Control/Dimming Computer Controlled Light Board/Bijou

[Les]

Do what in the summer?

 

[flash1322]

We are planning on building this in the summer. Turns out the board does have a DMX input. So the plan is to have the MagicQ software with a touchsmart computer, connected to a USB to DMX box which goes into the lightboard and basicly acts as the board but if we need to we can add in some light with a fader thanks for all th help guys.

 

[xander]

I feel like I am missing why you want this at all? If the Bijou works, why do you need a new board at all? If the Bijou doesn't work, why do you want the Chamsys to go into the Bijou and not straight to the dimmers? Currently this just sounds like a waste of money to me...

-Tim

 

[Les]

Also, I hate to say it but I don't think it will work this way. If it did, we would hear about a lot more people connecting Chamsys to their existing boards (Expresses, Bijous, Innovators, etc) for better control of moving lights, etc.

Currently, with an older board you can have one or the other, but not both. At least that is my understanding.

 

[xander]

Plus, I don't think the Bijou has a DMX Input. According to the manual Bijou User Manual, it was 2 DMX Outputs, a HHR input, Control Freak input (which I believe refers to Control Freak Systems, CFS), and a remote video output. It doesn't say anything about a DMX In.

-Tim

 

[Les]

Plus, I don't think the Bijou has a DMX Input. According to the manual Bijou User Manual, it was 2 DMX Outputs, a HHR input, Control Freak input (which I believe refers to Control Freak Systems, CFS), and a remote video output. It doesn't say anything about a DMX In.

-Tim

This is the Control Freak, designed for enhancing moving light control on the standard Bijou and the Bijou 48 (which is the one I own). The Bijou Plus is essentially a Bijou 48 with the Control Freak integrated in to the right hand side of the console.

Control Freak:

Bijou Plus:

 

[xander]

Thanks Les. CFS is the only Control Freak I had ever heard of. Clearly I am not a Bijou connoisseur.

 

[Les]

Haha, no problem. I actually wasn't too sure myself so I looked at your link. After still being somewhat unsure, I decided to post the photo and see what you said. Glad we got it all cleared up!

I have yet to see an EDI HHR (Hand Held Remote)in the wild, but I have my doubts that a Chamsys system could control the Bijou through its port. Maybe Tracyu or DimmerDotCom could weigh in on this.

 

[flash1322]

It does i took a look at the back today it has a DMX input, a DMX output, and a HHR port. in response to xander we are looking for more control of what we have we are looking into getting some new lights with rotating Gobos and Gels. Which i know are a little high tech for a high school but i am going into light design, and my tech crew leader wants me to be experienced in everything. He also wanted to work with these for a long time so it all just kind of came together.

 

[DimmerDotCom]

Rear of Bijou:

1. DMX OUTPUT (Dimmers 1-512) (5-Pin XLR)
2. DMX OUTPUT (Dimmers 513-1024) (5-Pin
XLR)
3. HHR INPUT (Optional accessory) (Hand Held
Remote Control) (5-Pin XLR)
4. CONTROL FREAK INPUT (Optional for (5-
pin XLR)
5. ETHERNET OUTPUT (Optional) IEEE
802.2/803.2 compliant UTP (RJ 45)
6. PRINTER OUTPUT (DB 25)
7. ALPHA NUMERIC KEYBOARD (5-Pin DIN)
8. VGA/SVGA MONITOR OUTPUT (D15, 3-
row, VGA standard)
9. REMOTE VIDEO (5-Pin XLR)
10. ON/OFF POWER SWITCH
11. POWER INPUT (100-250v, 50-60 Hz, 0.7-0.3
Amp)

 

[Les]

If you're just planning on using gobo rotators and color scrollers, the Bijou should be fine the way it is. You ought to be able to connect them to DMX 2 (513-1024) and away you go. It starts getting sticky when you try to use moving lights, but it doesn't sound like that's the case here.

So it looks like HHR Input is not synonymous with DMX Input. It is designed to receive a few commands from a remote, not the wealth of information spit out from a Chamsys system.

 

[flash1322]

Well i talked to him today and i guess he wants to get motors for the source 4's we have to move it in all directions.

 

[Anvilx]

FYI: I don't have any experience with either the Bijou or Chamsys stuff. But I was wondering, instead of inputting from the PC into the console, could you output from the console into the PC and then send your DMX out of the PC?

 

[flash1322]

If that works that sounds like a better idea. But would i need 2 DMX to USB dongles

 

[Footer]

If that works that sounds like a better idea. But would i need 2 DMX to USB dongles

Chamsys can only take DMX in through ACN, Shownet, Pathport, or Artnet. You can not have a USB input dongle.

 

[flash1322]

So is it possible at all?

 

[Footer]

If you use one of the above nodes, yes. Enntec does make an artnet node that sells for just over 200.

 

[flash1322]

So now how exactly is this going to be set up?

 

[flash1322]

ok i took some pictures of the manual and the back of the board to prove that it has a DMX input.

Pics
In this Pic you can see the 5-pin DMX input

 

[GreyWyvern]

What does the manual say about that input? Just because it is labeled "DMX Input" doesn't means it works the way you want it to. I really doubt that it is. More likely, it is for linking two consoles together for master/slave. RT_M. (I'll let you fill in the blank!)