Elements of the software have been completely revised resulting in significant improvement in performance while components of the user interface have received a face-lift for more consistent operation. With version 1.5 the console supports an enhanced internal database structure and improved internal networking, which has eliminated any lag in fixture selection and improved the general operation of the console. Boot up speed has been enhanced as well.
The Maxxyz's fixture patch has been redesigned using a theatrical command line structure with a powerful syntax and a new user interface for easier navigation of the 32 DMX universes the console supports. The patch also allows cloning of fixtures into cues, presets and groups to make adding more fixtures to a show an easy process. Fixtures can now have individual names for fast selection in the console's fixture selection grid.
A new FAN tool makes smart use of four digital encoder belts to stretch and skew fixtures along a curve for building aerial focuses and fanned colour saturations, even allowing offsetting of the center of the fan curve. Playback has added more options, rates can now be learned by using a tap sync function, any cuelist can be set to non-tracking, and cuelist can be protected from accidental release. The Maxxyz also boasts a hibernate feature that archives cuelists by removing them from the show but then leaves them available for later use. Maxxyz is claimed to be the first lighting console to offer this kind of 'recycle bin'.
The already powerful timing features of the console have received further additions with split timings for intensities, an enhanced timing resolution of 1/100th of a second (10X faster than before), new cue trigger syntax and the ability of presets to store and reference timing values into cues.
Martin Professional can be found at PLASA on stand F54.
(Jim Evans)
