Building a Lighting Console?

[DMXpro]

I was recently wondering how much it would take to build a very basic DMX-capable control console. I'd like to preface this post by saying that it would be just a project (for fun), but I'm wondering how little you could use and still get away with a decent console. My idea is to basically have a two scene preset using slide potentiometers for the channel/scene/GM faders, using a 0-10V system, and converting that to DMX-512 using an Arduino, max485 chip, etc.
This console would have essentially no electronic capability; literally a smaller, DMX'd version of an autotransformer rack.
Ideas?
(Mods, feel free to move this to off-topic.)

 

[Les]

I don't think it would take very much at all... Well, at least not where money is concerned. I wish I had some advice, but I have literally no skill when it comes to component-level engineering.

If you got a system you were happy with, you could probably even have a custom faceplate screenprinted for it. Get really good and I'll contract you to build some 8ch. slider stations. Ha.

 

[DMXpro]

Great idea! I am looking for at least basic advice (I'm a first-year electrical engineer; learning a lot about components and theories, but still...), but customization designs would be be pretty neat.

 

[Les]

Good luck! I'll be curious to see what others say. For as cheap as you can buy more advanced DJ controllers, I wouldn't think there's much to it after you figure the schematics out. I have a need for simple consoles a lot of the time and wish there were more out there to choose from (kind of like the Pocket Console). Something like these are probably really simple to build (and you wouldn't believe how much they retail for):

I say get going on it and if nothing else, you will have a great learning experience. It would also be a fun thing to talk about in job interviews, etc. Build a cheap wing that works with ChamSys .

 

[DMXpro]

Same here! Yeah, and personally I think it would be 10X better to have something you built yourself than shell out $300+ for a fader wing that was probably made in China. (You could also customize it, paint, silkscreen, anything.) If I do end up planning this thing out, I would like to include the Arduino; it's be good practice for programming and learning more about the Rs-485 protocol.

 

[cpf]

I'd think the most advanced part of something like this would be making it field reconfigurable. E.g. changing patching, setting scenes (if you're doing that), etc. Even if you will be the only user, this'll come in handy.

 

[dramatech]

Check out northlightdmx.com. He has circuit boards that can make some simple consoles, and some application notes that can help.

 

[Casey]

I would say the hardware component would be relatively easy. And you could very easily do it for under $100.

The software component would be a different story....

 

[AhClem]

Back in the last millennieum I worked at a company that manufactured the ShowNet control system and we attempted to manufacture a simple console and I'm afraid have to disagree with the posts talking about being able to do it for under $100. While you may be able to find sliders to use that will keep your costs down, the quality of the sliders you use is going to be the source of all your joy or pain once you're trying to actually control your lights (you did say "..a decent console" ), so just the cost of decent sliders will drive up your costs (don't skimp.... run tests and pick the best you can afford. you'll be glad you did!). And unless you have in-house machining capability to create the front panel to mount the sliders and the 'box' you'll need to have that made.
I also disagree (slightly) that the software would be that hard to write. Arduino and Microchip offer sample code to get started, and if you have any programming skills your main focus will be on which capabilities you'll want the sliders to have 'access to' (expose to your users) for control. Then you just have to "package" the DMX frames for sending/and or receiving.
You can probably build a kick-butt console for WAY less than some of the middle-to-high-end consoles, but if you want to admire your finished work while you're running your shows and not look at it gathering dust on a shelf, I think you may need to spring for good quality components that could drive up your end cost.
Good Luck!

 

[JD]

Not that hard. Below is a picture of an analog board I built back in the 80's (top flipped open.) 48 channels, 3 scenes, 10 pin matrix scenes, 10 matrixed chase scenes, 50x50 pin matrix output for channel/dimmer assignment. One would only have to take it one step farther with an A/D converter to take the 0-10 to DMX. The only hard part was to calculate voltage drop on the diodes, which changes with temperature. My answer was to design a regulated supply that used a stack of the same diodes to that the temperature effect was canceled out. Lot of metal and woodwork (hardest part.)

 

[LXPlot]

I do not know who, but I believe there is a company that sells DMX decoding chips, which you could use as a component or as a tool for a better understanding of the protocol if you insist upon using the Arduino.

Probably wouldn't be too hard.

 

[n1ist]

As mentioned, the hardware is rather easy. Look around on-line for service manuals for some of the older consoles (NSI 7016 is easy to find). The basic design is a regulated voltage source, many pots set up as voltage dividers, analog muxes (CD4051 or similar) to funnel the pots to the ADC on the processor. A processor to read the pots, do the X/Y/master math, and spit out DMX.

Adding a UI can be as easy as a serial port or USB to a laptop, or you could add an LCD display and some buttons.

Adding a patch tosses in a little more complexity as you then need enough memory to contain both the patch and output buffer. Remember each cell in the patch is 2 bytes since you need that extra bit for a DMX address; you can pack it a bit tighter at the cost of more processor time to unpack it.

/mike

 

[Brandofhawk]

If you have the time you can check out what people are doing with do it yourself christmas. Check out their forum here Do It Yourself Christmas Forums (wait are we aloud to talk about other forums?)

They try and produce epic front yard Christmas shows; but for cheaper than buying systems like Light-O-Rama. I found some good information there... you can crawl around and see what you can find of use.

 

[fliggygeek]

I have built a few DMX widgets and tools with arduino systems. Making a simple desk with recordable scenes is possibly a job for an arduino Mega, it has more ram and more IO pins. DMX connectivity is easily acheived with a MAX485 or the TI equivalent chip (one is cheaper, they are functionally identical). The MAX485 takes serial output from the main hardware serial pins on the Mega. With some simple code from HERE:FadeUp - tinkerit - DmxSimple FadeUp example - Open source releases from TinkerLondon and Tinker.it - Google Project Hosting , you can make a simple output test. From here, you would probably use some extra ICs to multiplex a bunch of faders to and analog input pin, and a matrix of buttons onto some digital input pins, maybe some leds or a small lcd onto a couple of digital out pins, add a power supply and some tender loving care and some nice code and id say youd have a great conversation piece and a useful tool.

 

[ejsandstrom]

I 2nd the Arduino. Check Youtube. Its easy enough and with the use of a few cheap rotary pots you could do a lot.

 

[DinoAgeDude]

As far as building your own console it sounds cool ! My opinion from past gigs over the years would be try to have at least 4 sub masters or more It makes for less time when it comes to changing scenes. I try to never have the same scene on every song, it makes for a boring show. Good luck !

 

[JohnD]

Not that hard. Below is a picture of an analog board I built back in the 80's (top flipped open.) 48 channels, 3 scenes, 10 pin matrix scenes, 10 matrixed chase scenes, 50x50 pin matrix output for channel/dimmer assignment. One would only have to take it one step farther with an A/D converter to take the 0-10 to DMX. The only hard part was to calculate voltage drop on the diodes, which changes with temperature. My answer was to design a regulated supply that used a stack of the same diodes to that the temperature effect was canceled out. Lot of metal and woodwork (hardest part.)

Topic swerve but I remember that back in the day linear pots were very hard to find. There was a very popular recording console, by Tascam I think (Paul Winter Consort toured with one for a while) that used a rotary pot on a sliding sled, with old fashioned radio dial cord wrapped around a pulley on the pot shaft, and there was a knob extended to the top of the mounting plate. I have also seen people use an oversized pot, and only use about 20% of the throw with a metal bar extending through a slot in a curved panel. Then there was the classic Times Square dimmer pack which used 6-600 watt household dimmers mounted sideways in the housing with a nylon gear on the dimmer shaft, then there was a pivoting piece with a handle on top and on the opposite side, an arc of teeth to engage the gear.

 

[DrPinto]

If you were going to design your own lighting console, it would be great if you could design linear pots that were easily replaceable without tools or soldering. And make them back lit. That would be awesome. You don't see anything like that around. That is, unless you go back to the 60's and 70's...

 

[gafftaper]

I found this bare DMX PCB board for Arduino for $7. Looks like a great starting point... and a cool website.

 

[derekleffew]

If you were going to design your own lighting console, it would be great if you could design linear pots that were easily replaceable without tools or soldering. And make them back lit. That would be awesome. You don't see anything like that around. That is, unless you go back to the 60's and 70's...

View attachment 9376

Absolutely, because that Kliegl Bros. two-scene preset was the pinnacle of lighting console design. It's been downhill ever since. /sarcasm
Perhaps they "were easily replaceable without tools or soldering" because they broke so often? I still have nightmares/flashbacks.
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