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AVstudio Desktop (macOS & Windows)

AVstudio Desktop is a cross-platform desktop edition of AVstudio Editor for macOS and Windows. It provides a powerful, professional UI design environment for modern AV, automation, and control systems — optimized for working across secure and non-secure networks, mixed environments, and real-world integration constraints.

This distribution hosts the desktop edition of AVstudio Editor for:

  • macOS
  • Windows

Repository​

What Is AVstudio Desktop?​

AVstudio Desktop is a local desktop application that runs AVstudio Editor outside of a browser, while still requiring an internet connection.

Its primary advantage is environment flexibility — allowing UI designers and integrators to work with:

  • Secure networks
  • Non-secure networks
  • Self-signed SSL certificates
  • CORS-restricted APIs
  • Mixed HTTP / HTTPS environments

This makes AVstudio Desktop especially valuable for professional AV and IT workflows, where browser security policies often block real integrations.

Key Capabilities​

Full AVstudio Editor​

AVstudio Desktop includes the complete AVstudio Editor experience:

  • Visual WYSIWYG UI editor
  • Page-based navigation and layouts
  • Containers, lists, and reusable components
  • Responsive design for touch panels and tablets
  • HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript extensibility
  • Data-driven UI via JSON and APIs
  • Live preview

Secure & Non-Secure Environment Support​

Unlike browser-only tools, AVstudio Desktop can work in real integration environments:

  • Connect to HTTP and HTTPS endpoints
  • Work with self-signed certificates
  • Bypass typical browser CORS limitations
  • Integrate with local or remote APIs
  • Test against development, staging, and production systems

This makes it ideal for:

  • Commissioning
  • Lab environments
  • On-site development
  • Controller-local APIs
  • Prototyping against unfinished systems

Control-System Agnostic by Design​

AVstudio Desktop is not tied to any single control system or manufacturer.

Interfaces can communicate using:

  • WebSocket
  • HTTP / REST
  • MQTT
  • JSON APIs
  • Custom JavaScript logic

Common ecosystems include (but are not limited to):

  • AMX (NetLinx / MUSE)
  • Crestron (CH5 / Web UI)
  • Node-RED
  • Q-SYS
  • Custom controllers and services

Installation​

There is no installer.

Installation is simple:

  1. Download the archive for your platform
  2. Unarchive
  3. Run AVstudio Desktop

No system-level installation or admin privileges required.

Output & Deployment​

Project Output Format​

AVstudio Desktop exports projects as a ZIP archive.

This archive can be deployed to:

  • Crestron touch panels (e.g. TS-1070, TS-1080)
  • Android-based touch panels
  • Embedded web runtimes
  • Custom control system web servers
  • PWA
  • iOS devices

App Container (iOS / Android)​

For mobile platforms, AVstudio provides App Container.

Important:

  • App Container can host any web project even created in Notepad, VS Code, Crestron Construct
  • Projects do not need to be created in AVstudio
  • Works with HTML/CSS/JS from any tool or framework

App Container supports:

  • Local project hosting
  • Switching between multiple projects
  • iOS and Android deployment
  • Secure and non-secure connections

AVstudio Desktop + App Container together form a complete cross-platform UI workflow.

Why Use AVstudio Desktop?​

Built for Real-World Integration​

AVstudio Desktop exists because:

  • Browsers enforce strict security rules
  • AV systems rarely follow “web-perfect” conditions
  • Integrators need freedom, not limitations

This version gives you control over the environment, not the other way around.

Vendor-Independent UI Strategy​

Your UI:

  • Is not locked to a controller
  • Is not locked to a panel
  • Is not locked to a vendor ecosystem

Interfaces remain reusable even when:

  • Hardware changes
  • Control systems change
  • Backend logic evolves

Ideal Use Cases​

  • Professional AV integrators
  • UI/UX developers for control systems
  • Manufacturers building demo interfaces
  • Consultants and system designers
  • Complex multi-room and enterprise AV projects
  • Secure or mixed-security environments

Desktop vs Browser-Only Editors​

FeatureBrowser-Only ToolsAVstudio Desktop
Self-signed SSL❌✅
CORS flexibility❌✅
Secure / non-secure mix❌✅
Local API accessLimitedFull
Large project stabilityMediumHigh
Real integration testingLimitedFull

Compatibility​

AVstudio Desktop projects:

  • Use standard web technologies
  • Are portable and future-proof
  • Can be deployed across multiple platforms
  • Can be reused outside AVstudio if needed

Official Resources​

Philosophy​

AVstudio Desktop is built around a simple idea:

UI should be flexible, portable, and independent — not constrained by vendor tools or browser policies.

Controllers handle logic.
UI handles presentation.
AVstudio connects the two — cleanly and openly.

Feedback​

This project is actively developed.

Feedback, bug reports, and feature discussions are welcome via the community portal.