Introduction

The MagicQ range of consoles includes the MagicQ Stadium and MagicQ Compact series consoles. All consoles run the same MagicQ software – they just vary in number of faders and buttons, I/O options, size of displays and number of universes output from the console.

MagicQ Stadium and MagicQ Compact consoles manufactured from 2013 onwards use the same MagicQ operating system. Other older MagicQ consoles use the Pro2010 or Pro/Expert operating system. MagicQ Stadium and MagicQ Compact consoles have a solid-state drive instead of a traditional magnetic rotating hard drive.

The Stadium Connect meanwhile is designed to be used in conjunction with the MagicQ software running on PC, Mac or Linux. The Stadium Connect relies on the PC system to provide the processing and graphical power, while a monitor will also be required.

All MagicQ consoles layouts are very similar - the programming interface is consistent across the entire range of consoles. Below is the layout of the Stadium Connect.

The below picture shows the rear panel connections available on both the Stadium Connect.

Before starting up the Stadium Connect:

The Stadium Connect features a one touch soft on/off switch. To power up the Connect press the power switch on the back panel, pictured above. After a few seconds the Connect should be linked with the MagicQ software on your PC system.

The Stadium Connect power switch can be used to power off the Connect, a single press of the power switch on the rear will sent the shutdown command to MagicQ to shut down the Connect.

The Stadium Connect has 4 direct DMX outputs on the rear of the panel so you can connect your DMX cables direct to the Connect.

Alternatively, you can use Ethernet and an external Ethernet to DMX converter box such as our range of SnakeSys Ethernet to DMX Interfaces. Connect the Interface to the Connects Network port via a network cable, or to the network port on the Connected PC system.

On the right-hand side of the Connect there are:

The function of these changes according to the active window, with the function displayed on screen. These can be toggled between A, B, C, D and E, F, X, Y using:

The blue illuminated buttons by the encoders are referred to as soft buttons since their function changes according to the active window on screen. The current function of a soft button is displayed on screen. To select the function, you can either press the screen or the soft button itself.

The area in the centre of the screen is the windows section in which the various control windows are displayed. There are two main types of windows – boxes style windows which have large boxes such as the Group Window and spreadsheet style editing windows such as the Patch Window. See the image below for examples of both windows.

A window is displayed by pressing the appropriate window button. Changing window does not affect programming or playback.

On the Stadium Connect the PROG, OUT, SETUP and PATCH keys have secondary functions for window control, to access these hold the ‘ALT’ key to access the additional function.

For example, use ALT + Setup (EXT) to move a window from the Right to the Left screen.

Multiple windows can be displayed at one time by sizing the windows appropriately. In addition, a complete configuration of windows – i.e., a complete view can be selected using CTRL and the top soft buttons. For example, to select the Palettes view (Groups, Positions, Colours and Beams) press CTRL and the first top soft button. Layouts can also be recorded and quickly recalled using the sections on the left side of the display.

When a window button is pressed, that window becomes the active window. The active window is on the top of the screen and is easily identified as the window with the highlighted title bar at the top. It is also the window with the cursor in it.

An item in a window can be selected by either:

The cursor can be moved around the active window using the cursor keys in the Editor area of the Connect or via the cursor keys on the keyboard. PG UP, PG DN, PG LEFT, and PG RIGHT (ALT + cursor keys) can be used to scroll the window in the appropriate direction. HOME and END can be used to get to the start and end of the window, respectively.

Towards the bottom of the touch screen are two small windows, the Status Display, and the Input Display. The Status Display shows the current date and time, the ADD / SWAP status of the console and other relevant status information.

The Input Display shows the data that has been currently entered through the keypad and the keyboard. Note that text is not entered into the main Windows until ENTER is pressed. This allows the user to choose whether the keyboard data is SET into fields in the windows or onto Playbacks.

After a command has been entered it also confirms that the command has been accepted and shows any tips or error messages when a command is not possible.

The area around the four large rotary encoders is referred to as the head control area. It is used to alter the parameters of individual heads and apply effects such as fans over groups of heads.

The NEXT HEAD and PREV HEAD buttons are used to select an individual head to modify.

The other buttons control the selection mode; LOCATE, HIGHLIGHT, FAN, MIRROR, SINGLE, ODD/EVEN, PAIR and ALL.

The Editor buttons are used to modify program data. The 8 buttons on the right-hand side are the action buttons which are used to modify show data. The action buttons are:

UNDO REMOVE MOVE COPY

SET INCLUDE UPDATE RECORD

The buttons on the left:

BLIND and CLEAR affect the programmer

REL and SELECT affect playbacks.

SHIFT selects alternate functions.

 undoes keyboard input and clears actions.

The Playback area is situated on the left and consists of 10 fader playback and 10 execute button playbacks. The Fader playbacks each have a fader and four buttons (FLASH, GO, STOP, SELECT). The Execute button playbacks have a Flash execute button. By default, this button is used to execute the button playbacks. Use the ‘SEL’ key in the programmer section to select the playback if required.

The area above each of the playbacks on the touch screen is used to provide information about the status of the playbacks.

The cross-fade section contains a GO, STOP. FWD, BCK buttons, dual cross faders and a master GO button. The cross-fade section controls the current playback selected with the S button by default.