Fixture descriptions, Mbox environment concept, Layers – PRG Mbox Designer Manual 3.9 User Manual
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MBOX
®
MEDIA SERVER USER MANUAL
13
FIXTURE DESCRIPTIONS
Mbox Environment Concept
In order to get the most from Mbox Designer, it is important to understand the overall concept of the Mbox
environment, which is essentially a building platform for "virtual scenery." The final "look" of this virtual scenery is
comprised of multiple
layers
. These layers can be made up of backgrounds, 3D objects, camera angles, and lighting,
all of which are controllable elements within the Mbox environment. Likewise, each of these elements has a set of
controllable parameters such as color, texture, size, and rotation. When all combined, it provides an infinite number of
possibilities for the virtual scenery.
At first, the interaction of these elements may seem complicated, but as they are broken down into individual
components, you will find that they are similar to automated lighting parameters which you may already be familiar
with. The only difference is that luminaire parameters coincide with physical hardware - e.g. a motor that controls an
iris - while the Mbox parameters coincide with software elements. For example, just as you would control a
luminaire’s beam color from a console encoder or keypad, you can control the color of an Mbox 3D object.
Once configured, the entire Mbox environment (i.e. the virtual scenery) can be output on any compatible video device
connected to the server.
The following illustration is a virtual representation of each element within the Mbox environment. (More detailed
descriptions of each element are provided on subsequent pages.)
Figure 1-8: Mbox 3D Environment
Training Video:
DIRECTIONAL
SPOT LIGHT
SPOT LIGHT
DIRECTIONAL
SPOT LIGHT
DIRECTIONAL
3D OBJECT 1
3D OBJECT 2
3D OBJECT 3
3D OBJECT 6
3D OBJECT 5
ORBIT
Y
SPOT LIGHT
DIRECTIONAL
ORBIT
X
AMBIENT
LIGHT
3D OBJECT
3D OBJECT
3D OBJECT
OBJECT
3D
3D OBJECT 4
CAMERA
Note:
This concept drawing shows six backgrounds
and six 3D objects. The Mbox Designer system
allows up to 12 active entities at one time. For
example, 12 backgrounds; 6 backgrounds and 6
objects; 3 backgrounds and 9 objects; 1
background and 11 objects; etc.