Apps for Stage Design: Wybron’s Swatchbook for the iPad

This past summer Wybron released an iPad version of their popular iPhone swatchbook app “Gel Swatch Library” (or iSwatch for short), appropriately named “Gel Swatch Library HD” or “Swatch” on the icon. My first thought was, would it cost more?  Apps “upsized” for the iPad often do.  Thankfully, they retained the $9.99 price tag, but it is important to note that it is not a universal app so if you have both an iPad and an iPhone or an iTouch, you might purchase both. If you are wondering why you would want both, here is a brief rundown of why one user finds value in the pair of apps.

Both programs have the transmission, CMY, RGB and SED curve (Spectral Energy Distribution) for each gel from Apollo, Gam, Lee, and Rosco.  Both programs also show similar colors and complementary colors to a chosen color, can compare two gels side by side, have a list of recently viewed colors, and employ a search feature.  On the iPhone or iTouch this is all valuable information in a quick-access-ultra-portable mode, so why bother with two versions?

First, the “iSwatch” app on the iPad is small, so it will either be literally the size of the phone screen centered in the middle of the iPad screen, or it can be magnified to fill the screen, which makes the fonts a little pixellated. Not bad for functionality, but not great for eyes. Second, “Swatch” makes great use of the screen real estate, allowing the list of gels and the similar/complementary colors to be viewed all at once in landscape mode.

Selecting the icon that looks like a ‘winding road ahead’ sign takes you to the full screen blowup of the SED curves. (Tapping on the mini version yields the same result).In this larger view, selecting any point along the color distribution curve gives you more detail about that particular point.

There is also an “eyedropper” tool, which enables the user to select what visually looks interesting and then see the RGB in both percentage and DMX value (switch between them by tapping on it) as well as Hex and HSL. The tool also finds the closest gels to the color selected.

The biggest and most notably different feature in “Swatch” is the “projects” feature.  Unfortunately the Wybron website offers little instruction on how to begin a project.  Happily, it is written for the same intuitive nature as the iOS, so merely holding down a color for a few seconds pops up a menu that asks which project the user wants to assign it to, if they have a project already started.

Starting a project is easy; the folder icon at the bottom opens the projects list. Select “edit” then “+” to add a new project and give it a name.  If you have multiple projects they can be easily re-ordered by being selected on the far right where the triple linesare and dragging it up or down. Choosing the blue dot will allow you to change a project’s name, or add general notes to it.  The red dot will delete a project (as will swiping over it to the right when in the previous screen). Select “done” and then “list” to go back to selecting gels.

The “projects” folder is where users will view their lists of gels. Here gels can be re-ordered and deleted in the same fashion as when editing the list of project names, and notes can be added to a particular color.  And when finished with, the list can be emailed; it will send the color and note information, as well as a small representative color swatch.

Both apps are well laid out and have been thoroughly thought through for the strengths of each device.  Recommendation: buy it!

Dear Mobile Developer

A few weeks ago I posted a poll on the site What do you want out of a mobile lighting app? There were not very any responses but I think the results have some merit.

Function	#Votes	%
Edit Paperwork	8	9%
Read Paperwork	8	9%
Power calculation	6	7%
DMX address calculations	5	6%
Gel catalog	5	6%
Remote console control	5	6%
Cable check (electrical, xlr, dmx)	5	6%
Beam size calculations	5	6%
Gobo catalog	5	6%
Lighting control	5	6%
Foot Candle calculation	5	6%
Time cues	4	5%
Equipment manuals or information	4	5%
Flashlight	3	3%
Gel cut calculations	3	3%
Other (see below)	3	3%
Analyze color	3	3%
Lighting Blog	2	2%
Find a rental house	1	1%
Pre-visualization	1	1%
Draft	1	1%
Other
I just want something to tell me what cue I am in and what cue I am lined up for
not just a flashlight, but one that has a different display setting!
Lightwrigh

I’ve had my iPod touch for about a year and a half. When I first got it there were only a couple of theatrical applications available for the platform at the time. My count is now over 50 applications for the iPhone (scroll down this page for my list) with a wide range of functionality. The apps and my tastes have become more sophisticated as new and better apps are released.

Poll Results

The top two choices are clear, people want to see a way to read and edit paperwork. Reading paperwork can be done now through a couple free non lighting apps. If you can convert your paperwork or plot into a pdf you can then sign up for Dropbox (itunes link) (my post on) or Evernote (itunes link) (my post on)and easily get them to not only the iPhone/iPod Touch but many other platforms like Android.  Editing paperwork is still something that needs to be addressed. You could do it in a spreadsheet, there are several mobile spreadsheet programs available but the only way it is going to be useful is if it links with a paperwork program on the desktop.  Editing on a mobile device would be a useful time saver but it would take to long to have to create paperwork on such a small platform.  If its going to sync with the desktop a mobile or cloud solution is preferred over a wired sync. Will Lightwright ever come to a mobile platform? Well that’s up to John McKernon and we can always hope.  The ability to intact with the plot would be a great feature but again the mobile platform is too small to create a plot. I would like the ability to not only read but take measurements from a plot in on a mobile device.

There are may tools that got 4to 6 votes each, most of these are already available and many of  the new apps coming out are doing things like, power, dmx, color and beam calculations. For an app to stand out in these areas it needs to offer me more than I already have. Now that development for the mobile lighting platform is starting to mature, I think the multi-function apps will rise to the top if the have an affordable price. I tend to go to the app that will give me the most information the fastest. For exapmle, I tend to go to Wybron’s Moire Gobo app before Rosco’s iGobo app because I get a larger selection in Morie and can see what it looks like softened.

The items at the bottom of the list like gel calculations and draft are there because they can be done better on another platform. For gel calculation I think most of us do it in our head, its not that hard. Drafting is hard enough on a 15″ screen, and would be challenging on a 3″ screen. The only one I disagree with is the lighting blog, I have such an app and find it easier to read news from this blog on the app that reading it on any browser. There are hundreds of flashlight apps available and I think most people just turn on there phone, or iPod and use it as flashlight.

Dear Developer

So developers here are some things to keep in mind when you make a lighting app for the mobile market. And for the consumer here are some questions to ask before you buy.

1. Always ask is this app the most useful in a mobile situation, just because you can do it on the mobile app does not mean you should.

2. Does it lighten the users load? If they don’t always have to carry a flashlight or leave that laptop at the tech table.

3. Is the price worth how much I use it? Many lighting professionals and lighting students are on a budget and a $30 dollar app will have have a function that saves time or make me more productive. Always ask could I make more money if I drop the price can I make more on volume. If you have a chance read Free the Future of a Radical Price by Chris Anderson, you may be able to make more by offering a free solution.

4. How easy is the app to use? An app that I don’t need a manual and don’t have to search through pages for functions.

5. Beta test- Get it in the hands of users who are not your friends and get some good feedback. Recently I bought and app and I don’t think anyone outside the developer had ever used it before it was put in the store. If you need a list of testers contact me, I know advanced and beginning users that can help get you a variety of feedback.

6. Listen to the reviews and update. Even with testing you can’t  find all the bugs or a user may suggest a feature you did not think about.

7. Develop for as many platforms as you can. The Google Andriod Phones are selling more and more each year and since there are fewer developers for this platform there are greater sales opportunities.

8. Know your competition, I’m not saying copy them or steal ideas but it will help you make informed decisions on things like price an features. If you make a beam calculator and your app shows beam size and foot candles with a limited inventory and your competitor does that with a larger library and allow you to look at three lights at a time you may not want to charge three dollar more.

As more people buy mobile devices the market is only going to grow. For the end user development in these mobile apps will only help out productivity and make our work easier.

The App That Saves My Ears.

This weekend I had the opportunity to watch my daughter in what can be described as a recital for her ice skating class. There are several solos mixed in between class demonstrations. As the first song played you could tell something was wrong. You could see across the rink the head of the program putting the intercom up to a CD player and holding the button down.  As the first song played it got louder and louder as the mic got closer to the speaker.  By the third song most of the audience was holding there ears. I knew the music was loud but was curious how loud, so that is were SPL Meter by Studio Six Digital came into play. I did a quick reading to find the sound was anywhere from 88 to 95dB.

SPL Meter is a simple sound pressure level meter at works on the iPhone and iPod touch that only costs 99 cents.  It has a simple retro interface that lets you choose a range, response, and weighting to get the best measurement. If you press the info button you can get a digital readout and a great dB chart to compare your level to some standard sounds. This summer when I bought the app to check monitor levels backstage.  I used my professional dB meter to check its accuracy and it was perfect.  One thing it doesn’t do is keep a record of the highest readings but if you need that feature its available in many more expensive spl apps. If you want to use it on the ipod touch you need to get a mic. I use one by Phillips that I got at Target for under  $10. Just do a Google search for iPhone mic to find several more choices to add a mic to a 2nd or 3rd generation iPod touch. There are a couple free SPL meters out there like Sound Level Free which only give you an needle reading of the sound.  If you have the iPhone or iPod touch get an spl meter if you work onstage or backstage and  because of its features and price I recommend  SPL Meter.

Now when ever I use my sound meter I usually tend to check out a couple more apps since I have the mic out.  Sound Hound by Melodis Corporation ($4.99) and Shazam by Shazam Entertainment Ltd. (free) Both apps allow you to take a sample of  a song and will tell you the title and artist. Both do a pretty good job finding the song, even some more obscure songs. Each app allows you to find a Youtube version of the song and has a buy button for a quick iTunes Purchase. Sound Hound even lets you sing a portion of the song which comes in handy at parties, but it doesn’t work well with my off key/pitch singing. Yes you could find a way to use these apps for productions but lets face it they are just fun so enjoy.

USITT Conference App Review

The new USITT2010 application for the iphone/ipod touch is now available in the iTunes store. This app provides conference news, events and session information.  It was sponsored by Theatre Consultants Collaborative and developed by Useful Development inc. This is a great idea and use of the mobile app platform it gives me the information I need at my fingertips at the conference. This will replace my my mini conference guide and lighten my load at the conference. In the future it would be nice to star or tag a favorite event so I can make a schedule but for now this is a great start. If you are going to the conference get this app.

This looks like a great session.

App Bender

Last week iSquint.net  and Synthe FX had a contest and I was fortunate enough to get a $20 Gift card for iTunes.  I decided it was time to throw caution to the wind and buy some apps I had been putting off. Here are quick reviews of those apps I bought in the frenzy.

Lighting Handbook

Lighting Handbook: by Andrew Derrington

This app gives you lighting some basic information for hundreds of moving lights and other equipment that can be addressed by a lighting console. I hesitated for a long time from buying this app because I only have a few movers in my inventory and wasn’t sure I needed this info at my finger tips. I was pleasantly surprised. This app gives great information and has a section on cable and connectors. To top it off you have the ability to get a pdf manual for all the equipment listed with the ability to download and store locally the manuals you use more often. The 4.99 price was fair and if the developer keeps adding to the inventory it will be a must have application.

Recommendation: Buy it

Lampy

Lampy: by Nick Shearer

DMX and Power Calculator all in one. The interface is attractive and easy to use. The only feature that is missing in the power calculator is the ability to add a manual amperage. Only buy this app if you can afford the steep price of FREE.

Recommendation: Buy it

Light Power Calculator

Light Power Calculator: by Ben Smith

As the name would imply this app calculates the the total amperage need for a lighting rig. The interface takes a couple tries  to figure out. It has a limited inventory but allows you to add fixtures to the list. The inventory is not geared toward a theatrical inventory and not useful to me, but may be to others. The app lacks the ability to change the voltage and it assumes everyone is working on a 230V system.  The price is $1.99 but the author offers a free version with with advertisements.

Recommendation: Get the free version

DMX Color Mixer

DMX Color Mixer: by 40oz Apps

DMX  Color mixer gives you a simple control panel that looks like a retro console that allows the user to mix Red Blue and Green to make colors at the top of the screen. This color can then be translated into DMX values to input into a console. This is useful under two conditions, your console does not have a color picker and  you have a device mixes in RGB.  There are still many consoles that don’t have a color picker but there are not many devices that mix in RGB. If this app had  one more button gave me the Cyan, Magenta, Yellow values that would make this a killer app.  Its costs  99 cents which is fair only as a novelty app.

Recommendation: Watch it to see if it gets an update.

iDmx

iDMX: by Csabar Huzar

Yet another DMX dip switch app, that is extremely hard to use. I could not figure out how to really make this app work or what information it was giving me. The instructions did not help at all.  The cost is 99 cents and I would not recommend it if it were not free.

Recommendation: Avoid it.

Power Saver

Power Saver: By West Side Systems

Power Saver is a great calculator for figuring out cost savings by using low watt solutions, turning off lights, lifetime bulb savings and appliance energy cost.  It’s guide is useful and really shows you how to use the app. I found the information but to be informative but its not an app I will use often. The price is 99 cents which is fair for the cost of development. If the author is doing this to help consumers reduce there usage I would suggest a free price with advertising build into the app so it can reach a boarder market.

Recommendation: If power savings interests you get it.

Conclusion: Don’t make an app just because you can. Do some market research befor you release it. Don’t buy apps in an impaired state, whither your excited from winning a contest or are under the influence. You may wake up the next morning and wonder who all these apps are on your home page. On a related note I will be starting a chapter of apple apps anonymous soon to help cope with my problem.

Quick Tip-Upload Pictures Fast and Easily To Flickr

Save from Email

I was recently editing and formatting the first guest contributor Steve Smith’s three part series on lighting visualization. Working at home I needed to get several photos Steve had emailed me up on the blogs Flickr site.  At work I have several plug-ins for iPhoto and Picasa which makes this process really quick.  To speed this up at home I went to my iPod Touch and downloaded the pictures to its photo library then used the Flickr mobile app to upload them to the site. It was as quick or quicker than on the desktop and in many ways easier.

Select a set

Upload

6 Must Have iPhone Apps for the Lighting Technician

Here are my pics for the apps that I use for productions:

Criteria:

1. The app that is the most useful in a mobile situation is must have.

2. Does it lighten my load? If i don’t always have to carry a flashlight or swatch book its a must have.

3. Is the price worth how much I use it? Many lighting professionals and lighting students are on a budget and the app that is the right price for what it does is a must have. Often free apps that provide limited service are and are free are a must have simply because there is no risk.

4. How easy is the app to use? An app that I don’t need a manual and don’t have to search through pages for functions is a must have.

Must Have:

Gel Swatch Library by Wybron Inc.-The app I use the most, I am always needing color info and I go here even before my swatch books. It has not replaced my books but I can’t have all my swatch books on me at all time. I also find my self comparing swatch color data more that i use to. Price: $9.99

DMX Calc by Westside Systems-there are several dmx calculators on the market and I have tired many this is the one I use the most. It has an easy input and also give you dip switch settings. Price $.99

iGobo by Rosco inc-It’s  a great catalog of Rosco’s gobo library which includes steel color and prismatic gobos. Its in the must have category because its free.  As of publishing this blog this app is currently unavailable in the US itunes store. I contacted Rosco and they are looking into it. Price: Free

iRigging by J.R. Clancy-  At some point all lighting professionals need to do some sort of rigging and this is a great rigging reference and its free. Price: Free

Any flashlight app- we work in the dark and if my Maglight is in the toolbox it comes in handy.

Any Knot app- There are several good ones on the market but I use Knot Time which i just found out has a free version Price: $2.99

Honorable Mention:

Morie Gobo Libray by Wybron Inc.-Great app with the largest gobo library ever assembled. Its misses the must have list because it is still missing color gobos. and the price of 9.99 is fair but the amount i use it I can’t recommend it to those users on a tight budget. Price: 9.99

Show Tool LD- Great multi-purpose app that does several tasks such as beam calc, gel cuts, dmx calc and power calc and it does them very well.  Its a price is right at $4.99 but it is missing some of the features found in single purpose apps.  Price:4.99

Beam Calc by Westside Systems- One of the best beam calculators I have ever used on any platform. I use this app mostly at my desk while working on a plot there and are cheaper ways top get the information. Price: $14.99

Cooliris by Cool Iris Inc.- this is a great research tool, it allows you to search for images over several different image sites like Flickr, Google, Picassa, Twitter, Deviant Art and a few others. I like this program and had it for a while but I still have not used it for a show. Price:Free

The iPad Revolution Begins!

January 27, 2010 is a day that will live in history as the day apple revolutionized how we produce theatre and maybe revolutionized the world. Ok that’s a big statement that the apple fan boy side of me is shouting at the top of his lungs in the back of my head. For those who did not hear the announcement a couple of days ago Apple announced its new ipad, which is an ipod touch with a nine and half inch screen at a starting price of $499. Now is this a revolution? Not yet but I see some potential uses for designers and technicians. I posted one of my ideas on Twitter and Facebook and got some great responses here are those ideas and some of mine.

General Tech Design:

1. Rendering Presentation: The screen size is large enough to show off  costume renderings as well as some scenic renderings.
2. Portfolio Presentation: For a one on one with a director or producer the screen size and wow factor make this a good device for showing off your work.
3. Drafting:The ability to view drafting on the go is always a help. I have looked at light plots in the past on my ipod touch but i really need a bigger screen. I don’t need to draft on this device, the screen is much too small. As Andrea Bilkey points out the processor in this device would not be big enough for a complete drafting program. A dream application would be a VectorWorks or AutoCad viewer that let me view the document with a wide array of measurement tools.
4. Sketching or just doodling on this device could increase productivity and help organize all those doodles and sketch in one place in a digital format. I recently tired the free version of SketckBook Mobile by Auto Desk on my ipod touch and it worked ok but it could be really useful on a bigger screen. Apple showed off at its address some sort of painting program that will come with the device.
5. Research: I like the idea of putting much of my library on a single device. My book self is full and the ability to have those books with me all the time is would be helpful.

Lighting:

1. Paperwork: The ability to paperwork at my finger tips and not clutter up the tech table is a must have applicatoin. As it ships it will have the ability to read paperwork in the form of a pdf through free programs like Evernote or Drop Box. I would like the ability to edit that paperwork an in an ideal situation have it linked to Lightwright. Now if you use a spread sheet to do paperwork, Apple is bringing there iWork software to the ipad which has a built in spreadsheet program.
2.Control: Lighting Control over the iPad will all ready be possible using great apps like iRfr, Luminair, and the GrandMa remote. Josh Williamson suggested that this could also come in the form of a magic sheet that you could touch or gesture to control the lighting.
3. Builds on Current Apps: The ipad can expand on the ever growing lighting apps available for the ipod touch and iphone. Now a gel cutting app could more easily show a new electrician the best way to get the most cuts out of a sheet. Programs like Moire the gobo app or Gel Swatch Library from Wybron would be more useful on a bigger screen and I would like the ability to compare more than two colors at once.
4. Light Lab: I use a program called Virtual Light Lab to pre-visualize basic color and lighting angles and I want this ability on a tablet device. I would use it during rehearsals and show directors what i am thinking.

Conclusion:

Will this replace my main computer, no it can’t draft on it and it doesn’t have the horse power I need for 3d renderings. It may replace my laptop or netbook for all my mobile computing. I do think this device, or other tablets like it, will change the way we work in the entertainment industry. I use my ipod touch every day for basic office work or lighting using the apps currently available for the iPhone which should work day one on the iPad.  It has made me more efficient and have given me more tools at my fingertips and the iPad will only improve how I work.

Review-Show Tool LD 2.0

Features:
Beam Calculator- with two modes: simple mode (by throw distance) or accurate (exact beam size by the instrument height and distance)
Gel Calc- Choose the instrument and sheet size from a large library to figure out how may cuts you need.
Dip Calc-put in the address to convert it to the proper dip switch settings
DMX Calc- Set the, local DMX, Universe, or Global DMX to calculate the correct DMX settings. It also lets you set the amount of DMX attributes used by a fixture then shows you what DMX information for the next 12 fixtures.
Power- Input current and voltage to figure total power, then input lamp wattage to figure how may units fit on that circuit. Has a 1 and 3phase mode.

Pros
*Great price at $4.99(usd) for its functionality
*Once you put settings in the DMX calc click on the fixtures at the bottom and it show you the Dip Switch Settings
*Power Calculator has lots of options with quick buttons for easy use.
*Interface is clean and moves around very quickly
*5 apps for the price of one.

Cons
*Beam Calculator lacks a instrument inventory so you need to know the beam angles of your instruments. This can get a bit difficult with pars, Fresnel and other instruments that don’t have the beam angle in there name.
*Beam Calculator does not give foot candle measurements like other beam programs.
*Some stand alone apps offer more functionality.

How does it stack up against other apps that only do one function?
Beam Calc by Westside Systems- Has a beautiful graphical interface that shows you up to 3 instruments at a time. It also has a large instrument/lamp inventory which allows it to calculate foot-candles. Its cost is $15

Gel Calc by Zinman Company-Does not have a fixture and sheet size library but does figure the cost of your gel order. Cost: $4.99

Power Calc by Westside Systems- The functionality is almost exactly the same as Ld Show tools except Power Calc as a 2phase mode. I do prefer Power Calc’s interface better its buttons are bigger and has larger fonts. Cost $1.99

DMX Calc by Westside Systems- Has much of the same functionality as Show Tool Ld as its DMX Calculator and Dip Switch modes. DMX Calc does have an audio function that gives you a sound for on of off for each dip switch that could be handy in the dark. Both programs let you configure multiple fixtures at once but Show Tool Ld presents information all at once without hitting any more buttons. Cost:1.99

Conclusion:
Show Tool Ld has lots of functionality with the right amount of flexibility to adapt to your situation or way of working. My only hesitation is in the beam calculator, the ability too look up beam angles is needed and if it could then figure foot candles it would only add to its functionality. If you are looking for an inexpensive lighting application with lots of functionality Show Tool Ld is the right app for you. I would rate it 4 out of 5 stars.

Beam Calc Updated

Major upgrade to the Beam Calc by Westside systems. itunes link

1. Now has a good size fixture library with Altman, Etc, Strand and Selecon
2. Can choose different lamp for each instrument
3. Gives foot candle information as well as beam size
4. Can look at up to three lights at once.
5. Give the ability to move the light manually or input coordinates
6. Can move the focus area for each light and see how beams overlap.
7. Once you set your beam height you can choose a different instrument. When you go into the library it shows you what the new beam size and the new foot candles right in the library

 

It’s currently priced at 9.99, and according the the Apple app store is an LDI special price and will go to to its regular price on Monday November 23 2009