Prospective new user - after 7.1 audio, DMX control and video with stability - comment from existing users?

[berto2002]

Hi folks, I am a once-a-year producer in the UK and I do a Halloween mini-show for the local community. It's a 5-10 minute immersive and exhilarating experience for the family trick-or-treaters that visit. We had 250 through the door in 50 groups of five over 5 hours! I did a Ghostbusters theme in 2023, Harry Potter in 2024 and planning Pirates next year and we're going bigger. I chose a competitor's software for this year's show and I was let down in the lead-up to the show when it started crashing and I did not get the support I needed and suffered crashes on the night. I'm on the hunt for a new package and I found SCS. Sure I have been skimming the user guide and it looks to be what I need but there's thing like a bit of a personal view from existing users and that's what I'm after.

I have ENTEC DMX USB PRO device and Windows 11 PCs, one a desktop with a 3060Ti GPU (4 output), 32GB RAM and Ryzen 9 CPU and the other a laptop with Ultra Core 5 CPU, 8GB RAM and Intel ARC graphics (1 HDMI but 2 USBC multi). Functionally, I need:

• 7.1 audio - I have a Denon amp and I need to send the audio through the PC HDMI as 7.1

• DMX control (1 universe is enough) of about 10 fixtures including a CO2 fogger and DMX relay - and need chases

• two or three separate video streams with audio to selected channels in (lip) sync with video (in addition to running a display monitor

• Hotkeys for ad-hoc audio and light/DMX cues on hotkeys

• All the above from the single cue list with a variety of autoplay, overlapping, and 'wait for operator' cues that can fade each other out

• STABILITY/SUPPORT; the application must be resilient with built-in error correction that recovers if there's 'Windows stuff that happens'. I need support to have a way of logging and acknowledging potential defects and tracking them.

• Fast. The show is timed more by the second or half second than by the hour/minute so I need it robust at rapid-fire cues and pre-loading, etc as well as reliable run, re-run and run again

Before I buy I would like to hear a few pieces of feedback from existing users. the good, the bad, the exciting?

Many thanks in advance.

A Happy Halloweener already planning

Rob, UK

[dee99]

SCS should be able to achieve all that you want although I would have to dig into some SDK documents if the 7.1 audio is being decoded from a video stream.
SCS logs every run an you can send these to support@showcuesystems.com in the event of a problem.

There is also a very friendly Facebook group for SCS which is worth joining and asking in. https://www.facebook.com/groups/104759756266081

You can browse the help files here: https://showcuesystems.com/scs11help/in ... ontext=460

There are normally several updates a year with new features and bug fixes.

Best regards, Dee.

[Mike Daniell]

Rob,

7.1 audio is supported provided you are referring to 7.1 audio files - not video files. What model of Denon amp do you have?

The only issue regarding the other requirements you mention is the audio/video lip sync. In SCS we sue different external libraries for audio files and for video files, and unfortunately we cannot guarantee tight syncing across these libraries. If the audio is encoded into the video file (and is mono or stereo) then audio syncing is not an issue as it can be played by the video playback library.

The ENTTEC DMX US PRO you mention is our recommended interface, and one that I use regularly.

Not sure about the 'Windows stuff that happens'. Could you elaborate?

[berto2002]

Hi Mike and Dee. Thanks for your reply. I have a Denon AVR-1911. Windows detects the Denon as 7.1 capable if selected as the output for audio and that HDMI also supports the desktop monitor from the AV out)

Rather than using 7.1 audio files I need to select channels to which I send mono or stereo audio files cue by cue. For example the roar of a dragon sent to only rear left while a deep ambience plays in the front pair throughout the show. The next cue will be in all 3 speakers on the right side etc.

The audio on the video will be embedded as mono or stereo and will also need to be directed to one or two specific speakers of the 7.1. Can that be done with embedded video audio to maintain the sync?

[berto2002]

Hi Mike. Yes, the "stuff that happens". Windows has much going on. I never got to the root of the issues but I think the other software I used had no tolerance or retries built in.

For example, if the USB to the ENTTEC gets pulled out by accident in a show or a DMX device had a transient error, the software should cope, reconnect and continue the show when plugged in.

If windows checks for updates, AV runs, starts backups or initiates a failed network call to WiFi and delays something a few milliseconds, we don't want errors stopping the show with dialogue boxes.

If one of the video devices (TV projector) shuts off or disconnects (like hdmi pulled out) and windows rearranges all the displays we can't have the rest of the show stop and it should pick up and resume when reconnected.

It should keep all the disks spinning and USB ports and audio connections live, etc.

If the software itself encounters an error it should fail the module only and continue everything else.

I think all the above is just covered by "good practice developing, testing and support" but just my worries from what have experienced previously

[Mike Daniell]

Rob,

Have you tried the demo version of SCS with your AVR-1911 connected? If so, please email us a relevant SCS log file. Log files are created and saved in a folder named "SCS Logs" under "Documents". Email the file to support@showcuesystems.com.

The log file will show us what audio device channels can be individually accessed.

[berto2002]

Hi Mike, thank you. Not yet got the demo as it's only 30 days so I've gotta be sure I have the time to test it properly. But thanks for the offer to look at log files. I'll get back in touch when I have that. I get a generally good feeling about the product and support level you offer.