Show Control
Show Control connects Studio to the rest of a show rig: a timecode clock that your cues follow, a lighting desk that triggers them, and LED fixtures that display your picture. Timecode and pixel maps are set in Settings > Show. DMX in is set in the External Control window.
What you can do
| Feature | Where | Plan feature |
|---|---|---|
| Timecode in (LTC, MIDI Time Code, Art-Net, PTP) | Settings > Show > Timecode | Timecode |
| Timecode out (LTC, MIDI Time Code, Art-Net) | Settings > Show > Timecode | Timecode |
| Chase timecode on a timeline | Timeline inspector | Timecode |
| DMX in (Art-Net and sACN) | External Control, DMX tab | Art-Net and sACN |
| Pixel maps (Art-Net and sACN out) | Settings > Show > Pixel maps | Art-Net and sACN |
A feature that your plan does not include shows a note saying so, and nothing is sent or received. See Plans and limits.
Timecode
Open Settings > Show > Timecode. Source chooses where the show's timecode comes from:
| Source | What it does |
|---|---|
| Off | No timecode. |
| Internal | Studio runs the timecode itself. |
| LTC | Reads linear timecode from an audio channel. |
| MIDI Time Code | Reads MIDI Time Code from a MIDI port. |
| Art-Net | Reads Art-Net timecode from the network. |
| PTP (SMPTE 2059) | Follows a precise network clock. |
The other rows on the tab:
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| LTC input | The mixer channel LTC comes in on. Shown when the source is LTC. Choose None or a mixer channel. |
| MIDI input | The MIDI port MTC comes in on. Shown when the source is MIDI Time Code. Choose None or a MIDI input port. |
| Rate | Frames per second of the timecode. |
| Freewheel | Frames an external source may drop out before chase stops. The most you can set is 300 frames. |
| Generator | Runs the internal timecode, with a live readout and Run and Stop. |
| Locate | Jumps the internal timecode to a time, in seconds, from 0 to 86399.999. |
| LTC output | The output whose audio the show's LTC goes out on. |
| MTC output | The MIDI port the show's MTC goes out on. |
| Art-Net out | Sends the show's timecode as Art-Net timecode. |
Frame rates
Rate offers 24, 25, 29.97 drop frame, 30, 50, 59.94 drop frame, 60, 100, 119.88 drop frame and 120 fps. The readout shows hours, minutes, seconds and frames, with a semicolon before the frames at a drop frame rate.
LTC over audio
Pick LTC as the source and choose the mixer channel that carries the LTC signal in LTC input. To send LTC, choose an output in LTC output. The list shows the outputs that carry audio, including Blackmagic outputs.
PTP network clock
Pick PTP (SMPTE 2059) as the source to follow a precise network clock. The rate list includes 50, 59.94, 60, 100, 119.88 and 120 fps for shows at these rates.
Chase timecode on a timeline
In the timeline inspector, turn on Chase timecode. The timeline then follows the timecode source chosen in Settings > Show > Timecode. Offset shifts the timeline against the timecode in milliseconds, from -86,400,000 to 86,400,000. Freewheel sets how many frames the source may drop out before chase stops.
DMX in
DMX in turns a lighting desk into a control surface. Studio listens for Art-Net (UDP 6454) and sACN (UDP 5568). Each DMX channel is a level from 0 to 255.
- Open the External Control window and choose the DMX tab.
- Turn on the receive toggle (Receive Art-Net and sACN on macOS, Receive DMX on Windows).
- Choose the network Interface to listen on. The default is all interfaces.
- Add a binding, then move a DMX channel on the desk. Studio learns the channel and shows it as
Art-Net <universe>.<channel>orsACN <universe>.<channel>.
The Status row on macOS reads Off, Starting..., or Listening with the protocol and address, and shows an error in red when DMX in fails.
DMX in needs the Art-Net and sACN feature on your plan.
Pixel maps
A pixel map sends your picture to LED fixtures over the network. Open Settings > Show > Pixel maps and choose Add pixel map.
| Setting | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Name | The map's name. | Pixel map and a number |
| Output | Sends the map. | Off |
| Source | A canvas or a screen. | |
| Region | The part of a canvas to send: X, Y, W and H, each from 0 to 1. Canvas sources only. | |
| Protocol | Art-Net or sACN. | Art-Net |
| Channels | The colour order of each pixel: RGB, RGBW, GRB or BGR. | RGB |
| Start universe | The first universe. Art-Net 0 to 32767, sACN 1 to 63999. | 0 |
| Start channel | The first channel in that universe, 1 to 512. | 1 |
| Columns and Rows | The size of the grid, up to 512 each. | 8 columns, 1 row |
Use Duplicate to copy a map and Remove to delete it. Pixel maps need the Art-Net and sACN feature on your plan.
Windows and macOS
Show Control uses the same tabs, rows and wording on both platforms, with these differences.
The Generator, Locate, LTC output, MTC output and Art-Net out rows appear when the source is Internal. DMX in is switched on with Receive Art-Net and sACN, and a Status row shows what it is doing.
The Generator, Locate, LTC output, MTC output and Art-Net out rows are shown whatever the source is. The timeline option is named Chase timecode with a Chase offset (ms) row. DMX in is switched on with Receive DMX.