Control/Dimming Another console choosing topic...

[ursulaboy]

Hi guys,

First of all, sorry for another console topic. I've looked through alot of them but it didn't quite do the trick for me.

I need a new lighting console for my highschool so it will be used by volunteers therefore it must be easy to understand. it will be used for all kinds of stuff like: music performences, theater plays, presentations, etc.
we are currently replacing almmost the entire lighting rig so we wil be getting alot of new stuff .
We will get about 20 LED's, 6 movingheads, a few led strips and we've got a 12 channel dimmerpack.
the budget is around 4000 euro's.

Thanks in advance.

 

[SteveB]

Since talking Euro's, the assumption is somewhere in Europe.

We here in the US are enamored with ETC and typically I'd recommend an Ion over an Ellement, given the number of LED's, ML's etc... you are listing.

Those desks, with touch screens, fader wing, etc... would run you probably $9,000 Euro's and up, so..... Or maybe the new ETC Nomad (console on a PC, plus Gateways and maybe a fader wing.

Next thing would be the ChamSys line - https://secure.chamsys.co.uk/

Well thought of here in the US, lot of features for the money.

 

[Amiers]

I Demo'd the Pathway Cognito a while back and it seemed fairly simple. It has a touch screen and a very user friendly UI. The price point is right there around 4,000£ which is pretty close.

 

[ursulaboy]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the replies. I've read alot about your ETC consoles and they seem really Nice. The only problem I have is finding a dealer in the netherlands. I was looking at a zero 88 solution desk any thoughts on that?

 

[derekleffew]

From ETC Contact Lookup Page for NL dealers:

Lightco
Proostwetering 50
Utrecht, , 3543 AH
Netherlands
Tel: 31 (0)30 266 7077
Fax: 31 (0)30 241 0002
http://www.lightco.nl

Zero 88, now owned by Cooper Controls. Some Americans may harbor ill will toward them as they bought, then dissolved, respected but not flashy EDI. Their Orb system got some attention here a while back when first released; not much recently. I don't hink anyone has ever mentioned the Solution desk. May be a fine desk, but like LSC from Australia, the US market just isn't interested unless the manufacturer is ETC, MA, HES, Martin, or a few others.

If you "are currently replacing almmost the entire lighting rig so we wil be getting alot of new stuff," hasn't the console decision already been made? Who is advising on the purchase plan for all the other gear, and infrastructure? Student, teacher, dealer, consultant?

 

[ursulaboy]

A combination of teacher and student are giving the advice on what to buy. The fact is we are just a local highschool so we don't have a 20.000 euro budget so I was looking for a relatively cheap solution.

I have worked with an ETC ion before and I liked it alot but it's just out of our price range.

 

[Timothy A. Samuelson]

Chamsys! Excellent product for an excellent price. I use Chamsys for every one of my professional shows and just installed it in two community theaters and a private high school. It's a dream to work with, easy to train volunteers on. I typically do all of the hanging, patching, programming and then leave a master prompt for a volunteer op to know when to push go.