New to All this

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   I'm new to all this - Very comfortable around the computer (20+ years in the business) but just new to the sequencing stuff.  I played with Vixen sequencing software because of its price (can't beat free) an sequenced about 4-6 songs for 48 channels. I ordered the ACx16 Platinum Plus as my first controller and will use it as my reference when building more (2 more ACx16 kits ordered). - hope to be at 80 for 2008 and first real controlled display - Mr. Christmas this year doesn't count.

But when it comes to Spectrum I'm not thrilled by it. I've loaded it and played with it. Stupid me, I didn't do my homework and have now found out that the hours of work I did in Vixen are lost since Vixen doesn't play well with D-Light or LOR.  But I did find Vixen easy to use and was able to get sequences completed without any real learning time involved.

So I can have a choice I just did the pre-order on Aurora - I look to those of you who have experience with both Spectrum and Aurora - which is easier to pick up and run with? 

I do fully understand about betas as I've participated in many of them over the years (Remember Windows NT 3.0)

It would be nice if import functions on any of these programs would also allow for Vixen.. Appears to be alot of available sequencing that could possibly be utilized as a starting point. 

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bdkeen Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Beta Testers Joined: 31 Dec 2007 Location: Easton,PA Online Status: Offline Posts: 380	Quote Reply Topic: New to All this Posted: 07 Jan 2008 at 12:41pm
	I'm new to all this - Very comfortable around the computer (20+ years in the business) but just new to the sequencing stuff. I played with Vixen sequencing software because of its price (can't beat free) an sequenced about 4-6 songs for 48 channels. I ordered the ACx16 Platinum Plus as my first controller and will use it as my reference when building more (2 more ACx16 kits ordered). - hope to be at 80 for 2008 and first real controlled display - Mr. Christmas this year doesn't count. But when it comes to Spectrum I'm not thrilled by it. I've loaded it and played with it. Stupid me, I didn't do my homework and have now found out that the hours of work I did in Vixen are lost since Vixen doesn't play well with D-Light or LOR. But I did find Vixen easy to use and was able to get sequences completed without any real learning time involved. So I can have a choice I just did the pre-order on Aurora - I look to those of you who have experience with both Spectrum and Aurora - which is easier to pick up and run with? I do fully understand about betas as I've participated in many of them over the years (Remember Windows NT 3.0) It would be nice if import functions on any of these programs would also allow for Vixen.. Appears to be alot of available sequencing that could possibly be utilized as a starting point.

peteandvanessa Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Beta Testers Joined: 11 Dec 2007 Location: Rocklin, CA Online Status: Offline Posts: 206	Quote Reply Posted: 07 Jan 2008 at 1:47pm
	I have used both Spectrum and Aurora. I switched from Spectrum since it was just too buggy and resource hungry for me. When working on larger sequences (48 channels and above), I just could get Spectrum to work effectively. Aurora is far more user friendly (it takes alittle work to get used to it). But you can very quickly put together complex and very accurate sequences together in a short period of time. It also has a nice simple scheduler which is far more stable than Spectrum. I know Aurora imports Spectrum files, but I don't think it supports Vixen file imports though (unless LOR imports Vixen and then you could then save it as a LOR file and then import the LOR converted file).

bdkeen Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Beta Testers Joined: 31 Dec 2007 Location: Easton,PA Online Status: Offline Posts: 380	Quote Reply Posted: 07 Jan 2008 at 4:43pm
	Thanks for the response. I just started to try my first real sequence in Spectrum.. Definitely not as simple for me as it appears in the brief tutorial (plus not always working correctly it seems). LOR doesn't import Vixen either - can't cut-n-paste from one to the other either. I believe the whole Vixen thing is because of the protocol used by both the Spectrum and LOR software.. It's probably not shared with open source - But guess I can't blame 'um for that either.. After all they want to sell the software too and if there was a plug-in for Vixen there's probably be alot of sales lost for these other sequencers. So as soon as I get my Aurora I'll be able to try it as well - My guess is that it'll fast become my preference since I'm struggling somewhat with Spectrum Edited by bdkeen - 07 Jan 2008 at 4:43pm