PC Based DMX Control Board?

[tbeck]

Hello,

I am looking for a PC or Mac based DMX lighting control board for my school. Any reccomendations, we have a very minimal system, but are looking to expand.

ty
tbeck

[Foxinabox10]

We went with the PC for a while at our school and it just didn't work out as well as expected. We're now working to get an ETC Express 48/96.

What is your price range by the way?

[tbeck]

Currently I do not know what our budget is, but i will know tomm., I would love to be able to afford the ETC Express, but i know it is out of our price range, only because we are updating our fixtures, as well.

We currently have

-NSI 7000 series board (16 channel)
-8 par56
-2 par64
-2 15in. scoops
-2 dds5600 20amp plug dimmers (4ch. each)
-2 dds(??) dimmers (2ch. each)
-whatever else we use we rent from a local lighting supply company

like i said we have a very minimal system but we are trying to get out of having to rent what we use.

Going PC based seemed like it would be easier
currently I have found these two programs
-Horizon by Entertainment Tech.
-Emphasis

If you have any experience with these or any other program please let me know.

[Foxinabox10]

Someone else correct me if I am wrong, but I believe Emphasis is only an upgrade for ETC Express which brings in a computer for rendering of lighting plots and such.

Check out Martin also. Remember though that many of these only take DMX, not the three pin data signal that your NSI dimmers send. I think it's time to install a dimmer system if you can talk to the administration. Lay out a three year plan of buying a dimmer system now and running all the outlets and buying a console. Then next year purchase some of the lights. And the year after purchase the remainder of the lights.

[tbeck]

Thank you for correcting me, so that means emphasis is out. And our NSI board takes 5 pin. Also I dont have three years. I am a senior now, and the last tech teacher left last year so it is up to me to find out what we need and how to do it. Unfortunatley, our theatre dept. has no budget whatsoever so we must make what we spend (via shows,fundrasing). And dont we already have a dimmer system? correct me if I am wrong.

[moojoe]

Martin does have one, along with some other small ones that i dont know much about.

emphsis i think is like $15,000. its an upgrade to the express, expression, or insight line, where they tie in WYSIWYG design software into the board. increadible program, but def. overkill for a high school.
is that the fixtures youll be controlling? or what else are you getting, if you say what your getting, ill recomend some programs to you, but i need to know what type of system you need exactly.

(the reason i know an ok amount on this is because im going PC based in most of the theatres i work at, so ive been doing a lot of research)

[Foxinabox10]

tbeck,

I know where your coming from as being a senior, wanting to get things done, and only getting the money you make. I also know that I have a meeting with our principal next week to discuss nearly $100k in new equipment. The fact that you don't have a budget makes it reasonable that you ask for a large lump sum. Seriously consider approaching the principal or even superintendent for your school.

[avkid]

If you are a little low on the cash front, go for the Horizon, but get the gold update and the sub wing:
http://www.rosco.com/us/lightingcontrol/horizon.asp#512

You might also want to look into Bluelite:
http://www.innovateshowcontrols.com/x1_overview.php

[Foxinabox10]

avkid,

He doesn't need the gold upgrade. At max he needs the silver upgrade, since he isn't using moving lights, which is the only thing the gold has over the silver.

[avkid]

WHy not leave your options for the future open? It's a good selling point for the adminstration to have purchased an expandable control system because it makes them look like they were thinking in the long term and not impulsively.