Computer Controlled Lighting

[actorgeek]

Hi everyone,

Newbie here! I am seaching for some help in an area I know little about. At my high school we have an underfunded theater program, like most schools, so we are using outdated equipment. We have a very simple DMX light board that uses a X & Y cross-fade system. We do our shows in our cafeteria and over the past few years we have added more light positions and fixtures to our collection and have become quite complex with our lights getting somewhere between 15-20 different fixtures which can be quite a mess when setting up each cue on the board.

From what I've searched on the internet, I need a USB to DMX converter, then some program to run it. Is there a computer program that will run my lights either off the board or on it's own? Do I need to hook the computer to the board or straight to the DMX dimmer? I ideally want something that will save my cues so no one has to set each cue every performance.

Only one big problem....I have maybe $20-$30 for this project, so I'd be looking at free programs or something.

 

[SHARYNF]

usually the recommendation is to get the ENTTEC USB pro and then download

ChamSys MagicQ PC – Free Lighting Control Software - On Stage Lighting

The site says you can use the OPEN VERSION but folks have had less problems going with the pro version

ENTTEC - DMX USB PRO

So you are looking at closer to a 150 dollar solution

the enttec usb open sells for about 60 dollars on ebay look at item number 170417400597

Sharyn

 

[actorgeek]

Anything easier than MagicQ...upon first look this program looks tough, and the show is in 3 weeks! We are just using conventional fixtures.

 

[SHARYNF]

you can see if someone else has a suggestion, most of the PC based systems have a bit of a learning curve

You could look at one of the lower end controllers like the Elation operator or Scene setter type boards

Sharyn

 

[Anvilx]

The Pro version is the way to go, because it doesn't rely on its host computer for timing.

 

[itie]

i was looking to buy a usb to dmx box but hadnt found the time look into it. does this one from entec work with paid software and free?

 

[derekleffew]

... does this one from entec work with paid software and free?

ENTTEC - DMX USB PRO

Controllers:

• JS DMX Project
• Dlight (Win & OSX )
• LXConsole (OSX )
• Q Light Controller (Win & OSX & Linux)
• SchwartzPeter (Win)
• LSC Clarity (Win)
• Chromakinetics - StageConsole , ColorFusion , and other tools for Win /OSX
• Brookshire Software VSA
• OSF Solutions inGenius MLight - (Windows)
• Freestyler - (Windows)
• Chamsys (Win & OSX & Linux)
• MAX & Pure Data (Win & OSX)
• ShowMagic - (Windows)
• TJShow
• Chameleon (OSX)
• LightsOn (OSX Framework)
• Madrix - (Windows)
• DMXweb Windows, Mac OSX and Linux x86(Open Source)
• Fire One Flames - DMX Controlled Flame Projectors !

 

[uolightinguy]

I run Chamsys on my MacBook Pro with an Ent Tec USB DMX Pro adapter. Chamsys is the best lighting controller i've ever used..

 

[actorgeek]

Anyone out there ever tried ChromaKinetics? I downloaded that last night and it seems simple enough to use.

 

[shiben]

Having only used a 2 scene preset once with 12 fixtures on it, I have not tried this for bigger shows, but I have heard that you can cut posterboard into the shape of where each of the pots needs to go on your current board, up to as many faders as you have. Then just use the x-y crossfader to switch, run other set of pots to 0, then insert next cue card. Make one per cue? Computer controllable solutions are probably going to run you well over your small budget due to the USB-DMX interfacing which seems to cost quite a bit.

 

[masterelectrician2112]

ENTTEC - DMX USB PRO

Controllers:

• JS DMX Project
• Dlight (Win & OSX )
• LXConsole (OSX )
• Q Light Controller (Win & OSX & Linux)
• SchwartzPeter (Win)
• LSC Clarity (Win)
• Chromakinetics - StageConsole , ColorFusion , and other tools for Win /OSX
• Brookshire Software VSA
• OSF Solutions inGenius MLight - (Windows)
• Freestyler - (Windows)
• Chamsys (Win & OSX & Linux)
• MAX & Pure Data (Win & OSX)
• ShowMagic - (Windows)
• TJShow
• Chameleon (OSX)
• LightsOn (OSX Framework)
• Madrix - (Windows)
• DMXweb Windows, Mac OSX and Linux x86(Open Source)
• Fire One Flames - DMX Controlled Flame Projectors !

It would seem to me that you are forgetting Daslight. The software with 3d viz is free, but it doesn't have some features that the full version with the dongle has. I have the free version. It is fun to design lights with even if you don't own the full version.

 

[flash1322]

I am dealing with the same problem at my school. What type of board do you have now? and, Do you plan on just getting rid of the old one and running it all off the computer?

 

[actorgeek]

Ehhh....we will probably keep the board for now. Though as our shows get more complex every year, running them of this board will soon become too difficult. The board we have now is some old school thing, I don't remember the name. It's a typical cross-fader board.

 

[actorgeek]

Alright we've invested in a USB/DMX converter. Still unsure on the program. Are these easy to hook up? DMX from dimmer to computer? Plug and play type situation or something more complex?

 

[Morpheus]

Alright we've invested in a USB/DMX converter. Still unsure on the program. Are these easy to hook up? DMX from dimmer to computer? Plug and play type situation or something more complex?

here's a crazy question:
Do your dimmers even support DMX?

What dimmers do you have?
What board is it that you're replacing?

 

[actorgeek]

Ehhh names I'm unsure about.

The dimmers now connect to the board with a DMX cable. The board is also powered through this DMX cable.

 

[Lotos]

Ehhh names I'm unsure about.

The dimmers now connect to the board with a DMX cable. The board is also powered through this DMX cable.

If it's providing power to the console, it's not proper DMX...

Connecting your USB->DMX Device may well damage the USB Device, and possible the computer it's connected to as well.

 

[actorgeek]

Right now we aren't using a computer. It is just the board. 1 DMX cord is the only thing running out of the board.

How do I connect the computer and DMX correctly? What do I need to do?

 

[len]

Ehhh names I'm unsure about.

The dimmers now connect to the board with a DMX cable. The board is also powered through this DMX cable.

If the current controller does NOT have its own power source (i.e., a wall wart or some other thing you plug into the wall) chances are the dimmers are MPX not DMX. If that's true then getting a DMX controller will do no good, and could damage the Entec or other dmx box if connected.

Before you go any further, find out the EXACT brand and model of dimmers you are using. Check online or ask here. Chances are someone will be able to confirm whether the dimmers are MPX or DMX.

 

[actorgeek]

Alright I don't know for sure, because it's pretty old but I believe it is NSI MC 7024 or something similar.

I don't know what a MPX connector is, but a quick google search shows that it has a box-ish type connector, ours are the round DMX type.