17

Glossary

Address     The communication designation given to a DMX512 device.  A DMX512 device has one or more addresses that are usually settable by changing DIP switches.  The DMX512 device then "listens" for commands sent through the control line, and responds to commands sent to its addresses.

AIFF  Audio Interchange File Format.  AIFF is a file format for computer audio files.  Files saved in this format usually have filenames that end in ".aif" or ".aiff".

Channel     A communication link to a DMX512 device.  A DMX512 device may have multiple channels, and each channel is assigned an address.

Chase Controller A device that turns lights on and off in programmed sequences that may or may not be synchronized to audio.  Some, but no all, chase controllers are DMX512 controllable.

Device Editor       This is the window in the Solo Performer Show Controller software where new DMX512 devices may be defined and edited.

Dimmer Pack       A light intensity controller.  They come in several varieties.  DMX512 controllable dimmer packs may be used with Solo Performer Show Controller.

DMX512     A lighting industry standard for light control that was published by the U.S. Institute of Theatre Technology (USITT).  In this light control method, the control cables for lights are wired by daisy-chaining them together.  Each light has a separate address and responds only to commands sent to that address over the control line.

DMX512 Description Table   A table showing what a DMX512 device does when it receives a particular DMX512 value on its address.  For example, a color changing light might have a DMX512 description table that says DMX512 value 25 corresponds to the color red, and 135 corresponds to blue.

DMX512 Device   A device, most often a light fixture, which responds to DMX512 control commands to do such things as turn on and off, change color, or move.

DMX512 Value    This is the number, from 0 to 255, that is sent, following an address, to a DMX512 device to make it perform its actions.

Fixture       Another term for a lighting device.

Gobo          A disc that is inside of certain lights that has geometric shapes cut in it, through which the light is projected.  The result is that the shape that is cut on the gobo will be projected in the color of the light.  Some gobos have colored glass to fill in the cutouts.  The bat signal from Batman was very likely a gobo!

Light Scene         A static "snapshot" of a lighting arrangement.

Lightshow           A collection of light scenes that are arranged in a time sequence.

Light Show Builder       The window in the Solo Performer Show Controller software where lightshows are constructed by arranging scenes in a time sequence.

MIDI  A standard for communicating music to synthesizer controllers.  A MIDI file contains note and instrument information to play back a song.  MIDI files come in three varieties, type 0, 1, and 2.  A type 0 MIDI file has all of its information on one track.  A type 1 MIDI file, the most common, contains one or more simultaneous tracks of data.  A type 2 MIDI file contains one or more sequentially independent single-track patterns.  MIDI files often have filenames that end with ".mid" or ".midi".

MP3   A compressed audio file format.  An MP3 file may be compressed (or "encoded") in many ways.  Solo Performer Show Controller works with all mp3 formats supported by your installed version of QuickTime.  MP3 filenames typically end with ".mp3" or ".mpeg"

Play List     A sequence of audio files with attached lightshows and lyrics.

QuickTime An audio and video playback engine created by Apple Computer that runs on Macintosh and Windows computers.  QuickTime is installed when Solo Performer Show Controller is installed, and needs to be in place for the audio to play back.

Stop After Option         A play list row setting.  If the "Stop After" option is enabled, and it is by default, a stop icon will show up in the play list row.  When running a show, when the play list item with the "Stop After" option is finished being played, the show will stop until the play button is pressed.  If the "Stop After" option is not on, a green arrow icon will appear in the play list row.  When this play list item is completed while running a show, the next play list item will start without stopping the show.

Terminator A small device that is connected to the last DMX512 device in the chain in order to keep a proper DMX512 signal.  Many people attempt to run their systems without using a terminator, but this may result in unreliable lights.

XLR Connector    A three-pin connector that is used to connect DMX512 devices.  Note that the DMX512 standard calls for using 5-pin connectors.  In practice, only three pins are commonly used, and just about all lighting device manufacturers have switched to three-pin connectors.  The foot controller used in the Solo Performer Show Controller uses a three-pin arrangement that is of the most common configuration and wiring.  Because this is not a true standard, be sure that your DMX512 devices are wired per the diagram that is printed on the foot controller next to the connector.