Example System Configurations

Nightclub Lighting Controller
Artist's typical installation is as the main lighting controller in discoteque applications, building upon our previous sucess with the original ShowCAD controller. A standard configuration would allow for a PC running the software, 1 or 2 USB DMX boxes depending on channel requirements, and a Midi keyboard controller to allow the light Jockey quick access to his/her lighting cues.

Wine Bar/Entertainment Venue Controller
As a development of the nightclub role, the use of Artist within smaller entertainment-style venues allows the operator to enable all their effects and house lighting within the automated confines of Artist, removing the need for a dedicated lighting operator. Cues can be configured to be activated on a preprogrammed time-script basis or triggered via a simple to operate touchscreen. Video projectors could also be wired to Artist and cues programmed to ensure that projector lamps are turned off at the end of buisness every day. A standard configuration therefore would be 1 PC system running 24hrs, 1 USB DMX box, a 15" touchscreen monitor. There are many examples of these types of installation in our UK installs list, which show the readiness with which the system has been accepted by a number of installers and major high street operators to use Artist to operate their venues.

Timecode Applications
As timecode support is featured, Artist has been used for controlling lighting and other effects in visitor attractions, theme park rides, and exhibition shows, where the preprogramming and replaying of a show sequence to a timecoded track is required. 1 PC, 1 USB DMX controller, 1 Digital Input/Output card, 1 Midi Timecode interface, 1 8track Hard disk audio recorder. A visitor attraction in Malaysia was recently programmed using Artist.

Architectural Applications
With the current boom in building illumatination and intelligent signage applications based around the growth in LED colour changing technology and fibre sources, a flexible yet powerful controller is required to configure these sources to give the Architect the results required. Artist allows quick programming of colour fades and mixes, and these can be triggered by a realtime clock script that allows the building to switch itself on in the evening, and then off again early in the morning. 1 PC, Ethernet Dmx boxes to cover channel requirement, 1 wireless Lan kit for laptop programming. Leisure clubs, casinos have already been fitted with such a system.

Drama/ TV Studios
By utilising the Theatre GUI screen within Artist, the system can be left for manual operation of lighting cues and instant recall of lighting states by non-programmers. One successful installation has been a small satellite TV station in London, where the requirement was for pre-programmed lighting control of intelligent as well as standard generic lighting. Lighting cues were stored into the system to give the director a vast range of differnet looks for the set.

Live Shows
Although not primarily aimed at the live show market, it has been used on a number of small theatre shows and outdoor events to control intelligent lighting, giving quick access to lighting states, with quick setup times in multiple venues. Using sub-scenes within the cues, lights can be hung in a different venue, the subscenes quickly altered to update the new positions, and then the show recalled with the embedded subscene positions. so the lights point to the right place.