged onto multiple audio tracks (note: Express has only 1 audio track per timeline).  Likewise, lighting and control effects can be dragged onto control tracks and lined-up with audio for perfect synchronization.

X

X

X

X

Audio editing/playback tracks per timeline

With the exception of VenueMagic Express, all VenueMagic editions allow an unlimited number of audio tracks per timeline.

1

Unlimited

Unlimited

Unlimited

DMX Output channels

All editions support 1 universe (512 channels) of DMX.  DMX2+AV and SC2+ support 2 universes (1024 channels).

512

512

1024*

1024*

Unlimited control tracks per timeline

Control tracks are tied to DMX and other outputs and can be filled with control "clips" to control lighting, props, animatronics, etc... All VenueMagic editions support unlimited control tracks.

X

X

X

X

Cue buttons for quick timeline playback

If a fixture you want to use is not included in the fixture library, you can add it to VenueMagic using a custom fixture profile editor.

16

Unlimited

Unlimited

Unlimited

Programmable slider controls

Programmable sliders can be use to control volume and lighting levels of timelines while they are playing.

16

Unlimited

Unlimited

Unlimited

Run timelines with MIDI messages

VenueMagic accepts MIDI messages from any MIDI device like keyboards, control surfaces, etc...

X

X

X

X

Control audio and lighting levels with MIDI 

Lighting and audio levels can be controlled by MIDI devices like keyboards and control surfaces.

X

X

X

X

Fixture library

VenueMagic includes a library of over 2000 commonly used lighting fixtures from a variety of manufacturers such as Chauvet, Elation, American DJ and others.

X

X

X

X

Custom fixtures profile editor

If a fixture you want to use is not included in the fixture library, you can add it to VenueMagic using a custom fixture profile editor.

X

X

X

X

Built-in lighting effects

VenueMagic includes a collection of over 40 built-in lighting effects that instantly provided effects like lightning, candlelight, sparks, camera flashes, fires, sun rise/set and others.  Simple moving head patterns are also included.  Built-int effects can be dragged onto lighting/control tracks and then adjusted to get the behavior you want.

X

X

X

X

Lighting chaser effects

VenueMagic includes a selection of over 100 chaser sequences that can be added to timeline lighting/control tracks.

X

X

X

X

Free-form lighting control effects

You can design your own lighting and control effects by graphically editing a profile using the envelope editor.  This “dot-to-dot” approach lets you specify levels at specific times and then fill the in-between with constant, linear or smooth curve types.

X

X

X

X

Custom lighting chaser designer

You can design your own custom chaser effects to augment the existing library of over 100 chasers.

 

X

X

X

Output calibration

Set global scaling and min/max levels of all lighting and control outputs individually.  A third “Mid” level lets you adjust the linearity of light level controls to visual preferences.  This tool is also perfect for setting min and max ranges for animatronics and other motor controls.


X

X

X

Control channel routing

Route inputs (like MIDI, DMX, Joysticks, etc…) to outputs (DMX, etc…) for direct control of the output.  Multiple DMX merging modes are supported so that outputs can be controlled manually while simultaneously being controlled by timelines.  Also used to control channel “scaling” so that a slider can be used as a “master” level control for one or more DMX outputs.


X

X

X

Channel groups

Channels across all project fixtures can be group together for simultaneous control or scaling.  One thing this feature gives you is the ability to create a “master” level control for groups of lights that can be controlled on the fly.


X

X

X

Video playback

VenueMagic offers a single track of video playback.  File formats accepted depends on what codecs have been installed.  The K-Lite codec pack is recommended.



X

X

Artnet support

Artnet is a standard for broadcasting DMX over Ethernet.  Requires DMX devices that have this feature.



X

X

ASIO audio

ASIO is a standard interface for many high-end, multi-channel audio output devices.  This is different from WDM, which is one of the audio interfaces included in Windows.

 

 

X

X

Multi-channel audio

Multi-channel audio is supported over ASIO or WDM technologies.



X

X

User interface builder

Create your own custom user interface screens with buttons, sliders, lamps, number displays and more.  Supports multiple monitors.  Optional plug-in also provides unlimited video windows.




X

* DMX+AV and SC+ editions control 512 DMX channels (1 universe).  DMX2+AV and SC2+ editions control 1024 DMX channels (2 universes).

DJ’s Night Clubs

Feature

Express

Classic

DMX+AV

SC+

Beat Tapper

Click on the beat tapper as needed to manually adjust light chaser speed.  This lets you use the same chaser timeline for different music with different beats.

X

X

X

X

MIDI Output

Timelines can send MIDI messages (such as program changes, starts, stops, etc…) to MIDI devices such as keyboards and control surfaces at specified times in the timeline.  Use this to trigger MIDI sequences, etc…


X

X

X

Interface to Capture visualizer

VenueMagic supports the Capture lighting design and visualization software (www.capture.se).


X

X

X

X-Keys input interface

VenueMagic supports most X-Key input devices from Pi Engineering (www.xkeys.com).


X

X

X

Auto beat detection

Automatically detect the beat of a music clip on a timeline track and use it to control the speed of chaser clips in the same timeline.


X

X

X

DMX Input

DMX input lets you record DMX from other sources, or to use your existing lighting control consoles to control lighting and audio levels in VenueMagic.



X

X

Teleprompter

VenueMagic includes a full-featured teleprompter.  Control scrolling with foot switches or other MIDI devices.  Great for displaying lyrics to timelines.  LRC files can be inputted into timelines for automatic music lyric display during playback.



X

X

Sync to external MIDI Clock, LTC

Sync timeline playback to an external MIDI clock or LTC signal from an MIDI sequencer, etc…



X

X

Theater / Live Performances / Stage Bands

Feature

Express

Classic

DMX+AV

SC+

Timeline markers

Add rehearsal markers to timelines.  Quickly advance to markers from a pop-up list.  Very useful for rehearsals of live performances.


X

X

X

PC Joystick input

Input from up to 15 PC joysticks.  This can be used to manually control moving head spotlights.


X

X

X

X-Keys input interface

VenueMagic supports most X-Key input devices from Pi Engineering (www.xkeys.com).


X

X

X

MIDI Output

Timelines can send MIDI messages (such as program changes, starts, stops, etc…) to MIDI devices such as keyboards and control surfaces at specified times in the timeline.  Use this to trigger MIDI sequences, etc…


X

X

X

Interface to Capture visualizer

VenueMagic supports the Capture lighting design and visualization software (www.capture.se).


X

X

X

Teleprompter

VenueMagic includes a full-featured teleprompter.  Control scrolling with foot switches or other MIDI devices.  Great for displaying lyrics to timelines.  LRC files can be inputted into timelines for automatic music lyric display during playback.



X

X

Themed Attractions (including Haunts) / Escape Rooms

Feature

Express

Classic

DMX+AV

SC+

PC Joystick input

Input control from up to 15 PC joysticks.  This can be used to manually control moving head spotlights.


X

X

X

X-Keys input interface

VenueMagic supports most X-Key input devices from Pi Engineering (www.xkeys.com).


X

X

X

MIDI Output

Timelines can send MIDI messages (such as program changes, starts, stops, etc…) to MIDI devices such as keyboards and control surfaces at specified times in the timeline.  Use this to trigger MIDI sequences, etc…


X

X

X

Timeline event tracks

Timeline event tracks let you drag and drop events that perform functions such as:

  - Start, stop, pause playback of other timelines

  - Output MIDI messages

  - Control user interface screens

  - Send commands over serial RS-232 or UDP

  - Set variables in the variable table

  - Open a built-in browser and display HTML


X

X

X

Playback scheduler

Schedule an event (such as in Timeline event tracks) to be triggered at a specific date and time.  This is great for scheduling automatic playback of shows, etc…



X

X

DMX Input

DMX input lets you record DMX from other sources, or to use your existing lighting control consoles to control lighting and audio levels in VenueMagic.



X

X

Input recording and editing

Record input from any supported device (joysticks, MIDI, DMX, etc…) and use it to control lighting, animatronics, etc…. Recorded profiles can be graphically edited to adjust time, intensity and to apply smoothing.  You can record multiple channels while other, previously recorded channels are playing back.



X

X

UDP communications

UDP is  network protocol for sending information to hardware and other devices that support it.  VenueMagic will send and receive text commands via UDP.



X

X

Serial  communication

VenueMagic will send and receive text data across a serial ports, including USB to RS232/485/422 adaptors.  This allows communication with hardware that supports this capability.  This includes customized Arduino-based devices.



X

X

Sync to MIDI Clock, LTC

Sync timeline playback to an external MIDI clock or LTC signal from an MIDI sequencer, etc…



X

X

Variable table

Variable tables store numerical data that is used to control events.  This is part of VenueMagic’s “logic control” capability and can be used for things like counting how many times a timeline has been played or how many times a button has been pressed in a haunt in an escape room.  Variables can also be set to random values used to choose from a selection of timelines to play at random.




X

Event table

The event table contains events (such as those used by timelines) that wait for certain conditions to trigger.  For example, you can use the table to run a timeline based on conditions like:

  - A button gets pressed

 - A sensor has detected 10 people in the room

 - Another timeline is running for the 3rd time

 - A slider is moved to be above a certain value.

 - 20 seconds has elapsed since the last trigger


The event can also be setup to trigger on a combination of multiple conditions.  This is all part of VenueMagic’s “logic control” capabilities.




X

Record DMX universe

This tool will let you record a complete DMX universe at once.  Recorded data can be edited and used on timeline lighting/control tracks.




X

Networked multi-VenueMagic operation

If you have VenueMagic running on multiple computers on a standard network, one instance of VenueMagic can tell another to run a timeline or perform other actions.  You can also synchronize timeline playback between multiple computers.




X

Sync to serial SMPTE

Sync to SMPTE timecode.  This requires a device that will convert a SMPTE audio signal into an ASCII serial stream.  Such devices are available at www.ese-web.com.




X

Telnet host, client

Use Telnet clients to run timelines and perform other actions.  Send Telnet commands to trigger action in other software.  Great for interfacing with other game systems for laser tag, etc…




X

Channel expressions

Channel expressions lets you setup outputs (DMX, etc…) to be mathematical functions of inputs (Joysticks, MIDI, etc…) and other outputs.  This has a large variety of applications especially with animatronics control.




X

Logic control

Various logic control capabilities enable you to program VenueMagic to respond to certain combinations of inputs.  These capabilities include conditional events (such as in the Event Table) and the variable table.




X

Advanced animatronics features

VenueMagic includes several powerful features for advance animatronics control, including:

Acceleration control – setup max accelerations for output channels.

Mouth movements from dialog - Control mouth movements from dialog stems.  Globally adjust generated profile to accommodate character’s mechanical dynamics.

Coordinated channel control – control multiple, coordinated motion channels from a single input.  Use this when multiple movements are required for a single character effect.  Great for easy control of facial expressions in high-end articulated animatronics characters.

Channel expressions – control animatronic movements using mathematical expressions.




X

Support for ShowNodes

VenueMagic supports ShowNodes I/O  and show controller hardware (www.shownodes.com).




X

Support for Simon Kaloi

VenueMagic supports Simon Kaloi  show controller hardware (www.skeng.com).




X

Support for Weigl

VenueMagic supports selected Weigl  show controller hardware (www.weiglworks.com).




X

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