Control/Dimming Colortran Prestige Help

[Gage]

I recently picked up a Colortran Prestige console (pretty sure it's a 2000 but doesn't mention any prestige name or series anywhere). I mainly got it as an interesting bit of history, but I like my bits of history fully functioning so I figured I would ask everyone here about general things regarding the console. I'm unsure if it powers up right now (waiting for one of those cheap EGA to VGA converters as it didn't come with an EGA monitor), but I doubt it's dead. I know next to nothing about the prestige consoles other than what little info is on the internet, so anything is welcome. If all went correctly there should be a picture or two of it included in this post.

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[microstar]

I doubt you will have any luck using a "cheap" EGA/VGA converter; they have never worked for me. I've always had to spend between $120-$175 on a converter to get workable results.
But I hope yours turns out working OK. The Prestige line were decent consoles, much better than the later Encore series in my opinion.

 

[derekleffew]

Brochures in this thread: https://www.controlbooth.com/threads/colortran-console-brochures-1980s.46535/ . I too enjoyed the Prestige series, but for opposing viewpoint, search for @STEVETERRY 's comments.

 

[SteveB]

Steve Short at Litetrol Service, 516 681 5288, might be a source for monitors, he has had over the years, a lot of Corlortran parts. First question is do you have a 1000 (monochrome monitor), or 2000 or 3000 which had color CRT’s.

 

[Gage]

Steve Short at Litetrol Service, 516 681 5288, might be a source for monitors, he has had over the years, a lot of Corlortran parts. First question is do you have a 1000 (monochrome monitor), or 2000 or 3000 which had color CRT’s.

Thanks, I believe it's a 2000, but I can't be sure as it doesn't even have any prestige branding on it (kind of odd in my opinion), and I'm not sure what the hardware differences on the inside were. The 3000 and later all had the more non-traditional bodies compared to the 2000 and before right? I know the one I have seems to have a very similar enclosure to some status consoles I have laying around. I really like how they are put together.

 

[derekleffew]

First question is do you have a 1000 (monochrome monitor), or 2000 or 3000 which had color CRT’s.

@microstar cleared up my confusion here https://www.controlbooth.com/threads/scenemaster-60-video-help.43761/post-380106 The P1000 was monocrome only, the 2000 monochrome, 2000C color, 3000 color.

The Prestige 3000 has a qwerty keyboard between the GO button and the numeric keypad.
Looks identical to the Compact Elite pictured here, but some keys may have functional differences.

 

[SteveB]

2000’s were color, I had this model, as well as the monochrome 1000

 

[derekleffew]

Not all 2000's were color, only the 2000C. I ran two different 2000's in Chicago in the late-1980s that were monochrome. That's the point I was trying to make, that @microstar helped me with.

New question: Every Prestige I ever ran was connected to D192 dimmers and thus I'm assuming speaking CMX. Later, when DMX512 was included, was it just a menu setting and used the same jack?

At one place, I had two Prestige 1000 with MUX cards installed so they also output AMX192 (to run the moving lights, of all things). That added XLR4 on a seperate jack.

 

[Gage]

Not all 2000's were color, only the 2000C. I ran two different 2000's in Chicago in the late-1980s that were monochrome. That's the point I was trying to make, that @microstar helped me with.

New question: Every Prestige I ever ran was connected to D192 dimmers and thus I'm assuming speaking CMX. Later, when DMX512 was included, was it just a menu setting and used the same jack?

At one place, I had two Prestige 1000 with MUX cards installed so they also output AMX192 (to run the moving lights, of all things). That added XLR4 on a seperate jack.

Mine has no AMX functionality as far as I can tell, and the 5 pin output is labeled DMX, but I'm pretty sure just like the status consoles of the time it can switch between CMX and DMX in software. The EGA converter is supposed to be here today so I may have an answer pretty soon.

 

[Mac Hosehead]

In my fuzzy recollections of this console I seem to remember that, just as with the Status, knowing the "Clear All" function was important when it would misbehave.

 

[SteveB]

Not all 2000's were color, only the 2000C. I ran two different 2000's in Chicago in the late-1980s that were monochrome. That's the point I was trying to make, that @microstar helped me with.

New question: Every Prestige I ever ran was connected to D192 dimmers and thus I'm assuming speaking CMX. Later, when DMX512 was included, was it just a menu setting and used the same jack?

At one place, I had two Prestige 1000 with MUX cards installed so they also output AMX192 (to run the moving lights, of all things). That added XLR4 on a seperate jack.

Interesting, I had/have no knowledge of the monochrome 2000, it was only offered to us in color. Steve T sold it to me when he was at ProArts, he might recall them introducing the monochrome version.

My memory of the Prestige’s is they were very nice consoles to operate when they didn’t have a software issue, though I don’t really recall any actual failures or show stoppers due to bad software, just features they promised and never delivered. Colortran did not do a good job with software updates, likely as they would have had to pay Dave C., and that wasn’t going to happen I assume.

Our consoles sent CMX to a C-Tran digital to analog converter that put out 10vdc for our analog Strand dimmers. I know that Steve Short updated our 1000 & 2000 and DAC’s to DMX at some point, so we were able to add a Leprecon 1500 for R&R shows. I remember our 2000 OS allowed the operator to just type “Ch 1 @4, enter” and the console knew I wanted 40%. That was a useful syntax feature that I assume came from the LP. I also remember a dance company who’s track sheets had all its levels at like 45, or 55, or something similar, PITA to get typed in.

 

[microstar]

So there is SteveB, Steve T, and Steve S. And I once worked with a lighting designer named Steve C and I have a former student and good friend/TD Steve L.
Interesting.

 

[derekleffew]

So there is SteveB, Steve T, and Steve S. And I once worked ...

Yes, but do they come in both color AND monochrome?

 

[microstar]

Yes, but do they come in both color AND monochrome?

The early ones were monochrome and the later ones were color.

 

[derekleffew]

From the Prestige 2000 (1988).pdf here:

D. Prestige 2000C Alternate (Prestige 2000)
One high resolution monochrome CRT with integral tilt and swivel base may be substituted for the color CRT.

Having never known color light boards (I think I even still had my 13" B&W Magnavox TV set then,) I didn't know what I was missing. And in fact, to a large degree, still don't.

 

[SteveB]

The early ones were monochrome and the later ones were color.

I consider my self as other than monochrome. Can’t speak for the others.

 

[SteveB]

From the Prestige 2000 (1988).pdf here:


Having never known color light boards (I think I even still had my 13" B&W Magnavox TV set then,) I didn't know what I was missing. And in fact, to a large degree, still don't.

The current ETC style, blue for levels that increased, green for levels that decreased, etc….. is entirely understandable and useful. I’ve no recollection of what Prestige used, it was 35 years ago, which is remarkable in itself.

 

[almorton]

And those etc colours were themselves heavily influenced by the Strand LightPalette/GeniusPro software's colour scheme, if I recall correctly. Certainly the 300 we had before our ion used the same sort of colour scheme for up/down/tracked and so on.

 

[Gage]

Well, I certainly never thought I would be updating this thread... but to my delight (and many people's horror) the Prestige lives! The two internal power supplies needed a partial re-cap, and hobbyist-grade cga/ega adapters finally came down in price enough for me to pull the trigger on one. It's going to go back into its road case for now, but maybe I'll be a bit mean and throw it in the booth for April fools.

 

[microstar]

Well, I certainly never thought I would be updating this thread... but to my delight (and many people's horror) the Prestige lives! The two internal power supplies needed a partial re-cap, and hobbyist-grade cga/ega adapters finally came down in price enough for me to pull the trigger on one. It's going to go back into its road case for now, but maybe I'll be a bit mean and throw it in the booth for April fools.
View attachment 25338View attachment 25339

Interested to know what eta/cga adapter worked the magic for you.