showstack / software / wysiwyg
WYSIWYG
Lighting design, plotting and previsualisation software that renders a rig in real time from live console DMX. A longstanding dedicated previz tool for touring, broadcast, theatre and corporate work, sold as Core, Design and Perform editions.
Protocols it speaks
| Protocol | Direction | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| art-net | in | Documented as one of the network options for receiving console DMX (e.g. merged BlackTrax tracking data reaches WYSIWYG this way). |
| sacn | in | Documented alongside Art-Net as a network DMX input from the console. |
| citp | in | Live media-server preview is a supported feature; CAST's own known-issues list references CITP video-display behaviour after a resolution change. |
What to watch for
WYSIWYG is a Windows-only application. It can run on an ARM-based Mac via Parallels inside a Windows 11 ARM-64 environment, but Intel Mac support via Boot Camp or Parallels is explicitly not officially supported.
Dongles and perpetual licences have been discontinued. Licences are cloud-based subscriptions billed monthly or annually, and the software will not run once the subscription lapses.
CITP video preview can take up to ten seconds to display correctly after a resolution change, per CAST's own WYSIWYG 2025 known-issues list.
Typical use
- Offline programming and plotting against a rendered rig before load-in
- Producing CAD plots and paperwork alongside the visualisation
- Simulating BlackTrax-tracked automated fixtures and effects
- Selling a look to a designer or client before the rig is in the room
Sources
- WYSIWYG — Lighting Design Software — CAST Software primary
- CAST Software FAQ — CAST Software primary
- WYSIWYG 2025 Known Issues — CAST Software primary
- CAST Software — company and product overview — CAST Group Inc. primary
Understand the mechanism
Something wrong, or missing?
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