The window that appears has boxes where the cue description or prompt can be typed and where
the associated sound file is stored.
The Cue line entry is divided into two sections, the first of which does not clear when cues are
added. The intention is that entry is the stage manager's call for the cue e.g. "SQ2". The second
part is the cue description.
Cue Type is one of Normal, Background, or Independent for sound files. It can
also be a cue for the DVD player, a local video, or a remote or Slave computer video (allows
control of two projectors). If Midi Output is selected, then the Sound File Name is actually a midi
command.
Sound files may be typed in, drag and dropped from a file manager, or selected via the button.
If the sound file entry is just a number, then the cue is considered a volume or action cue for that
number cue. A value of 0 indicates a Delay cue for the duration in the Fade/Cross Time box. A
Delay cue doesn't play anything, just pauses the automatic advance for the specified time.
You may select a color for the text and the background (unless it is already black) of each cue.
The initial volume level can be set, as well as defining a
cross-fade to another volume level to happen automatically when the cue starts to play. You can
fade-in or out as you wish. The duration of the transition is the value in the Fade/Cross Time box
in tenths of seconds. The Same button will set the equalizer and reverb to the same settings as
the previous cue. If the cue type is Video, then the third slider will be colored purple and sets the
brightness of the output after the Fade in time.
The up and down arrows are used to move
the cue being edited up or down in the cue
list. A number can be entered directly and the current cue will move to that line. Be careful
rearranging a cue list with action cues as, for example, a Fade cue for cue #3 will not work if #3
becomes #2. The program is designed to keep track of movements, but they should be checked.
The Speakers box allows selection of which speakers will play the output as well
as the sound card used to do it. The caption will indicate how many speakers the sound card has
available. Stereo input files can be sent to any single pair of speakers. Front and Rear can be
selected together for a quadraphonic output.
Auto Play will start
the cue playing as soon as the cue line is active,
most likely from a Cue Advance. Auto Fade will start to fade the cue at the Fade at End value
before it would normally end. For example: if the cue is 13 seconds and the Fade at End value is
30, the cue will start to fade at 10 seconds into the cue. This value also specifies the amount of
fade time used when the Fade button is clicked. The Fade button uses this time even when the
Auto Fade button is not green. All Fade durations are in tenths of a second. For example, a value
of 20 gives a 2 second fade. Click the Loop dot, making it green; to continuously repeat the sound
until some action is taken against it. If the sound file is a playlist, the list will be looped. If the cue
is an Action cue the program will jump back to the cue number entered. A loop can be stopped by
an Action cue, particularly a Wait for End, whereby the program will finish the loop and move on.
Cue Advance will drop down to allow
selection of No, at the End, at the Start,
when a Fade is started, or (if a video cue) when video is paused. All of these are available so that
the cue list can be designed to run simply going cue to cue.
Cue Action is selectable for numbered sound file entries. If the sound file name
is an actual sound file, then Play is the only option and the drop-down is disabled. Otherwise, you
may select Pause, Resume, Fade Out, Stop, or Wait for End to affect the numbered cue. Wait for
End works for Independent cues only.
Picking an F key
will set the
cue to Independent and allow playing that cue whenever
that F key is pressed.
There are buttons to test, stop and save the cue. If a cue has corresponding action
cues, an alert will pop up suggesting to check them so that they stay in sync.
There is a 5 band equalizer and a reverb to customize the output sound without having to go back
to your sound editor program to 'tweak' it.
The Power Options box lets you select the device to control and action desired.
For X10 control, an example would be to enter A1 as the device, indicating house code A, device
1. For Phidgets control, only the number of the relay is entered.