New Lighting Console

[the kid]

The problem is the community groups don't wish to pay extra to have a technician present.

 

A Jester is maybe the MOST user friendy desk I have used and only a digital version of an analogue A/B preset.

 

If they cannot use it I would really say the tutors should sit down with yourself for not even an hour and go through the A/B preset mode and the programme mode, if they cannot do it then... well. + you will save the school at least a grand.

 

Maybe keep a crib sheet attached to the desk as well ?

 

The frogs I have no idea, but from what I have heard they are very simple as well.

 

+ who comes in and uses the desk? if the school is going to have some external theatre companies come in maybe they should employ someone to be there when needed

 

 

I think that is then something for the school to stipulate. If they want to use a space with lights and use the lighting within it they should pay, what happens when a lamp goes etc? is the school happy with someone going up a ladder and changing a bubble?

[peza2010]

I cant see how much more simple you can get than to push faders?

Surely peoples first instinct when approaching the desk is to push the faders up, and on doing so, they see lights coming on.

Surely giving instructions to do 1 THRU 5 + 7 + 18 @ FULL or whatever, is more difficult to get to grasps with?

[paulears]

I've got to say that although the Zero 88 method of operation is a bit different from ETCs and others, Zero 88 simply have to be the post popular lighting control seen in schools and colleges - by a very long way! In many ways, I probably would say I don't like them too - but that's rather unfair really. What I mean is that I don't want to learn a new operating system, but that doesn't mean I don't specify the kit to schools, who usually do the simple programming as described above - in that things happen when you shove faders. For dry hires without a technician, then this is the only sensible solution - mark the faders with tape in BIG letters so front green does what it says etc. If you move away to other makes, then the added complexity actually makes it harder.

 

Sending teachers on courses is a bit pointless - they're not interested in lighting or the machinery in most cases, so they don't want to use it, even of they understand it.

 

The hundreds of teenagers on here who love Frogs show that there's not a problem.

 

Picking up the basics looking at the manual seems quite easy - it's just that things are done differently, that's all.

 

I believe it's fine to not like something, but Zero 88 products are good value and reliable - and student friendly. In reality, the price hike to the next level is usually outside of most schools budgets!

[david.elsbury]

Hold some taster sessions, if your boss is game for replacing the desks then rent a strand300 and an avo tiger touch for a few days. Give a variety of people a go and see what one people react to.

I'd be wary of demo'ing a Strand 300, in fact anything that's not one of the new range of desks - you'll be hard pressed to buy one, let alone a new one, and if they say "this is the desk for us, we simply must have one" it puts you in a rather difficult position... :)

[bigdave1407]

I work at a Arts Centre in Guildford, I have many different desks here as I have 4 different spaces, we have a EOS, ION, Strand 520i, Jester and Juggler. there are times where groups or students use basic lighting in a studio, when this happens I put in the Jester or Juggler as they are the simplest desks, when there are technicians avaiable the EOS or ION are used as those are the desks that most people want to use.

[howartp]

I work at a Arts Centre in Guildford, I have many different desks here as I have 4 different spaces, we have a EOS, ION, Strand 520i, Jester and Juggler. there are times where groups or students use basic lighting in a studio, when this happens I put in the Jester or Juggler as they are the simplest desks, when there are technicians avaiable the EOS or ION are used as those are the desks that most people want to use.

 

Thanks for that Dave - I know this isn't my thread (mine's running concurrently) but this answer, as well as this thread as a whole, is very useful information alongside my other thread.

 

Cheers,

 

Peter

[WiLL]

Nothing could be simpler for a layman to understand than the 'one fader, one lantern' concept of the jester. I've worked in education for 12 years now and in a secondary school for 7 and a keypad only control will certainly NOT enable your teachers to easily use a desk. Some of my teachers have difficulty playing a dvd, let alone mastering lx desk syntax.

In my opinion what you need is an idiot sheet that accompanies each desk which in layman terms gives clear instruction on how to make light happen on stage.

If in fact what your real reason to changing desks is personal preference then I would have a long hard think about how easy it will be to get the budget for a new desk, then tot up what you could spend that money on in other ways, new dimmers, additional hard-wired channels, new lanterns etc. Then decide which would prove of more worth in the long run.

 

There is a large contingent of people who are down zero88 consoles because they took a different approach to the old die-hard strand desks, but to be honest if you want to spend £6000 simply to get a remdim button then go for it.

I'll stick with my orb.

 

As an aside I also have chilii24 dimmers which have a preset panel for the teachers to be able to bring up one of six pre-programmed states from the side of the stage.

Very useful and even my very worst technophobe drama teacher can use it.

[jonhole]

..if you want to spend £6000 simply to get a remdim button then go for it...

I'll stick with my orb.

Hold SETUP and press the blank key (next to Update). Change it's 'normal' mode to Rem Dim and voila - you have a Rem Dim button (SHIFT + Full also works).

 

we have a EOS, ION, Strand 520i, Jester and Juggler...when there are technicians avaiable the EOS or ION are used as those are the desks that most people want to use.

Think it's important to point out that several people in this thread are comparing Zero 88's absolute lowest end desks to ETCs highest end desks! That's fine if you are comparing specific consoles, but slightly unfair to compare manufacturers using this method!

[Tim gregory]

I think its worth pointing out that the O/P is using movers.

 

While the Zero 88 desk is great for generics, the Frog is not nice for controlling / programming movers.

In fact having put a Fat Frog in our venue, it was never used with technicians bringing in their own desk for every show.

 

I can't speak for the newer Zero 88 desks as I have not used them.

 

Tim

[bigdave1407]

im not comparing, I simply have different desks to do jobs, a Jester for simpler jobs and ETC desks for more complicated things

 

 

[WiLL]

I think its worth pointing out that the O/P is using movers.

 

While the Zero 88 desk is great for generics, the Frog is not nice for controlling / programming movers.

In fact having put a Fat Frog in our venue, it was never used with technicians bringing in their own desk for every show.

 

I can't speak for the newer Zero 88 desks as I have not used them.

 

Tim

that's why you should get an orb.