"Universe"

If the universe were to be destroyed, this conversation would be very short.

1: The Universe drop down only lists 1 universe. MyDMX only supports 1 universe and all 512 channels.

2: Can a universe be created or destroyed? Theologically? Theoretically? Theatrically?

In MyDMX, you can destroy a universe by deleting your show file. Easy.

3: Demo mode vs. USB mode: Demo mode just means you don't have the hardware, or at leat don't have it plugged in. I am working with the dongle unplugged right now since I'm designing and don't need it on at the moment.

I think you may be confusing MyDMX with perhaps Compu Live?

A Universe in DMX terms is a collection of fixtures in a single grouping of channels that can not exceed 512 channels. IF you're running a buttload of lights, you may need multiple universes. SerraAva could give a more real world and practical organizational reason to need multiple universs.

For the most part, the people spending the kind of money they spend on a product such as MyDMX are NOT going to need multiple universes.

In my case, I have plenty of fixtures. Something like 12 or more high-tech FX, 32 Par38's(16 channels, 2 per channel), 4 Par36's, 8 64 LED Pros, 2 Color fusions, 2 spots, 2 movers and 4 color changers. Even so, with all the DMX channels being used by all those fixtures and dimmer packs, plus blank channels for logical addressing to maintain compatibility with my DMX Operator, I have only used channels 1-160 or so, with plenty of holes. I can't see myself needing multiple universes in my organization.

Back to universes: Save as can be your friend if you want to make a single universe with everything you want and then rip and slice and dice and trim and cut to make different shows from it.

This is the first software DMX package I've tried. I'm adding lights like crazy and wanting to design a show with a "wish list" of lights that I may add in the future. I guess the best way is to start a new show with my list and see what happens.

Only one universe? What about string theory? You must be a master debater...

The string theory? I'm a frayed knot. I must claim that I get tongue tied in regards that that issue.

(I'm hanging by a thread here, shoot me please!)

You can work with MIDI triggering and other control in MyDMX even if you haven't purchased it yet. Purchasing is what gives you the hardware interface, which is required to make your shows a reality.

As much as I recently griped about MyDMX, they do essentially give you the entire software package and it is not crippled in any way. It really does allow you to totally evaluate the product for an unlimited amount of time. I thin the concept was that legitimate owners, such as myself, can do what I want when I want, within the confines of what the software lets me do.

The downside is that you have two choices from a company selling the product: You either give the software away or you make people buy it. Try before you buy is great, you can really give it a fair run before making the decision. In the case of MyDMX, you can get by for a LONG time before ever having to buy, but if you want to make it happen, you have to buy it, which provides you with the working hardware interface. I bought it blind based on Jingles recommendations. While I have had issues and problems with MyDMX as well, I have to say that despite the recent gripe post and other complaints, more than anything else I have been pleased with the product.

My gripes aren't about adding features outside of not being the foreground app to respond to MIDI triggering. The rest have to do with operational issues.

I've read most of your gripes, and agree for the most part. What you've offered are viable complaints, and I would suspect a lack of forward thinking on the part of the engineers and the marketing team wanting to field a product. I bought the package blind as well, although my motivation was strictly based on price. After having looked at CompuLive, ShowExpress, and a few others, it seemed that this would be suitable for my application, and it is. Being the first time I've even used a software package for lighting, and having spent countless hours finding solutions to execute my ideas, this is truly a great tool. However, as I've said, I fully understand your opinion on this package, and have already begun to run into snafu's in getting to my goals.

My dilemma is being tethered to the lighting/sound/bass during a show. It's alot of work, albeit fun, but if this package gets me to the light show I'm looking for, all the better. I've become proficient at using my midi pedal to achieve sound environments as well as lighting, so with just a little extra concentration, I've done well for the show. I must say that I look like a one-legged man in an ass kicking contest when I do my "pedal dance", but all the same, it's not about me, it's about the audience and the impact of the show.

BTW, you're a very cunning linguist, Chris... quite the punny guy.

That is precisely one of my gripes about live music these days is the point of being tied to something. In your case, you're saying you're restricted to certain production elements, taking out some of the interacting and change ups that are can what make a live show more than just a live show.

I see too many artists that heavily rely on pre-programmed stuff, be it music or lighting, or pyro or some combination of those elements and possibly even something else I may have left out. Sure, us tech guys like to have a high degree of control. For us sound guys, it doesn't matter so much since we usually have the easiest ride when the show is rolling. Wiht newer digital consoles, this changes things a bit as even the entire audio situation can be automated past the point of simply mutes and other basic automation to motorized fader movements, FX tweaks and more. Lighting becomes easier to sync to when the band is working with some canned backing tracks, but when the show "breaks" in the case of the band wanting to just live in the moment, this is where the best lighting guys shine even though nobody realizes it. Pyro guys don't get that option. You better not pop something because well, then it's gone. OOps, absolutely no second chances there.

I can't plan for "every possible situation" in MyDMX, because as you've pointed out quite accurately, I'm just a sound guy. I don't take this as an insult because it's a fact, and I dont claim to be anything else. I currently lack the vision to be a lighting designer, but I do what I can with what I've got based on what I think is usable. I can always have someone give me ideas. And I could do more, but right now, I got buttloads of scenes that are mainly washes in different colors and combinations. That's sufficient. I could do more but right now, I don't see the need to. I want to see if what I have works.

I'm not sitting here complaining because I'm a cranky dude who has nothing better to do. Trust me, I have plenty better to do. I complain because, believe it or not, I give a crap. I'm not complaining ot be complaining. I'm complaining and offering a insight into a possible method of addressing the complaint. I am also operating under the limitation that MyDMX isn't going to add features, which is fine, and as I've said many times and bears mentioning again, it's a damn good value for the money and is also a great product. But the product itself just lacks in some areas and those areas need to be addressed. These are more of "feature fixes", not enhancements or additions.

We also have to realize that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. If we do NOT complain, then how do they know there is a problem? A nationally running ad for an insurance company talks about complaints, and how each complaint is a new oppportunity to learn, grow and improve.

Even if MyDMX was written by lighting guys, we all know that we all try to do things with our gear that was not even thought of when it was conceived. In the case of MyDMX, it's fairly obvious they did some outside of the box thinking, but didn't get all the way out of the box. It just feels like it lacks them being out and battle testing it. As a result, the software does have an overall good look and feel, but has some shortcomings. It lacks a broad beta test that may have addressed many of these things. MyDMX isn't unique in this, it happens all the time. However, in the realm of entertainment, we often have smaller margins of error and hence tolerance for problems. I had a printer that would constantly screw up. It had to die. SMASH. Problem resolved. Seriously. Couldn't take it anymore, spent too much time trying to get the printer to be a printer and print. Don't have time for gear that doesn't work. Don't have time for software that doesn't work either.

I'm not taking this from some little small nobody. I've worked on massive projects and entire product lines, I know what goes into it.

MyDMX needs to connect better to their users. Listening and responding to us DIRECTLY would be a nice concept, but it ain't gonna happen. Most don't like to correspond to users directly.

I also know that fixing issues takes time. I also know that developers don't like working on timelines if they can get away with it because it can be impossible to get through certain hurdles in a timely manner because we're not talking something simple like an IP addressing scheme, VLAN'ing, VPN, security or other data things that could quite literally be worked out entirely on paper. Software design is a creative as well as technical issue. It's not B&W/plug this in sort of thing.

Those who want to consider me a whiner can continue to think that. I actually give a crap about this product. Why can't it be improved and some issues address or fixed as the case may be? Is it sufficient enough to compete with other similar products or is it better to crush their competition by providing a far superior product?

Cheap does not have to equal crap. MyDMX proves this to be true, because it is a cheap product, and it packs a TON in there. But by cheap, I only mean in terms of costs, not in regards to suggesting it be an inferior product. And even with the things needing some tuning and tweaking, it certainly isn't crap either.

if I didn't give a crap, I'd have just stopped using it and moved back to my DMX Operator or onto something else. For what I paid for MyDMX, it may be a bit but it's also enough where I can afford to throw it away and walk away from it. But I didn't, and I have the option of falling back to my DMX Operator.

Actions, in my case, speak as loud as my words.

I'm just one dude, running my own production company. Losing my busines is a drop in their bucket. I could vanish and they wouldn't miss me. I could just throw up my hands and say "to hell with them". Look at how I've been. If I didn't care, I'd be gone. One of their competitors did that to me, and now I don't want to buy their products. I'd rather pay a tiny bit more and get the ADJ product instead. Why? It's worth it.

So, if ADJ hasn't gotten bored with this, I think they understand my position.