by wmldwilly » Thu Mar 17, 2011 6:50 pm
I am working on supplanting Hippos and Pandoras Boxes in my work with Media Master, and here's the things that are a MUST in some (soon) future version of MMpro:
1) In display preferences, hook the windows monitor drivers more tightly. Example: Pass thru the "detect monitors" command so one can unplug/rearrange monitors and get ones setup right. If Hippo can do it, you can do it.
2) Implement a "split server" environment: 1 "server" of 12 layers needs to be able to be split into 2 "servers" of 6 layers, where one set of six layers doesn't affect at all the other set of six. Again: if Hippo can do that (and they do, really well) than you can. Being able to work with multiple outputs means customers (like me) will be using the server to serve output devices with totally different purposes and in different places on stage, not just monitor walls. There's not the money in production anymore to just throw more servers at every output.
3) brightness and contrast NATIVELY on each layer, NOT as an effect and in addition to the b and c controls on the master. *MY TOP PRIORITY REQUEST* - everyone I've put arkaos in front of so far is very concerned that I'm giving up that capability from Hippo or Pandoras or Mbox...
4) RGB levels on every layer that are additive and subtractive (i.e. push r, g, or b 100% plus as well as cut 100% minus). *MY 2ND TOP REQUEST* - this is turning out to be another of those issues that makes my clients say in that uncomfortably concerned way "hmmm...are you SURE this server software is right for our shows?"
5) In the media master window, some sort of ability to "double click" or control-click and thru a contextual menu return a control to it's "detent", or default value wether that's zero, full, or half. One can try all day to get a piece of content back to it's home position but it never quite makes it.
6) in preferences, allow a "default value" to be set for some items, like intensity. Example: in the profiles for other media servers on consoles (such as GrandMA2, which I use) it's common to set the default value for the intensity channel of each layer to zero, and the default value for the intensity channel of the master layer to 100%, so when there is no dmx being sent to those channels that's the output you get. It prevents having to constantly chase the master channel to full and park it or bury it in subs or always avoid selecting "all" and pulling stuff out. I believe that implementing that for when the server has yet to be connected to the console and is being manipulated directly from the window settings like that would be very cool and very helpful. It's quite common for me now to have a technician manipulate the server directly from the window for days on end while loading in, testing screens and LED walls, trying content from the client, etc. before I connect the servers to the console and begin programming.
7) In the positioning area of the MM window, the ability to select the white box reflecting the output space and "nudge" it up/down/left/right with the arrow keys some user defineable number of pixels (preferrably 1 pixel at a time), and a floating display of those numbers in pixels/DMX values When positioning content across multiple differing screens with our spiffy new multiple monitor cards, it would be very helpful during those load in and testing days to be able to determine the "clicks of shift" needed to hit the borders of the screens with the server, then use those numbers directly when one begins programming with a console.
there's the beginning of my list (so far).
WM