Freestyler 512

[norty303]

Since then I've used it quite a bit, and had it running in parallel with Pangolin LivePro for 6-9 hours a time with no problems,

I'm intending to run a show on Saturday for the first time running MagicQ and LiveQ off my laptop (dedicated show computer so only lighting and laser software installed). I'm bumping the RAM up to 1gb (WinXP Sp2) just in case but I'm hoping it'll run fine. Have had it with 512mb running ok at home but some of the lds files I'm running are huge.

Should be easy as the laptop interface can be solely used for LiveQ, MagicQ will be totally controlled by wing and touch screen.

I got lucky with my wing, I found someone who was looking to sell theirs 2nd hand, who'd just had it replaced by Chamsys due to their original one being an early model with some dodgy encoders £850 with travel bag as i recall.

[colouredmirrorball]

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=zhpg9kp2HHM

I have to agree, this is much better. I once saw a LJ using this or a similar system on a festival (folk Deerlycke if anyone is interested) and the lights were perfect controlled. It is very difficult to do this with Freestyler, but not impossible. Freestyler is enough for me, at little events, but indeed, at more greater shows... You don't want your show messed up because your program has been blocked.
I said it before, but with a MIDI-keyboard and a good memory you can do great things, of course IF the program wants to work, this is only so in half of the cases. I don't know if it is the program or the self-made USB to DMX-interface that has succeeded (again) to mess up my shows. Anyway, I will allways bring my good old universal DMX-controller with me. I remember on a gig, I had to do it all with this thing, and guess? At the afterparty, everything worked fine again. That is free software...

Still a great Freestyler-fan but jealous on everybody who has this Chamsys-things,
Florian

[ayoungman]

i've been using freestyler for a couple of years now. I have used it for live band pa work right through to full stage shows. Its been updated several times since it used to be a bit buggy. Is to be revised soon or so I am told. I use it for led parcans,lasers,moving heads,moving mirrors,smoke control and its very quick to learn. I use a dedicated keyboard to run shortcut buttons. It really is excellent if your on a tight budget.

[oliverst14@hotmail.com]

i have tried this chamsys and it looks like a mean bit of kit. its so hard to understand though. it doesnt behave like a windows program and its starting to really p!!s me off. im determined to figure it out but the manual has 176 pages and ill probably have to read it all. that would be ok if it was written well but its really poorly written for a beginner. to be honest im not too impressed so far with the usability of this program. with a nice touch screen and alot of time working out how to use it i think it could be a very very good piece of lighting software but im weighing up if i have the time at the moment. it will take me months at this rate. im going to persivere though cause as norty303 said he had the same experience with this program and then realised after spending a while with it that it was really good. he said that hes spent alot on it now and is very happy with it. at the moment i would still say freestyler was a better piece of software as this isnt really a piece of software its more an emulation of a professional lighting board.
cheers oli

[colouredmirrorball]

Freestyler 3.0 has come out a few days ago.
Check their website !

[instinct]

So I'm thinking about getting the dongle to use freestyle with my other lights.. I was thinking about Light Jockey.. but I've heard this program is comparable to light jockey.. and light jockey is infinitely times more expensive.

[cyberb0b]

Whould it not be nice if freestyler supports output on LD2000?

[colouredmirrorball]

Great idea, maybe someone could propose this to Raph the creator of Freestyler or Bill Benner?

[cyberb0b]

LD2000.net support is already in development. I had that idea also, quite a while ago.
So Raphael is busy with the implementation.

It should be a matter of time now.

But Raphael is a busy man.. So we have to wait.

[dnar]

I downloaded and used Freestyler last night at a gig to control the house lighting rig and my hazer. Simple and easy to work out, suits me.