Control/Dimming - New Control Board for SMALL Blackbox

[JHWelch]

I work at a public school and we are looking to buy a new lighting board for a small blackbox theatre that has anywhere between 6-12 lights in it. I want the control board to be able to record submasters and cues would be a plus but not necessary.

Currently we have a Leviton MC 7008 but we are planning on moving that board somewhere else and we want a new one for the Blackbox.

Money is not a big deal, but of course we are a school so it is always a bit of an issue.

Any help would be great!

Thanks

[avkid]

ETC SmartFade 1248 end of story.
Lighting solutions for Theatre, Film & Television Studios and Architectural spaces : ETC

[JHWelch]

ETC SmartFade 1248 end of story.
Lighting solutions for Theatre, Film & Television Studios and Architectural spaces : ETC

I was so hoping that someone responded with an ETC board. Thank you very much, I will look it over, but I think I am already sold.

[gafflover87]

yes the smartfade 1248 is what i would suggest. its right around the $1200 mark but you can find a good deal. Ive been using this board for 5 years now and its one of the best boards ive found for small installations.

[gafftaper]

The ETC Smartfade was designed with theaters like yours in mind. But many of us around here don't like it because it's more of a DJ board than a real theater board. I have seen several demos of it and would only recommend it if one is really desperate for cash. My dislike of smartfade is well documented on CB. I love ETC products but would personally prefer buying a used console over the Smartfade (give me a two scene preset with subs over a smartfade any day... like a Strand 200). There are others around here who like it quite a bit. So get a demo and judge for yourself. Also be smart and do a CB search for more on smartfade.

If you want a real theater board with some horsepower, the top choices are always ETC and Strand. For a little over $4,000 you can pick up a Strand Basic Palette. ETC Element I believe is running up around $5,000. Both are excellent boards to consider and offer way more options than you need. ETC is the most loved manufacturer around here, but I own the big brother of that Strand board and I'm VERY happy with it.

The question then always comes up what are the secondary choices a little below ETC and Strand in price but still good quality. This is where we usually start a war as no one on CB seems to agree. However, I think over time, the majority of us would agree that you won't go wrong with boards from Zero 88/EDI and Leprechaun. Beyond that we quickly get into arguments over the merits of Leviton, NSI, Lehigh, and the rest. Some of us like these brands, some hate them with a passion.

Call your local dealer for price quotes. Odds are they carry ETC and/or Strand and then they carry one or two of the other brands listed. Get some quotes and talk with the dealer about the merits of these boards for your application. Any decent dealer should be able to arrange demos for you.

EDIT: Here's a link to excellent old CB debate on smartfade.

[chris325]

One other option would be the Leprecon 612 or 624. It's a much cheaper board and has the functionality that you would need (it runs cue stacks and can control up to 96 dimmers.) Also, the LP-612 has a really small footprint if space is an issue.

[cdcarter]

In my senior year of high school, we ditched our old ETC Idea and replaced it with a computer based solution in our 48 seat blackbox. We got an ENTTEC USB-DMX Pro and are using the ENTTEC lightfactory software. It was a really good move for us, because it gave us all the control features we wanted in a pretty easy to learn interface.

The students get to learn how to use computer based control systems, it provides a great opportunity to teach more than just the basics of DMX, and also a chance to teach networking.

[jmabray]

Id go for the Leprecon. Probably best for your situation.

[sk8rsdad]

Out of curiosity, do you have any other performance spaces in the school. If so, what console are they using?

In my venue we're equipping the black box with the same console we use on the main stage. It's overkill for the space but being able to learn the ropes in the black box and transfer the knowledge between the 2 spaces is worth it, for us. Having an on-site backup console for the main space is an added bonus.

[xander]

I would have agree that with only 6-12 lights, a LP 612 or 624 would be appropriate and price friendly. I know a guy that has one in his shop and it's been going for over a decade. However, there is a lot to be said about taking the opportunity for learning. Is there another space in the school? What board do you use there? Maybe you want a similar board so that the knowledge can transfer or maybe you want a completely different board to give students a wider range of skills?
If you plan on expanding the inventory at all I could see a Smartfade 1248 but don't think that will prep students for the more advanced ETC desks. The Smartfade is really an outsider to the rest of the ETC world.
If you wanted to bump up from the LP I would suggest the Strand 200 series. It's a two-scene preset plus memory plus a little extra.

As always, demo all your options. No one can choose what works best for you except you.

-Tim

[gafftapegreenia]

For 6 - 12 Lights, the Leprecon 612 is your board. A Smartfade almost seems like overkill for that few. The thing thats great about, aside from being robust, is that it really is one of the most "plug and play" boards out there, anyone can step up to it, push a few faders, and make some light. I have never been able to run a Smartfade without looking at the manual.

[chris325]

Just FYI, if you plan on any sort of significant lighting overhaul (movers, more fixtures, LEDs, etc.) you should probably ditch the Leprecon idea and go with Smartfade. There's also a version of the Smartfade with moving light control if that is in the forseeable future.

[Grog12]

Just FYI, if you plan on any sort of significant lighting overhaul (movers, more fixtures, LEDs, etc.) you should probably ditch the Leprecon idea and go with Smartfade. There's also a version of the Smartfade with moving light control if that is in the forseeable future.

There's also a version of Leprecon with "moving light control." Also if you want to get technical about it..the original Smartfade can control moving lights as well as it outputs dmx...it just wouldn't be a pleasant programming expierence.

[Studio]

You could also look at the Strand 200 Series 12/24 Version 200 Series Console | Strand Lighting - A Philips Group Brand

It has FX and Submasters and 2 scenes

[soundlight]

I haven't used them personally, but I'd take a good look at the Zero88 Jester range if I were you. They look like great little boards, and there's even one that has keypad entry - the Jester TL (or TLXtra if you want faders too). The TL series of Jesters (ie the ones with keypad entry) cost a bit more than the ones with just faders.

[chris325]

Really, with more than a few toys and maybe a couple of movers at absolute most, the best choice would be something that had at least basic ML controls. Programming movers and other toys conventionally is a pain.

[Les]

I have a Zero88 Level 18 (just an 18 channel 2-scene DMX board with two knobs for independently adjusting the fade times) and it's a good quality console. I'd recommend Zero88 if you're on a budget.

[Jeroen]

I use a Smartfade 2496 for our small theater. It's a great console. I understand people used to other ETC consoles such as Express, Expression, Ion, EOS, will certainly dislike Smartfade board.

Some people say it's a dj console. It is not! This console is IMHO positioned for the (very) small theater market. If you only have 6-12 channels to control, a Smartfade 1224 or 2496 gives you a lot of hands on control. You can much more. And the not so easy to use stack list / cue list problem is solved when you couple the board with a pc. Perhaps the Smartfade is, depending on the users, even to complex?

Perhaps the Smartfade can do to much, it doesn't use the same names for similar tasks, buttons are labeled different in comparison to what you are probably used to but it has a lot of power under the hood. It has more possibilities than the Jester, LC, Mikado... while acting in the same price range.

Offcourse the 'real' ETC boards are something else... but every piece of equipment has it's place. A GrandMA Light or an ETC Congo Junior would certainly throw a lot more control power, but with 6 channels to control this would be ridiculous.

Anyway, I do have second thoughts about the strength and quality of the etc board. I experienced minor hardware problems like a failing transfo, failing led lights on the console, instability with Macbook. But overall the ETC Smartfade gives you a lot of console for little money and booth space. There's no other console with that level of hands on control and versatility within it's category.

The Zero88 Jester is targeted at a similar market. The Jester has a very good build quality, and it's little easier to grasp than the Smartfade. It feels more robust than the Smartfade but it has less possibilities, no software back end, less control in a similar footprint...

The MA Lighting LC12/2 would also be an excellent choice for this kind of small theaters. It has less possibilities than the Smartfade, but similar to the Jester. A big advantage of the MA LightCommander is that any light operator will intuitivly kwow how to use the board.

If you want an excellent quality, simple, no memory, manual desk, the most easy to use: ADB makes a Swing 6 and Swing 12 desk. Just 6 or 12 channels in A/B two-scene. Easier to use is impossible. ADB Swing

In the same range as the Jester and the MA LC12 you also have the ADB Mikado, an excellent desk.
About the ADB name: ADB-TTV has become some sort of standard in many Belgian theatres and it makes pretty decent consoles.
ADB-TTV Technologies

just my 2cents