Do I need Show Buddy Setlist or Show Buddy Active?
Show Buddy Active is a DMX lighting controller. You use it to program lighting "looks", and switch between those looks manually at showtime (using a footswitch, MIDI controller, or computer mouse/keyboard). Show Buddy Active can also display images and video clips on a projector, all synchronised with your DMX lighting.
Show Buddy Setlist automates your shows. It plays your audio backing tracks, organises your songs into sets, displays lyrics, and controls your lighting, video & MIDI equipment for a fully synchronised hands-free show.
If you want simple manual control of your lighting rig, choose Show Buddy Active.
If you want to pre-program your full show (leaving you free to perform while the software takes care of your audio, lighting, video and MIDI equipment) then choose both Show Buddy Setlist + Show Buddy Active.
What happened to Show Buddy?
Show Buddy Setlist is the new name for Show Buddy. If you already own a Show Buddy license, you can upgrade to Show Buddy Setlist for free. Your existing programming will remain intact. Grab the latest software here.
I use Show Buddy + DMXIS. What happened to that?
DMXIS manufacturing ceased some time ago, and the DMXIS software is no longer being updated. You can still use DMXIS with Show Buddy Setlist, but we recommend that our Show Buddy Setlist users consider switching from DMXIS to Show Buddy Active for DMX lighting control.
Switching from DMXIS to Show Buddy Active is easy. You can import your old DMXIS banks & presets, and all of your Show Buddy Setlist programming will remain intact. You can also use a variety of DMX hardware interfaces, so you are no longer tied to the blue DMXIS hardware box.
Licensing questions
Can I run my license on more than one computer?
Your Show Buddy Setlist license is personal to you. You can install your license on multiple computers, if you are the main user, and only one computer will be in use at any time.
For example, say you run lighting for your band, and need to install your Show Buddy Setlist license onto a home computer for programming, a laptop for running live gigs, and a backup laptop for emergency use. This is fine, as you are the main user of all 3 computers.
However, you could not then install your license on a computer at your church for other people to use. This would require a second license for the church.
Do I need an internet connection to use Show Buddy Setlist?
No. Once you unlock your license on your computer, Show Buddy Setlist is yours to run forever.
Show Buddy Setlist never "phones home" to check your license details. Your license will never time out, or be disabled by any other means. If you are at a gig with no Internet access, your software will always run fine.
Hardware questions
How can I control Show Buddy Setlist remotely?
You can control Show Buddy Setlist at showtime using a simple wired USB footswitch. Any standard "page turner" footswitch which behaves like an external keyboard will work fine. Alternatively, you can use a wireless MIDI footswitch like the AirTurn BT500S.
The View > Remote Control menu option lets you assign keys (i.e. buttons on the footswitch) to each command.
Solutions to common issues
After installing the latest Show Buddy Setlist release on a Mac, the DMXIS window will not open.
DMXIS doesn't natively support Macs with Apple Silicon. As a workaround, you can run run Show Buddy Setlist under Rosetta as follows:
- Navigate the the Applications folder in Finder
- Right click on the Show Buddy Setlist icon.
- Select "Get Info" .
- Enable "Open using Rosetta" and close the info window.
- Restart Show Buddy Setlist. The DMXIS window should now open.