An open-source lighting control console for DMX and fixtures, inspired by dot2 onPC – with extended features.
OpenCue turns a Windows PC into a complete lighting desk: patch fixtures, program cues and effects, see the result in a 3D stage, and control the show from a tablet or phone. It works offline, needs no account or licence key (output via Art-Net, sACN or a USB DMX interface).
- Fixtures and programmer: GDTF fixture library with patching, groups, presets and variables; every fixture channel (dimmer, colour, position, beam, focus, gobo, prism, shutter) gets its own control.
- Cues and effects: cue lists with fades, follow and timecode triggers, executors, an effect engine with its own script language and an effect studio, and a dot2-style command line with autocomplete.
- 3D simulation: build a stage, see fixtures with their real GDTF models and live DMX light, and aim moving heads at a point on the stage.
- Timecode and media: global timecode, video/audio player and camera panels.
- Remote control: tablets and phones in the local network (password, QR code, installable web app) – off by default, switchable at any time.
- Your layout: free panel layouts, colour themes, German and English, show export/import as ZIP.
Download OpenCue-Setup-v<version>.exe from the Releases page and run it. The setup lets you choose the language, program folder, data folder and shortcuts; later versions update through the same setup (OpenCue also tells you when a new version is available).
OpenCue shows its window with the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime, which is part of current Windows; the setup installs it if it is missing (internet needed once).
You need Python 3.13 (64-bit) and an internet connection for the first start.
git clone https://github.com/TheCraftedTech/opencue.git
cd opencue
run.bat
run.bat creates the virtual environment, installs requirements.txt on the first start, and then starts OpenCue. ffmpeg/ contains the ffmpeg build used for cameras on the main device.
main.py entry point (web server thread + native window)
app/ backend: FastAPI server, DMX engine, cue and effect engines, command line
static/ web interface (JavaScript, CSS, in-app guides)
templates/ HTML template
defaults/ demo show, example layout and effect scripts, copied on the first start
packaging/ PyInstaller + Inno Setup build (build.ps1), icons, licence collection
ffmpeg/ ffmpeg.exe (GPL build) with its licence
The version number lives in app/version.py. To build the Windows program and installer yourself, install Inno Setup 6, run venv\Scripts\pip install -r packaging\requirements-build.txt, and then powershell -File packaging\build.ps1 -Installer; the result is in dist\.
OpenCue is free software under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later – see LICENSE. Third-party components and their licences are listed in packaging/third_party/THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md and in Help → About OpenCue. The included ffmpeg.exe is a separate program under the GPL; its source is available from https://ffmpeg.org/download.html.
Changes per version: CHANGELOG.md.