Hi Bart, this is a much discussed topic here on PSW, so if you haven't given the forum a browse you can probably find some good suggestions by doing so. Regarding software, MagicQ PC and M-PC (which is now Onxy by Obsidian) are two of the larger contenders on the market right now, but there are many others. While the consensus is always that software is better bang to buck (which it is), is there a reason this needs to be software? Your rig is quite small and since you don't plan on expanding soon, you might be better served with a small hardware board such as something from the Chauvet Obey series or a used Elation Show Designer.If you do go the software route I strongly recommend keeping that on a separate computer than your DJ software.
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While you can probably get away with both running on the same machine it's just good practice, especially if stability and glitch-free audio is a priority. You might also be a good candidate for a tablet-based controller such a Luminair if you don't mind the extra logistics needed for wireless control. Hi Bart, this is a much discussed topic here on PSW, so if you haven't given the forum a browse you can probably find some good suggestions by doing so. Regarding software, MagicQ PC and M-PC (which is now Onxy by Obsidian) are two of the larger contenders on the market right now, but there are many others. While the consensus is always that software is better bang to buck (which it is), is there a reason this needs to be software?
Your rig is quite small and since you don't plan on expanding soon, you might be better served with a small hardware board such as something from the Chauvet Obey series or a used Elation Show Designer.If you do go the software route I strongly recommend keeping that on a separate computer than your DJ software. While you can probably get away with both running on the same machine it's just good practice, especially if stability and glitch-free audio is a priority.
Oct 19, 2014 To all of the ones looking for a great dmx software/hardware for your mac there is Chamsys you can buy their own USB/DMX interface but you can also make it work with an Enttec interface.
You might also be a good candidate for a tablet-based controller such a Luminair if you don't mind the extra logistics needed for wireless control. Yes, that's generally a true statement. The small hardware boards can be tedious to program sometimes, especially if you're trying to do complex patterns or motions. They're also usually more difficult to modify programming on, simply because you don't have much of a display to work with when compared to a software board or a full-blown console.
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The reason I make the suggestion though is that from what you've said so far, it doesn't seem like you'd need to be creating or modifying programs too often. It's one thing to need new programs every gig, but if this is a program once and recycle type of thing I don't think the programming is insurmountably difficult. At the same time, most software programs have an overall steeper learning curve due to their increased complexity, so pros and cons to both.
There are a few differences between the two, namely compatibility, isolation, and how the box handles driving a DMX signal. I both own and always recommend the 'Pro' - this is one of those things you want to get right and not mess up by trying to save $100 - the consequences are much more than that.Regarding MIDI, MagicQ PC must be used with a dedicated MIDI interface. I believe M-PC will accept third-party MIDI solutions, but I've never tried it and can't speak with authority on it.
While MIDI certainly has its advantages in certain applications, going this route will add more cost and complexity to your setup compared to a simple hardware board given what it is you want to do.
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