Playback software for Linux?

I apologize in advance for posting this here since it doesn’t really have anything to do with Ardour itself, but this is the best Linux audio forum I know of.

Does anyone know of a Linux based automated playback system? I’m looking for something like SFX from Stage Research, or QLab from Figure 53, but that will run on Linux (and be resonably priced or free). This is software which is designed for multi-channel playback for live theatre productions, and includes features such as fades, cross-fades, delays, MIDI triggers, and playback of multiple sound cues, to multiple speakers at the same time.

SFX costs about $400 for just the software, and only runs on Windows. QLab has a basic version that is free, and an advanced version that only costs a couple hundred dollars, but it only runs on OS X. I’m looking for something that runs well on Linux, natively.

Is there anything out there?

Many great thanks,

The only theatre specific playback software for Linux that I know of is TTrigger, but there has been no development for some time and only plays audio files, no MIDI or fades. I too work in theatre and use Linux so I have written my own, which does multiple play back, fades, MIDI, waits. I am fairly close to doing the first proper release of the software. I just got a few little tweaks and bug fixes to do.

Well, I’d certainly like to see your software once you release it. I’ve been contemplating writing my own. But, since I’m not a programmer, I would have to teach myself how to program in order to do it.

Keep me posted.

errol: this looks interesting. any idea as to how long it will be before a preliminary release?

porl

I am looking at a release some time in December. I still have some very silly bugs to sort out before it can be called usable. It will be available from :-

https://developer.berlios.de/projects/showq/

Sorry no SVN at the moment.

Hello! I found this topic and wanted to try your software, but there is no .cc files in archive, only .h. I’m very interested in theatre playback software, especially for linux, cause at my work there’s a ballet competition is coming and I want to try switching from CD/MD to computer. Is there any chance to try your program? Or can anyone recommend me something for linux. I need a very simple play-list player with auto-pause and maybe auto-cue functions.

Sorry about that, I should have checked before up loading. It shows that doing things late at night is not good.

If the upload was complete it would have been fairly buggy in places, but I do use it in my work place for those times that I not want to use a MD player.I am currently working on a new version, so I will back port some of my fixes and up load (a more complete version) on Saturday.

E.

Thanks! I’ve downloaded new version and compiled it without any problem! I have to say that it is exactly what I need! At least from the firts sight. One thing that can be changed is that there is no default patching and levels, so adding new files requires some number of mouse clicks. But the rest is just wonderful. Only thing I could dream of is Waveform display during playback, just to see, where songs have breakdowns or build-ups, but it’s ok without it! Thank you very much for this program! I think you could have larger userbase I people would know about your program!

Just two things that I miss to make it very comfortable!

  • Changing volume in CUE doesn’t affect it until you start it again. That not very handy cause during rehearsal it’s not good to start the recording over when you need to change the volume. It would be better if levels could be changed during cue playback so just with one playback they could be fined up.
  • Space and esc are very nice shortcuts, but they aren’t very safe - you can ocasionally drop something onto the keyboard and ruin the show. Maybe you can make a ‘Safe mode’ switch, so playback and stop shortcuts would work with Ctrl-Space and Ctrl-Esc for example? (or something else, that would require pressing two keys instead of one).

Thanks again! Even without those fixes, I’ll try using it on the ballet competition in the Bolshoi Theatre, at least during rehearsal. =)

Thanks for the feedback, I will try to get some of your suggestions into the next version. Development has been a bit slow, but I am aiming for the next release in August.

I’ve added a preferences switch to enable/disable cursor movement down after pressing spacebar. I wanted to send you .diff but I can’t find your e-mail. E-mail me at oleg_3630 (at) mail.ru and I’ll send it to you, and we’ll go off this forum finally. =)

Hello again here. I got your first e-mail, sent you diff but haven’t got any answer. Have you got my mail?