Capture 2019 Student Edition as a free visualizer

Steve E
Posts: 23
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 7:35 am
Location: Perth, Western Australia

Capture 2019 Student Edition as a free visualizer

Post by Steve E »

I have been trying out various visualisors (or if you prefer, visualizers) over the past few days trying to find something accessible/easy to use and preferably free.

Downloaded around 4 or 5 software packages - some which my virus software blocked as viruses - and in the end i found Capture to be accessible/easy to use, and free.

After purchasing the DMXIS I also purchased a DMXking ultraDMX Micro as it is capable of DMX In and Out for relatively cheap money (approx AU$140 here in Aus delivered). Downloaded the Capture 2019 Student Edition software and installed it. Connected the DMXIS to the DMXking using a male-to-male XLR connector and Capture found the Enttec DMX universe immediately - ripper!

Stuffed around setting up the limited number of fixtures contained in the Capture Student Edition and set up a scene that mimics my band's rehearsal space - this is what I can report:

1. Fixture limitations in Capture Student Edition - there is no option for user added fixtures in any edition of Capture and the Student Edition is very limited in the number of fixtures it contains. You cannot adjust the beam angle although you can adjust the light intensity. I have some Beamz BAC306 fixtures so I chose the Chauvet ColorDash Par-Quad as the closest equivalent, however the Beamz fixture has about a 20% wider beam angle than the Chauvet.

2. I controlled DMXIS tempo via CC110 (tap tempo) and found that this would reset the oscillators - I am hoping that MIDI clock will resolve this, however I cannot test that out here as my midi gear is located in the band room which is around a 40 minute drive from home, so a hassle to just 'pop over' to test stuff out.

3. I had set up the fade to next times in DMXIS at 1 second and then realised that at a nominal 60 bpm then I needed to change to the next preset on the fourth beat. I was initially using a Boss FS-6 however found that due to the depth required to trigger the momentary switch that it was far quicker to switch presets using the keyboard up and down arrows (I am going to build a footswitch that uses momentary switches with far less travel). It would be fantastic if DMXIS's Fade to Next was by beat rather than by time/seconds.

Not certain whether I will purchase the Capture 2019 Solo edition as, one, it will cost something like AU$640 AND you have to request new fixtures - there is no option to roll your own (unlike DMXIS).

While the beam angles are not accurate, Capture Student Editions does at least provide an idea of colour and oscillation of the lights in an environment that can mimic the stage. Then again, we are just a four piece band and will probably have at most 10 fixtures with no moving heads and other fancy stuff.

Video below - this is pretty much my first go playing around with all this stuff, so the light show presented here is pretty rough-and-ready...

https://youtu.be/kgeWeRbXV9k
vwodwo22
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Jul 25, 2019 1:36 am
Location: San Antonio, Texas

Re: Capture 2019 Student Edition as a free visualizer

Post by vwodwo22 »

Hey Steve,

I too am/was using the DMIXS and messed around with the capture, and other visualizers, as well as other DMX software looking for the best solution for my setup and found similar constraints and issues. Before purchasing the Capture you may look into "Show Buddy Active" which has a 2D visualizer. Granted, there are no performers/stands/instruments on stage, but in general it gives you a pretty good representation as to what is going on and in my opinion for what I was doing, was the biggest bang for the buck. The band I am in uses 4 moving spots, 9 RGP par lights, 2 light bar, and 2 kintas. I use ableton live for launching and syncing with a click track so we are different on how we approach/use that but I am able to see the colors and intensity for the spots, RGB par lights, and light bars. Instead of having to setup all the lights for programming (45 minutes), now its really just the Kintas and Spots (for movement) which I only do one I am done. I'll do all the scene creation while lounging on the couch. Once I'm done, Ill connect to my spots and kintas to make sure movements and colors(kinta) look correct. Like 15-20 minutes for 12 scenes. Instead of a few hours having to do all the programming while hooked up. Creating your own lights in SBA with parameters isn't all that difficult either (as long as it inst crazy). I am still messing around with creating lights, and think this is one area that SBA could use a little more focus. Its not that it is bad, because its not, but it does have some limitations like my kintas for example, because of the type of light it is. But, I don't think other visualizers would be able to replicate it either.
Steve E
Posts: 23
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 7:35 am
Location: Perth, Western Australia

Re: Capture 2019 Student Edition as a free visualizer

Post by Steve E »

vwodwo22 wrote: Mon Sep 09, 2019 8:04 pm Before purchasing the Capture you may look into "Show Buddy Active" which has a 2D visualizer.
Hi vwodwo22,

Thanks for the reply. I will look at Show Buddy Active again as it is certainly cheaper at AU$290 than Capture. However as we do not use backing or click tracks it initially appeared to me that SBA was perhaps overkill for our needs. But, if it provides a reasonable visualisor with the ability to load fixtures in the same manner as DMXIS then that would be fantastic.

Mind you, I had a dream last night that I was able to effectively load in/import beam angles into Capture 2019 Student, so will try that again. IF I can succeed in that then the student edition of Capture will be enough for our needs with the understanding that I will need need to tweak settings in the rehearsal room.

Cheers
RichG
Posts: 255
Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2014 8:19 am
Has thanked: 1 time

Re: Capture 2019 Student Edition as a free visualizer

Post by RichG »

Steve E wrote: Tue Sep 10, 2019 1:14 am However as we do not use backing or click tracks it initially appeared to me that SBA was perhaps overkill for our needs. But, if it provides a reasonable visualisor with the ability to load fixtures in the same manner as DMXIS then that would be fantastic.
Show Buddy Active and Show Buddy are two separate products. Show Buddy lets you use backing or click tracks. Show Buddy Active does not. SBA is more like DMXIS than it is Show Buddy. SBA is more of an upgrade to DMXIS. In fact, when it first came out, SBA was called DMXIS Platinum. SBA will import DMXIS banks, presets and fixtures.
Steve E
Posts: 23
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 7:35 am
Location: Perth, Western Australia

Re: Capture 2019 Student Edition as a free visualizer

Post by Steve E »

RichG wrote: Tue Sep 10, 2019 4:09 pm ... when it first came out, SBA was called DMXIS Platinum. SBA will import DMXIS banks, presets and fixtures.
Thanks, Rich - I had read that SBA was once called DMXIS Premium, but to be honest I really have not explored the differences between SB and SBA. Good to know that SBA uses the same banks and presets as DMXIS.

Cheers
Steve E
Posts: 23
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 7:35 am
Location: Perth, Western Australia

Re: Capture 2019 Student Edition as a free visualizer

Post by Steve E »

Ah, channel mapping/patch channels - this is what using the Capture Student Edition has required me to understand :)

In Capture Student Edition I use a 'generic' Chauvet ColorDash Par-Quad 18 as the main fixture and then attempt to manipulate the intensity to suit my particular fixtures (unfortunately beam angle is not able to be edited).

Of course the DMX channel settings also needs to be configured depending on the actual fixture employed (in this case, corresponding to the inbuilt Chauvet ColorDash Par-Quad 18 in Capture) - this is where DMXIS' patch channels comes in handy - a good learning experience :)

It also pays off when you want to create your own fixture profiles, or a subset of a given profile. For example I have a fixture that has an 11 channel channel profile, however I only want the first 8 channels displayed. It is a pain to load all 11 channels in DMXIS, yet I can create an 8 channel profile, load that and then channel map/patch channels in DMXIS and skip the "missing" 3 channels (I hope that makes sense).

Perhaps most users already knows this, but for those that do not, it is a great tool to employ :)

Cheers,

Steve E.
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