Lightware’s routers have become an industry standard and are often the go-to video matrix for many technicians. Their hardware has a fairly solid interface on the front panel and a powerful web interface. Last summer, Lightware released a software interface compatible with PC and Mac that can control their entire line of products. The software is Lightware Device Controller.
If you know how to use the web interface, the software has almost zero learning curve. It will quickly detect any Lightware device on the network. One small downside is that you have to click “connect” once you select the device you wish to control. With the web interface, I’m used to just typing the IP address and being there. However, if you have several devices, this hindrance becomes a useful feature. The design of the software is sleek and the interface is intuitive. When using the software, I feel like I have more control over the device than with the web interface.
Another component of the software is the Advanced EDID Editor, which gives the user precise control over creating and modifying EDIDs. You can create and edit EDIDs offline and later upload them to your device. The editor also supports several formats, such as .edid, which can be used with third-party devices like a DVI Parrot.
The software has a new view for looking at crosspoints: the tile view. Especially useful on larger routers, this new view packs more information density onto your screen and allows you to quickly see what’s going where. Overall, the program is very user-friendly and some small tweaks have gone a long way.
Oh yeah, and it’s free.