I have a situation with "random"/irregular/inconsistent timing of chasers. I love QLC+ and would like to solve it instead of switching and trying something else. Plus all the time spent would be... Plus I can't imagine that I do really extraordinary stuff. It could be "advanced", but not "100% crazy". So I assume QLC+ should be able to handle this. The question is more: "Where is the part in the chain I have to improve/edit?"
Setup & Workflow
- Role: Mobile DJ using Virtual DJ (always updated) to build per-song light routines.
- Trigger: OS2L via Action Points (APs) in VDJ → QLC+ chasers/programs.
- Beats & Steps:
- Music: 120–180 BPM electronic.
- Chaser steps: usually 1 per beat; sometimes 2 (to have time for a fade-out), 4 or 8 (within drum rolls).
- OS2L fired mostly every 4 or 8 beats (down to 1/16 notes).
- Signal Timing:
- Multiple OS2L APs “at once” spaced by 20 ms.
- Beat speed sent via loopBee MIDI (recently switched to loopMIDI, slightly faster/more stable it seems for me).
- Initial steps A–C run on time.
- Steps D–F randomly lag (But don't hold on to A-C is okay, D-F not. It looks like "random". But often it is the same step in a chaser "ProgA" which causes a lag. Other chasers can run okay [even if they have the same complexity as the problematic ones]).
- Timing between steps may return to normal afterward, but desync accumulates.
- Retriggering a chaser (“run once”) sometimes fails because the previous run isn’t fully finished because of late/accumulated delay.
- Laptop: Win 10, 8 GB RAM (~40–50% use at full performance), SSD/HDD plenty free, Wi-Fi/off, all non-essentials disabled.
- QLC+: Version 4.13.1
- Fixtures: 12 RGB-LED PARs + 2 moving heads (only essential/needed DMX commands sent).
- DMX Interface: Cheap generic & no brand USB→DMX stick (no onboard processor).
- 100s (300? 400?) of QLC+ buttons in the virtual console: Yes, it becomes boring when you play several hours without light variation. And I like to make amazing things. This is important for me, because it sets me (beside the music itself) apart from other "music controller users".
Questions
- 1. Too many timers? Could having dozens of dedicated timers (vs. one master timer) introduce these timing glitches?
- 2. Interface upgrade? Would a more professional USB→DMX dongle solve it? (Local stores don’t stock pro units, and returns aren’t an option here.)
- 3. Other fixes? What troubleshooting steps or alternative approaches would you recommend to eliminate these random delays?
- 4. Any further details you like to read?