MediaMaster: The feature requests thread

[polanri]

Post your feature requests for the next update in this topic.

Please use a decriptive subject and a detailed message. We'll collect all feature in a list here below, so please read it before posting yours. Thanks.

• Global Master Dimmer
• Load clip remotely to FOH machine
• More Fixture in LED Mapper
• Multiple selection in the LED Mapper
• Replace the rotary by sliders
• Cue settings in MM with the possibility to send the cue settings to the console
• Audio Support
• Reset to default values through GUI

[AXISLIGHTS]

I'd say the biggest ones for me so far are as follows:
1) Global Master Dimmer
2)Ability to link a computer FOH and loads clips from there like the High End CMA program or Hippos Zookeeper
3)more fixtures in LED Mapper, Ie, Element Labs, Color Kinetics, Elation ect.

[AXISLIGHTS]

Whoops forgot one. A reset button on the GUI. When you're playing around offline it would be great to just click one button to default everything back to zero. Also If you could post the value ranges for the Effects files with their names, (ie tiles=175-178dmx) it would be easier to make a better profile for the consoles like GMA so I can make pallets easier and I can see on the encoder what the effect is called.

Axis

[M-.-n]

Also If you could post the value ranges for the Effects files with their names, (ie tiles=175-178dmx) it would be easier to make a better profile for the consoles like GMA so I can make pallets easier and I can see on the encoder what the effect is called.

Could you be more specific on this feature ? I'm not sure I understand it correctly.

Regards
M.

[dlights]

Screen warping and shapeable masking would be nice.

[Manuel]

Ledmapper tips:
1. Undo function (grrrrr)
2. Posebility to adjust the size of the fixtures in sizes more accurate then whole numbers: 2.6 and not 2 or 3. Very important to use in combination with the duplicate function.
3. When a fixture is rotated 90 degrees, use the heigth as the size from wich to space the fixtures appart. Now it stil uses the width and make duplicating incorrect.
4. Define a max number of adresses to be used for one universe.
5. In the personality editor ad a edit possibility of the max level of output (so you can use different types of (led) screens together without one being much brighter
6. Increas the max rgb units per fixture. Why do i need to use the duplicate funtcion to space my single led units. I want to make one fixture with the right amount of led pixels and scale to the desired height and with.
7. Besides the fixture size I want to define a a space between the fixtures. like a 'white space' around a font.
8. A output curve adjustment function. Most led has 90 % of the output contrast in the first 10% of the dmx output range.
9. A smart dmx adres calculator. How may fixtures per universe. if start adres x then how much. etc etc etc...
10. Group select, edit and delete function
11. In the section where you can make the custom layout for the led fixtures it would be very practical to have the possebility to add "dummy" channels. So you can make a more exended fixture profile.
Most lowres led fixtures have a exended mode in with they run in full rgb mode including a dimmer, strobe and multiple effect channels. In my shows i use a dmx merger to drive the lowres led fixtures from the ledmapper AND patch them on the desk for the most basis "flash options" I would love to be able to make a fixture profile in with i can define one master dimmer on my led fixtures and thus on my video output on the lowres led as they are generaly very very bright.
12. Master dimmer over the Artnet output

Media master suggestions
BIG previews
(for obvious reasons)

Full Quartz composer support, inc publishing controllers
(this would combine the best of the VJ world, the realtime rendering and costum effects design capebilities of Quartz composer in a dmx Media server and thus make a truly unique product)

Making the effects and their parameters easy acceble.
Now its quite impossible without documentation to work with the effects because there are just to much submenus. The personality files on the Grand MA, Avolites & Chamsys desks i use do not describe wich of the effects parameters you are driving... They all are named "Parameter".
For example: I want to use the core image effects on my mac. This is a group of effects that render directly on the graphics board and thus provide excellent rendering speed. The effects group itself has 11 effects. The first one, blur has 7 sub effects, each with 3 to 1 parameters. The second effect, sharpen has 2 sub effects with 2 parameters each. The third effect, Stylize has 15 sub effect with each 4 parameters to drive. Because all of these selections are called PARAMETER on my desk i get lost.

[Manuel]

Multiple file import to the media library. I did a gig last saturday and had to ad 25 files seperately at the very very very last moment and it cost me to much time. It teached me to never accept such a tight deadline. But in Arkaos vj dmx it works very fast: drop, wait 4 secs and run show... I had prepared al the programming off the memories in advance....

Kind regards,

Manuel Rodrigues

[PhasedMedia]

What is expected time frame for porting new audio engine in GrandVJ to MediaMaster?
Don't see any need for level controls, or changing dmx profiles.
Just to be able to right click a library item in MM GUI and select unmute (like deinterlace) would be ideal.

[preeves]

-Independent resizable preview windows for camera feeds.
-Better interface for the camera settings, other than the built in DirectX(?) interface/dialog.

[nickvann]

- Force fullscreen to remain while multi-tasking
- Camera Previews (Would be nice to be able to dedicate a monitor for input multiview preview / split screen).
- A LIST OF DMX VALUES FOR FX. (this should be an easy one... can we have this tomorrow


I'll think for more in a few. For now I won't buy software until the fullscreen request has been taken care of. Makes it too risky in show mode now.

Thanks
Nick

[PhasedMedia]

- Force fullscreen to remain while multi-tasking

uncheck 'force resolution'

- Camera Previews (Would be nice to be able to dedicate a monitor for input multiview preview / split screen).

why not just use a cue monitor? rendering multiple live video sources at full quality to a second interface monitor would cause a lot of CPU load, and potentially add delay.
Also consumer-grade lcd monitors will not give accurate colour saturation and brightness information. Try using a cue monitor with loop-through, or isolating splitters (i.e Gatton or similar).

[nickvann]

***A HARWARE BASED SECURITY (IE. DONGLE) SYSTEM.***

I understand the need to limit piracy, buy the current system just doesn't work. I've been a customer (VJDMX) for a while. I'm an LD and use the software strictly for my own projects, but depending on the project I will use different hardware.
Sometimes I'll use my rack mount server, sometimes my Macbook pro, sometimesthe macbook running in bootcamp... never all at once, but different tools for different projects.
I'm now building a new server rack becuase the motherboard in my old one is just too outdated... oh wait I have no more serials left... Guess I'll just pay for the software again... NOT!!!

I have other specialty software such as WYSIWYG and I have a 2 port node for the GrandMA. Both of these run off hardware based security. Other media products work the same way.

This way as your hardware changes or you use different hardware for different projects you can take the software (THAT YOU PAID FOR) with you. What happens if your server crashes and you need to use a Macbook pro for one show and you can't generate another serial?

I'm not expecting to get 100 serials for free... that doesn't help anyone. Either Arkaos needs to come up with a way to deactivate the software on a system so you can move the software (online process that returns the product to demo mode perhaps?) or switch to a harware based system.

Part of the Arkaos appeal is the price. If users are not only forced to pay for upgrades (ie. VJDMX to media master... since VJDMX is now dead) and are forced to pay for upgrading their harware or using backup systems, the price between this product and others is slim.

Before I get flamed about this being a rant... it is... but it's a media master feature request. HARDWARE SECURITY PLEASE!

[tijuanamidas]

Yes please a usb dongle...

I'm doing a new install and media master server crashed twice on third startup only work in demo mode unit says serial is no not valid.... Stuck on the cruise ship easter sunday and dead in the water..

[Manuel]

A error message telling me that I have been so stupid to use a identical ArtNet universe in my ledmapping layout as i'm using to drive Media Master...

Kind Regards,

Manuel Rodrigues

[artchitecture]

Hardware Security Good. Current very Bad

[artchitecture]

I would love to see a play controls and a time counter next to the Title Visual. The play button would enable the user to preview selected media in place of the thumbnail or to provide monitoring of live capture device. The time counter would be best if it provided both the current frame time and total time of the media file. Allowing the user to enter the current frame time would also provide an option to select which frame they wanted to use for the thumbnail. Even cooler features like toggling through options for reporting on time remaining and start time and end time would also prove extremely helpful.

[ckaiser]

***A HARWARE BASED SECURITY (IE. DONGLE) SYSTEM.***

Part of the Arkaos appeal is the price. If users are not only forced to pay for upgrades (ie. VJDMX to media master... since VJDMX is now dead) and are forced to pay for upgrading their harware or using backup systems, the price between this product and others is slim.

Before I get flamed about this being a rant... it is... but it's a media master feature request. HARDWARE SECURITY PLEASE!

I second this (or third it, forth it. . . whatever!) But a serial number based security scheme is not doing you any favours! As a designer, I need to be able to work with software on several machines. Get it? Several computers, but not at the same time? I might want to edit a show on my computer at home or on a laptop while flying to a gig, and then run the show from a beefed up media computer at the gig. Well there you go, three serials used up, and technically, I'm not really supposed to do it that way.

A dongle would let me take MediaMaster with me to any machine. I could install the software on a theatre's computer, and use the full-featured program, and then when I leave, without the dongle, the theatre would have a demo version to play with. Maybe they would like it enough to buy their own licence! More sales for you.

Having software that isn't portable is just not attractive when we start talking about prices that top out above 2 grand.

[PhasedMedia]

1. Ability to setup (unused) dummy channels for LED fixtures that use more than 3 channels (i.e RGBAW or fixtures with intensity and chase mode channels). Basically the ability to make custom fixture/pixel groups, so that we don't have to setup one pixel at a time if a fixture isn't in current list.
2. Get rid of current maximum patch resolution for use with triple screen setups using screens together with led fixtures. This would be fine if MediaMaster had some sort of network syncing, in which case we could dedicate one server just to pixel mapping.

[Manuel]

One more for the list:

Horizontal and vertical "fine" Positioning.

Now MM uses only one dmx universe to describe the horizontal and one universe to drive the vertical position. For instance: If there are 512 posebilies the discribe a horizontal axe of 800 pixels every individual dmx value moves the image 1.5 pixels. This is a to big step if your goals is to place images pixel precise.

Moving lights use an extra dmx channel, named pan and tilt "fine" to drive the motion on the x and y axes to ensure fluid movement. Maybee this is a good idear for MM to?

Kind regards,

Manuel Rodrigues

[Manuel]

A other one for the list:

A visual artnet monitoring tool for dummies. Some kind of visual representation of witch devices are present on the network and where are they sending signals to. Im a designer and do not understand much about networks and a visual representation of the network and all the enteties present on it would help a lot.

Kind regards,

Manuel Rodrigues

[Manuel]

An other one for the list:

This weekend i was doing a job with multiple types of led fixtures. One type was driven by my vga output and one type by artnet. The fixtures driven by artnet where much brighter and thus it would have been very practical to have seperate masterdimmers for the different outputs. An other request I have made earlier is the advanced editing options for the led personalities. I'd like to difine a max outputlevel in the personality (and a custom dimmer curve) in this way you could match the output of several types of ledfixtures driven by artnet.

Kind regards,

Manuel Rodrigues

[Manuel]

A great adition to this previously mentioned artnet monitoring tool would be realtime image feedback. So while making the artnet patch having the posebility to route the current MediaMaster output to the Ledmapper. I realize that this would be difficult because they are seperate programs but I have worked with other media servers wich do have this realtime feedback option and for visualy orientated people like mysef this is a very intuitive way to finetune the patch (or mapping).

While i'm writing this i came up with an other option: Aditional to the background test image there could be the option to start a artnet testsignal sequence over all the patched fixtures from within the ledmapper program. The test signal could be one block of say 10 Rgb pixels "snaking" (like in the game) sequentialy trough the patch (or mapping) and thus the stage.

This would be ideal to test of all fixtures are patched (or mapped), if they are patched in the right order and if they are hung in the right orientation. A test signal should be availeble in white and seperate r g b.

I hope to get some feedback on my suggestions!

Kind regards,

Manuel

[Manuel]

Besides a start adres for the first 8 layers we need a second startadres for the rest of the 4 layers. When used in full mode 12 layers cant be patched on one universe because there arent enough adresses...

Kind regards,

Manuel

[Prohias]

I think it would be very useful to have an on/off switch on every LibraryFolder.
- When 'OFF' that Folder would not be loaded at startup.

Actually, I can't see the point with 238 LibraryFolders without this function !

With it you could maintain a big library and not have to " build several dedicated libraries rather than filling one with all the content" as the usermanual suggests.
Startup of MM could be quicker and it wouldn't have to load big movies just to unload them moments later when RAM runs out.

Buttons for 'All On', 'All Off' and 'SOLO' (Only this folder) would of course also be available...

[Manuel]

Hi There,

Id love to have the the possebility to save the order in which you have organized the mediafiles in the library. So this would be a referencefile describing the link between the mediafiles and "slots" in the Libraryview (and thus dmx adresses.) Very handy when you want to migrate your media from one HD to an other HD...

Kind regards,

Manuel

[Manuel]

Hi,

I'm using an Ephipan VGA2USB LR to capture VGA into MediaMaster. However I'm not happy with the image quality and latency therefore I want to make some adjustments to the resolution, framerate, capturing codec etc...

Im working on this project with several people and they have tested the same hardware under MaxMSP. They have all kinds of settings they can adjust while MediaMaster lets me edit noting at all. The reason for this is probably that MaxMSP uses quicktime for capturing and Mediamaster uses FFmpg. I really need to edit the capture settings to minimize the latency. Can we make this possible?

Kind regards,

Manuel Rodrigues

[richdesign]

I would ask for a USB dongle for the license

Also,

A vignette feature, maybe on the master output. I'm using MM Express, btw.

I looked at the new old film effect. It has a nice vignette, it would be nice to use this vignette without using the old film effect. Maybe be able to change the shape and curve also so if you want to feather the edge a little you can do that also.

[DaDeDesign]

Some random Ideas:

Always display the preview even with the intensity at zero. Much easier to see wat is comming next.
Remote program to edit the library.
In this line: Library syncing (I don't think it is smart to use a networked folder as library root)
Configuration of video capture devices (Blackmagic Decklink is bit of a problem)
Kinet output
With 2.2 it is no longer possible to edit texts when fullscreen because there is no longer a task bar visible.
Backup of texts to a file. For easier saving and restoring
When movies are unsupported just don't play them. It happens with movies that are corrupt of have a bad codec media master just crashes.
Faster bootups, a big library means it takes a loooong time to restart after a crash.

These are just some things that where on my mind that could need your attention. I hope you can do something with it.

[DaDeDesign]

Here are some ideas for future improvements
System is a macpro 4 or 8 core with blackmagic decklink
Driven by Chamsys or GrandMA

• Preview layers even when the fader is at Zero, much easier to preview what's next
• Library syncronisation, for a backup server or 2 identical servers driving other parts.
• Remote library editing tool, so you don't need fysical acces to the server.
• Startup speed (big library = looooong startup time)
• Ignore bad movies. Movies wich are corrupt or have bad codecs tend to crash the whole program.
• Live input devices needs some attention, blackmagic decklink is a bit of a problem.
• Capture cars, when working, have a delay when you first use them, after the first use it works ok
• Stutter free audio playback, had some problems with that
• With 2.2 there is no longer a top taskbar, and thus you can't update Texts
• Save and recall texts from a file.
• Allow second monitor even when the monitor wasn't connected at program starup (Monitor refresh button)
• MA-net on Mac, you only have 8 artnet lines on GrandMa, and already spend 2 per arkaos.

These are some things I have run into and add frustration when using. They are just some ideas you might want to take into considiration.

Kind Regards Ben

[wmldwilly]

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

[ditheo]

A nice addition would be Automatic camera based edge-blending and warping like vioso wings 4. That would make MM very nice software! Add it for free on MM or with extra cost is a must have if you want to align 3 or more projectors!

[jannypan]

Is it possible to make MM send dmx via artnet back to the lighting console? Or a way of recording some cues that can be sent back to the console. This could allow the console operator to concentrate on the lights while someone else is programming the content of the MM.

[sow_fat]

I'd like the loop mode "play once then freeze on last frame" functionality to come back for ArkMM Pro. I've done several theatrical shows with Arkaos's VJ DMX 3.6.5 over the years where I've used video as a scenic element and ended up depending on this feature as a part of many scene transitions. I don't see it in the documentation and, unless i'm wrong, there isn't a loop mode like this available.

Currently remounting and reprogramming a show I designed around VJDMX3.6.5, now with a brand new license for ArkMM Pro and sorely miss this feature.

[PhasedMedia]

"play once then freeze on last frame"
Please bring back this playmode, it is (and was in arkDMX) a very handy feature which can be time consuming to emulate with a lighting console and current playmodes, especially when there are many files of different duration.

"USB dongle for license"
I think every paid owner of the software would agree. Or at least a way to de-register a HardwareID to migrate the software licence to another computer.

"on/off switch on every LibraryFolder"
I second this suggestion, it would be a very simple way to manage a large video library.

[artchitecture]

Volume control on every channel would be very nice. Also there are 4 parameters on some effects how come I only get to assign 3 dmx channels for control in simple mode. Shouldn't I be able to pick how many channels of dmx I want to waste on parameters.

Oh yeah the dongle license thing is still a pain just blew a license and a mother board at the same time.

and of course play and stop on last frame is sorely missed and should be fixed by now.

artchitecture

[artchitecture]

Oh yeah I forgot time code display.

[PhasedMedia]

Play once then stop on last frame. Please bring this playmode back. I'm wasting too much time having to program this on consoles by pausing (speed to zero after x seconds), or wasting a layer just to have a still image of the last frame of the video clip for when it ends and abruptly disappears.
I'd be happy if it replaced play once forward/back playmodes.

[PhasedMedia]

Time remaining (in a clip) shown in playback tab. The playhead triangle is only useful for short clips.

[Manuel]

In the led mapper please ad the possibility to send X a range of mapped elements to X ip address. Im doing a project with 64 universes of artnet and in such a setup unicast is a must...

[richdesign]

Freeze on last frame please. It is a huge time killer working around this. I used it all the time with VJ DMX

[PhasedMedia]

It is really past time for an update for MediaMaster.
GrandVJ has had play once then freeze playmodes and transitions for a while now, when will these be ported to MM?
GVJ is well out of beta, it's time for a new beta for MediaMaster.

Still no word on a bug fix for Enttec usb dongles from the last update (USB Pros older than 2years do not work with current version, regardless of firmware- previous MM versions fine).

PS: Martin (Lighting) is currently working on getting MMpro CITP thumbnails working with their consoles/software. This will require modifying the DMX fixture profile for MM layers(on the consoles)- If the channel mapping is going to change(adding 2playmodes/transitions etc)...do it soon.

[Manuel]

Make yourself compatible (trough some sort of framesharing syphon like application) with Touchdesigner. There is some overlap between the two software environments but it would combine the user friendliness of MM with the extremely elaborate interactive toolbox Touchdesigner is. Touchdesigner is the quartz composer alternative for the pc but it is del documented, stable and very user friendly compared with quartz. O, and Richie Hawtins's Plasticman and Amon Tobin's Isam Live where made using TD I just bought a PC laptop (!) in stead of a MBP to make my setup compatible with TD...

Btw in general, a pc alternative for syphon would be a killer app...

Some feedback would be appriciated...

[nick c]

I would like to be able to use the video mapper extension inconjunction with Screen warping and edge blending in MM Pro, for Zoneing content on multi projector curved screens / surfaces.

[PhasedMedia]

Could we add CITP thumbnails/names for effects, currently (on lighting console) we have to write too many presets for FX or have to remember which folder/file is the effect we're after. Not good when in a rush.
The effects have their thumbnails in MM but these are not sent over CITP/MSEX to the lighting desk.

I've done a work-around by creating my own fixture profile, and adding the effects gfx from resources.dat. But I don't want to do this for every CITP-enabled console driving my servers.

Will

[Jdoniaute]

You got a good point there.

We will consider that feature for a further update.

[PhasedMedia]

LED Pixel Mapper needs some work. Mainly the fixture editor needs some manual control of patching, especially if static channels are required.
Got really frustrated with patching fixtures (RGBW/RGBAW/ Moving head LED/ etc.), that are not in current library, using the fixture editor, so I had a look at the;

LEDFixtureLib.lml file in LED Mapper application folder.

I was amazed how much faster creating and editing fixtures in a text editor(xml) was than using the internal fixture editor. I now have a full library of customized fixtures I commonly use, in both stand-alone pixel mapped (static channels may have values- such as intensity@20%, shutter open etc.), and merged modes (static channels @0 for merged HTP control from console -such as white LEDs, P/T, or intensity etc.). I wish I had bothered to look ages ago, it would have saved me excessive amounts of time and frustration.
I've even been able to make fixture groups to save time in mapping (commonly used items like rows of 8 LED Battons, for example).
Now that I can manually set an LED fixture's intensity channels, it is easy to mix various types of fixtures and screens in a mapping project, while keeping uniform brightness for cameras.

I'm happy to make fixture profiles for LED Mapper for any user that PM's me with a fixture's channel map. Try it yourself first though, and ALWAYS back-up 'LEDFixtureLib.lml' before editing.

Hope this helps someone else..