MagicQ User Manual
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Chapter 4
MagicQ Concepts
A system diagram of the console is shown in the diagram below
• 64 universes except MQ40 (4), MQ60 (12), MQ70 (12), and MQ100 Expert (12). Older consoles such as MQ Pro support 18
and MQ Pro 2010 supports 32.
4.1
Show Storage
MagicQ stores show data in a single show file stored on the hard drive of the MagicQ console, PC or Mac. The show file contains
all the show settings, patch, palettes, cues and cue stack data. It also stores copies of all the personalities that are used within the
show.
A MagicQ show can be transferred between MagicQ consoles and MagicQ PC or Mac systems simply by copying the show file.
MagicQ show files are compatible across all MagicQ products. MagicQ maintains forward and backward compatibility for show
files - enabling users to load shows created on any version of MagicQ software into any other version fo MagicQ software.
Favourite shows, personalities, palettes and FX patterns can be imported into new shows to simplify and speed up show program-
ming.
Show files can be copied using USB memory sticks or the network can be used to access the file system of MagicQ consoles.
When the user saves the show using the SAVE SHOW menu item or soft button MagicQ stores the show file with a .shw file
extension. At all other times MagicQ automatically backs up the show data whenever changes are made to a (.sbk) file.
4.2
Output channels
MagicQ supports up to 64 DMX512 universes output over Ethernet. This allows up to 32,768 channels of lighting to be con-
trolled. Ethernet to DMX Interfaces are used to convert from Ethernet to serial DMX512 as required.
Lighting consoles are often limited in the number of DMX channels or the number of intelligent heads they can control indepen-
dently. MagicQ allows control of all DMX channels individually, whilst utilising grouping and programming functions to enable
control of multiple heads or dimmers together.
MagicQ provides a library of over 10,000 personalities – data for each of the different types of intelligent head available. This
data determines how the different attributes of an intelligent head are controlled by the console.
