GDTF Hub

GDTF Hub - An Independent Resource for GDTF & MVR News, Tools, and Documentation.


Latest news

Export Fixture Patch as MVR in Carbon for Unreal 1.8

Carbon for Unreal 1.8 now allows users to export the fixture patch as an MVR file. The Export dialog includes options to link and package GDTF files with the export. This feature enhances interoperability with other software systems, making it easier for designers to collaborate and integrate their work across different platforms, through both MVR Export and MVR Import.

Posted August 10, 2025  ‐ Categories: GDTF, MVR, Carbon for Unreal

Você Sabia o que é o GDTF? Do you know what GDTF is?

The Lighting Bits channel on YouTube features a series of shorts that explain what GDTF is, presented in Portuguese.

Posted August 7, 2025  ‐ Categories: GDTF

GDTF Share Report for July 2025

GDTF Share report for the month of July 2025

Posted August 1, 2025  ‐ 1 min read  ‐ Categories: GDTF, GDTF Share

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GDTF & MVR

GDTF: The General Device Type Format is an open standard for describing devices of the entertainment industry. These devices may be lighting fixtures, trusses, distribution boxes, media servers, lasers or other devices used in the entertainment industry. This documentation describes DIN SPEC 15800:2022-02 also known as GDTF Version 1.2.

MVR: The My Virtual Rig file format is an open standard which allows programs to share data and geometry of a scene for the entertainment industry. A scene is a set of parametric objects such as fixtures, trusses, video screens, and other objects that are used in the entertainment industry. This documentation describes DIN SPEC 15801:2023-12 also known as MVR Version 1.6.



Describing devices of the entertainment industry

DMX Modes

Fixtures can have many modes which change its available capabilities. These are all specified in a single file.

Channel Mappings

Channel mappings available in the fixture are associated with which values produce which responses.

Color & Gobo wheels

Bundled image files provide gobo patterns and color mappings define virtual or physical color wheels.

Fixture Geometry

Bundeled glTF, glb or 3DS files specify the specific geometry of lighting fixtures. Fixture functions are tied to these models.

Color Information

sRGB, ANSI standard, and ProPhoto values can be used to specify the calibrated color space of the light.

Physical properties

Power consumption, weight, operating temperature, and more specify the physical properties of a fixture.


Describing the entertainment scene

Scene description

Scenes are organized into groups, layers and child lists of objects with custom classing, positions, rotations, geometries, addresses and connections.

GDTF Fixture

Using the GDTF Specification, detailed description of lighting fixtures, trusses, distribution boxes, lasers and other devices is possible.

Symbol reuse

Objects can be defined as symbols and inserted into the scene multiple times with instance specific properties.

MVR xchange

MVR-xchange - allows multiple clients within the same network to share MVR files.