Ten-year-old James Lighting 916 - nice little 16-
channel 2-scene preset (plus 16 memory scenes and two 32-step chases). The 916 is still in production. It was a microplex board until James Lighting hired me to design a
DMX upgrade (the DMX version still does microplex at the same time). So, of course, I have the first ever DMX version.
But the 916 really isn't good for intels. Each of my intels uses 7 channels: I'd only have two channels left for
conventionals. So I bought a cheap American DJ DMX Operator to run my intels. The best thing about it is the price. The worst thing about it is that you get what you pay for.
I designed a DMX-to-microplex translator to let it operate my old microplex dimmers. It's a b***h trying to choreograph a good light show across two separate controllers and, like I said, the 916 isn't good for the intels.
Then I designed a stand-alone microplex-to-DMX translator. I bought cheap used boards on eBay - an NSI MC7008, a Lightronics FC-816 and a decrepit old Sunn (gave it to my nephew when I was done testing, don't remember the model number right now). So, right now I've got an NSI, a Lightronics, a James and an American DJ.
John