> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.lightact.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.lightact.com/readme.md).

# LightAct 4 Documentation

A user guide on LightAct 4

LightAct 4 Documentation is a collection of user guides, tutorials and manuals on how to use LightAct 4 software. We've grouped the docs into several categories so that you can find what you are looking for faster.

If you are looking for something specific, you can also use <img src="https://3312042618-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F9sVaJpWJhPbmscipukhh%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-911d818169442798bc820789fdf1b9bbc7dd7689%2Fimage.png?alt=media" alt="" data-size="line">search bar in the top.

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th data-hidden data-card-cover data-type="image">Cover image</th><th data-hidden data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><h4><a href="/quick-start/terminology.md">Quick start</a></h4></td><td>Start here if you are totally new to LightAct.</td><td><a href="https://3312042618-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F9sVaJpWJhPbmscipukhh%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-41d167714be8eb816e99dd0c4dc7055b72554797%2FcolorGrid.png?alt=media">colorGrid.png</a></td><td><a href="/quick-start/terminology.md">Quick Start</a></td></tr><tr><td><h4><a href="/transitioning-to-lightact-from-other-media-servers/switching-to-lightact.md">Transitioning from other media servers</a></h4></td><td>Start here if you are switching from another media server.</td><td><a href="https://3312042618-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F9sVaJpWJhPbmscipukhh%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-dee9cd14c5e46a08cbc53f5528aa5827170fb461%2F210923-headerForSparkPostTemplates.png?alt=media">210923-headerForSparkPostTemplates.png</a></td><td><a href="/transitioning-to-lightact-from-other-media-servers/switching-to-lightact.md">Transitioning to LightAct from other media servers</a></td></tr><tr><td><h4><a href="/assets/video-formats-and-codecs.md">Assets</a></h4></td><td>Learn how to ingest and manage Assets in LightAct.</td><td><a href="https://3312042618-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F9sVaJpWJhPbmscipukhh%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-f2a0aa46ed8feb5e3267862144a9f04155352c2f%2Fexpressions-of-america-750_9902-withAssets.jpg?alt=media">expressions-of-america-750_9902-withAssets.jpg</a></td><td><a href="/assets/video-formats-and-codecs.md">Assets</a></td></tr><tr><td><h4><a href="/timelines/overview.md">Timelines</a></h4></td><td>Learn how to sequence content, manage multiple timelines and sync to external timecode.</td><td><a href="https://3312042618-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F9sVaJpWJhPbmscipukhh%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-eeb08962cc3a1c5a5fec19e72f04586ab26ceb07%2Ftimelines.png?alt=media">timelines.png</a></td><td><a href="/timelines/overview.md">TIMELINES</a></td></tr><tr><td><h4><a href="/layers-and-layouts/overview.md">Layers and layouts</a></h4></td><td>Explore why LightAct's layer system is one-of-a-kind.</td><td><a href="https://3312042618-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F9sVaJpWJhPbmscipukhh%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-a831a85594738c48faed79f14e2f93d7845640fc%2FLayerLayout3d.png?alt=media">LayerLayout3d.png</a></td><td><a href="/layers-and-layouts/overview.md">LAYERS AND LAYOUTS</a></td></tr><tr><td><h4><a href="/node-reference/node-reference.md">Node reference</a></h4></td><td>Learn about LightAct's powerful and flexible nodes.</td><td><a href="https://3312042618-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F9sVaJpWJhPbmscipukhh%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-3d43f305db6c13c66ddb3745f4340258d481da32%2FGenerateLUT.png?alt=media&amp;token=ab48d377-c053-4c56-8bbc-fc66c769c18b">GenerateLUT.png</a></td><td><a href="/node-reference/node-reference.md">Node reference</a></td></tr><tr><td><h4><a href="/video-playback/playing-video-files.md">Video playback</a></h4></td><td>Here you'll find everything you need to know about how to play video files in the most efficient and pixel-perfect way.</td><td><a href="https://3312042618-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F9sVaJpWJhPbmscipukhh%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-80d1e5ce15ff9e1940ad6f0f5f58a9e9f57082bb%2F4U9A0771-800x533px.jpg?alt=media">4U9A0771-800x533px.jpg</a></td><td><a href="/video-playback/playing-video-files.md">Video Playback</a></td></tr><tr><td><h4><a href="/real-time-content-playback/notch.md">Real-time content playback</a></h4></td><td>Learn how to play Notch, Unreal Engine and TouchDesigner - all natively integrated in LightAct.</td><td><a href="https://3312042618-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F9sVaJpWJhPbmscipukhh%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-a3bfac957e654be1c13c7c95592249c62505d726%2FSMG-complete-1080p081-closeUpAndCrop.jpg?alt=media">SMG-complete-1080p081-closeUpAndCrop.jpg</a></td><td><a href="/real-time-content-playback/notch.md">Real-time content playback</a></td></tr><tr><td><h4><a href="/content-mapping/content-mapping-overview.md">Content mapping</a></h4></td><td>Explore how you map content from LightAct's layers to various Viewport objects.</td><td><a href="https://3312042618-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F9sVaJpWJhPbmscipukhh%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-4c9e6871f8dd31854bde73ebc2900345084fe9b4%2F564015512_122255960264021537_8925486228393317014_n.jpg?alt=media">564015512_122255960264021537_8925486228393317014_n.jpg</a></td><td><a href="/content-mapping/content-mapping-overview.md">Content mapping</a></td></tr><tr><td><h4><a href="/output-setup/output-setup-overview.md">Output setup</a></h4></td><td>Learn how to output content from video outputs on your server to physical displays and projectors.</td><td><a href="https://3312042618-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F9sVaJpWJhPbmscipukhh%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-1b3a84ff08cfe6bb37bbaab12e877f393546bb9c%2FIMG_0693-1280x853px_1.jpg?alt=media">IMG_0693-1280x853px_1.jpg</a></td><td><a href="/output-setup/output-setup-overview.md">Output Setup</a></td></tr><tr><td><h4><a href="/projection-mapping/projection-mapping.md">Projection mapping</a></h4></td><td>Explore LightAct's powerful projection mapping features that help you from the first projection study to final blending of the projectors.</td><td><a href="https://3312042618-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F9sVaJpWJhPbmscipukhh%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-3107914203d16b121f7a58e028123787808ed28c%2FNational-WWII-Museum-Expressions-of-America-show-cropped-600x338px.jpg?alt=media">National-WWII-Museum-Expressions-of-America-show-cropped-600x338px.jpg</a></td><td><a href="/projection-mapping/projection-mapping.md">Projection Mapping</a></td></tr><tr><td><h4><a href="/dmx/dmx-overview.md">DMX</a></h4></td><td>Learn how you can control LightAct with DMX and about all the different ways you can output DMX from LightAct.</td><td><a href="https://3312042618-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F9sVaJpWJhPbmscipukhh%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-dc8e6224e64d7c31a62bf3b1442e59bfccf5b0e9%2FDSC03781-modified-600px-quality90.jpg?alt=media">DSC03781-modified-600px-quality90.jpg</a></td><td><a href="/dmx/dmx-overview.md">DMX</a></td></tr><tr><td><h4><a href="/osc-and-midi/sending-osc.md">OSC &#x26; MIDI</a></h4></td><td>Learn how you can control LightAct with OSC and MIDI and how you can output OSC directly from LightAct.</td><td><a href="https://3312042618-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F9sVaJpWJhPbmscipukhh%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-ea061f6fd459a7a0587360d701dcd0ca6807b8eb%2Fimage.jpg?alt=media">image.jpg</a></td><td><a href="/osc-and-midi/sending-osc.md">OSC &amp; MIDI</a></td></tr><tr><td><h4><a href="/integrations/camera-and-object-tracking.md">Integrations</a></h4></td><td>LightAct can communicate with dozens of different protocols and technology.</td><td><a href="https://3312042618-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F9sVaJpWJhPbmscipukhh%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-8a725498d416823f1b03c9371c2f68c0ec74faf5%2FVolar_31.jpg?alt=media">Volar_31.jpg</a></td><td><a href="/integrations/camera-and-object-tracking.md">Integrations</a></td></tr><tr><td><h4><a href="/lighttrack/lighttrack.md">LightTrack</a></h4></td><td>Explore LightAct's unique tracking system called LightTrack.</td><td><a href="https://3312042618-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F9sVaJpWJhPbmscipukhh%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-c9528e26790171625492f584704a5c90cbfbb383%2FDSCF2472-1280x720px.jpg?alt=media">DSCF2472-1280x720px.jpg</a></td><td><a href="/lighttrack/lighttrack.md">LightTrack</a></td></tr><tr><td><h4><a href="/lightnet/lightnet-overview.md">LightNet</a></h4></td><td>Learn how you can set up multi-server clusters and manage them efficiently and effortlessly.</td><td><a href="https://3312042618-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F9sVaJpWJhPbmscipukhh%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-35e2d3e2af7b6ebb4e305f1d4b8d46b4476fc961%2F4U9A0828.JPG?alt=media">4U9A0828.JPG</a></td><td><a href="/lightnet/lightnet-overview.md">LightNet</a></td></tr><tr><td><h4><a href="/licensing/licensing-overview.md">Licensing</a></h4></td><td>Learn everything you need to know about managing LightAct licenses.</td><td><a href="https://3312042618-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F9sVaJpWJhPbmscipukhh%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-b1d84d76277add60977436e22751c41c7bb6011b%2FP1000724-mod.jpg?alt=media">P1000724-mod.jpg</a></td><td><a href="/licensing/licensing-overview.md">Licensing</a></td></tr><tr><td><h4><a href="/preparing-your-hardware-for-lightact/getting-your-hardware-ready-to-run-lightact.md">BYO hardware</a></h4></td><td>Don't want to use LightAct Hardware? Click here and learn how to set up your own hardware for LightAct.</td><td><a href="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1767081476096-350e18758625?crop=entropy&#x26;cs=srgb&#x26;fm=jpg&#x26;ixid=M3wxOTcwMjR8MHwxfHJhbmRvbXx8fHx8fHx8fDE3Njc4NjM1MjZ8&#x26;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&#x26;q=85">https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1767081476096-350e18758625?crop=entropy&#x26;cs=srgb&#x26;fm=jpg&#x26;ixid=M3wxOTcwMjR8MHwxfHJhbmRvbXx8fHx8fHx8fDE3Njc4NjM1MjZ8&#x26;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&#x26;q=85</a></td><td><a href="/preparing-your-hardware-for-lightact/getting-your-hardware-ready-to-run-lightact.md">Preparing your hardware for LightAct</a></td></tr></tbody></table>