Compose Show Designer
Visual show design. Offline. No programming.
What it does, plainly.
Compose is the desktop show designer — a cross-platform app for Windows and macOS that lets a designer build, simulate, and export an entire show without writing a line of code. Cues, sequences, schedules, groups, and zones are arranged on a timeline; configs and embedded media are bundled into a single .nss.compose archive that you copy to Helm. No cloud sync, no project servers — Compose runs entirely offline.
Visual cue timeline — drag a clip onto a channel, set the pulse, done.
Simulator runs the show in software before you commit it to Helm.
Exports a single .nss.compose archive containing cues, configs, media, and firmware binaries.
Designed for show designers, not programmers — there is no scripting language to learn.
The full spec sheet.
Platform
3 ROWS| Runtime | Native desktop — Windows 10/11, macOS 12+ |
| Install size | ~200 MB |
| Internet | Not required — fully offline |
Project format
4 ROWS| Extension | .nss.compose |
| Contents | Cues, configs, embedded media, embedded firmware |
| Versioning | Embedded version stamp + designer signature |
| Deployment | Copy archive to Helm — HelmOS unpacks on next reboot |
Design surfaces
5 ROWS| Cue editor | Per-channel timeline, pulse and dwell settings |
| Sequence builder | Chain cues with conditional gates |
| Schedule view | Recurring and one-shot schedules |
| Group / zone editor | Map nodes to logical zones for the operator |
| Simulator | Step through the show without venue hardware |
Compose ships with every system purchase. Upgrades are free for the life of the system.
Multi-designer collaboration is file-based — git, Dropbox, or USB stick all work.
Often ordered with Compose.
Cuemaster Dashboard
The operator dashboard. Native full-screen. Always on.
Helm Server
The brain. Runs HelmOS, polls the fleet, fires every cue.
Bridge Operator Panel
Physical buttons. Real interlocks. No mouse required.
Need Compose on a specific timeline?
Standard lead time is 2–3 weeks from order. Rush orders are accommodated based on stock and assembly schedule — get in touch with your date and we'll confirm.