AUDIO + VIDEO CUE PLAYBACK

v2.6.17 / BUILT FOR LIVE PLAYBACK

Every cue.Right on time.

From first rehearsal to final cue. Build precise audio and video sequences, keep instant sounds close, and run your show with a clear view of what’s playing—and what comes next.

Download v2.6.17 Take the product tour

GOGOAdvance the illustrated sequence

Main workspace · Packaged build 2.6.17 captureOpen full-size product capture ↗

03: Desktop platforms
21: Interface languages
LOCAL / LAN: Engine control

01 / THE WORKFLOW

Prepare the detail. Perform the moment.

Build in Edit Mode. Run in Show Mode. Keep your outputs in view. Explore the real interface below.

Prepare

Build the sequence before the room fills.

Import media, arrange nested groups, edit cue properties, and keep selection separate from the acknowledged Up Next target.

Edit workspace · Properties open · Manual capture 2.6.14View capture ↗

02 / CUE DETAIL

Shape the moment.

Trim the entrance. Shape the fade. Set the handoff. Turn a folder of media into a sequence that feels considered.

Cue playback Properties · Manual capture 2.6.14View capture ↗

In

Move the cue start without rewriting the source media.

Out

Define the end point the operator will actually rehearse.

Fades

Set fade-in and fade-out shape and duration around those boundaries.

Start Next

Place the handoff marker where the next cue should begin, then confirm its end behavior.

Loudness

Analyze peak, RMS, integrated LUFS, and true peak; apply normalization only after choosing the intended target.

03 / SHOW MODE

Less setup. More show.

Show Mode puts current playback and the next cue front and center. Try the silent sequence below: press GO and see each cue take its place.

SILENT ILLUSTRATION · NO AUDIO00 / 03

01
House openLobby bed · loop prepared
Up Next
02
Walk-onManual GO · fades rehearsed
03
Opening stingOne-shot finish · stop
Selected

Try it with your keyboard: focus GO, then press Enter or Space.

Actual transport detail · Manual capture 2.6.14View capture ↗

01Selected is the row being inspected.
02Up Next is the engine-acknowledged target.
03Active is already playing. Always read the cue name beside Play Next before GO.

04 / ONE SHOTS

One touch. Its own moment.

One Shots are independent quick-play copies for announcements, walk-ons, effects, and beds. In Show Mode, arm the cell before firing it.

Play alongside the program.

Use Overlay when the One Shot should play over current program cues. Check the combined level at the real destination.

Armed One Shot in Show Mode · Manual capture 2.6.14View capture ↗

DonWells Cue One Shot settings with playback and ducking behavior controls — One Shot behavior settings · Manual capture 2.6.14

05 / AUDIO + VIDEO

Sound here. Picture there.

The desktop app controls the show. Audio follows the engine’s selected devices; Video Output opens a dedicated audience picture surface on the chosen display.

PICTUREH.264 / HEVC

PREVIEW ROUTESEPARATE PHYSICAL OUTPUT

SCOPEONE DEDICATED PICTURE SURFACE

Identify the audience display before playback.

Select the output display, open Video Output, and verify the test card on the physical screen before running Show Mode.

Video Output test card · Manual capture 2.6.14View capture ↗

06 / PROJECTS + CONNECTIONS

Your show. Your setup.

Run the controller and engine on one computer, or connect over a trusted LAN to an engine beside the sound system. The controller shows state; audio still leaves the engine computer.

Local

The desktop controller and audio engine run on the same show machine.

Trusted LAN

Connect to the engine computer with its host, port, and token. Treat the network as trusted: control uses token-authenticated HTTP, not an encrypted public-internet transport.

Portable

Keep each show in a dedicated folder: .dwcue stores its state beside media/, and .dwcuepack packages that folder. Verify externally linked media separately.

DonWells Cue server connection settings with host, port, and access token fields — Server connection settings · Manual capture 2.6.14

DonWells Cue Import Media dialog with project-copy and duplicate-handling choices — Media import options · Copy and duplicate handling · Manual capture 2.6.14

Save the work. Take the show.

Use Autosave while you work, save milestones deliberately, and keep a rehearsal copy before moving to the show machine.

Network boundary

Remote control belongs on a trusted, private show network. Confirm routing and media readiness on the engine computer before doors open.

INSTALL THE CURRENT BUILDv2.6.17

Choose your show machine.

Download the current packaged release for the platform you run at the show.

All releases

macOS

Apple Silicon + Intel x64

ARM64macOS — Apple SiliconM1/M2/M3 and newer · arm64.dmg ARM64macOS .zipM1/M2/M3 and newer · arm64.zip x64macOS Intel .dmgIntel x64.dmg x64Intel .zipIntel x64.zip

Windows

Windows 10/11 · 64-bit installer

x64Download .exeNSIS installer.exe

Linux

x86_64 · AppImage

x86_64Download AppImagePortable build.AppImage x86_64Linux .debx86_64 · AppImage.deb x86_64Linux .rpmx86_64 · AppImage.rpm

Prefer Terminal? One command installs it.

Paste this into Terminal (⌘Space, type "Terminal"). It downloads the latest release and installs DonWells Cue — the same install style as Homebrew and rustup. Works on Apple Silicon and Intel.

curl -fsSL https://dwcue.com/install.sh | bash

Or use the download links above — this macOS build is signed with a Developer ID certificate. Gatekeeper approval may still be required until release notarization completes.

Download, open, run — Developer ID signed.

The current macOS build is signed with an Apple Developer ID certificate. Release CI adds Apple notarization after the release PR is merged; until then, macOS may ask you to approve the app in Privacy & Security.

On Windows, if SmartScreen appears, choose More info → Run anyway.

08 / OPERATING DETAIL

A little help. Right on cue.

Open the complete operator edition for first-run setup, cue preparation, output checks, remote operation, recovery procedures, and printable show-day checklists.

Open Operator’s Manual 2.6.14 PDF · English · 6 September 2026

Operator FAQ01—05

01How do I listen before the audience does?

Use Preview with a separate headphone or monitor output. Set and test that route first: if Preview shares the Main speakers, it will be audible to the audience.

02How do I know which cue is next?

Read the cue named beside Play Next. Up Next is the engine-acknowledged target; selecting a row for inspection does not set it as Up Next.

03What video can I send to the screen?

Video Output supports H.264 and HEVC on one dedicated audience picture surface. Use Identify Displays and the test card to check the destination. It is not a layered video mixer and has no dedicated blackout control.

04Can I control an engine on another computer?

Yes—connect over a trusted LAN using the engine host, port, and access token. Audio leaves the engine computer. Control uses HTTP, so keep this service off the public internet.

05What moves a show between computers?

Use .dwcuepack to package the dedicated project folder. Copied project media travels with it; verify externally linked media separately and keep the original .dwcue show folder intact.