MagicQ Technical Features

MagicQ Technical Features

Specifications

Number of universes 12
Number of channels 6144
Network connection Ethernet
Direct DMX out Via DMX module or USB to DMX convertor
MIDI / Timecode Via module*
DMX merge, over-ride and soft-patch Yes

Number of Cue Stacks 1000

Number of Cues 5000
Number of Colour Palettes 1024
Number of Beam Palettes 1024
Number of Position Palettes 1024
Number of Pages 100
Number of Playbacks 202
Number of Groups 200

Features

Touch screen control Yes

Rotary encoder control 8 separate encoders
Comprehensive personality library Yes
In built personality editor Yes
Rainbow colour picker Yes
Gel range colour picture Lee, Rosco and standard colour libraries
In built FX library Yes
Live control of any parameter Yes
User defined key macros Yes
16 bit resolution On any parameter

Connections

Power connector Powercon

Keyboard PS/2
Mouse PS/2
Monitor VGA
DMX512 Via Ethernet converter or direct via 5 pin XLR (option)
Network 100baseT
Desk lamps 3 pin XLR – 12V
USB ports Under arm rest and on rear panel

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Serial port ChamSys Remote Protocol, Remote control

Audio ports Sound to light (MagicQ PC)
Remote switch Remote triggering

Protocols

Control protocols DMX512, ArtNet, Pathport

Operating system on Consoles Linux
Inter console communication MagicQ Network
Visualiser direct support Capture, Wysiwyg
Media server thumbnail image support Hippotizer, Arkaos, Coolux, Generic

Modes

Programming modes Normal, Theatre non-tracking, Theatre tracking

Playback modes Normal and Safe
Inhibit programming option Yes
Inhibit live modifications option Yes
Inhibit test modes Yes
Lock console option Yes
User Defined Execute Window Yes, with password lock

Patching

In-built personality library Over 800 personalities

Patch multiple heads at a time Yes
Patch heads at defined offsets Yes
Move heads after patching Yes

Configurable default for channels Yes

Configurable default for locate values
Configurable min and max values
Cloning of heads
Morphing from one personality type to
another
Yes, enables easy locate of heads when they are hung at
strange angles
Yes
Expand all your programming (Palettes, Cues, Cue
Stacks) to a greater number of heads.
Convert all your programming (Palettes, Cues, Cue
Stacks) from one personality type to another.

Pan invert and tilt invert Yes

Pan and tilt swap Yes
Split personalities Dimmers and other channels can be detached from the
main patched head onto other channels.
“Lamp on all” button Soft button to “lamp on” all patched heads
“Lamp off all” button Soft button to “lamp off” all patched heads

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Personality Editor

In built personality editor Yes

Create new personalities Copy from existing personalities or make
completely new ones.
Personality includes range information of gobo and Yes
colour wheels
Personalities can contain channel information that Yes
depends on other channel values
Personalities can contain macros Yes
Off line personality creation Create personalities on a PC and copy onto
the console.

Programming

HTP tracking option Yes

FX tracking option Yes

FAN mode Yes

Individual head select mode Yes
Highlight mode Yes
Option to highlight into open white no gobo Yes
Blind mode Yes
FLIP button for flipping moving head position Yes
Option for channels to return to defaults when not Yes
under control of any playbacks or the programmer

Select heads using groups Yes

Select heads using keypad Yes
Select heads from 2D plan Yes

Select Palettes and Times from keypad Yes

Editing by Include and Update Yes
Record merge and record remove Yes, selected Cues or entire Cue Stack
Copy data between heads Yes

Cue Stacks

Halt and wait times in each step Yes

Execute multiple steps simultaneously Yes
Cue Ids for each step Yes
Renumber option for Cue Ids Yes
Cue Step naming Yes
Cue Stack can contain chases Yes
Configuration of Cue Stack defaults Yes

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Separate HTP in and HTP out times Yes

Individual times on any attributes Yes
Defaults cue times are configurable Yes
Palettes can be played back with times Yes
Palettes can be played back with fanned times Yes, palettes can be replayed with times spread
across all selected heads at the touch of a button.

Cue stack macros Cue Stacks can effect changes on other Cue Stacks
- activating, releasing, starting, stopping, jumping.
Jump live to any step in a Cue Stack Yes
Pre-load any step in a Cue Stack Yes, pre-loads the next step to be executed when
GO button pressed.
Jump to specified step id Yes
Tap to time chase speed Yes
Manually step chase Yes – via Pause button
Sound to light bumping Cue Stack Yes
Sound to light levels Can control HTP values, LTP values, FX size, FX
speed
Timed release Yes

FX

Comprehensive FX library Yes

FX can be applied to any attribute Yes
FX can be applied to dimmers and HTP channels Yes
LED specific FX Yes
User defined FX Yes
Create FX from chases Yes
Store combinations of FX Yes
Include base levels in stored FX Yes
Modify FX live Yes
Tap to time FX speed Yes
Individual control of FX parameters for each head Yes

Cue Storage

Cue Store Yes

Cue Stack Store Yes
Test of Cues within Cue Store Yes
Test of Cue Stacks within Cue Stack Store Yes
Copy of Cues between Cue Store and Playbacks Yes
Copy of Cue Stacks between Stack Store and Yes
Playbacks

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Playback

Cue Stacks on any playback Yes

Split playback pages Separate Next Page / Prev Page buttons
enable different pages to be selected on the
playback wing sections.
Default playbacks Default Cue Stacks can be set to appear on
all playback pages where Cue Stack have not
been explicitly programmed.
Master cross-fade control Yes
Split cross-fade faders Yes, configurable.
Rate master fader Select individual playback or global
Grand Master and Sub Master Configurable functions
DBO button Momentary
Add / Swap selection Yes

Playback faders can control HTP fading Yes

Playback faders can control LTP fading Yes
Playback faders can control FX size Yes
Playback faders can control FX speed Yes

Intensity sub-masters. Configure a fader as a sub-master for

intensity control of a selection of heads
FX size sub-masters Configure a fader as a sub-master to control
FX size for a selection of heads and attributes
FX speed sub-masters Configure a fader as a sub-master to control
FX size for a selection of heads and attributes

Move when dark function
Playbacks can be set high priority
Playbacks can be set to ignore master levels
Playbacks can be set to always SWAP
Playbacks can be set to handle all channels as LTP
Make flash button toggle Cue Stack activate/release
Moving lights automatically move to the next
position whilst dimmer is at zero.
Playbacks over-ride all other playbacks and
programmer.
Playback is not affected by masters and sub
master faders
Yes
Yes
Cue Stacks can be set so that when the
FLASH button is pressed the Cue Stack
activates. On a second press it releases.

Control of playbacks from touch screen On/off toggle or virtual fader

Activation, release of virtual playbacks Yes

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Live Programming (busking)

Modify any value live Yes

Modify any FX parameter live Yes
Busking rate sub master Yes
Timed CLEAR Yes
Timed enter and exit of BLIND mode Yes

Show data

Hard drive for storing shows 20GB - virtually unlimited show storage
Typical show size 1MB
Saving of partial shows Option to save only the selected heads into a
new show file
Merging of show files Yes
Automatic backups Approximately every 2 minutes
Backup only on changes option Yes
Back-up archive Stores files from each 15 minute period
during the day and each day of the week.
Back up to external systems Via network or USB memory stick
Automated back-up of show files to external To other consoles or PCs running MagicQ
systems
Access to console via Windows Explorer Console hard drive mapped as a Windows
drive

System Settings

Individual user settings store / load Yes

User selectable colour schemes Yes
All capitals mode for visually impaired persons Yes
Swapping of pan/tilt encoder wheels and direction Yes
Software controlled dimming of console lamps Yes
Software controlled dimming of screen Yes

Media Servers

Control of media servers Yes

All parameters 16 bit Yes
Display of thumbnail images on screen Yes (dependent on media server)
Uploading of thumbnail images in real time Yes
Touch screen selection of images Yes

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Remote operation

Remote operation of console Via network or serial

Remote operation can be wireless Yes
Remote access to system drive Yes, via SAMBA, enables drive to appear in
Windows Explorer.

Windows

Sizing and placements of Windows Yes

Saving and restoring of preferred Windows layouts Yes
Windows presented as spread sheets Yes
Direct editing of spread sheet items Yes
Encoder wheels can control window items within Yes
spread sheets
Select of multiple items within spread sheets Yes

Outputs Channel View View DMX output and input data

Outputs Intensity View View intensity levels in traditional theatre
format.
Outputs Data View View head data including raw values, palette
info and controlling playback. Ability to
select heads and modify data direct in the
Window.
Outputs Plan View View heads in a 2d plan with current head
colour and intensity indication. Ability to
select heads from the plan.
Outputs Movement View View the current position of heads based on a
2d representation of pan and tilt values.

Multiple console operation

Master/slave console operation Hot take-over mode, on a per universe basis

Force master/slave from any console
Back up console
Synchronise playback
Grab shows from another console
Automatic remote backup of show files
Yes
Immediate or faded change to backup
console or MagicQ PC,
Synchronous playback of all the main
playbacks between consoles, or of individual
playbacks
Yes
Yes, to either another console or MagicQ PC

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Documentation

Full reference manual Yes – PDF or HTMP formats

On-line help Yes – browsing with hyperlinks
Key specific help Yes

Maintenance

In-built diagnostic test mode Test faders, buttons, encoders

Fault masking Mask faulty faders, encoders
Key stroke log to disk Enables accurate reproducing of problems
Soft reset time Approximately 2 seconds
Application reset time Approximately 2 seconds
Holds output during reset Yes
Run time from internal battery 15 minutes when fully charged

Specifications are for guidance only and are subject to change. MagicQ products are being
continuously developed and improved. ChamSys reserve the right to change the specifications at any
time.

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