Dear all,
I came across Onyx after 10 years of using other lighting control systems(Mostly Hog v2/3/4,GrandMA s1/2, EOS) as my main profession with an academic background. I miss some really handy features that made everyone’s workflow easier and have been adapted by many lighting control systems each one with its own unique way. I believe that enhancements that make workflow better are much more appreciated for professional users rather than enhancements that make GUI look prettier.
- CUE OPTIONS
When a cue or a selection of cues has to be copied/moved/replace other cue/cues or removed (on a tracking based system) it’s quite handy to have options such as CUE ONLY DELETE/COPY/MOVE( you can delete a cue or a selection of cues from a cuelist without the need of making block Cue but the desk does it immediate for you) eg. From a list that contains cue 1 thru 12 you delete cue 2 thru 5 or just any cue from the list(except last one of course!!) and the tracking values are not affected (if user wants to) with an option of a CUE Only Delete(doesn’t affect tracking values or a Tracking Delete(affects tracking values).
On top of that, a Status option or whatever someone wants to name it will be really helpful for such commands( MOVE,COPY,REPLACE). What I mean for Status Option is that the desk Copy / Move a cue or a range of cues to its new destination as an actual cue or a range of cues (both tracked and absolute values). At the moment only Load option is available that in situations that lets say someone needs quickly and without being noticeable to Copy/Move a cue or a range of Cues to another list or inside the same list is not doable and not a fast procedure.
e.g. during the run of a tech rehearsal actors on stage … lighting designer wants cue 3 thru 5 to be copied to cue 101 thru 103 at the same list and currently cue number 100 is live on stage… a command such as “COPY CUE 3 THRU 5 @ Cue 101 thru 103 Cue Only Status Enter” will save the day and make everyone happy
2)MORE CONVENIENT VALUE DISPLAY
A CUE LIST VALUES DISPLAY much more convenient clear for the user after hours of programming inside a dark space that allows you to see values from any cue to any cue list recorded upon users decision and with color coded values easy to understand their kind (tracked values, manual/programmer values). For example magenta color for tracked values red for manual green for values that are lower from the previous cue and blue for values that are higher from previous cue.
Example of how this is crucial
is when the lighting designer wants to know the values that a fixture has to one cue that is not currently active on stage
is when the lighting designer wants to know the values that a fixture has to the next coming cue cause he/she wants to make Blind some changes
and many more …
- EDIT MODE Cue List Value Display
If number 2) Request is sorted then an Edit MODE at the Cue list Display were the programmer can change and update values and timing makes the desk a much more powerful tool no need to explain why.
Not to be misunderstood I believe that Onyx is a great software and has great tools to work with but as the obsidian control site says " INNOVATING TOGETHER JOIN OUR COMMUNITY "as a proud owner of an NXWING and in the near future of an NX 2 I just make some suggestions through out my personal experience but also through out my personal experience as a trainer to other lighting control systems.
PS More suggestions soon
Best,
M