[QLab] [Qlab] Triggering QLab from RS232 or Game Port?

[Charlie Richmond]

On Sat, 28 Jul 2007, John Leonard wrote:

> What I miss in all the computer-based playback systems is the immense
> flexibility that a hardware-based sampler offers to someone who designs the
> way that I do. In particular, I miss dynamically variable filters, pitch
> transposition, crossfade looping and envelope shapers. Currently, only
> Charlie's Soundman Designer approaches this kind of flexibility.
>
> work. Of course, the Audiobox was a major exception and did all sorts of
> wonderful things that are still hard to replicate in other program. In fact
> for many years, my ideal playback system consisted of an Akai S6000, RSD's
> Audiobox and Showman.
>
> I have every hope that Chris will continue to develop QLab so that it can
> compete with the highest of the high end systems, but I shall also continue
> to choose my playback systems based on the requirements of the show and my
> design.

Actually, Christopher and I have a spectacular plan in the works to provide the
ultimate solution for situations where SFX is the established choice and the 
establishment doesn't feel they can support more than one solution easily.  This 
solution involves simply keeping the Windoze PC that normally runs SFX and 
provides all the connections with the audio interface in its normal position.

But in addition to SFX, they now install SoundMan-Designer on that PC and it can 
be run instead of SFX when desired and it will continue to use all the audio 
interfaces that SFX normally connects to.  But the designer and/or operator will 
use QLab as the programming and operating interface to SoundMan-Server so that 
their favourite software can still be used in this venue, seamlessly and without 
any compromises.

Indeed, there are a whole new array of capabilities available to Christopher now 
through using SM-S as the audio engine, which John has alluded to.  And this 
promises to be one of the best benefits arising from companies who might have at 
one time seen each other as competitors now working together for the overall 
benefit of the designer, which is the foundation on which the MIDI Manufacturers 
Association was built way back 23 years ago!

I dare say that this same concept is also being looked at by SFX since they see 
the writing on the wall that cooperation is a better thing and we are talking 
with them as well about having a future version of SFX use SM-S as their audio 
engine.  This means that not only can you have multiple instances of QLab on the 
network providing an interface with SM-S (so the designer, operator and stage 
manager can all have their own control point, for example) but you could have an 
instance of [future version] SFX also there for an operator who still insists on 
running the system via that interface.

Of course there will be many other third party interfaces available for SM-S as 
well, that will provide very specialised controls and facilities such as 
loudspeaker processor controls, paging, audience call, announcement systems and 
actor tracking systems as well since SM-S is bringing a far wider array of audio 
applications into its realm because of its power and flexibility.  Some of these 
wa can talk about and some we can't right now but they are peripheral to the 
matter at hand on this list so I won't bore you but if you are interested 
further, please contact me off-list.

This is truly one of the most exciting things we have created in a very long 
time and working with Christopher and QLab is absolutely the most exciting part 
about it right now!!!  Well....  this and a couple of other things in the works, 
too ;-)

Charlie

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