The State of Vixen

What's most important to you?

  • Scripted sequences

    Votes: 56 35.4%

  • Remote access (e.g. internet, local network)

    Votes: 60 38.0%

  • Triggers

    Votes: 49 31.0%

  • Dimming curves

    Votes: 63 39.9%

  • Inputs - recorded to a sequence

    Votes: 44 27.8%

  • Inputs - live execution

    Votes: 47 29.7%

  • Object models for developers

    Votes: 42 26.6%
  • Total voters
    158
KC,

I am in the process of learning Vixen, and quite frankly I am having one heck of a time despite the help files and tutorials. While adding advanced features may benefit experienced users, newer users may consider alternative programs that may be more intuitive. In my case, I was going to have my daughter sequence for my Ren64. She asked me for the user manual, so that she could install Vixen and start working on the sequences. Not an easy task for a beginner!

BOTTOM LINE: More folks MAY use/enjoy Vixen if "how to resources" were better defined. Please understand that I not trying to be critical, or ungrateful of your works.

-Charlie
 
Chaz said:
KC,

I am in the process of learning Vixen, and quite frankly I am having one heck of a time despite the help files and tutorials. While adding advanced features may benefit experienced users, newer users may consider alternative programs that may be more intuitive. In my case, I was going to have my daughter sequence for my Ren64. She asked me for the user manual, so that she could install Vixen and start working on the sequences. Not an easy task for a beginner!

BOTTOM LINE: More folks MAY use/enjoy Vixen if "how to resources" were better defined. Please understand that I not trying to be critical, or ungrateful of your works.

-Charlie
Click to expand...

This has been mentioned a couple of times in this thread and while additional documentation and resources might clear this up I think the bigger issue is the current UI. While its very feature rich its not overly intuitive. I think a reasonable goal for v3.0 UI is that its easy enough for the beginner to learn quickly and advanced enough for the seasoned pro skipping the need for tutorial videos and an over abundance of documentation.
 
Running Vixen backwards would be really useful. I'd like to listen to DMX or ACN and record them back into Vixen files..
 
Hi KC

First of all thanks for all of your hard work. The one thing I would like to see in the preview is a way to draw let's say a mini tree and copy and paste it and assign the pasted mini tree to a new channel or add it to the same channel, it is very time consuming to redraw 5 or 10 of the same objects over and over.

Again, thank you so much for all the time and hard work you have put into Vixen.

Gary
 
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So far, the poll looks like KC's direction is simple: put in every conceivable feature and function ever devised by humankind and those that have yet to be even imagined, make each simple, easy and quick to use, make it perform perfectly, make it load in less than 2 seconds, make it open source, and of course, make it free. Oh yeah, forgot... make it backwards compatible with all known systems on the planet.

We're not really asking that much, are we? :shock:
 
GREAT to hear from you KC.

I never left so consider yourself complimented!

I voted for dimming curves but you need to know a parallel input trigger to V2.1 ran my Halloween , somewhat scary, entry-way, perfectly . . . every time.

I can't thank you enough for all the fun you have enabled me to have since 2006!

Greg
 
KC,

Do what you can and able, and what makes YOU feel good. Everything you’ve accomplished with Vixen has made the current hobby what it is, which is 1000% above Excel exports and Parallel Port cards on/off. (The very old days!)

If I may speak for all (some) of the “Blinky-Flashy” and specifically Vixen users, past and present, converts and returning defectors, “Hey, it works!” As with any tool, use it to its limits for its intended purpose. When the user of the tool realizes there are improvements to be made or had, then evolution is making a steam of breath. If the tool meets the expectations and intensions as is - life is grand - and better than it would have been without. Vixen is the equivalent to the super-powerful, reciprocating, magazine fed, air/electric powered nail gun verses a goat satchel of tin (sic) finishing nails and a cheap, bronze-era tacking hammer made of stone.

There will always be a tomorrow, and few of today’s technology, attitude or creativity will experience any life tomorrow. “Improvement” and “tomorrow” are synonymous.

Both take time.

I, for one, am amazed how a few individuals contribute, selfishly and with great self-sacrifice, to the growth of so many. Thank you KC!

Finally, I cannot think of any other hobbies experiencing the evolution of growth as this one.

Joe

(P.S. I’m amazed how many of the two-initial contributors do so much for all of us! KC, RJ… (grin))
 
Its not so much that I love Vixen, but in general it does what it does very well and I have become comfortable in being able to depend on it. Lots of software out there I can't say the same for so thank you KC!

If there was a core capability that hasn't been mentioned yet that I could get, it would have to be a variable data stream output delay relative to the audio stream. This would allow compensation for audio delay introduced by either software based or outboard processors.
 
KC,

Windows XP has been out since August 2001!

I personally feel its safe enough to say that making XP the min for Vixen3.0 would not cause heartache for many if anyone at all. Especially if it solves some issues for you.


If anyone is STILL running Win9x or 2K and doing Blinky-Flashy, its time to put down the soldering iron and go buy a new system.

Even a trailing edge system capable of XP can be had for the price of a few strings of LED's.

I have a 100% dedicated system for Vixen, Wireless 'net only on long enough to do system updates. Otherwise is a closed system. I also have my 2 project systems, Linux and XP that I use and blow up on a regular basis.

I still cringe when I hear folks opening their systems to complete strangers so they can iPhone control or remotely add or influence the display.
 
KC,

Again thank you for all your efforts, I have been using 2.1 for 2 years now and it is great.

Please let me know when you would like input on operation and human interface.

Thanks soo much our show is looking good so far this year.

Thanks to you.

Happy Holidays
 
Aurbo99 said:
KC,

Windows XP has been out since August 2001!

I personally feel its safe enough to say that making XP the min for Vixen3.0 would not cause heartache for many if anyone at all. Especially if it solves some issues for you.


If anyone is STILL running Win9x or 2K and doing Blinky-Flashy, its time to put down the soldering iron and go buy a new system.

Even a trailing edge system capable of XP can be had for the price of a few strings of LED's.
Click to expand...

I don't mind upgrading a system to a minimum of XP, just the additional expense right now, as small as the cost might be, along with some major health expenses in my family, doesn't fall into my budget right now.

I always have the option of running old software and sometimes that's a good thing. By the time that 3.0 is out and tested, I'm sure that I'll have updated my OS.

By all means, I would suggest to anyone programming that they should make the coding as easy on yourself as you can, so if using a newer release of .Net means simpler coding, I say do it. On the other hand, if there are no benefits, and you use a Visual product, you can specify an older .Net compatibility which doesn't require a total system upgrade (at least for me).

I didn't mean to make it sound like using .Net 3 or later was bad, just hoping it wasn't required.
 
I have said it before and I will say it again. KC RULES!!

Thanks again for all the hard work, whatever you create, I am sure we will love it!

Lou
 
Hi:
First, thanks KC for a great job.

I like the idea of plug-ins to do the various tasks. This makes the software "modular" and you use what you need and forget about the rest. The only thing, there has to be a documented interface to Vixen 3 so people much smarter than I can write those modules.

I would like to see is a beat track that is visible over the entire grid. In other words, turn the vertical grid lines a different color for the beat. Trivial request, maybe, but it sure would be helpful. Also, a more useful preview editor, such as in Light Shop Pro (pardon the expression). As someone mentioned, being able to copy an object and place it elsewhere in the preview would also be fantastic and save a lot of time.

Thanks again, I admire your work and wish I could do it, too. Now that all us "experts" have chimed in, I hope you won't get discouraged.!!! Where you are going to get time to do all these wonderful things is beyond me.
 
This is my 2nd year with vixen and I would like to see some simple things like

1. having a copy to end function and standard keyboard shortcuts of ctrl-home, ctrl-end, ctrl-up, etc. to allow for quick movement around the screen.

2. I have learned a lot from downloading others sequences and they have been very helpful in helping me get a show running. I also tend to move elements around from year to year so a channel mapping and copying function between sequences would be useful I know there is one, but it never works for me and the bad thing is that there is no way to say the channel map. I would love to be able to map my 2009 profile to my 2010 profile, save it and then be able to change all my old sequences to my current display and if I change my display again, I want to be able to bring up the saved channel map and edit it.

3. I want to be able to understand all the different types of pasting. for instance I want to take a channel this is always on and change it to a lower intensity. Today I have to highlight the whole channel which is a slow process and then change the intensity. Maybe a one click way to select a channel not for copying but for changing the way it is used. I can do a clear all events, but I can't do a change in intensity or go from on to random. At least I haven't figured out an easy way to do what I think should be easy.

I just find that being unable to do simple things the most annoying. Eventually I will also be using RGB and will be looking for tools to make that simpler. I also would like to see a way for us to donate $ to the cause. If there is one I missed it.
 
First off, I would like to thank KC for all your work with Vixen. I have been using it for three years now and it's simply awesome!

One thing I would like to see in Vixen is the ability to sequence to either [FONT=arial, helvetica]audio and video files. This would make video integration much easier.

Another would be to have the ability to attach a "startup" and "shutdown" sequence to a program.
This would make it easier to add something like starting ending announcements to the show.

Robert
[/FONT]
 
KC,

It's good to hear that Vixen is going to continue on in the future. It's a great program!!

In my opinion, strong RGB support is a must have for the future and I wish it was an option that we could vote on. Next year we will see an explosion in RGB displays. On all three boards that a visit regularly (this one, the Lynx crowd and AUS DIY crowd) they are all developing RGB solutions.

Obviously, with more channels comes more complexity in sequence programming. Any tools that people have for pattern generation would greatly help everyone going down the RGB path. Who wants to sit there and program each individual node? Nobody - well almost nobody. Who wants to select a pattern from a library and set a few parameters and apply that to their whole matrix to get some great effects automatically? Everyone I would think.

Keep up the great work and looking forward to v3.0.

thanks,
scott
 
KC,
this is my second year using VIXEN. i am very pleased:) with it.

i have a LONG history with lighting and lighting controls, and find this application to be VERY:eek: good.

i use software based programs like MYDMX, and LIGHTPRO to run my shows on a professional basis using DMX. and honestly the things that these programs offer compared to VIXEN are not that impressive. yes there are some added bells and whistles these programs offer that are nice, but over all it is the EASE OF USE that vixen offers that i look forward to when programing my light shows for Christmas.

vixen is performing well and i am pleased with it.:p

if i could change (or modify) anything,

1) i would like to be able to call sequences on the fly (while one is running). for example, if sequence A is runninng and there are some "special" guests at my show, i wuld like to be able to que another sequence or smaller set of instructions to run simultaneously to (overlap) on a specific music que or perhaps run from a batch of predetermined smaller sequences perhaps ones that run up to 1 second (much like i do with MYDMX and LIGHTPRO). - - - so while the show in itself remains the same (which is what i REALLY like about VIXEN) i have the option to add a small bit of randomness to the light display if i wanted to.

2) it would be nice to be able to run parts of the light show LIVE (with no sequencing - much like as if one was sitting at a light dimmer board)

3) the remote networking sounds real neat,but i would like more information on it.

4) finally, the thing that may put VIXEN in a class by itself, interactive help solutions.
honestly, sometimes when one is programming the sequence and something isnt quiet right, posting here or anywhere can take days (if at all) to get a reply that is helpful to that specific question.

thank you for ALL your hard work, and these are merely suggestions, i totally love VIXEN and if you decided to not change anything, id still be VERY happy with it!

thank you
Ke:Debler
 
i love vixen, i have used other programming packages but find Vixen the most intuitive and best for what we do.

there is one thing that would help us a lot. it would be invaluable to us if Vixen would automatically restart timers if the computer was turned on during a scheduled sequence.

our displays are in a park - 20 minutes away. a seasonal employee turns power on and off each day. ours are supposed remain powered, but when we lose power we have to restart the computer and then restart the timers if the scheduled show has already started. we do not have monitor nor mouse in the control boxes and we could not have the seasonal employee connect monitor and mouse and get it going. it would be possible to have him turn on the on button for the computer. then if vixen would restart the timers automatically we would be set.

this change woudl eliminate a lot of time, worry and frustration for us.

thanks, we love vixen.
 
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