Backup Console Option

[Footer]

Looking to pick up a backup console/houselight control. Right now I am looking at the DFD Preset portable. However, I would really like something that works as a pile-on (HTP) unit instead of a straight backup. It will work, but its not ideal and the preset 2 is a bit out of the price range. Really, something like the old ETC Reflection unit would be perfect, though they are no longer made as far as I know. So, whats out there for under a grand that will do pile on, has a few saved scenes, and doesn't take up a ton of space?

 

[derekleffew]

It may or may not be discontinued, and is likely >$1000, but 301 Series Console | Strand Lighting - A Philips Group Brand seems to meet/exceed all your requirements.

The loss of Reflection (and Response) does seem to have left a hole in the market.



Yes, Derek suggesting a Strand product. Lions lying with lambs, heck freezing over, yada yada.

Or perhaps the Leviton 1000? Or maybe something by Lightronics or Behringer?

 

[chausman]

ETC Smartfade?


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[sclausenETC]

ETC Smartfade?


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SmartFade takes the place the Reflection left... You can record full universe backup looks to each fader (so the wide console provides more looks) and then have the unit pass DMX through and take over when the data is lost.

 

[chausman]

SmartFade takes the place the Reflection left... You can record full universe backup looks to each fader (so the wide console provides more looks) and then have the unit pass DMX through and take over when the data is lost.

See Derek, no more Reflection/Response holes!


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[Footer]

It may or may not be discontinued, and is likely >$1000, but 301 Series Console | Strand Lighting - A Philips Group Brand seems to meet/exceed all your requirements.

The loss of Reflection (and Response) does seem to have left a hole in the market.



Yes, Derek suggesting a Strand product. Lions lying with lambs, heck freezing over, yada yada.

Or perhaps the Leviton 1000? Or maybe something by Lightronics or Behringer?

The Leviton unit I think will fill the bill. The smartfade does not fill the hole left by the reflection. I'm sure it would work, but its not the same. The beautiful thing about the reflection was it was no larger then 8x8. I don't have room FOH for another console. Its the whole "nothing has replaced the microvision" complaint all over again. Size does matter!

 

[SteveB]

Looking to pick up a backup console/houselight control.

OK I'm going to ask. Why ?.

Are you worried about the Express 250 failing ?. (The on-line spec's show that as the console).

Not enough faders on the Express for house lights ?, or the *other* house light control is inadequate ?. Curious as to your thought process on this.

Reason I ask is I ran an Express with Emphasis for 10 years and now have the Ion. I didn't have then, an automatic in-place backup system with Express and don't now with Ion. Maybe I rely too much on the reliability of ETC consoles, but having run a whole lot of events with no failures (POUNDING on wooden end table) I never felt the need for a Reflection or otherwise. Granted that about the only time critical event I've had recently was the Mayor of NY's State of the City address, but at that event I planned for a 2nd console if needed.

Note that my Sensor dimmers are holding last look till DMX is re-established and as well I have a Colortran Status 12/24 channel console in a SM position backstage, that I will occasionally patch to a backup, even though it won't snapshot. Plus I have a spare Express 48 as well as 2 - Express 250's in the building, so could always do a ASCII port over if needed. maybe I'm too trusting and welcome the thoughts of others.

 

[sk8rsdad]

It may or may not be discontinued, and is likely >$1000, but 301 Series Console | Strand Lighting - A Philips Group Brand seems to meet/exceed all your requirements.

The loss of Reflection (and Response) does seem to have left a hole in the market.



Yes, Derek suggesting a Strand product. Lions lying with lambs, heck freezing over, yada yada.

Or perhaps the Leviton 1000? Or maybe something by Lightronics or Behringer?

I have a couple of the Leviton 1000's from their original incarnation as the Lite-puter Jr. They are OK for the price, but it is definitely a case of getting what you pay for. We used them as an RFU and convenient controller for turning on rehearsal lights. The DMX was reliable but the buttons and faders do not hold up to repeated use.

 

[jmabray]

"Its the whole "nothing has replaced the microvision" complaint all over again. Size does matter!"

Ummm... The ION and Congo Jr Consoles are the size that the microvision was.

 

[DuckJordan]

But price becomes a concern.

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[shiben]

"Its the whole "nothing has replaced the microvision" complaint all over again. Size does matter!"

Ummm... The ION and Congo Jr Consoles are the size that the microvision was.

In my book they are both pretty small as long as you dont have any faders on there.

 

[SteveB]

In my book they are both pretty small as long as you dont have any faders on there.

One of the wing options is a 1x20 fader module that is designed to sit on the top/back of the console. The module doesn't have the LCD screen of the larger wings but takes up no L to R real estate essentially.

 

[derekleffew]

OK I'm going to ask. Why ? ...

Remember SteveB, that Footer doesn't have a modern architectural control system (Unison/Paradigm) like you do. Off the top of my head:
1. Wouldn't it be nice to bring up houselight s without bothering the board op or even turning on the main board?
2. How about a visiting console that you don't want or don't trust giving control of houselights to?

 

[Footer]

Remember SteveB, that Footer doesn't have a modern architectural control system (Unison/Paradigm) like you do. Off the top of my head:
1. Wouldn't it be nice to bring up houselight s without bothering the board op or even turning on the main board?
2. How about a visiting console that you don't want or don't trust giving control of houselights to?

Both of those. With the exception of audio (which is as rider friendly as it gets, it got 1.5 million 9 years ago), my entire venue is in "band-aid stage". In other words, we patch things up and keep it going. There is a 4 million dollar project sitting on someones desk that at some point could get put into action. Be that in 3 week or 10 years. We don't know. I just got new spots ordered after 3 years of trying to get that pushed through. My boss pretty much spends his entire day trying to get things done in a system that does not want to move.

The only house light control in the venue is the console and an old GE 6 scene preset that was installed in 1974. That controller is two floors up from where the lighting console sits. Right now we leave our house lights on 24/7 because there is no architectural controls. Therefore, the express has to be on 24/7 or Steph gets to go up to the old lighting booth and take control. When we have a road show in, they control the houselights (which she is currently doing). In case of an emergency, I have to ask the road LD to take house which is a situation I don't like. If something goes down and I have to take control of the stage, I want full control. I don't want to have to ask the visiting group to do anything. Therefore, I need a backup console or controller to take house lights when I want. Also, in the fury of programming a show in 30 minutes that should take 3 hours, more then once we have had houselights programmed into cues.

 

[kiwitechgirl]

It may or may not be discontinued, and is likely >$1000, but 301 Series Console | Strand Lighting - A Philips Group Brand seems to meet/exceed all your requirements.

The loss of Reflection (and Response) does seem to have left a hole in the market.

We had a Reflection and when it gave up the ghost we replaced it with the Strand 301 as our backup console. Nice little desk - never had a problem apart from the day that I accidentally put a script down on the HOLD button, failed to notice and wondered why none of my cues were running!

 

[SteveB]

Kyle,

Maybe give Steve Short a call at Litetrol and see if he has a functional and used Colortran Patchman as well as maybe a DMX Response merge unit (Or a Reflection snapshot unit). I don't know where you intend to put the backup - backstage I would think, but I use the Patchman for exactly this when needed. My model has 3 rows of faders, one being a set of 12 subs, and can run 12 ch in 2 scene or 24 in single. Very versatile console and even though I got mine used, it's been very reliable.

I do like the idea of a Response or Strand 301 as it has DMX in and pass, which eliminates the merge unit.

Usedlighting.com has a Response merge unit for $195, as BTW. their UK office also has a used Strand 301 for 300 pounds.

Only caveat is I don't know if the State of NY will let you purchase used gear, I know we can't when using state tax levied funding.

 

[Footer]

Kyle,

Maybe give Steve Short a call at Litetrol and see if he has a functional and used Colortran Patchman as well as maybe a DMX Response merge unit (Or a Reflection snapshot unit). I don't know where you intend to put the backup - backstage I would think, but I use the Patchman for exactly this when needed. My model has 3 rows of faders, one being a set of 12 subs, and can run 12 ch in 2 scene or 24 in single. Very versatile console and even though I got mine used, it's been very reliable.

I do like the idea of a Response or Strand 301 as it has DMX in and pass, which eliminates the merge unit.

Usedlighting.com has a Response merge unit for $195, as BTW. their UK office also has a used Strand 301 for 300 pounds.

Only caveat is I don't know if the State of NY will let you purchase used gear, I know we can't when using state tax levied funding.

We are a non-profit that operates inside the state building. If we buy it, we can buy whatever we want. If the state buys it, different rules apply.

 

[JChenault]

I'm not quite parsing the description of where your existing controls are, but you might want to take a look at Doug Fleenor's line. They do have small architectural style controls that will hold a few scenes, and that interact nicely with controlling house lights from a console.

( Going from memory here ). One that I liked was a small box with a few buttons for presets. (I think it is the preset 10). Your DMX from the board goes through the device. If you are getting DMX signal from the board, it is passed through to the dimmers. If there is no DMX signal, then the preset 10 sends it's signals to the dimmers.

So when you fire up your board, the preset 10 stops telling the house lights what to do. When you turn it off, it starts controlling output. This is not completely clear from the manual on line, but it is how Doug explained it to me.

 

[Les]

This may be out of your price range, but this looks (on paper) to be an extremely flexible and capable system, with plenty of room for expansion:

Strand Outlook and Vision Net.

Slider stations/touchscreens can be wall or console mounted.

http://www.supertech-inc.com/p-arc-strand.html

(.PDF warning)
http://www.seleconlight.com/images/stories/Strand/Control/VisionNet/visionnetpremiere-data.pdf

This is probably a very expensive system, though it can be integrated one piece at a time. If I were designing a theatre and money was no object, I'd give this system a close look.

 

[MarshallPope]

You may also want to take a look at this as an entry station:

Preset 10 Architectural