British manufacturer of DMX lighting consoles — MagicQ software enables control of complex LED and moving-light setups.
Technical Details
The MagicQ MQ500 Stadium supports 202 Playbacks, 24 Executor Faders, and features two 15.6-inch touchscreens with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. The system operates at a refresh rate of 44 Hz for lighting calculation and can output up to 64 Art-Net universes in parallel via Gigabit Ethernet. The free MagicQ software runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux and synchronizes seamlessly with the hardware consoles via the proprietary ChamNet protocol.
Chamsys consoles use the in-house MagicVis visualizer, which calculates real-time 3D previews. The QuickQ series is aimed at smaller productions with 10-30 Playbacks, while MagicQ consoles manage large productions with up to 500 fixtures simultaneously.
History & Development
Chamsys was founded in 2003 by Hugh Southwell in the UK, after previously working at Wholehog Systems. The first MagicQ console appeared in 2005, establishing the concept of free full-featured software with optional hardware outputs. In 2012, Chamsys introduced the SnakeSys series – compact Ethernet-to-DMX interfaces for distributed installations.
The QuickQ series launched in 2018 as an entry-level solution and quickly captured the market for smaller theaters and events. In 2020, Chamsys integrated native sACN support and pixel mapping functions directly into the MagicQ software for the first time.
Practical Application in Film
In film productions, Chamsys consoles primarily control LED panels and moving lights for background illumination and set extensions. The MagicQ software programs complex color gradients for green screen setups, with timecode synchronization via MIDI or LTC enabling precise repetition of lighting moods. Gaffers appreciate the snapshot function for quick setup changes between takes.
Netflix productions like "The Crown" utilize Chamsys systems for controlling indoor LED walls, as the software seamlessly interpolates between different color temperatures from 2700K to 6500K. Integration with camera metadata via the FreeD protocol allows for automatic light tracking during moving camera shots.
Comparison & Alternatives
Chamsys directly competes with MA Lighting GrandMA3, Avolites Titan, and ETC Eos systems. While GrandMA3 dominates large productions, Chamsys scores points with its free software and more affordable hardware prices for mid-range budgets. The MagicQ interface is deliberately modeled after the Hog-4 philosophy with dedicated faders per fixture parameter.
For pure film productions, specialized systems like Lightware or DMG Lumière often offer more direct workflows, while Chamsys plays to its strengths in hybrid productions with live elements.