[Sidus Link Pro] App Layout

The main sections of the user interface of Sidus Link Pro in a Scene and what each section does.

In this article we'll cover the full interface of what you see when you open a scene in Sidus Link Pro and a short detail about what it does.

Top Bar. Listed here from left to right.
[Screenshot of top bar in a scene, cropped to show just the top bar. App Layout 01.1]
1. Close Scene: Exit the current scene and return to Scenes page of the Project you're in.
2. Control Modes: depending on which light fixture or group of lights you have selected on the stage, tapping this green button will display a variety of menu options that can include parameter/color control modes, gel libraries, moving head position controls, and system effects.
  1. For more info on parameter and color control modes, see Parameter Controls, Control modes below in section 2.
3. Connection Management: this button brings up the Connection Management window. This is where you can do things like have your Sidus One transmitter send a CRMX linking command if it has been paired with your iPad via Bluetooth. It also lets you check which Wi-Fi network your iPad is connected to at a glace, and manage your Sidus Bluetooth nodes and devices.
  1. Network
  2. Wireless Transmitter
  3. Sidus BT
  4. CRMX BT
4. "?" button: displays/hides bubbles identifying each button in the scene's controls, kind of like we're doing here.
5. "Television" button: DMX Output Monitor. This is a troubleshooting view that allows you to see what DMX value is being output on a specific channel over time. As of the time of writing this, it is only visible when the Scene is in Channel View. It will be enabled later in Fixture View. It can be helpful when programming custom effects per channel when in Channel View. For more information on Effects, see the Effects Engine article here. {Hyperlink to the effects Engine engine article goes here}
6. Settings button: This is where you will handle most of the global settings for the app and for the scene to adjust what protocol and universes you are sending.
  1. Scene Settings: The Universe Settings allows you to adjust which universe you are sending to your connected transmitter(s) from your patched lights. The Output Protocol allows you to adjust what protocol (Broadcast Art-Net or sACN Multicast) you are sending to your connected transmitter(s).
  2. App Settings: "Scan for Fixture Settings," Set the default Fade In Time and default Fade Out time for new Scenes. {is this different from the grand master fader fade times and the cue transition and cue list fade times?}, and the toggle to "Disable Screen Sleep" so that you can prevent your iPad screen from going black when you are in Sidus Link Pro.
7. Fixture View/Channel View: This menu allows you to change the control style of your Stage and Backstage for viewing fixture parameters. If you want to have access to various control modes and system effects for each fixture then we suggest using Fixture View. If you want to have per-channel control over each fixture's channels and the ability to assign custom timing effects per fixture parameter then we recommend Channel view.
8. "+" the Add new button: allows you to access the Add New Fixtures, Add Fixtures Group, Configure Wireless Transceiver windows. The Add New Fixtures window is where you can patch fixtures or build custom DMX profiles for your Scene. The Add Fixtures Group Window is where you can create your own custom group of fixtures from fixtures that have already been patched into your scene or connected to Sidus via Bluetooth. The Configure Wireless Transceiver window walks you through how to add a second, third, and fourth Sidus One transmitter to your transmitter network for scenes that need multi-universe control.
Parameter Controls, Control modes. The green Control button enables the menu of different control modes to pick from, including color Control modes, GELs, and EFFECTs.
[Screenshot of Control Modes button, with the menu of the different control modes showing and the CCT, HSIC+, RGB, Match options showing in the top bar. App Layout 02.1]
1. Color Control Modes: CCT, HSI, HSIC+, RGB, Picker, xy. When picking from this fixture control style, depending on which DMX profile you have selected to patch your lighting fixtures with, these different kinds of color control modes may or may not appear on the top bar. For more details on selecting different DMX profiles, have a look at this article. {Hyperlink to the article on Selecting DMX Profiles and Navigating a DMX Budget goes here}. The modes available can include:
  1. CCT - Correlated Color Temperature (and Green/Magenta white point adjustment if your lighting fixture is capable of it).
  2. HSI - Hue Saturation Intensity
  3. HSIC+ - Hue Saturation Intensity Color Temperature plus
  4. RGB - Red Green Blue channel controls and Hex color code input
  5. Picker/Match - mode to use the iPad's camera to pick/sample the hue and saturation of a color based on the detected CCT of the camera
  6. xy - color coordinate represented on the CIE 1931 xy chromaticity diagram with constraint toggles for the Aputure Gamut, DCI-P3 color gamut, and BT.709 or Rec. 709 color gamut. Really useful when trying to match as precise hue as possible between differing lighting manufacturers with full spectrum color LED engines.
2. GEL: The GEL Control modes.
  1. CTO/B - This control mode lets you try to use the color LEDs of a full-spectrum LED fixture to imitate what various strengths of CTO (Color Temperature Orange) or CTB (Color Temperature Blue) gels would appear as when filtering light from a Daylight balanced or Tungsten balanced old school lighting fixture.
  2. GELs (library over Daylight or Tungsten source) - This control mode lets you choose a gel from an L-Gels or R-Gels library and lets you use the color LEDs of a full-spectrum LED fixture to imitate what one of those gels would look like when filtering light from a Daylight balanced or Tungsten balanced old school lighting fixture.
  3. For more information on Gel control modes check this out {Insert Hyperlink for the Gel Modes article here}.
3. EFFECT: System effects, Expanded effects. This control menu allows you to apply a variety of premade and customizable effects to a light or a group of lights.
  1. System Effects: Includes customizable effects including Fault Bulb, Lightning, TV, Pulsing, Fire, Cop Car, Party Lights, Paparazzi, and Fireworks.
  2. Expanded Effects: Includes customizable CCT effects of Flash, Continuous, and Clip and customizable HSI effects of Flash, Continuous, and Clip. The Flash Effects do not have any ramping, but the Clip and Continuous effects do.
  3. For more information on Effect control modes check this out {Insert Hyperlink for the Effects engine article here}.
Fixture List, shown below in Fixture View when compact and expanded. In the Fixture List, tap to select Fixtures or saved Groups to display them on the stage and adjust them to the needs of your look.
[Screenshot of the compact Fixture List and taking up less space on the screen. App Layout 03.4.] [Screenshot of the expanded Fixture List and taking up more of the screen. App Layout 03.2]
1. "+" button: Only visible when Fixtures list is compact in either Fixture View or Channel View. Operates in almost the same way that the green + button does in the upper right corner of the app: Add New Fixtures, Add Fixtures Group.
2. The "All" command. Pulls in all fixtures with colors and intensities set by all currently playing Cues to the Stage, as well as selects all Groups and Fixtures in the Fixture List.
3. The expand fixture list button " ⌞⌝ " Expands the Fixture List from compact view to expanded view. Only visible when Fixtures list is compact in either Fixture View or Channel View. Changes to Compact Fixture List button when the Fixture List window is expanded to put away the Fixture List.
4. Favorites. Will expand to fit as many favorite fixtures or favorite Fixtures Groups as you want to save to it. To save a fixture or fixture group to the favorites, tap and hold a fixture or fixtures group to drag it into the Favorites section and then let it go. To remove a fixture or fixtures group, tap and hold a fixture or fixtures group in the Favorites, then drag it out of the Favorites section to remove it from Favorites.
5. Groups (of lighting fixtures that have been saved).
6. Fixtures: A list of fixtures that have been patched from the DMX profiles library or connected via Bluetooth. Tap to select Fixtures to display them on the Stage/Backstage and adjust them to the needs of your look or tap them to remove them from the Stage/Backstage.
Stage. The stage features every fixture or fixture group that have been selected to be adjusted for your current look on Stage or in Backstage. It can be viewed in Fixture View or in Channel View by using the FV or CV button in the top bar to select the alternate viewing mode.

[Screenshot of the middle of the scene in Fixture View with the compact Fixtures List section visible, selected fixtures on the stage at maximum intensity. App Layout 03.1.]
[Screenshot of the middle of the scene in Channel View with the Fixtures List section visible, some DMX fixtures selected. App Layout 03.3]
1. Stage as Fixture View: When in fixture view, the stage displays each fixture you select from the fixture list as a single slider. In this view you will use the control modes in the upper third of the app to adjust their white points, color, gel mode, and any effects .
2. Stage as Channel View: When in channel view the stage displays each DMX control parameter from a fixture as its own separate slider, laid out horizontally from left to right.
3. Stage vs Backstage. This is technically a part of the Right bar that will be discussed below but should be mentioned while discussing the Stage because it directly effects if Sidus Link Pro is outputting controls to the fixtures or not. If "Backstage" is selected then Sidus Link Pro will not output controls or changes to the fixtures until "Stage" is next selected. {Insert Hyperlink to Stage and Backstage article here.}
Right Bar, from top to bottom.

[Screenshot of the Right Bar with Stage enabled, the REC and Clear buttons illuminated, and Multi-Select disabled. App Layout 04.1]
1. Presets: Favorites saved.
2. Quickshots: for Bluetooth controlled fixtures, such as NYX Bulbs, MC lights, Amaran point source fixtures, and Amaran linear fixtures.
3. Management: Fixture Management and Patch View Pages
4. Stage/Backstage {Insert Hyperlink to Stage and Backstage article here}
5. REC: Record or Create a New Cue {Insert Hyperlink to Cue Article here.}
6. Clear: Clear the Stage/Backstage of lights being controlled. Does not have any effect on currently playing/loaded Cues or Cue Sequences in the Cue Masters that may be affecting colors, intensities, and effects of lights saved as part of their Cues and Cue Sequences. To clear the effect of a currently playing/loaded Cue or Cue Sequence on a fixture or group of fixtures, long press on a Cue Master's Action button or Cue Stack Name and tap "Unload."
7. Multi-Select: Enable or disable the ability to select multiple cue-masters at the same time to make go or unload. Unless you're getting really fancy with having multiple recorded Cues/Cue Sequences go at the same time, and keeping really close track of which Cue Masters you have highlighted, we recommend keeping this disabled when first learning how Cues work until you get the hang of the app.
8. Cue Stack List: Opens the Cue Stack List window. Enables you to see all Cue Sequences lists that have been created in this Scene to rename, copy, or delete them with a tap. Allows you to load them to a Master or remove them from a Master with a long press.
9. Edit Cue Sequence: Opens the Edit Cue Sequence window where you are able to edit the fade time into each cue, in between each cue in a sequence, where you are able to edit the duration options of each Cue in a sequence, and where you are able to edit the End of Action style of each Cue sequence. This is also the place where you can set the priority of each Cue Sequence to HTP (Highest takes precedent) or LTP (Latest takes precedent).
Left Bar.

[Screenshot of the Left Bar with the Grand Master Slider Enabled, at 100%, unlocked, 3.0s Fade in, 3.0s Fade Out, and with M Slider, M Status, and M Actions enabled, and the M1 first Cue Master visible, selected, at 100%, loaded with a Green Cue titled Cue 01, M Action button at Go. App Layout 05.1]
1. Grand Master. The Grand Master fader controls the overall intensity of all lights in the scene regardless of their individual intensities. Good for when you want to power down the stage for a lunch break or for the end of the day on set.
  1. Power All Fixtures On/Off. {does this include bluetooth-connected fixtures?}
  2. Lock Grand Master fader toggle: Locks the Grand Master fader from being accidentally decreased or increased unintentionally.
  3. Fade-in duration: Sets a duration in seconds over which the Power All Lights On command fades all lights to their set intensities on the Stage or running Cues.
  4. Fade-out duration: Sets a duration in seconds over which the Power All Lights Off command fades all lights from their set intensities to 0% from their running Cues or intensities.
  5. Grand Master visibility toggle arrow. Pulls out or puts away the Grand Master drawer to give more screen room to the Fixtures List, the Stage, and the parameter controls/Control Modes.
2. Masters: Master Sliders, Master Statuses, and Master Actions. One of these must always be toggled on. It is not possible to toggle all three off.
  1. M Slider toggle: This button toggles the 'Master Slider' intensity sliders and 'Cue Stack Names' for all cue Masters from visible to invisible over the Fixtures List and Stage in the center of the screen. This allows you to adjust the intensities for all loaded Cues and Cue Sequences on the Masters. To clear/stop the effect of a currently playing/loaded Cue or Cue Sequence on a fixture or group of fixtures, long press on a Cue Master's Cue Stack Name (or Action button if visible) and tap "Unload."
  2. M Status toggle: This button toggles the Cues & Timing, Status, and Cue Stack Names of all loaded Cues and Cue Sequences on the Masters from visible to invisible. To edit a Cue visible in the Cues & Timing window whether it's playing or not, double tap that window to bring up the Edit Cue window. These changes will happen 'Backstage' and will not be visible on the stage until that cue is saved. To rename, duplicate, delete, or change the color code tag of a Cue, long press the Cues & Timing window on a Cue or Cue Sequence and select from the menu that appears.
  3. M Actions toggle: This button toggles the 'Actions' buttons of all loaded Cues and Cue Sequences on the Masters from visible to invisible. To clear the effect of a currently playing/loaded Cue or Cue Sequences on a fixture or group of fixtures, long press on a Cue Master's Action button (or Cue Stack Name if visible) and tap "Unload." To trigger multiple Cues or Cue Sequences simultaneously, first enable the 'Multi-Select' toggle in the Right Bar, then highlight the Cue Master slots, then tap the Go M Action button of one of the highlighted Cues. To unload multiple Cues or Cue Sequences simultaneously, first enable the 'Multi-Select' toggle in the Right Bar, then highlight the Cue Master slots of the currently playing cues you wish to unload, then long press a Next M Action button of one of the playing Cues, then tap 'Unload.'

And there you have it, a description of all sections of the user interface of Sidus Link Pro and what they do. We hope that reading through this has given you some tricks that can be gained from taking the time to #RTFM.