Combining interval music with shows

The background music during the intervals creates the corresponding atmosphere for an installation. By pressing a button the visitors can start a show, while the background music needs to be deactivated and reactivated after the show. This example will show you how to do so by using one SC Master unit and creating three CF card shows:

All three shows (loop, start and main show) are played back by an SC Master or Event Control unit. The main show can control all sorts of devices, e.g. light, DVD players, video projectors or a Computer using Wings Vioso RX - it all depends on the application.

 

Preparing the shows

Our explanations are based on the fact that the main show containing an SC Net Port as well as an SC Master has already been completed and is read to be used for our example.

  1. Open the project containing the main show. In the Media Pool, click on category Timelines and rename the timeline, e.g. to Main Show, by highlighting the timeline and clicking the name field.

  2. Add two more timelines, by right-clicking some free space in the Media Pool and selecting Add...

  3. Name one timeline Loop show and the other one Start show. Now a total of three timelines will be available.

  4. Double-click the red symbol in front of Loop show to display the timeline. Place the corresponding background music in the timeline by dragging an audio file from the Media Pool into the empty space. Arrange the pieces of music on the tracks as desired.

  5. Insert a marker track and set two markers. Right-click some free space in the timeline and select Insert track Marker. Move the Locator to the beginning of the first sound object and press the M key to produce a position marker. Double-click the marker and click First free remote index to assign 1. Click OK.

  6. Right-click in the marker track behind the sound object and select Insert jump marker. Double-click the marker and enter figure 1 next to To remote index as the jump destination.

  7. You can now test loop playback and correct the marker positions, if necessary.

  8. In the Media Pool, in category Timelines double-click timeline Start show to have it displayed. Click category Devices. From the device folder All devices drag entry Special functions into the timeline and double-click the command marker that has been created.

  9. In the pop-up dialog make the following settings: Click Volume, select Master, Value = 0 and Time = 3 seconds. Checkmark Auto comment at the bottom right corner for a labeling comment to be generated and click OK. This marker will cause the background music to be faded out.

  10. Move the command marker to the very beginning of the timeline. Scroll to position 0:03.00 seconds and expand the time axis by pressing the plus key on the numeric keypad several times.

  11. Drag entry Special functions three times into the timeline to create three command markers and double-click the left one.

  12. In the dialog popping up make the following settings: Enable Action, Show = 2 and Mode = End. Under Comment enter Loop end, for example, and click on OK. This marker terminates the Loop show.

  13. Double-click the middle marker and make the following settings: Enable Volume, select Master, Value = 28 and Time = 0 seconds. Under Comment enter Volume 28 and click on OK. This marker turns up the volume again for playback of the main show.

  14. Double-click the right marker and make the following settings: Enable Action, Show = 1 and Mode = Add. Under Comment enter Start main show and click on OK. This marker starts the main show in mode Add, i.e. it is played back simultaneously with the other shows.

  15. Arrange the three command markers so that there is a period of about 0.1 to 0.2 seconds between them.

  16. In the Media Pool, double-click timeline Main show to have it displayed. Press key End to get to the end of the show.

  17. Drag entry Special functions into a marker track or in the timeline and double-click the command marker to make the following settings: Enable Action, Show = 2 and Mode = Add. Under Comment enter Start loop, for example, and click on OK. This marker starts the Loop show. Place the marker closely behind the last object.

Creating and testing presentation data

We have now prepared the three shows. The next step is to create presentation data. The order of shows on the CF card must be as follows:

Every CF card show is prepared in a separate timeline, so you can make the settings for CF Card creation the Timeline Properties.

  1. In the Media Pool in category Timelines, right-click timeline Main show and select Properties. On the right side enter the CF Card settings.

  2. Enter Main in field Name (max. number of 8 characters), Show number = 1, Control data = Stumpfl SC Net 01, select Complete timeline starting with first object and click on OK.

  3. The same way open the Properties Dialog of timeline Loop show and make the following settings: Name = Loop, Show number = 2, Control data = Stumpfl SC Net 01, select Complete timeline starting with first object and click on OK.

  4. The same way open the Properties Dialog of timeline Start show and make the following settings: Name = Start_1, Show number = 3, Control data = Stumpfl SC Net 01, select Complete timeline starting with first object and click on OK.

  5. In the Media Pool in column FlashCard you can see and check all the settings you have made:

  1. Now create the CF card data. In the main menu, click Output – FlashCard…

  2. Create a new card directory, by clicking . Enter an appropriate name, e.g. Show with interval.

  3. Now click Create complete project and select an MP3 encoder (...Lame DLL is recommended) as well as the corresponding data rate.

  1. Click OK to start generating presentation data for all the timelines you have made the corresponding entries for. After completion, the individual shows are visible in the middle window Shows.

  2. For the Loop show, Autostart must be activated, for it to start automatically upon switching on the SC Master. In the middle window, click show Loop, place a checkmark next to Autostart and click OK.

  3. Assign mode Add in the Remote Properties to shows Loop (show 2) and Start (show 3), which allows them to be run in parallel with the other shows. In the left window, double-click the card directory Show with interval. In line IR 2 (show 2) right-click column Mode and select Add. Repeat this for show 3, followed by clicking on OK.

  4. Now insert a CF Card in the CF card drive of your computer and click Copy directory to FlashCard, select the letter representing the CF Card drive and click OK to copy all the data.

  5. After copying the presentation data onto CF card and inserting the card into the SC Master, the Loop show will start automatically upon start up and run continuously. When the Start show is started, e.g. via key 3 on the IR remote control unit, the background music is turned down and the Main show is started. At the end of the Main show, the background music starts again.

In this tutorial we have shown you how to link up several shows, how to create CF Card data efficiently and how to configure a project consistently in a number of timelines. Below you will find references to further topics.