computer control DMX software

[MarkPAman]

What sort of seans - Connery, Penn, Bean... or some other type?

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h59/markpaman/Seanthesheep.jpg

 

Sorry - couldn't resist it. I shall now fetch my coat and return you to the thread...

Me too!

[paulears]

Ok - I'm the dance teacher, I walk into the room and want to turn the pretty coloured lights on for a unplanned rehearsal. I walk to the 'box' shove the thingys and the lights come on. Or I go and get the laptop from the technician's store, he'll be back in 5 minutes. Then he arrives, and I sign out the laptop and dangly box thing to plug into the dimmery things. I go back to get the power box because the battery is flat. I then have to find the little icon that works the on-screen thingys, then shove them all up one by one with the touchpad.

 

Dance teacher becomes head of department and somebody wants to buy a new computer lighting gizmo - I don't think she's going to sign the order.

 

Computer based systems, in my very humble opinion in a school or college are rubbish products. In the hands of skilled technical computer literate people they of course are marvellous things. I've even got one myself, but I never, ever use it. I'd even prefer 6 faders and 1 dimmer pack, over 12 dimmer channels and a computer controlled desk. I'm sitting here with a very expensive computer that has just had to close, sorry - and all that. I can see pre-programmed stuff in a club being ideal, but if you want to do the very common everyday stuff like bring one light up and another down AT THE SAME TIME - tell me how (without pre-programming - I mean when somebody shouts Fade out the piano and fade up the doorway) A single touchpad or mouse cannot do two things at once.

 

I'm not sure this is doing Sunlite much good, to be honest - it does come across as an attempt to push a product that cannot do what it says on the box.

Paul

[themadhippy]

I work for a DMX software manufaturer (Sunlite). Id reccommend these products any day over a hardware desk.

WALOB

[dave1022]

I'm going to add my support to everyone else who said get a small desk. I use a ETC Smartfade Junior, and though it's not the cheapest out there it does the job with around 16 static lanterns. I have experimented with a computer based system, but it just doesn't beat the control and feel of the physical faders, and it's a right faff to set up.

[gareth]

I work for a DMX software manufaturer (Sunlite). Id reccommend these products any day over a hardware desk

:P :P

 

An impartial recommendation there. Not.

 

Anyway, your profile says you're a pupil at Poynton High school. So what exactly is your 'job' with Sunlite?

[timsabre]

Sunlite has lots of nice bells and whistles, but simple to operate it is not.

[dbuckley]

Despite the fact I am the number one fanboi and evangelist of computer controlled lighting, I know just when my old Zero88 XL (which spends most of its life in a box in a shed) is the correct answer.

 

And this is one of those times.

[collism]

I think for something this simple I would go down the small convention desk route.

 

However I cannot rave strongly enough about chamsys magicQ PC for anything more complicated then this - both for myself busking live and for unattended install. In terms of unattended stuff I have found clients able to cope with using the system with minimal support from myself particularly as unskilled clients seem to relate better to computers then they do to lighting desks.

[Guest lightnix]

I'll be serious for a minute...

 

Another vote for the small, 12-way desk with faders; for all the reasons explained above and more. Consider no other solution for this, particular situation.

 

But if you really are hell-bent on going the software route, then you could do worse than click here ;)

 

I work for a DMX software manufaturer...

...your profile says you're a pupil at Poynton High school...

I think he's updated it now. Been a while since your last visit has it, 99benns? :** laughs out loud **:

[colinskuse]

thanks for all of your replies

 

I have been through with the school about the down sides of a pice of software on a computer / laptop

and the pluss sides of a 12 way desk the school are saying that thay do not want to replace the current broken desk with another desk and are set on some software to control the lighting

 

I totaley agree and usderstand that 12 faders on the likes of a 2 preset desk is much more frendley than a pice of software

but I am only trying to meet my customers request

[Tomo]

In this situation, I would recommend a SmartFade 12/48 console or something similar.

 

You really want a fader-per-channel console that simply requires plug-in, turn-on, then move faders.

 

I can talk a stressed, harassed, panicking teacher who has never seen a lighting console before through getting lights on with a SmartFade console in the one or two minutes they have before the class arrives and 'nothing is working'.

 

That's simply not going to happen with any PC-based solution.

 

If they really want some software, then a SmartFade 12/48 with SmartSoft.

- The SmartFade gives them the DMX output and physical faders (and is completely happy without the laptop connected at all.)

 

SmartSoft alone can be used as an offline editor, and connects live to the console.

[Jivemaster]

I hope that the school do not blame you for difficulties with operating their choice of kit supplied by you.