RasPi as headless controller? QLC+ playing nice with other services?

[DanfromCanada]

I'm volunteering with a community theater that has 0 funds. Most of the time it's a multi-use community space, but movie-watching and concerts are high-priority.

I have about a dozen lights up on pipe. Most of the time they aren't used. House lights are not on DMX yet, that's the next phase.

I want to set up a lighting control system that will be usable for inexperienced volunteers. (Walk in, push button for scene a, b, c.)

I tried QLC+ for our Christmas program theatrical cues running on an old windows laptop, and I'm quite happy with it. (I miss having physical faders, and I was sad to realize I couldn't use the chase/cue crossfader from the web interface, but it worked very well otherwise.)

I got my hands on a Raspberry Pi 4b. I'm using some command-line software (HTWebRemote) to control my audio system power relays, and the Pi is pretty much perfect for this (except it would be a pain to get more of them.)

I'm considering installing QLC+ on the Pi alongside HTWebRemote.

Based on accounts from other users here, QLC+ will be able to run on boot and auto-load a show file. This means I can stash it in a rack to run it from the web UI *and* I should even be able to use HTWebRemote to fire off keyboard shortcuts on the Pi to execute my basic lighting presets for most shows.

I can install HTWebRemote very easily from any Debian (systemd) distro, so I think it will work with whatever image is provided for QLC+ optimization.

Question 1: Does anyone here use QLC+ this way? Am I crazy trying to rely on it in this configuration? (Headless, running on a RasPi with other lightweight control software to execute a few scenes via remote button presses.)

Question 2: Has anyone tried marrying QLC+ with Home Assistant? I'm considering a deeper dive into a control system that could cover things like scheduling thermostat levels. Home Assistant *can* be installed on an existing system, but it's only really "supported" as a system image or a docker container.

[GGGss]

Question 1: Does anyone here use QLC+ this way? Am I crazy trying to rely on it in this configuration? (Headless, running on a RasPi with other lightweight control software to execute a few scenes via remote button presses.)

Seen that, done that, multiple times. Albeit the remote buttons are a mobile phone connecting to the QLC+'s wifi Access Point. The Pi (and wireless router) mostly is included in the House light circuitry. It gets booted when the house lights are enabled.

...cover things like scheduling thermostat levels.

You are kidding now right? QLC+ does not possess a calendar-like control. You would have to fumble around with cron jobs. I would not recommend it.

[DanfromCanada]

...cover things like scheduling thermostat levels.

You are kidding now right? QLC+ does not possess a calendar-like control. You would have to fumble around with cron jobs. I would not recommend it.

Sorry about the confusion: to clarify: I'm considering installing Home Assistant (python-based home automation control server) on the same RasPi as QLC+, but worried they may not play nicely together.

[GGGss]

You'll have to dig in the dirt yourself - I cannot react to the combi of home automation and QLC+ on the same machine... As long they don't interfere with the interfaces, it might just work.