Real Time Lighting Project

[csf]

Well the other day some of you may of scene in the xlights topic that I have gotten a bit side tracked with another idea. So here is some information for you all.

The real time lighting project (Name may eventually change) is a project geared at creating a lighting program that will control you lights in real time to what ever song you throw at it, no sequencing required.

Currently it works with a single universe of DMX lights. Additional universes and protocols may be supported at a latter date, but that decision will be moths away at best, there is allot of other things to work on first.

Where does this fit in with xlights? I am sure this is a question some of you may have and truly I am not 100% sure. This program is in a different language and structured rather differently then xlights. Part of me is thinking it may be best to make this a separate project not to cause confusion.

If all goes well I would like to use a version of of this program as part of my Halloween display this year. That being said I maybe able to have an alpha version out with in a few weeks.

To give you all a better idea of what I am working on here is a sample video.
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In the video I had a Enttec DMX pro driving a LOR 16 DC bored controlling 2 of last years Rainbow Flood Lights daisy chained.

[trekster]

Interesting.

Ron

[tng5737]

Just like a Madrix S2L - Great!!!

[pk]

Sounds like a great project.  I can't wait to try it.

[dmaccole]

Have you considered using this as a sequence developer tool? The output of this would certainly make developing sequences much easier.

Just a thought ...

\dmc

[Gary]

Interesting.

Ron

I thought Spock would be more likely to use the word "Fascinating". 

[trekster]

Interesting.

Ron

I thought Spock would be more likely to use the word "Fascinating". 

LOL!  I knew that was coming.  That is what I thought after I posted it.  You will have to excuse me.... I am right in the middle of Pon Farr 

Ron

[Greg]

Interesting.

Ron

I thought Spock would be more likely to use the word "Fascinating". 

LOL!  I knew that was coming.  That is what I thought after I posted it.  You will have to excuse me.... I am right in the middle of Pon Farr 

Ron

Ron,

Enjoy it while you can 'cuz the next will be a very long 7 years away...   

Greg

[csf]

Have you considered using this as a sequence developer tool? The output of this would certainly make developing sequences much easier.

Just a thought ...

\dmc

Yes I have thought about that. Probably wont come about until I have a fairly useful program. Right now the program is just to limited to be  much use for making sequences.

[csf]

Just want to give you guys an update.

Work is moving along. I am hoping to have something ready for download with in about three weeks.

The first go at this is going to be on the technical side. 

Almost everything will  be set up by hand generating XML file. Don't fear though there really not that complex at all

If all goes well there will even be java script integration, so if you know how to program you can customize the effects.

Detecting something in the sound wave is only a small part of the equation, making the lights respond in a way that makes sense is real the real creativity comes in and where the scripts and xml files will help us

It would be rather challenging to make a scripting GUI but a GUI for the XML files will definitely come sometime next year. I just want to get core done, before worrying about the fluff

[csf]

Time for some Information on what the first release will feature.

First is the screen shot of what the program will look like attached to this post. The screen shot is from OSX but I have also tested it on windows XP and it should also work on Linux.

Description of the screen shot:
Start = Start playing song, if song selected and starts setting lights to the song, or the audio input.
Pause = Pauses playing song, if song selected and pauses the light animation
Stop = Stop playing song, if song selected and stops light animation, turning off all lights.
Next Song = App will now select the next song off your song list
Previous Song = App will now select previous song off your song list
Load Settings = Loads main XML file that references the rest of the XML files the program needs
Preset = A static state you can configure for your light show (Basically a list of channels and there intensity)
Real Time = Instead of playing a song you can attach you mic / line in and the lights will respond to what ever comes in. (Only main Beat detection works in the mode).
Anim Start = Starts Animation on the screen
Anim Stop = Stops animation on the screen
FPS On = Shows FPS counter
FPS Off = Hides FPS Counter
Load Song = Allows you to select a sound file not in your sound file list

FPS = Frames Per second (Ideal FPS is 100 FPS, which = 10ms between each light command)
Song = Title of song
By = Artist of Song
NA = None Applicable, we have no way of determining the song name in real time mode

Green Circle = Main beat detection
Blue Circle = Low range sound detection (Not for real time mode)
Yellow Circle = Mid range sound detection (Not for real time mode)
Orange Circle = High range sound detection (Not for real time mode)

Feel free to make comments, suggestions, or ask questions.

[mykroft]

Will you be able to modify the screen layout at all?  I run windows and am thinking of something like a bar, or even a gadget...

Otherwise looking good - and cant wait   Can put my 2 old 4 channel AC controllers away for good - Flex strips at the ceiling line around the game room will look good

am hoping to be able to merge this into my MP3 jukebox that is on the wall   (runs windows behind the scenes)

Thanks
Myk

[csf]

Glad you like the idea! When you say bar do you mean a task bar application?

[mykroft]

something like what you can do with winamp - make it into a floating bar on the screen

[csf]

Thanks for the suggestion!

In the next few months chancres are there will not be a view like you suggested. With the limited amount of time before Halloween and Christmas  I want to try and focus the effort on the technical aspects of the app.

Once January comes around I plan to restructure the app based on the feed back of the community and some of my other ideas for this app.

There is a good chance the version of the app to come out next year will include a small limited control view, like you suggested!