Control/Dimming High End Status Cue lighting console

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pat811

Member
Hello everyone!


I have recently been hired by a new theatre company started by a director of a show I worked last year. We will be doing some small shows and also renting out our equipment to other companies or groups. We currently have no equipment so we need to buy everything. We were thinking of getting some LED fixtures as well as some convential fixtures and need something to control it all with ease. I am a lighting designer and I've worked with a couple different consoles but I have never worked with any High End consoles. I was hopeing someone who had worked with the Status Cue could let me know how you liked it? How quick it was to program, and if you would reccomend buying it.


Any input you have is greatly appreicated!!

Thanks!
 
I've never actually used it, but I've seen it - it's ancient, bulky, prone to failure and requires an external processor if I remember right. That console came out when Windows 95 was hot stuff. Not something you should be buying now with intent to use for a while.

What's your price range for a console, and what kinds of shows will you use it for? With that info, we can help guide you toward a console that would work for you that's a bit more up to date.
 
I have a $2500 budget for everything, that includes fixtures, a console, and a truss system. We have decided that haveing a good console to start off is what we want. As for shows we will be doing a lot of everything. We will be doing concerts, stand-up events, one-man shows, musical productions(in the future), cabrets, and other types of straight plays.
 
$2500 is a really really small budget. With this amount of money, you can't afford to spend a lot on your console. Use MagicQ (Free) with an Enttec DMX USB Pro ($151). This is the cheapest way to get a really powerful controller. I would also table the plan to get LED fixtures at this point as well assuming there is sufficient power available for conventionals. Try to buy a mix of used Altman 360Qs and maybe some used 165Qs or similar fresnels. You are going to have to buy pretty much all older used gear to have any hope of approaching a usable system with that amount of money. Definitely don't buy a Status Cue though.
 
I have a chance to buy a 100% working Status Cue and rack mounted computer for a reasonable price. (less than 10% of it's new value)
I'm trying to determine if it's a step up from our current Colortran Status 24/48.

Discounting age and size (I have stagehands when I need them) would this give me more control flexibility?
Right now we run all conventionals, but I hope to pick up some inexpensive 4 or 5 channel LED fixtures in the near future.

(keep in mind that I am an electrician, not a programmer and try not to confuse me too much)
 
See post #2 above. Even 10% of its new, 1995 price is too much! Would you pay anything, even $10, for a working Win95 computer? The console was never that great at controlling conventionals, and it will have no clue what to do with LEDs.
 
I'm still at a loss as to what I need exactly, but I'll start a new thread about that.
 
I had a chance to buy a demo model status cue a few years ago for 500. Yes the console looked like it just came out of the box but there is no way I would even attempt to use one on a show these days. Remember how well windows 95 would crash this one was running 98 and of course I crashed it. I have crashed basically every console on the market. What I would look for with your budget is a used Electralite CP-100 it's a great little console that will run just about anything you throw at it. I have picked up several nice ones for the 400-800 range
 
avkid said:
I was looking at under $300 shipped.
However, I have realized that I don't want the evil Windows gremlins in my console.

Looks like I might pick up another Colortran Status as a backup to my current one.
Click to expand...


Really, cause most consoles use a striped down version of Windows XP including the Eos line from ETC I have seen one crash and it was caused by lack of updates and extra software Bad rental house tech's loading games on it.
 
NO NO NO NO!
THE Status Que was a mediocre console when it first came out, The fixture library has not been updated in a dozen or so years so good luck trying to get it to run modern fixtures.
I second the route of looking at MagicQ PC from Chamsys.co.uk
 
If you're getting the Status Cue for $300, you're still getting ripped off. Unless you're running all old High End fixtures, its pretty much a paperweight.

I highly second going with Chamsys. But don't go with an Enttec dongle, buy a single universe unlimited Chamsys dongle direct from the manufacturer in England. Its cheaper (around $100) and specifically built for Chamsys. The Enttecs are flawless, but might as well save money wherever you can.

As far as fixtures, I would limit myself to lekos & really crappy, really cheap pars. Also, crappy dimmers. After truss and cabling, you may have a couple dollars left over for some chinese movers if you really want them.

As far as LEDs, nothing decent fits in your price range. Perhaps a couple of old Elation Opti RGBs could be acquired for $200/each. Anything less than 1W LEDs won't be useful.
 
I have tons of fixtures and the cabling already.
(20) Source Fours
(16) additional lens tubes
(24) Source Four Pars
(10) 6" Fresnels
(3) 10" Fresnels
(10) Altman 360Q
(4) Par 56

I'm in the process of rebuilding some dimmers and adding in DMX conversion.
Truss is rented when needed. (for very few $)
Control is the last piece of the puzzle.
 
$2500 doesn't go that far...

However, you could probably get a decent rig if you go with some older units. Maybe some old cyberlights or intellabeams. There are not any decent and inexpensive moving yolk lights available unless you go chinese (not recommended). Pick up some decent LEDs (ones that won't flicker on video, so don't go off-brand). Then go in the Chamsys software direction for now because its very inexpensive. In the future, upgrade Chamsys to a wing and the slowly upgrade the rig.

avkid said:
I have tons of fixtures and the cabling already.
(20) Source Fours
(16) additional lens tubes
(24) Source Four Pars
(10) 6" Fresnels
(3) 10" Fresnels
(10) Altman 360Q
(4) Par 56

I'm in the process of rebuilding some dimmers and adding in DMX conversion.
Truss is rented when needed. (for very few $)
Control is the last piece of the puzzle.
Click to expand...
 
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