Review of the ChromaQ Vista MIDI Lighting Controller Application for iPhone and iPad.
Introduction:
As a production person, I often find myself running about from stage to front of house, especially during setup and rehearsals. Annoyingly, the lighting console is always tucked away, typically in another room or far away from the action. As a long time user of the JANS Vista, now known as ChromaQ Vista, there hasn’t been a suitable way to change cues without being right at the desk. Recently, I discovered a new application that allows for the control of the ChromaQ Vista lighting console right from your Apple iPhone or iPad.
Setup
Setting up the application is relatively simple, requiring the ChromaQ Vista lighting console computer to be connected to the same network as the iOS device. The settings menu in the application did not contain any network configuration settings, instead relying on automatic discovery of the lighting console on the network. The included YouTube videos were very clear, and easy to follow for configuration of the MIDI device ID on the console, and for configuration of a third party tool required to use the application for Microsoft Windows installations.
The included instructions also explained some of the limitations of ChromaQ MIDI control, including the inability to sync cue-lists in real time. However, for most applications, this iPhone or iPad app will be used for rehearsal, or stage resets, and dynamic cue list adjustments won’t be a necessity.
Functionality
The functionality of the ARC lighting control app works as advertised. With the ability to recall individual cues from a cue list with a touch of a button, the application works as expected. While some may note at the $5 price point (December 2023 pricing) that the feature set is limited, the niche in which this application is filling is a small one. The feature set doesn’t need to be broad because the point of the application is to be simple. There is beauty in simplicity, and the ARC lighting control app for the ChromaQ Vista console works as advertised. What more could you ask for?
Review
Overall Score: Excellent
