LightShark Launches New Software For its Range of Multiprotocol Lighting ConsolesSpanish manufacturer Equipson has upgraded the software for its LightShark range of DMX-based hardware lighting consoles to give users a more streamlined and efficient workflow. Many new elements have been incorporated, including useful upgrades to features such as Autosave, Go To Cue/Preload Cue, Channel/Fixture Parking, sending OSC and UDP commands and being able to assign custom icons to palettes. "We have focused on the areas that really matter to lighting engineers," says Alejo Cevera, product manager at LightShark. "The features we have improved will help users have more control over their events and give them the opportunity to be much more sophisticated and creative with their light shows." LightShark multiprotocol products have already revolutionized the entertainment industry by delivering powerful tools unlimited by their features. The range includes the LS-1 hardware console with assignable faders and rotary controls, the more affordable LS-Core, the LS-Wing Open Sound Control (OSC) hardware controller and three multiprotocol DMX streaming devices -- each supporting a different numbers of DMX universes -- that are collectively referred to as LS-NODE. With LightShark, lighting engineers working in all types of venues -- from small theatres to large stadia -- can control up to eight DMX universes and 4000+ DMX channels, the company says, all completely integrated via smartphones and tablets. In addition, the range is fully compatible with other manufacturer's equipment because the products work with industry-standard DMX and Art-Net lighting protocols, as well as any Operating System (Android Linux, Windows, and macOS). The new software significantly improves the AutoSave experience by making it possible to exclude fixtures from a show without having to unpatch them; freeze a fixture or specific channel with an existing value in the programmer; automatically scroll the CueList to show Active Cue, and exclude a playback from being controlled by the Grand Master. Go To Cue functionality has also been improved so that lighting engineers can Go To Cue in the next Go, renumber a cue as 0.x, change the fixture ID in the patch window and set the value of both Playbacks and the programme window in percentage or decimal. LightShark can now send out OSC and UDP messages at the same time as playing different cues, thus giving users numerous opportunities to interface with other pieces of equipment and control them directly from LightShark. The differentiation of LightShark consoles in its OSC & UDP functionality is that it includes the devices personalities already developed for the LS-Wing controller. This makes LightShark the first lighting controller that has OSC & UDP control personalities for other devices such as audio controllers, media servers, etc. The new software has added many new OSC messages including TAP button command of a Playback and adjustment of its tempo; commands to reset various aspects of the speed master and the Chase speed master, and messages to give users fine control of the Go To Cue button including the ability to PreLoad it. It is also now possible to send OSC commands from a Cue and to deploy a keyboard to control LightShark using a variety of shortcuts. "Another useful upgrade is the inclusion of Internal Macros, which can be used to activate other parts of the console or do various tasks when a different cue is played," Cevera adds. "We have also incorporated a new system that allows users to label their icon palettes visually using a library of built-in icons or icons they have imported into the file library as a PNG. Numerous icon options are available, and they are all designed to help users work faster and in a more streamlined way." LightShark is already supported by more than 100 video tutorials and the company has now added three covering the finer points of the latest software upgrades. Juan Jose Vila, COO and CMO of Equipson, says: "We have created this resource to help customers explore the full functionality of the range. Starting with basic introductory tutorials and going right through to the most advanced settings, these videos are highly informative and very simple to follow." For more information about LightShark and to access the full range of video tutorials, please visit www.lightshark.es. 
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