Since its launch in 2018, the originators of General Device Type Format (GDTF) and My Virtual Rig (MVR) – Vectorworks, MA Lighting, and Robe – have committed to spreading the word, with increasing participation from industry manufacturers, in identifying ways to expand the development of what GDTF and MVR can offer the live entertainment sector.
For the uninitiated, GDTF is a system that helps manufacturers and users share information about technical equipment – such as how they work, what they look like, and how they respond to controls. It makes it easier to find and use the right data without having to search through different file formats.
MVR is a format that can encapsulate the data from GDTF into a comprehensive description of the stage or venue and transfer it between devices such as lighting consoles, visualisers, or design software.
“This is a passion of ours,” commented Vectorworks Chief Marketing Officer, Jeremy Powell, reminding TPi of the collective’s mission statement. “We noticed these problems a long time ago, and we’ve been working hard as a team to solve them.”
Striving to challenge and unify the exchange of data among live entertainment technologists, the Group’s offerings now include GDTF Share, GDTF Builder, MVR, and MVR-exchange. “There is a lot of interesting stuff, and depending on where you look, you will find lots of developments bringing us forward to today,” said MA Lighting Intellectual Property Manager, Rene Berhorst. “We strive to provide people with building blocks to choose from.”
During monthly meetings, the Group works to make incremental changes, which have helped achieve widespread adoption by multiple software manufacturers and entities. “Through our work and cooperation, we also try to ensure that we enable other people to easily implement GDTF and MVR, which we, as manufacturers, use internally,” noted Robe Customer Service Manager, Petr Vanek.
According to its developers, GDTF and MVR can help speed up the process of pre-programming, preparing, and programming for end users in the dynamic, fast-paced world of live events. “You don’t have to take our word for it. People use this every day and are starting to reap the rewards,” remarked Berhorst.
This mission goes beyond lighting, control manufacturers, and planning tools. Berhorst elaborated: “GDTF and MVR are simple but effective models, creating a ‘digital twin’ of the real world, adding a logical structure to abstract concepts and protocols. We can describe any type of device as a digital twin with any logical structure of how to control it.”
Take, for example, DMX, the most common protocol driving the live events business. “Recently, we made a clear example of how this would work with Open Sound Control, which is a totally different structure, protocol-wise, and simple to adapt,” Berhorst noted.
“What we’re finding is that commitment to that original mindset of a clear structure, that can remain extensible and sticking to it, is allowing us to adapt far faster than anticipated,” Powell added. “We continue to seek to bring into the Group other like-minded companies that want to contribute in the same way.”
Vanek believes there is momentum among partners who are interested in solving issues and delivering solutions for the betterment of the overall sector. “We have more than 60 confirmed manufacturers contributing files for their devices. On the control side, 14 different global control-based soft- and hardware platforms utilise GDTF or MVR – from established entities to start-ups,” he said, citing the ‘invisible work’ that goes on behind the scenes to enable manufacturers to provide the descriptions for their technical solutions.
“It requires a lot of effort, money, and brains from the companies and external manufacturers, attending biweekly meetings and taking action to drive this forward,” Berhorst explained. “However, we all want to give back to the business, and we believe we have found a solution. We want everyone to participate and benefit.”
Moving forward, the Group will pursue the expansion of the specification into the audio realm. “The attitude that we’ve created with the Group of partnering and putting aside competitive differences in the effort of meeting the needs of those who put on events is slowly starting to appeal to those across the aisle,” Powell noted.
Berhorst believes there is further room for growth among media server specialists. “I’m aware of two premium manufacturers that are not on our list because they do not define and publish a simple GDTF Share profile for their media servers, as it is often project dependent, but rather they typically create the GDTF file, specific to the current project needs on the fly,” Berhorst said, citing another project that spent development time making GDTF and MVR compatible with OpenUSD – aka a gateway into the Metaverse.
He continued: “It’s amazing to see that people invest their time and effort to pave the way further into all these emerging technologies.”
With the brand sharing the slogan ‘unify the industry’ on the tradeshow circuit, from a brand perspective, Powell believes joining the GDTF and MVR mission is a ‘win-win’. He commented: “The industry wants to work with brands that solve their problems, and if you want to be part of a collective that truly puts customers first, then we welcome you and your input with open arms. Make sure to visit the GDTF Group at several upcoming 2025 tradeshows, including Prolight + Sound in April, to learn more.”
Words: Jacob Waite
Photos: GDTF Group
