# Controlling images via lighting board



## RickV (Jan 20, 2018)

Hello all, I’m looking into controlling images on my computer being used as backdrops in my show. I know Rosco keystroke did exactly what I want to do, but no longer available. I’d like to have my lighting board connected to my computer and have a cue in the stack trigger the next image on the computer. Is there anything that does what keystroke did?


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## dbaxter (Jan 21, 2018)

It would be useful to get a little more description of the details here. Such as: what light board/controller are you using?, what application are you using on the computer to receive the trigger?, are both devices on a network or are you wanting to use a midi cable between them?, are you using OSX, Linux, or Windows?. That will get you a better range of answers, because there are many ways to communicate these days.
A short answer is to use OSC to send the cue to Qlab if you're on OSX or to Cue Player if you're on Windows. But to be really helpful, folks here will need to know more.


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## porkchop (Jan 21, 2018)

I don't have personal experience with this, but from what I've gathered Qlab seems like it could do what you're looking for.


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## ruinexplorer (Jan 21, 2018)

Keystroke was basically a remote for slide presentations like PowerPoint. Instead, we use some form of media server these days. Instead of converting a DMX signal into an ASCII code, we rely on a variety of other signals as mentioned above. No one is making something like Keystroke as it wasn't popular.

Something else that you might want to consider is ImageCue, which is a small media player intended to be used with DMX. There's a thread discussing it as compared to Qlab.


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## BillConnerFASTC (Jan 21, 2018)

It sounds like the kind of thing the ColorSource AV consoles do natively.


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## RickV (Jan 21, 2018)

Hello folks, Im running my lights from the etc smartfade ml board and will be have having backdrops projected on a scrim... would really like to have a cue in my stack trigger the backdrop change on my computer (mac). Does cue lab accept a dmx signal through a controller of some sort?


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## RickV (Jan 21, 2018)

been doing a lot of reading and poking around today.... it seems that the pro mk2 as the interface between my board and mac; qlab on my mac and I should be able to get this working.... are there any other options to do this as this option is over kill in its capabilities for what I need.


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## seanandkate (Jan 21, 2018)

Where in Ontario are you? I might have an old Keystroke in the back of a cabinet somewhere. I'll need to do some digging...


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## RickV (Jan 21, 2018)

about 1hr east of Toronto....


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## seanandkate (Jan 22, 2018)

RickV said:


> about 1hr east of Toronto....



I've got a Keystroke in a box for you. We might be able to link up. I'll PM you.


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## Bill Hewlett - ImageCue (Jan 24, 2018)

ImageCue is exactly what you are looking for - you don't even need another computer. ImageCue is controlled directly by DMX512 from your console - just like a mover or LED fixture. We have fixture profiles available for several consoles including the ETC Smartfade ML - you can download the profile from our website. ImageCue is a HARDWARE solution - your playback quality is not dependent on the quality of a computer's graphics card, memory, other running apps, etc. Only 12 channels of DMX - and you get full dimming control over the output.


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## RickV (Jan 25, 2018)

imageCue does look like a cool piece of hardware... however for my application I need to be able to control the image so I can split it and send it to two projectors and stitch it back together into one large image.... so the computer is needed.


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