# Unilighter Desktop Workstation **Unilighter Desktop** is the standalone workstation edition of Unilighter engineered specifically for professional live performance, touring productions, theater booths, and fixed architectural installations. Available for **Windows**, **macOS**, and **Linux**, it delivers maximum reliability, full offline independence, and direct access to local network lighting protocols without the constraints of a web browser. --- ## ⚡ Why Use Desktop Instead of a Web Browser? While the web console at [console.unilighter.cc](https://console.unilighter.cc) is great for quick edits, pre-programming on laptops, and mobile remote control, live stage environments demand bulletproof stability and low-level hardware access. | Feature | Web Browser Console | Unilighter Desktop | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **Internet Dependency** | Requires active connection to load | **100% Offline Autonomy** (runs anywhere) | | **Network DMX (Art-Net & sACN)** | Requires external bridge software | **Native Direct Streaming** via Ethernet/Wi-Fi | | **Hardware Permissions** | Repeated browser security popups | **Seamless Plug-and-Play** (auto-accepted) | | **AI Integration (MCP)** | Cloud AI assistant only | **Built-in Local MCP Server** for external AI tools | | **Update Control & Safety** | Always runs latest web build | **Full Version Lock & Emergency Rollback** | | **LAN Remote Control** | Complex WebRTC setup (requires internet to start) | **Offline Client-Server (QR code + PIN approval)** | | **Show Resilience** | Subject to browser tabs/crashes | **Dedicated Window & Emergency Page (`!!Ctrl+Shift+E!!`)** | --- ## 🌟 Key Capabilities & Advantages ### 1. 📴 100% Offline-First Autonomy Live venues, festival fields, and theater control rooms often have spotty, firewalled, or completely non-existent Wi-Fi. - Once installed and launched, Unilighter Desktop **never requires an internet connection** to run your show. - All fixture profiles, project files, user preferences, and show engines run entirely from your local drive. - You can step onto a tour bus or into an underground club with zero cellular reception and run your complete lighting rig with total confidence. ### 2. 🌐 Direct Network DMX: Art-Net 4 & sACN (ANSI E1.31) Standard web browsers are sandboxed and cannot send raw UDP network packets over a local area network. - Unilighter Desktop features **native, built-in network streaming** for both **Art-Net 4** and **sACN (ANSI E1.31)**. - Connect an Ethernet cable directly from your laptop to Art-Net DMX nodes, wireless transmitters, pixel strip controllers, or media servers. - **No Extra Daemons or Bridges**: Broadcast and unicast multi-universe DMX directly from the app with rock-solid, jitter-free timing and automatic keep-alive signals. ### 3. 🔌 Hassle-Free Hardware Connectivity - **Zero Browser Popups**: Web browsers frequently ask for manual permission prompts when accessing WebMIDI, WebUSB, or WebHID devices (such as MIDI SysEx dialogs). Desktop automatically accepts trusted local hardware connections. - **USB & Wireless DMX**: Plug in standard USB DMX dongles (uDMX, FTDI) or connect wirelessly via Bluetooth DMX (BLDMX) without wrestling with browser security policies. - **Tactile MIDI Control**: Plug in any standard USB or Bluetooth MIDI controller or fader bank for instant hands-on control of playback faders, master dimmers, and flash buttons. ### 4. 🤖 Local AI Show Assistant via MCP (Model Context Protocol) Unilighter Desktop includes a built-in **Model Context Protocol (MCP)** server on your local machine (`127.0.0.1:3847`): - Connect your favorite external AI tools and coding assistants (such as Cursor, Claude Desktop, Google Antigravity, or custom scripts) directly to your running show. - Ask your AI assistant in plain language to patch fixtures across universes, generate color palettes, program keyframe movement timelines, or wire audio-reactive node graphs. - All AI actions run locally against your active project with strict operator safety confirmations. Learn more in the **[Model Context Protocol (MCP) Guide](https://unilighter.cc/info/for-ai/docs/mcp.md)**. ### 5. 🛡️ Show Safety & The Emergency Page (`!!Ctrl+Shift+E!!` / `!!⌘⇧E!!`) Live productions cannot afford downtime. If an unexpected script glitch, corrupt project look, or UI freeze ever occurs during rehearsal: - Press **`!!Ctrl+Shift+E!!`** (Windows & Linux) or **`!!⌘⇧E!!`** (macOS) at any time to immediately open the standalone **Emergency Page**. - The Emergency Page runs completely isolated from the main console interface. It allows you to immediately roll back to a previously cached version in one click, verify system status, or download updates. - Pressing the shortcut again returns you straight back to the live console. ### 6. 📱 Built-in LAN Remote Control (Client-Server Architecture) Untether yourself from the lighting booth to focus fixtures on stage or adjust cues from the auditorium: - Unilighter Desktop acts as a high-speed local HTTP/WebSocket server on your venue's local Wi-Fi or Ethernet network. - **Instant Pairing via QR Code**: Open **Settings $\rightarrow$ Remote control**, enable the server, and scan the dynamically generated QR code directly with your smartphone or tablet camera. - **100% Offline**: Unlike the browser edition which relies on complex WebRTC signaling and requires internet connectivity to initiate, Desktop remote control operates completely offline inside your local venue network. - **Operator Security & Device Memory**: New mobile browsers must be approved by the desktop operator via a 4-digit PIN confirmation code. Approved devices are remembered for seamless reconnection and can be revoked at any time. --- ## ⚙️ In-App Desktop Settings You can inspect your desktop environment and configure runtime behavior at any time: 1. Open the console navigation menu and navigate to **Settings** (`⚙️`). 2. Locate the **Desktop** and **Remote control** sections: - **Console build & Downloaded date**: Inspect the active release identifier. - **Updates toggle**: Check or uncheck *Automatically install console updates*. - **Open update manager button**: Opens the recovery and version management screen. - **Remote control**: Toggle the local LAN server on/off, customize port (`3848`), scan connection QR codes, and manage authorized mobile devices. --- ## 📚 Explore Desktop Documentation - 🔄 **[Update Management & Version Rollback](https://unilighter.cc/info/for-ai/docs/desktop/updates.md)**: Learn how to freeze console versions for tour runs, manage cached builds, and use the Emergency Page for instant recovery. - 📱 **[LAN Remote Control Guide](https://unilighter.cc/info/for-ai/docs/desktop/remote-control.md)**: Connect smartphones and tablets over local Wi-Fi using live QR codes, PIN authorization, and device memory. - 🤖 **[Model Context Protocol (MCP) Integration](https://unilighter.cc/info/for-ai/docs/mcp.md)**: Step-by-step setup guide for connecting AI assistants to Unilighter Desktop. - 🔌 **[Hardware Compatibility Guide](https://unilighter.cc/info/for-ai/docs/hardware-compatibility.md)**: Recommended USB DMX adapters, Ethernet nodes, and MIDI hardware.