purchase desicion: how important is two-scene preset?

[jwch]

Hi there!

I have an opportunity to buy a light console for my college. I've got it narrowed down to two, but I'm having trouble making a decision, based on one thing...

One board looks much easier to program, but doesn't do two-scene preset. You just program your cues and then 'GO' through them.

The other board looks a bit harder to program -- you can't really program cues, just various looks. But it does two-scene preset with a split cross-fader.

So here's my question...

If you didn't have two-scene preset, but the board was pretty easy to program, would you miss having that feature?

Thanks for any advice you can provide!
Jon

[Radman]

My answer:

Not one bit.

Just curious, what two boards?

[Thranduil]

Programming is important. BUT if the show crashes, you NEED those 2 scenes.

Right now cuz our board crashed we are using an analouge amx board and if we didnt have 2 scenes it would be impossible.

[BillESC]

It boils down to the intended usage of the board.

Theatre? Rock n Roll? Pagents?

As mentioned, having two scenes can save ones skin if memory is lost. I too am curious as to the brand names of the boards under consideration.

NSI makes a very nice two scene series of boards which also gives you memories for not much money.

[moojoe]

I used to think 2 scene preset was essential, but as long as you keep good backups, it doesnt matter. a pure "go" style board is a lot better in my opinion.

[ship]

Back in the day, you were able to buy a very simple two scene pre-set board witout memory to fine tune your design on a computer board that did not have individual faders. Made focus and programming of the light board a little easier. Also got the students a variety of experience with both types of light boards.

In doing one or the other or attempting to do both at the same time, you kind of have to make a choice into which or what will both serve education and the production best.

In education, how can you survive without teaching the students that right out of college probably won't have a computer board, how to master and run shows without a two scene preset.

On the other hand, memory boards in loosing the faders in favor for a key pad or curser is the wave of the future.


Good choice.

My choice might be to buy the better light board while you have the budget. Than as money is saved buy say a two scene preset without memory to supplement it and learn from in both running shows from it - perhaps even as the backup board, and in using it to fine tune the cues during programming than save to the memory board as a cue. This as another option in how to program cues.

Overall, I would not give up totally either types of light board. On the other hand, unless you really can't afford a better board, I am not sure how much time I would waste on memory back up two scene presets.

This is just my personal opionion however.