Aether DMX | AI-Powered Architectural Lighting Control

# User Interface Guide AETHER adapts its interface based on how you're accessing it. This guide walks through the three interface modes, main navigation, and key screens you'll use day to day. *** ## Interface Modes AETHER automatically detects your device and presents the appropriate layout: **Kiosk Mode** is for the Portal's built-in 7" touchscreen (800x480). It uses large touch targets, a bottom dock for navigation, and a simplified layout optimized for quick access during live shows. You'll see five dock buttons at the bottom: Action Pad, Faders, LUX (the AI assistant), Library, and More. **Desktop Mode** activates when you access AETHER from a laptop or desktop browser. This is the full professional interface with a three-panel layout: a collapsible sidebar on the left for navigation, the main content area in the center, and an inspector panel on the right for viewing details. Panels are resizable by dragging the dividers, and your layout preferences persist between sessions. **Mobile Mode** appears on phones and small screens (under 768px wide). It provides a portrait-optimized layout with bottom tab navigation, designed for quick monitoring and control on the go. *** ## Main Screens ### Dashboard (Home) The Dashboard is your starting point. It shows your active zones (one per Pulse node), current playback status, and quick-access buttons for your most-used features. Tapping a zone opens its controls. This is the screen you'll return to between tasks. ### Fixtures The Fixtures screen is your patch bay — where you tell AETHER what lighting equipment is connected and where. Here you can add and configure fixtures, assign DMX addresses and universes, create fixture groups, discover RDM devices, and view Pulse node status. This is typically the first screen you use when setting up a new installation. ### Looks Looks are saved lighting states — a snapshot of channel values across one or more fixtures. The Looks screen lets you create, edit, preview, and organize your looks. Each look can include modifiers (effects like pulse, strobe, or rainbow) that animate the base values. You can also build sequences here — ordered lists of looks that play back with configurable timing and transitions. ### Library The Library is a unified browser for all your saved content: looks, sequences, and shows. It includes search, filtering, and one-tap playback. Use the Library when you need to quickly find and launch something during a live event. ### Console The Console provides a traditional DMX control surface. You'll see a universe overview showing all 512 channels, a master fader for overall brightness, and quick access to your active looks with play/stop controls. The blackout button is prominently placed for emergency use. ### Faders The Faders screen presents vertical sliders for direct RGB control of individual fixtures. Color presets along the top give you one-tap access to common colors. This view is especially useful on the touchscreen for hands-on color mixing during live events. ### Shows Shows are time-based sequences of looks and effects. The Shows screen provides a timeline interface where you position looks at specific timestamps. You can adjust playback tempo, pause and resume, and loop sections. Shows are ideal for pre-programmed performances that run on their own. ### Effects The Effects screen is your library of dynamic visual effects: hue shift, color temperature cycling, strobe, chase, saturation pulse, and more. Browse the built-in effects, customize their parameters (speed, intensity, color range), and save your own variations. Effects can be applied to any look as modifiers. ### Action Pad (MIDI Pad) The Action Pad is a 3x3 grid of trigger buttons. Assign any look to a pad and configure its behavior: tap to trigger, hold to sustain, or toggle on/off. Each pad can have custom colors and fade times. This is the fastest way to control lighting during a live show from the touchscreen. ### Chat (LUX) LUX is AETHER's AI assistant. You can describe the lighting you want in plain language — "warm amber wash on the stage" or "slow rainbow chase across all fixtures" — and LUX will create and apply it. LUX understands your fixture setup, knows your saved looks, and can help with troubleshooting. See the AI Features guide for full details. ### Cue Stacks Cue stacks let you build a sequential list of lighting cues that advance in order. Set each cue's timing and transition, then run through them with a single button press per cue — or set them to auto-advance. This is the traditional theatrical lighting control model. ### Settings The Settings screen is organized into tabs: Theme (colors and UI appearance), Background (animated backgrounds for the interface), System (version info, updates, diagnostics), AI (LUX configuration and API keys), Cloud (Supabase sync and backups), and Security (PIN protection and access control). *** ## Common Workflows ### First-Time Setup Start in the Fixtures screen: add your Pulse nodes, then add fixtures and assign their DMX addresses. Group related fixtures together (e.g., "Stage Left Pars" or "Dance Floor"). Then head to the Looks screen to create your first lighting state — select fixtures, set colors and intensities, and save. ### Preparing for a Show Build your looks first in the Looks screen, then arrange them into shows on the Shows screen or assign them to Action Pad buttons. Test everything from the Console using the blackout and master fader. Save your show and it persists through restarts. ### Live Performance Use the Action Pad for quick triggering, Faders for live color mixing, or let LUX handle requests via voice or text. The Console gives you master level and blackout control at all times. Cue stacks work well for scripted events where you need to advance through a set sequence. ### Quick Adjustments Need to change one thing fast? Use LUX — just say or type what you want changed. "Make the stage warmer" or "slow down the chase to half speed" are the kinds of natural-language commands that work well. *** ## Keyboard Shortcuts (Desktop Mode) Desktop mode supports keyboard shortcuts for fast navigation. Press the shortcut icon in the toolbar or the keyboard shortcut key to view the full list. Common shortcuts include quick navigation between views, play/stop controls, and the command palette for searching across all features.