Specifications

158 LightJockey Help file - (C) Martin Professional 2010
LightJockey Help
Use a PC/MIDI interface (or sound card with MIDI capabilities) to interface to MIDI/SMPTE timecode
devices.
MIDI time code is actually a subset of SMPTE time code embedded in the MIDI protocol, To utilize a
SMPTE time code source the interface must be able to convert SMPTE to MTC. An example of such
an interface is MIDISPORT 8X8S from MidiMan (www.midiman.net). MTC is based on a 24 hour clock
with Hours:Minutes:Seconds:Frames. The number of frames depends on the actual variant of MTC/
SMPTE used by the source:
24 fps (frames 0-23)
25 fps (frames 024)
30 fps - drop frame (0-29 frames, two 'dropped' every 1 minute)
30 fps (frames 0-29)
Make sure to select the correct frame setting when editing MIDI time code. The cue list has a special
command for MTC, the AutoSeek MTC command. When this command is placed at the very top of
the cue list and the cue list is activated with a start from top command, it will cause the cue list to
jump to the closest matching wait MTC line upon re-reception of time code. This command is mainly
useful when programming cue lists.
The source of the MIDI time code must be configured via the hardware setup dialog.
Digital audio files using Winamp for playback, see also using Winamp for digital audio
NOTE : Current versions of Winamp have a problem with time code consistency (see Winamp
time code issues). This problem may make Winamp unsuitable for projects requiring tight
time code synchronization.
LightJockey implements a command and time code interface to Winamp. Winamp is NOT distributed
together with LightJockey but must be acquired separately. Winamp supports a wide variety of digital
audio formats, including MP1, MP2, MP3, WMA (Windows Media Audio files), WAV (wave files), CDA
(Audio CD tracks) and more. LightJockey 'remote controls' Winamp and receives time code back to
use in the cue list during audio playback. Winamp uses the same time format for all types of digital
audio, regardless of media (hard disk / Audio CD). The time format used by the interface always
elapsed track time in the form of Hours:Minutes:Seconds:Frames (0-99).
Windows media files using LightJockey Mediaplayer for playback, see also LightJockey
Mediaplayer
Using LightJockey Mediaplayer, which in turn uses Windows Media Player functions, a wide variety of
media files including digital audio and video formats may be played on the PC and the time code from
these files may be used to synchronize the lighting. The time format returned the Mediaplayer is
elapsed time in the form of Hours:Minutes:Seconds:Frames (0-99)
Displaying time code
When using time code, the cue list control will show the currently received time code (including
elapsed time, and PC clock) below the actual list. Click the relevant button to change the source of
the time code being displayed (certain time codes are unavailable unless a suitable interface has
been configured. When the cue list is running, the control will automatically switch to the relevant time
code display (e.g. when waiting for a CD time code, it will automatically switch to display time code
from the CD).
The cue list time code controls
The log time code control
While it is possible to enter time codes manually through the edit panel, it is often much easier to log
time code directly, e.g. while listening to audio track playback. To log time code entries, display the
required time code source in the cue list control, and then click . This opens the Log time
code control.