Lucid DMX
Table of contents I Welcome to Lucid DMX 1 II Installation 4 1. 1. Software 2. 2. USB - DMX Interface III Quick start guide 1. 1. Add fixtures 2. 2. Design the stage 3. 3. Make the program 4. 4. Play the show IV Setup and programming tools 1. 1. Add a generated effect 2. 2. Setup a LED matrix 3. 3. How to use the XY Moving Area 4. 4. How to use the RGB / CMY Color Picker 5. 5. Desktop's features 6. 6. Scene, Sequence and Cue features V Playback tools 1. 1. Cues and Sequences Playback 2. 2.
1.1. MIDI and DMX IN Links 2. 2. Playback tools 2.1. MIDI and Ports Triggers 3. 3. Configuration tools 3.1. Configure the StandAlone Mode 3.2. How to configure the multi universes mode 3.3. How to test the ports 73 76 76 77 77 83 87 VIII FAQ - Troubleshooting 90 IX Appendices 92 1.
Lucid DMX I Welcome to Lucid DMX I Welcome to Lucid DMX Thank you for your interest in the Lucid DMX lighting control software. Throughout this manual you will find useful information that will help you get the most from your lighting fixtures using our software. You will find the following sections in this manual: Installation How to install the software and USB-DMX interface Quick Start Guide Explains the most basic concepts in the software, to allow you to get your lighting fixtures working in no time.
Lucid DMX Page 2 I Welcome to Lucid DMX
Lucid DMX II Installation II Installation 1. 1. Software You can install the Lucid DMX software from the installation CD included in the Lucid DMX package, or by downloading the latest installation file from the website's product page (if this is your case, ignore the next paragraph). Insert the installation CD in your computer. Once the installation screen is open, select your language and click NEXT. You must accept the license agreement. Finally, on the following screen, click on the INSTALL icon.
Lucid DMX Select the installation Language. Click Next. Accept the License Agreement, then click Next. Select the Lucid DMX's destination folder on your hard drive. Then click Next.
Lucid DMX II Installation Select the name for the Start menu folder, then click Next. If you want to create a desktop icon click Next.
Lucid DMX The Setup is now ready to begin installing the Lucid DMX software on your computer, click Install. Wait while the Setup installs Lucid DMX. You are done! Now, it is time to start playing with our software. Click Finish to launch Lucid DMX.
Lucid DMX II Installation Enjoy! 2. 2. USB - DMX Interface If you purchased a software package and received a USB to DMX interface, you will need to install the drivers for it. You can use the full software without the interface, but you will need this USB-DMX device if you want to control real lighting fixtures. Windows will find the driver and will tell you the device is not validated, and will ask if you wish to continue.
Lucid DMX You are done! But remember, the software detects the USB interface when it starts. This means that you must have the USB interface connected to your computer before you open the control software. Otherwise, there will be no communication between the software and the interface.
Lucid DMX III Quick start guide III Quick start guide This section of the manual will show you in very few and simple steps how to add fixtures into the software, how to create lighting programs and shows, and how to play them. 1. 1. Add fixtures Whether you purchased the electronic interface already or simply downloaded the free software from the internet, you probably have an idea of what type of lighting fixtures you want to control.
Lucid DMX III Quick start guide There are two ways to patch a fixture into the address map. The first is to drag and drop a particular profile from the list on the left into the address map. The second is to use the tools located at the bottom left-hand area of the Patch Manager window. Let us try to Drag and Drop, for example. Left click and hold the "Torrent F5" item on the list, do not release the mouse click while moving the cursor over the address map.
Lucid DMX III Quick start guide You can now see 3 new fixtures in the address map. Finally, click OK to accept the patch into the software. In your Desktop area you should see 1 icon to represent each of the 4 "Torrent F5" fixtures.
Lucid DMX III Quick start guide 2. 2. Design the stage One of Lucid DMX's powerful features is the communication with the 3D view. You can design your stage in 3D and then import all the fixtures' positions along with a screenshot to Lucid DMX's Desktop. The first step is to create your 3D stage. To start the 3D view click on the "Start the 3D view window" button on the Tools tab. The 3D view window appears, to create your stage, please refer to the Easy View manual.
Lucid DMX III Quick start guide To import the fixtures' positions and the screenshot, click on the ScreenShot button in the Tools tab (Warning! the 3D view must be opened). Click Yes to assign the positions. Then you can close the 3D View window. Now we see a screenshot of the 3D view as the Desktop's background along with all the fixtures in their relevant positions.
Lucid DMX III Quick start guide 3. 3. Make the program The Lucid DMX program architecture is composed of 4 parts. The first one, the basic element, is the Scene. Scenes can have a FADE time and a WAIT time. The parent element is the sequence, so within a sequence you have scenes. All the sequences are inside a Cue and all the cues are inside the Cuelist. In fact your show is the Cuelist. In live mode you'll be able to control the cues and sequences.
Lucid DMX III Quick start guide If you want, you can set the DMX channels to the default value, values written inside the fixture profile. If the default value is not good you can rewrite it, right click on the preset and select "Default DMX level". You can now see a center white beam.
Lucid DMX To add a new scene, just click "Add". Change the X and Y position. Add a new scene. Modify the position.
Lucid DMX III Quick start guide Try your sequence, click the "Play" icon. Stop the sequence. Add a new sequence.
Lucid DMX Now we want to make a color changing sequence. We want this kind of result. so change a color.
Lucid DMX III Quick start guide Add a scene. Select another color.
Lucid DMX Add a new scene. Change the color. Change the selection. Select the purple color.
Lucid DMX III Quick start guide Select another scene. Change the color.
Lucid DMX III Quick start guide Select the first scene. Change the color.
Lucid DMX III Quick start guide 4. 4. Play the show Select the "Live" tab. Click "Live Desktop" to close the Live desktop window. The Live mode is composed of two areas. The left area shows the Show architecture with the Cues and Sequences. The right area shows the fixtures' presets that can be controlled in Live mode. The buttons represent Cues and Sequences. The first one is always a Cue, this is larger than the sequence buttons. Use the toolbar to help you control your live show.
Lucid DMX III Quick start guide Try the first sequence, click "Sequence 1". The Sequence 1 button is now Orange, this means that the sequence is being played back. Notice that a number 1 appears, this means that the sequence is the first playback sequence, if you click sequence 2, the number will be 2 ... Open the 3D view to show the result. Sequence 1, a movement sequence, is now playing. Change the playing mode. Select the "Stacking mode".
Lucid DMX III Quick start guide sequences at the same time and on the same cue. The other mode is the release mode, just one sequence can be played. The Cue mode icon changes. Click on the Sequence 2 button. The Sequence 2 is now enabled. Now you can see a movement with a color change.
Lucid DMX Page 26 III Quick start guide
Lucid DMX III Quick start guide If you want to "Clear" all the live presets, click the "Live Clear" button or press Control+F7. If you want to restore the previous Live state just click the button again or hit Control+F7. The two sequences are now disabled.
Lucid DMX IV Setup and programming tools IV Setup and programming tools 1. 1. Add a generated effect Now we can learn how to add automatically generated effects. Select the fixtures. Click on the "Add an effect" button. The "Effect Manager" window appears. To find out how to use the Effect manager, please refer to the "Effect Manager" online manual. To generate the effect click the "Generate" button.
Lucid DMX IV Setup and programming tools A dialog box appears where you can select the generation mode. The first option adds all the generated scenes on a new sequence. The second adds all scenes to the current sequence. Select the first one and click OK. You can see a new sequence (Sequence 3) with all the generated scenes. If you click play you will see the effect that you just programmed.
Lucid DMX IV Setup and programming tools 2. 2. Setup a LED matrix On the patch window, select an RGB fixture from the "_generic" folder. You can create a matrix with any kind of fixture... Check the Matrix box and put the right size, in our example : 10 x 10. Click on the "Patch" button to add the fixtures on the address map. A window appears, you can setup the Matrix (set the index, create sub-matrix and more). Click OK to validate.
Lucid DMX IV Setup and programming tools The matrix fixtures are added, click OK to validate. You now see a new fixture icon on the Desktop. In the case of the matrix, all fixtures in the matrix are represented by a single icon.
Lucid DMX IV Setup and programming tools To control the matrix fixtures, click on the "Matrix" icon on the desktop toolbar or right click on the matrix icon on the desktop and select the "Matrix" item. The matrix window appears. To select or deselect a fixture just click on the fixture icon, the blue color means that the fixture is selected. You can select all the fixtures at the same time by right clicking in the matrix window and choosing "Select All".
Lucid DMX IV Setup and programming tools To check that the matrix is working fine, click the "DMX Level" button on the "Tools" tab. When you modify a RGB value, all the DMX levels are updated, the matrix works fine. 3. 3. How to use the XY Moving Area To control the X and Y channels, you can use a Moving area. There is an XY grid with a cursor. The positions are shown on the top of this grid. Under the grid, you can see a "Center" button, this function centers the light position.
Lucid DMX To center the position click "Center". We can see the position's information on the grid. Modify the position, left click and move the cursor, release the button.
Lucid DMX IV Setup and programming tools Try the X lock, enable "X Locked" and move the cursor. Only the Y value changes...
Lucid DMX IV Setup and programming tools Do the same for the Y position. Only the X position changes. Change the resolution to change the moving speed of the cursor. When a joystick is detected an icon appears on the bottom status bar. Check the Joystick checkbox, calibrate a new center by pushing button 1 on your joystick, when you release the position the cursor will stay on the new center. To release this center push button 2 on your joystick.
Lucid DMX IV Setup and programming tools 4. 4. How to use the RGB / CMY Color Picker You can control the CMY and RGB channels with this tool. You have a big color wheel, a luminosity slider on the right side and a value setup area on the bottom. Move the right slider position, on the top left corner you can see a preview of the color. The RGB values change, here we have a 195 grey color.
Lucid DMX IV Setup and programming tools Change the wheel cursor position. Left click, move the cursor and release the left button. Modify the Red value directly. In this example if you change the value to 255 you'll have a yellow color.
Lucid DMX IV Setup and programming tools On the CMY mode, the values are inverted, if you put a 0 level on the CMY channels you will have a white color. 5. 5. Desktop's features When you add fixtures on the software, icons appear on the desktop area. An icon means a fixture or a group of fixtures (matrix case). Each fixture can be selected. You can also make a multiselection.
Lucid DMX IV Setup and programming tools If you right click the fixture you will see a new menu. The same functions are available as on the desktop's toolbar. Try the fixture's delete function. Select a fixture and click the "Delete" icon. The fixture is deleted. To Undo and restore the fixture. Click "Undo" The fixture is restored.
Lucid DMX IV Setup and programming tools Several kinds of fixtures selections are available. A family kind selection, where you can select all the exact same fixtures, select all the fixtures, invert the current selection... Click on the "Select all fixtures" button. All the fixtures are selected. Click "Unselect all fixtures", all the fixtures are unselected, only the main fixture is selected. Click "Select all the same family fixtures".
Lucid DMX All of the PAR kind fixtures are selected. Click "Invert the selection".
Lucid DMX IV Setup and programming tools You can zoom to change the icon's size. A range of sizes are available. Click "Zoom Out". The icon size changes... The multiselection function is very powerful, you can control different kinds of fixtures with the same presets. If the presets are the same, or almost the same the software allows you to control with a common preset area. Select a moving head and a scanner. Two preset areas are available, the moving area and the dimmer.
Lucid DMX IV Setup and programming tools A Dipswitch tool can help you to setup the fixture address. Right click on the fixture and click "Dip Switch settings (DMX address)". The Dipswitch window appears, setup your lighting fixture like the window shows. You can see some information about the selected fixture. Click "Info".
Lucid DMX IV Setup and programming tools A window appears with the fixture's name, manufacturer's name, Type of fixture, number of channels, the address range and the number of fixtures for this icon. You can rename the fixture, click "Rename". Put a new name then click OK. The new name appears under the fixture's icon.
Lucid DMX IV Setup and programming tools You're allowed to restore the basic background. Click "reset the background". 6. 6. Scene, Sequence and Cue features The programming section is composed of 3 areas : Sequence, Cue and Cuelist area. On the Sequence area you'll add the Scenes with fade time and wait time. On the Cue area you'll add all the sequences and on the Cuelist area you'll add all the Cues.
Lucid DMX IV Setup and programming tools can modify the fade time to 3 seconds. Now we can change the wait time to 2 seconds for all the scenes. To copy the selected scene click the "copy" button. To paste the scene after the selected scene on the list, click the "paste" button. To test, you can playback the sequence, click the "play" button.
Lucid DMX IV Setup and programming tools To stop the playback, click the "stop" button. All the Scenes, Sequences and Cues can be renamed. In this example we can rename the selected sequence, right click and select "rename". The rename window appears. Enter a name and click "OK". Add a new sequence.
Lucid DMX IV Setup and programming tools For the moment the Sequence will have an "always loop" on the Live mode. To change the number of loops click the loop icon. The "Loop options" window appears. Choose 3 loops and click OK. Now you can see "3 loops" on the cue area.
Lucid DMX IV Setup and programming tools You can enable or disable the fade function for the selected sequence, just click the fade icon on the desired channel.
Lucid DMX V Playback tools V Playback tools 1. 1. Cues and Sequences Playback In live mode, the buttons represent the Cues and the Sequences of the show. The Cue button is bigger than the sequence button. The Loops for each sequence and cue can be setup. A circle arrow icon shows that the Loop is enabled. When you have a number with the icon, it shows that you have defined a number of loops, if you don't have a number, you'll have the "always loop" option.
Lucid DMX V Playback tools Now, you can see the number 4 on the button. If you want, you can play an audio file when you start the sequences or cues. You can adjust the volume through the slider on the "Sound" tab. The sound can be muted by clicking the "Mute" button. To add an audio file click "Settings...." and go to the Audio File tab A new dialog appears. Select your audio file. Please use the audio file folder in Lucid DMX to store all the files. You can use MP3, WMA and WAV formats.
Lucid DMX V Playback tools A music note appears on the button. Now, your audio file can be played. You can remove the audio file when you want. Select the "Remove the audio file" option. We can create a shortcut trigger. So when you push the saved shortcut, the Sequence or the Cue will start. To add a new shortcut, right click on the Cue or Sequence, select "Settings..." and go to the "Shortcut" tab.
Lucid DMX V Playback tools Push the key. New information appears on the button : the letter "A", in this example, indicates that the shortcut will be the A key. Press "A", the sequence starts.
Lucid DMX V Playback tools Two playback modes can be setup for the Cues. The Release mode or the Stacking mode. The Stacking mode allows you to play many sequences at the same time and on the same cue, the last sequence will have the highest priority. The Release mode stops the current sequence's playback, so you'll have only one sequence at once. The up arrow means that you have the Release mode, the down arrow means the Stacking mode.
Lucid DMX V Playback tools Now, all the sequences are disabled. If you want to restore the previous state, just click again on the "Live Reset" button (or Control+F7). The sequences are enabled Now, let's try the "Blackout" function. Click on the Blackout Button (or press Control+F8). The button is blinking, the Blackout is now enabled. To disable that function click the Blackout button again (or press Control+F8).
Lucid DMX V Playback tools To use the "Master Dimmer", change the slider position. To disable that function right click on the slider. 3. 3. Live Desktop and Presets In Live mode, you can control all your fixtures. For example, if you have scanners, two sequences are enabled: one for the XY movement and another for the colors. You can add a gobo in live for example. To select all the fixtures, we have the "Live Desktop" window, same as the Desktop window, but you cannot move the fixtures...
Lucid DMX Select two scanners. On the right area, you can see all the common presets. We can control the XY position of two scanners.
Lucid DMX V Playback tools To enable that preset, click the "1" button. The moving area is now enabled. You can control the positions. To disable the preset, click the "0" button again. You can deactivate all the presets with the "Preset Clear" button.
Lucid DMX 4. 4. EasyRemote (tablet/smartphone control) Easy Remote is a tool which allows you to control your lighting software remotely over a WIFI connection using a tablet or smartphone. EasyRemote Designer A customized screen can be designed with the EasyRemote designer and then sent over to the tablet or smartphone. Select "EasyRemote Designer" to open the tool. Once your design has been saved as a .srm file click "Send Setup to Device" to send the setup to the tablet or smartphone.
Lucid DMX V Playback tools In the top right corner of the designer, you can save the remote design, create a new design or open a saved design. On the left side, you are able to add or remove pages of controls to the design as well as navigate between the pages. Right click in a blank space to add a button, slider or text label.
Lucid DMX V Playback tools Editing your EasyRemote design You can edit your design on the computer with the EasyRemote designer. Once you have edited and saved your design either refresh the EasyRemote app (select "back", then select your software instance) or resend the setup file from the software. You can also edit your design from the EasyRemote app, however your changes will not be saved once the design is reloaded.
Lucid DMX V Playback tools Creating a computer-computer network If you do not have a wireless network, you can create an Ad-Hoc network between your computer and tablet or smartphone. Windows XP 1.Open the Start menu 2.Click on Control Panel 3.Under Pick a category, click Network and Internet Connections 4.Under Pick a Control Panel icon, click Network Connections 5.Right-click your wireless network connection, and then click Properties 6.
Lucid DMX VI Configuration tools VI Configuration tools 1. 1. How to open the Library editor Click the "ScanLibrary" button on the "Tools" tab. The Scanlibrary software starts. Now you can create or open a fixture's library.
Lucid DMX VI Configuration tools 2. 2. General Settings Click the "General Settings" button on the "Configuration" tab. The General settings window appears. 2.1. 2.1 General If you want to "Automatically start the last saved show" at startup, check this option. If you want to "Start the 3D visualizer when you open the software" check this option. Select the MIDI device in the list. If you want to protect the programming mode with a password, go to the Protections tab and click "Set the Password".
Lucid DMX Set the password, confirm the entry and click "OK". To reset the password, click "Reset the password" Confirm the action by clicking "Yes".
Lucid DMX VI Configuration tools 2.2. 2.2 Desktop Click the "Desktop" tab. Change the default icon size. You can see a global preview on the right.
Lucid DMX Change the text color. Change the selection color. Now we can set the background picture, click "Explore". Select a bitmap file.
Lucid DMX VI Configuration tools You can see a preview on the bottom.
Lucid DMX 2.3. 2.3 Shortcuts Select the "Shortcuts" tab. Select the action to do when the shortcut is enabled. Click the "Shortcut" edit box then press a key. Click "Save".
Lucid DMX VI Configuration tools 3. 3. DMX Output levels Click the "DMX Levels" button on the "Tools" tab. The DMX levels window appears.
Lucid DMX The DMX Level is in green, in this example the value is 127 for the address 234.
Lucid DMX VII 180IQ features VII 180IQ features 1. 1. Setup and programming tools 1.1. MIDI and DMX IN Links To link an Output DMX channel with a DMX Input channel or a MIDI channel, click the link input button. If you have a CMY, RGB or XY preset, you can choose which channel you wish to link up with the MIDI command. Select the red channel.
Lucid DMX A waiting window appears. Move a DMX board slider. Click "YES" to add this link. To see the Input DMX level click on the "DMX level" button on the "Tools" tab.
Lucid DMX VII 180IQ features Select the "DMX Input" tab. If a MIDI board is connected to your PC you will have two choices: DMX Link or MIDI link. Select MIDI Link then "OK". Select the Green channel. A waiting window appears. Move a MIDI board slider.
Lucid DMX VII 180IQ features Click "Yes" to create this link. 2. 2. Playback tools 2.1. MIDI and Ports Triggers To add a MIDI trigger you must plug in a USB MIDI Keyboard. A Keyboard icon on the status bar shows that the MIDI functions are enabled. Go to the "Live mode", right click on a Sequence or Cue button and select "Scan MIDI Input". A waiting window appears. Push a key on your MIDI keyboard.
Lucid DMX VII 180IQ features Now you can see a small MIDI keyboard icon, this icon means that the MIDI trigger is working on this Sequence. To add a port trigger, do the same as the MIDI trigger but select "Add a port triggering" A window appears, select the port number and click "OK". 3. 3. Configuration tools 3.1. Configure the StandAlone Mode To open the Stand Alone configuration window, click on the "Stand Alone" icon on the "Tools" tab. The Stand Alone configuration window appears.
Lucid DMX VII 180IQ features The left tree list on this window shows the cuelist structure. Select the sequences and cues that you want to add in the Stand Alone memory, then drag and drop them to the area on the right. The right area shows the Stand Alone memory configuration. You can change the memory architecture at anytime (delete sequences...).
Lucid DMX VII 180IQ features To write the configuration to the Interface's StandAlone memory, click the Update button. You can see the available memory space through the right progress control.
Lucid DMX VII 180IQ features When the memory writing process is done, a popup window appears. To use the USB/DMX interface in StandAlone mode configuration, you must use an external 9V DC 0.65A USB power supply. Plug the 6V DC power supply in.
Lucid DMX VII 180IQ features To change the current sequence push the "+" button (the LED display show the current sequence).
Lucid DMX To come back to the previous sequence, push the "-" button.
Lucid DMX VII 180IQ features 3.2. How to configure the multiuniverses mode With the 180IQ version you can convert the DMX Input into a second DMX output. You will have 1024 DMX channels (2 DMX universes). To convert the DMX input to an DMX output you need a DMX converter like the one pictured. Plug the converter into the DMX input. Plug your DMX cable into the converter.
Lucid DMX VII 180IQ features Now you have 2 DMX OUT lines. Now the interface is configured to have one DMX Output and one DMX Input. There is "PC" on the display and the red LED (showed by the arrow on the picture) is not blinking.
Lucid DMX VII 180IQ features Click the "Hardware" button on the "Configuration" tab. The "Hardware settings" window appears.
Lucid DMX Drag from the port on the interface to the Universe 2 port displayed below You can check that you have two DMX universes on the Patch window.
Lucid DMX VII 180IQ features The interface shows "CP" and the red LED is blinking. 3.3. How to test the ports To open the Hardware configuration window, click on the "Hardware" icon on the "Configuration" tab. The Hardware configuration window appears. You can see the HE-10 port item in the top left area of the window. Plug you port panel to the HE10 interface port socket. Push some buttons to test your panel.
Lucid DMX VII 180IQ features You can check that your panel is working fine within the tools.exe program in the software. When the port is enabled, the LED is green. This tool can check the interface's buttons. Push a button. If the button is working fine you'll see a green LED on the control.
Lucid DMX VIII FAQ - Troubleshooting VIII FAQ - Troubleshooting Fixtures going crazy 1. DMX addresses Make sure the addresses for your lighting fixtures are the same as those defined within the software controller. You can check the addresses from the control software. 2. Fixture profiles/libraries Sometimes fixtures have different "modes" that increase the number of channels or swap them around. Make sure you are using the right profile for your fixtures. 3.
Lucid DMX VIII FAQ - Troubleshooting 4. Double-check interface drivers If during the installation of the drivers, when asked about Windows verification and compatibility, you selected "Stop installation" instead of "Continue anyway", the drivers will not be installed correctly. To check if the drivers were installed correctly, you should go into - Windows Control Panel - System - Hardware - Device Manager You will see a list that includes all USB devices.
Lucid DMX IX Appendices IX Appendices 1. DMX512 brief description By the time you are done reading this section, you will understand how DMX works and why the lighting world uses this standard communication protocol. For a more technical and detailed description, please visit www.dmx512-online.com 1. The need for a standard About 20 years ago, most lighting and console manufacturers had their own proprietary communication protocols.
Lucid DMX IX Appendices watch on your TV, in a lighting fixture you set the channel that you want your fixture to display the information for. This is known as the DMX address. In other words, if I set my lighting fixture to channel 21, then my fixture’s DMX address is 21. Both expressions are common in the lighting world. Example Imagine we have a DMX dimmer that controls a simple light bulb.
Lucid DMX IX Appendices different color combinations. The color displayed will depend on the DMX value on channel 3 (as it is being sent by the controller) as follows: 0-10 White 11-20 Red 21-30 Purple … 241-255 “whatever color” So, if the lighting fixture receives a DMX value of 25 for Channel 3, it will display the Purple color. If that DMX value changes to 15, it will automatically change to Red, and so on.
