Edlight Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 Hello I hev an IPAQ with a compact flash WIFI card and a starnd 520i with a wireless access point attached to it. I have downloaded the strand remote software for the ipaq but am having trouble configuring the two to talk to each other?Any one got any experince with this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinT Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 Apparently you have to buy some software from Stand for the desk. If you buy your IPAQ from strand this is included in the pack Here's the real rub (as far as I understand it - and am more than willing to be corrected) The software is only good for one desk. Such a shame I wish Strand were more user friendly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 Tekkie is correct. The software for the Ipaq is 'free', but you have to pay through the nose for a code to enter into the console to make if wifi-friendly. And yes, it's one code to one console - you can't enable two consoles with the same code. My local theatre are currently having a debate with Strand about this - they've bought two Ipaqs to go with the two consoles in the main venues. They now want to enable a third console for use with the Ipaqs, but don't want another Ipaq - Strand were all for charging them several hundred pounds just for a few numbers to punch into the third console to wifi-enable it. What a rip-off! Not sure what the outcome was, or indeed whether it's actually been resolved yet ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinT Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 I thought I'd read their web page correctly - thanks Gareth Now I like Strand but I think that their policy of selling software keys to unlock channels or the wi-fi extension sucks. I know that originally their reasoning was that you only buy what you need - but come on this is too far I think the channel upgrade is mean their competitors give more DMX channels as standard (250 +plus 250 isn't exactly generious) but not giving access to a wi-fi remote is ludicrious especially if you use desks in lots of different venues or hire regularly. Maybe if more users lobbied Stand over this they may change their mind - it is only a remote after all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edlight Posted February 17, 2005 Author Share Posted February 17, 2005 Many Thanks, My Battle with strand will start................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 I have to say that I disagree about the channel upgrades being bad. One of the main reasons that Strand have been able to do so well recently is that they made their desks affordable to many different sizes of theatres. If all desks were to come with a full compliment of channels, then the theatres that ony have the 250 (or 125) channels would never have been able to afford the thing. I have to say that 250+250 is usually enough for most small theatres, it can be annoying if you have one larger show, but then that is life really. As for the IPAQ thing, again it's annoying but are you saying that they should have developed this software for free? I understand it being annoying to have to pay for the code, but they will have had significant costs involved with the development of the thing, so I think it's worth remembering that they are not a charity!! It is also worth remembering that Strand offer all of their software upgrades FOC, this is great for the users but has meant that now that so many theatres own the desks, there are fewer that will buy new ones, hence they have to develop new means of gaining income - hence the WiFi thing.. I don't work for Strand, but I do feel it is worth making this point, as people do sometimes tend to forget the actual hard costs of developing software etc for lighting desks! Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henny Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 I got quoted £950to unlock the wifi, so I use the usb key on a laptop then vnc this to my pda,it works Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinT Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 Richard I appreciate what you are saying and I tend to agree with the spirit of your points raised. However £950 to unlock one desk for wireless! you can buy your own wired remote put an extension on it and use it anywhere you visit for that! Also almost £750 for a 50 channel upgrade and over £7000 for a 500 upgrade? You can't defend those prices. I'm not sure of the list price of a 520i £7000K? add extra channels to get you to 1024 and that's a lot of money. What else can you get for that?Admittly most samll theatres don't need that as ou say - but against the market place it seems a bit expensive I agree strand need to continue generating income - two venues I use are on their second 5x0 having upgraded from older versions but I just have a problem with their prices especially for facilities already onboard. Apart from that I'm a fond lover the 5x0 I just wish I could have an offl ine editor that works under XP and has a DMX output (via USB) for WYSIWYG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henny Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 Richard Also almost £750 for a 50 channel Apart from that I'm a fond lover the 5x0 I just wish I could have an offl ine editor that works under XP and has a DMX output (via USB) for WYSIWYG<{POST_SNAPBACK}>the dmxout for wysiwyg can be picked up bover a network conection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andystone Posted February 18, 2005 Share Posted February 18, 2005 As for the IPAQ thing, again it's annoying but are you saying that they should have developed this software for free? I understand it being annoying to have to pay for the code, but they will have had significant costs involved with the development of the thing, so I think it's worth remembering that they are not a charity!! Richard<{POST_SNAPBACK}> Maybe a better way of charging for the iPAQ software would be to charge for the software, in that way they can recover their costs for developing it, but people can use it on as many consoles as they like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard Posted February 18, 2005 Share Posted February 18, 2005 But then theatres which have three of them would complain that they have to buy three licences! You can't please everyone sadly.. As for the costs of channel upgrades, I think that they aren't that bad, when you look at other desks that are at the 'top end' of the marker. £14k for a proper desk with a proper number of channels isn't that bad, and Strand do do deals if you ask them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay Posted February 19, 2005 Share Posted February 19, 2005 But then theatres which have three of them would complain that they have to buy three licences! You can't please everyone sadly.. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Isn't that the way most software companies work? They charge depending on how many users need the software. It would make more sense to charge an annual fee which gives you any relevent upgrades, beta test changes if appropriate and get customer service including for all board-related issues. I can't see how charging a large sum of money for an unlock code, which you can bypass (see henny's post above) is a viable economic model. (puts on asbestos hat (and respirator!) and waits :** laughs out loud **: ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edlight Posted February 19, 2005 Author Share Posted February 19, 2005 I got quoted £950to unlock the wifi, so I use the usb key on a laptop then vnc this to my pda,it works<{POST_SNAPBACK}> Please explain how this works???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henny Posted February 19, 2005 Share Posted February 19, 2005 first you need one of the £100 usb designers keys , run this on a laptop and connect to desk, then run a vnc server eg ultra vnc ,then connect in to your pc/laptop using a vnc viewer on your pda, advventage is , when I work out how best to send F'keys you will have full desk access from your pda henny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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