Best ML console for touring substitutions

Jby007

Member
I'm currently looking into spec-ing a console for a touring theatrical concert show that will be carrying 6-8 MLs and using House Rigs consisting of wash and spot MLs as well as standard Lekos and PARs.

Which console does fixture exchange/substitution the best? I looking at Jands Vista, Hog3, Mazzyx, and grandMA, and possibly Eos. Does anyone have any other options? Which console of the above would work the best at substituting fixtures, i.e. any Martin fixture with any VL, HighEnd, Robe, etc, or the other way around.

Anyone have any other ideas or input?
 
One of the biggest features HES touted of the Hog III is the ability to switch out like fixtures and not need to reprogram, so you might want to look into a roadhog, which would be about the right size for your use.
 
I have used all of the consoles you have listed, i'd go with the hog III (or road hog, dont have to deal with possible problems with the hog talking to the DP2000 or my latest issue of the metal frame of the console touching the touch screens and making the touch screens unresponsive, which from what highend told me i'm the first to have the touch screen issue), or i'd go with the vista, its a sweet console. I would spec also based on what the board op knows. All of these consoles are not easy to learn over night. I think the hog may be one of the easiest. The vista and grand ma are alike as far as patching goes. The programming style of the vista is in a class of its own, it works like editing video, and not programming cues. It works really well for repeatability, esp when there are track acts, you can just have the lighting desk run all of the audio tracks :D.
 
I'd say Road Hog. I've recently been starting to learn the Hog operating system, and it's really easy. And since you can record your cues completely off palettes, you just walk in to the venue and program new focus palettes, and maybe new color and beam palettes for the house fixtures.
 
I'm a huge hog fan, but I have to say, I've only hear great things about cloning fixtures on the Maxxyz. I know someone who has toured extensively with large rigs and a lot of cloning on both the Hogs and Maxxyz and he said if he could get his choice it'd be the Maxxyz for a touring situation.

The cloning features of the Vista look great too, however, if you don't have much time to learn the console, the programming session/first few venues may be a bit rocky. The timeline is awesome!
 
The vista is great for cloning fixtures. It picks closest colors and gobos. I havent tried it on the hog yet. That may be a extra time play thing this summer.
 
An entire set of replies speccing Hog III's? Never thought I'd see the day, but I guess it really has started to become accepted...interesting.
 
Not entirely true it was about 50% HogIII and 50% Maxxy/Vista.

I'd never spec a HogIII personally...Road Hog maybe...but not a true Hog III.
 
Yup, I'd recommend the hog III software. Either the Road Hog or a Hog IPC. As stated before no DPS and the last show I did on an IPC was the first show I did in Hog III. Production landed a wrestling show on top of the movie I was programing for and it had 6 different ML, all esoteric stuff, and the library had it all and it took 5 minutes to add to the patch/show. Easiest time I ever had patching a pick up show.
 
If at all possible to a level up from the road hog. While the OS is great you loose a bunch of extra functions that I find rather useful. The two big ones for me are the lack of external monitors, you are limited to the two built in touch screens. I like to be able to park the output screen or an array of pallets on a display and forget about it for a while, the other is the lack of networking, there is no way to add on a RFU to the system like you can with any other product in the III line. As of the demo I got a week or two ago there was not an MIDI support was a big turn off for us because the yearly dance show has become MIDI fired from Cue Lab.
 
That's why you need to rock out the Road Hog Full Boar. Then the Road Hog Expansion Wing, it is a fun time. Full Boar has external monitor support as well as some more USB ports then the regular Road Hog.

While High End continues to cling to the fact that the Hog III is still the top, I don't agree with it too much. The only nice part about the III is adjustable monitors vs fixed and built in speakers vs none. Other then that, the Full Boar has more powerful hardware built in and all the functionality and expandability of the III. The other nice part about the Road Hog and Full Boar is the desk work lights, which I find very useful.

The IPC, while nice, can't support as much as a Full Boar can, though it can run in Hog II mode. The regular Road Hog is just the most basic Hog now, minus PC which is build your own.
 
That's why you need to rock out the Road Hog Full Boar. Then the Road Hog Expansion Wing, it is a fun time. Full Boar has external monitor support as well as some more USB ports then the regular Road Hog.

Do you speak from experience? Possibly ownership?
 
HeHeHe. You should know that answer to that one soundlight. The one you saw has a bigger brother. Although, I don't have an Expansion Wing.

I agree that the price point for the Full Boar is high, but no higher then the Hog III. IPC has a little more bang for the buck, but uses up USB ports fast do to external touches and can only support one more external monitor. Though the ability to move the monitors around is nice sometimes. PC is nice that it is build your own, but it ends up taking up more space in the end thanks to having to make a rack with a rack mount PC and widgets in it if you want to do it right and easy.

I forgot the one other advantage of the Hog III over the other Hogs, it's road case is much smaller and lighter, making it easier to take on a plane and drag around. This personally doesn't bother me too much. 9 times out of 10, the Hog ends up on the back of a truck, be it my pickup, box truck, or a Land Star. I think I have only taken it on a plane once, and I made sure to call well in advance to let them know the size and weight of the road case.

Reason I didn't go for the Vista, more cost, and no one asks for it. If someone comes in looking for a desk, a Hog III in some form is generally acceptable. The Vista, while a great desk, not many know the programing style, which I love, and there is still issues with the crashes.
 
Hi all thanks for posting all of the great comments

But I wanted to clarify a couple of things

Price is not a problem

If I used a hog it would be the Hog 3 not the IPC or Road Hog or anyother hog 3 console

the show will requrie no more than 4 universes of DMX and there will be no video

The show would hire a programmer and board operator that knew how to use the console that was picked.

I need info on what console is better for touring and the substitution of lights the show will be programmed in a cue stack cue to cue so there is no need for wings midi or time code an console that was listed has plenty of power to run the show. I’m trying to find out the best console for substituting fixtures.

Thanks
Jeffrey
 
personally i think the best way to go is with a hog. You will not have a problem with it, and if you do, highend is there 24/7 to help, and their forum is also very helpful for any issues you may encouter.
 
I love the GrandMA, but converting between fixtures is definitely NOT it's strong point.
Of the consoles that do inter-fixture conversion, the HogIII family is the most widely available, which means you'll have an easier time getting service, programmers and replacements when you are in the middle of nowhere. (this comes from someone who is not terribly fond of the HogIII platform!)
RB
 
I wasnt a fan of the HOGIII when it was first introduced, but when brad came around and totally revamped it, its incredible. I love it.
 

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