- Show control
Show control is the use of
technology to link together and operate multipleentertainment control systems in a coordinated manner. It is distinguished fromentertainment control (a term much less common than its specific forms, e.g. lighting control), which coordinates elements within a single entertainmentdiscipline such aslighting , sound,video ,rigging orpyrotechnics . An example of show control would be linking a video segment with a number of lighting cues, or having a sound track triggeranimatronic movements -- or all of these combined. Shows with or without liveactor s almost invariably incorporate entertainment control technology and usually benefit from show control to operate these subsystemssimultaneous ly or independently. Shows which are performed once or only a few times are often not considered candidates for show control since considerable preplanning and programming is usually required, but this may change as the technology, ease of operation and programming of show control software and systems matures.MIDI Show Control
The
MIDI Show Control (MSC) standard is an open, industry wide internationalcommunications protocol through which all types of show devices may easilycommunicate . To create the MSC spec,Charlie Richmond headed theUSITT MIDI Forum on theirCallboard Network in1990 , which included developers and designers from the theatre sound and lighting industry from around the world. This Forum created the MSC standard between January and September, 1990. it was ratified by theMIDI Manufacturers Association (MMA) in January,1991 , and theJapan MIDI Standards Committee (JMSC) later that year, becoming a part of the standard MIDI specification in August, 1991. The first show to fully utilize the MSC specification was theMagic Kingdom Parade atWalt Disney World 'sMagic Kingdom in September, 1991.Show Control Systems
Generally, there are two kinds of show control systems, PC based and embedded systems. Manufacturers of embedded show control systems use their own micro controller designs. They have to develop the software and hardware. PC based show control systems use standard PC's, enhanced by standard interfaces (RS232/422 ports, Ethernet, USB etc...).
External links
* [http://www.controlgeek.net/ John Huntington's Show Control Web Page] has further definitions and links to many Show Control resources.
* [http://www.controlgeek.net/bookinfo/ Control Systems for Live Entertainment] (third edition) by John Huntington, Published by Focal Press, 2007, ISBN 978-0-240-80937-3
* [http://www.richmondsounddesign.com/txt/midi-show-control-specification.txt The MIDI Show Control (MSC) standard] (V1.0, still a valid subset, is now superseded by V1.1)
* [http://www.richmondsounddesign.com/show-control-list.html The Show Control Mailing List] subscription page.
* [http://www.richmondsounddesign.com/txt/show-control-bibliography.txt Bibliography of Books] related to Show Control.
* [http://www.richmondsounddesign.com/bibliographies-articles.html Index of Books and Articles] related to Show Control.
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