Charc, I sincerely hope you're kidding. If not, we have more to teach you about the economics of installing a patch panel. I've seen some installations where they "cheaped out" and installed "Air Flow Modules" instead of dimmers filling up the racks. PITA--having to go to the dimmer room and move modules around every time you hang a new show. The labor it takes is easily offset by just filling the rack with dimmers.Dimmer-per-circuit... WHAT A WASTE! We only use about 2/3rds of our circuits at any given time....Psht.
gafftapegreenia, I think you mis-understood. I was not "extolling the virtues" of a patch panel, I was saying they make no economic sense, and haven't for about 25 years.
gafftapegreenia, de nada. Charc, I understand your pain. Take some comfort in the fact that almost every theatre in which I've worked, I have thought the circuit distribution should be different. I've found theatres with a good theatre consultant to be better than ones without. Remember that system planners are only guessing where they think you will place instruments, and sometimes some guesses are better than others. Perhaps you could consider running cable from where you have too many circuits to where you don't have enough, on a semi-permanent basis? As for your thought that you have too many dimmers and not enough fixtures, remember that it's easier to add fixtures than dimmers. Infrastructure first!...
I think my main gripe with our dimmer-per-circuit system is not the concept of dimmer-per circuit, but the circuit map (correct term?) chosen by whoever renovated our theatre. I don't need a total of 10 circuits circuits for a lighting position that can fit one instrument, or two if you use right arms and squeeze things in. I don't need even need 3 circuits for that position. But If you add up these positions, it's 26 circuits for enough space for 4 instruments. Yep, that was smart planning. Also, There are some more similar lighting positions I have no idea why the planners didn't give circuits. Grr.
gafftapegreenia, I think you mis-understood. I was not "extolling the virtues" of a patch panel, I was saying they make no economic sense, and haven't for about 25 years.
Thanks Steve that's a really interesting article. I think it makes an important point to what Charc's question. While the survey found that only 17% of the dimmers aren't being used, most of the ones being used could be half the size. Freeing up money and getting Charc more instruments. It makes a lot of sense in typical high school dimmer per circuit installs to go with 1.2k's and save the money for other gear.
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