In most cases, Lightact outputs content either through video or eDMX (there is also audio, but we’ll talk about it elsewhere). In this article, we’ll talk about the path the content takes before it is output through Lightact’s video or Ethernet outputs.
Content Layers
Content layers are structures which have a starting and ending time and exist in a Sequence. They can serve a variety of purposes and generate video content is just one of them. There are 3 types of content layers: Regular layers, called ‘Layers’, 2D scenes and 3D scenes.
Layers
Layers are node-based tools with a GUI very similar to 2D scenes. Besides reading textures rendered by 2D scenes, they can also read video and audio files, process textures, run conditional logic and perform a whole bunch of other functions. One of those is also Render to canvas, which renders a texture to a canvas. Many layers can render to the same canvas at the same time.
2D Scenes
2D scene is a special type of layer with a specific set of available nodes. In a 2D scene, you can create simple shapes like a rectangle or a circle and make adjustments to them in real-time. The usefulness of 2D scenes will grow over time, but at the moment it is primarily used to create texture variables in real-time.
3D Scenes
3D scenes are similar to 2D scenes in that their output is usually written to a texture variable, which is then read from within other content layers. The main difference from 2D scenes is that the space is not 2-dimensional, but 3-dimensional.
Canvases
Canvases are where textures generated by Content layers are combined. Many layers can render to the same canvas and you can have several canvases at the same time. It’s where you preview the content that is going to be sent to content throwers, video screens, eDMX lights or projectors.
Content Throwers
Throwers are helper objects which can project or throw content from canvas onto several video screens or eDMX lights at the same time. They are created in the Visualizer and can be useful if you have many video screens or eDMX lights in the project that you would like to map content to based on their location in the world.
3D objects
3D objects are a virtual representation of real 3D objects. They are created in the Visualizer and you can use them just for visualizing or for projection mapping. In this case, you’ll want to map content onto it. 3D objects can grab content from texture variables in one of the layers or from image assets directly.
Video screens
Video screens are a virtual representation of real video screen. They are created in the Visualizer (by right-clicking in an empty area and selecting Add video screen in the menu that appears) and can source content from one of the canvases or one of the throwers.
Projectors
Projectors are a virtual representation of physical projectors. They can grab content from one of the video screens or 3D objects in the Visualizer or from canvases directly.
eDMX lights
eDMX lights are a virtual representation of real light fixtures controlled with one of eDMX protocols. They are created in the Visualizer and can source content from one of the content throwers or video screens. This means that eDMX content flow is the same as with video screens or a thrower except that eDMX fixtures cannot source the content from canvases, but only from video screens or throwers..
Video outputs
Video outputs are a virtual representation of physical video outputs on the graphics card of the computer Lightact is running on. They are created in Video output setup window and can source content from video screens or projectors.
Art-Net nodes
Art-Net devices are a virtual representation of real art-net devices on the network. They are created in the Devices window and source content from eDMX fixtures in the project.