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Cast Software Releases WYSIWGY R26 TOMORROW, 12/15/2010

Get your previsualization self ready.  Cast Software is preparing to release WYSIWYG R26 tomorrow, December 15, 2010!  If you are already a member, you can head over to the Members Only section of Cast Software’s web site and get it now!

More from Cast Software:

wysiwyg R26 is really virtually real, and this is a fact. R26 has been designed to give the user a better experience on many planes – with a heavy emphasis on Reports and Presentation.

New features in wysiwyg R26 include:

  • Worksheets: Import/Export data from Excel (97,2000,2003,2007) & CSV
  • Over 100 onboard spreadsheet calculations
  • SmartCells: Use PRES Mode’s new SmartCells to intelligently update your show data in both Reports and Worksheets
  • Dimensions: Create clear & concise plots with the new radial and arc length dimension tools
  • Frames simulate motion in Six Degrees of Freedom
  • Reports: Improved Reports tab makes it easier to create, customize, and maintain all of your show’s vital information; Intelligent data filtering using Boolean queries

Luminair App for iPad: A no-brainer for every production set; Download fixture POV and DMX data to your iPod and now to your iPad. Plus R26 allows the User to send Reports, Layouts and Worksheets as PDFs to the Luminaire App
R26 gives the user a solid platform of spreadsheet tools, improving the data experience for the user and improving efficiency in creating paperwork. R26 is also the international debut of some new essential dimensioning tools – radial dimensioning, arc length, and a new Protractor Tool. CAST software development has also made developments in the virtual environment, adding the ability to use the 3Dconnexion mouse for true 3D flyovers on 6 Degrees of Freedom – X, Y, Z, and Pitch, Roll, and Yaw.

wysiwyg R26 and the 3D mouse from 3DConnexion

R26 now has the ability to put the User directly into digital space with the 3Dconnexion mouse, using all of the 6 Degrees of Freedom. 3Dconnexion is a subsidiary of Logitech, headquartered in Fremont, California with European headquarters in Munich, Germany and offices worldwide. With this unique 3D mouse users can pan, zoom and rotate as if they’re holding the model in their hand. It’s a level of control that’s simply not possible with a traditional mouse and keyboard. Users can also operate cameras with this new powerful addition to wysiwyg, focus conventional fixtures, and create amazing flybys as well as switch camera views and create a live motion video – capturing it all with wysiwyg’s onboard CamStudio package.

The 3Dconnexion connectivity feature turns an already outstanding product and gives it wings to fly – so users can now truly interface with the digital world on a level not seen before in lighting design program packages. CAST has upgraded the User experience, increasing productivity, creativity, and potential. With the 3Dconnexion mouse in one hand and a normal keyboard/mouse combination on the other hand, users are truly enabled to fly through their design.

Featured Library Additions

Members will also be pleased with the Library Additions included with R26. In fact, the wysiwyg Library is bigger than ever. wysiwyg R26 includes loads of hot new fixtures and the truss, gobos and accessories needed to do a show right. R26 introduces the Coemar Infinity Spot M, Coemar Reflection, GLP Impression Meisterstück, Robe ColorSpot 1200E AT Profile, Martin MAC 101 (Preliminary), Clay Paky Sharpy (Preliminary) and more. Over 65 new fixtures, 165 Gobos and 71 Truss pieces have been added.

Learn more about Cast Software’s WYSIWYG R26 by visiting their web site at www.cast-soft.com.

Cast Software Preparing to Launch Vivien 2011 Early 2011

Cast Software, the company that brings us the WYSIWYG software package is planning to launch their latest update to their virtual event designer software title, Vivien 2011.

In January 2011, Cast Software will begin to ship out the latest version of Vivien, 2011.  Here is a sneak peak at some of the new features coming in Vivien 2011.

Seating Assignments

  • Integrate event guest lists into your Vivien files
  • Create robust seating arrangements by using the new Seating Assignment Wizard
  • Facilitate moving guest and trying different seating plans
  • Use the seating locations to coordinate, produce place cards, mail merge, name tags, etc.

Al Fresco

  • New, real tents and marques
  • Easier to build and layout

Spreadsheets

  • Even more powerful import/export functions with
  • Ability to export to and send Excel files
  • More than 100 onboard spreadsheet calculations & instant access to event specific information by using the new custom SmartCells.

Improved 2D plots

  • Create Cleaner and more concise event plans with the new and refined tools.

For more information on Vivien, head over to Cast Software’s website www.cast-cost.com to learn more.

#LDI2010 Preview: Cast Software’s BlackTrax Tracking Software

CAST Software Ltd. of Toronto, Canada will be bringing the Innovation Award winning BlackTrax to Las Vegas for LDI, October 22-24 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Stand 805.

How do you track the realtime motion of people and objects, currently some but eventually hundreds, moving in relationship to each other around a three-dimensional space?

BlackTrax — First Phase is a revolutionary realtime tracking system for monitoring people and objects.  BlackTrax (patent pending) precisely monitors dynamic and spatial positioning using a proprietary sensor device placed on the moving object / person and tracked by a camera for one or hundreds of people/objects, each moving object or person is an individual measurable set of data. First Phase is tracked in 3 Degrees of Freedom – X, Y, and Z coordinates (adding 6 — roll, pitch, and yaw angles in the future).

BlackTrax uniquely combines multiple existing technologies into one intelligent active tracking beacon.  In other words, BlackTrax delivers at super-fast speed and with pinpoint accuracy realtime, live with 6 Degrees of Freedom information using one LED source vs. what motion capture, inertia systems, and wireless communications might accomplish if they could be combined and somehow coordinated.  Further, BlackTrax can tag and independently track each object/person (for hundreds or more without system degregation) to deliver unique and pinpoint realtime tracking data for each tag (or group).  BlackTrax is designed for the entertainment industry and works under all different types of lighting conditions.

BlackTrax enhances safety by realtime precision tracking.  This means it is possible to avoid collisions between multiple performers and moving scenery – and this outcome can be further enhanced by CAST’s BlackBox, which can send out an alarm to a stage manager or a STOP to the moving set. Vision is not always 100% in a live entertainment environment and is prone to human error. With the speed and accuracy of BlackTrax, one can be sure that no two moving objects or people will collide.

Cast Software Set to Debut BlackTrax at PLASA

CAST Software of Toronto, Canada will be debuting their newest technology, BlackTrax (patent pending), at PLASA, September 12-15 at Earls Court in London, Stand 1-G15. BlackTrax is a revolutionary motion tracking system for people and objects that operates in real time. BlackTrax is designed to work with CAST’s game-changing BlackBox system of multi-directional high-speed control coordination.

The BlackTrax system works using a proprietary sensor device that is placed on the moving object(s), giving tracking information for what we like to call Six Degrees of Freedom – X, Y, and Z coordinates (in First Phase), roll, pitching, and yaw angles (coming soon). BlackTrax monitors the velocity of the object(s) in motion, as well as giving important spatial relationships between objects and people in a 3D space – and each moving object or person is an individual measurable set of data, completely distinguished from the next. BlackTrax monitors all of these parameters at a very high speed and with stunning accuracy.

BlackTrax is safe, and uses redundant monitoring of several varieties to track the people and objects you need to monitor. When line of sight is breached in your system (which is the primary mode of tracking), inertial movement and X, Y, and Z parameters are still maintained until the person(s) or object(s) come back into the line of sight.

When you need real time monitoring of one, two, or hundreds of objects and people in all six degrees of freedom, you need BlackTrax.

WYSIWYG R25 Coming This Week for Members Only

Reading over the latest press release from Cast Software, I feel as though I need to be wearing a Members Only Jacket as Release 25 of WYSIWYG is only released to Members this week. After an extensive beta testing cycle, Cast Software is confidant that Release 25 is ready for wide spread release.

Here are just some of the features about Release 25 of WYSIWYG:

New CAD Mode features:

  • Positioning Tools – now send to back and bring to front, and Alignment Tools
  • Text Toolbar – edit text just like your favourite word processing program
  • Polygon Tool
  • Cycle Selection – blaze through selecting items in the same plane
  • Select Fixtures on Hang Structures
  • Visual Indicators for Truss Assembly
  • New/more descriptive right-click options for truss assembly
  • Font Styles for Dimensions

Enhancements to Layouts in Presentation Mode

  • Zoom Layouts & Content Windows using the mouse wheel
  • Copy and Paste items within Layouts
  • Assign colours in Legends
  • New alignment options in Worksheet Item Properties
  • Option to modify corners of Rounded Rectangles
  • Easily create perfect circles, rectangles and 45 degree angles
  • Speed and stability optimizations for New Plots
  • Delete Rows and Columns in Worksheets

There are a ton more features and extension added to Release 25 that I have not listed here. But what is impressive is the Library count.  In Release 25, Cast included a number of new fixtures, gobo’s, bulbs, (lamps), and color filters. The entire library now consist of…

  • Automated Fixtures: 692
  • Conventional Fixtures: 2561
  • Fixtures Other: 46
  • Truss: 4529
  • Gobos: 4129
  • Bulbs (Lamps): 1462
  • Colour Filters (Gels): 2058

Releases are free to current Members. In fact, being a Member is the only way to get fully operational software. For more information on WYSIWYG R25 visit www.wysiwygsuite.com. Learn how to become a member, visit Cast Software’s web site at www.cast-soft.com.

Here is a short YuoTube video of Release 25 in action:

WYSIWYG Release 24: Virtual Lighting Designer Heaven

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Jim Hutchison from JinOnLight.com was kind enough to allow us to re-print parts of his recent review of WYSIWYG Release 24 by CAST Software. WYSIWYG, (What You See Is What You Get). is a Pre-Visualization software package to plan and design your lights for theatre, events, concerts, whatever, WELL before loading in a single piece of gear into the space. You can see you lights fuction in real time in the virtual stage. Without further ado, here is a sampling of Jim’s review which you can read in it’s entirety with pretty pic’s at JimOnLight.com.

Over the last few weeks I have been testing out Cast Lighting’s new release for WYSIWYG – Release 24.  In the last year, R22 and R23 have revolutionized the way that we’ve been thinking about viz software, and R24 is the crown jewel of the improvements in R22 and R23.  The real-time rendering engine in R24 is so full of awesome that there is next to no need to sit and wait for a rendering of the look.

The interesting movement in R24 is that the processing feels like it has been allocated in the most efficient way – meaning graphic properties seem to be moved to the GPU, and numeric functions have been retained into the CPU.  I could be totally off here, but I have used the program on a very, very slow machine and on my laptop, which is configured to be a desktop replacement.  Nothing lags, nothing drags, and I have not crashed it yet.  Believe me, I have been trying!

There are some excellent new features in Release 24 that everyone should know about – from the ability to snap a pic of your instrument’s focus and send it up to the electrician in the cherry picker for focus, to live beam-in video for digital lights across a network:

You have to visit JimOnLight.com to read the rest of his review.  Thanks Jim and great job!

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