Control/Dimming EOS 2.2 & Nomad Puck

[arexlame]

Has anyone else noticed that the actual Puck hardware is an Intel NUC? It's fully fledged computing hardware made by Intel, they're often used in office's as thin clients.
So ETC buy a few thousand and re-lable them as there own? Considering a NUC sells for about $400 and a Nomad is $480 why is there such a price difference?

I run an Intel NUC with Windows 7 Embedded running Martin MPC, haven't had an issue yet...

 

[JohnD]

Curious as to the price difference between a Puck, which is a clean machine with only one purpose and a cheap Win 7 laptop cleaned out (as much as is possible) of all the crap.

Of course I'd be tempted to go with the laptop as I can also tho Adobe reader, Vectorworks and Lightwright on it, which is what I did with an old Win XP laptop. Work pretty well as an RVI

Here are the prices from FullCompass:
http://www.fullcompass.com/search.php?parent=471&search_simple=true&txtAll=etc nomad
As far as the theft problem, I wonder if ETC keeps a database of units reported stolen. Many companies do. I think you also have to provide serial number and dongle number to purchase upgrades, I don't know if you also have to do this to upgrade the software.
EDIT: Dang, the full compass copy and paste doesn't link, it left out the nomad part.
Thanks @arexlame , I wasn't aware of this device. The older "brick" computers I was aware of were quite limited. Now I wonder how other company products work this way. I'm thinking Cognito and of course MA2onPC. I understand you would still need supported interface devices.
As far as the etc price, that doesn't seem out of line considering you get legendary ETC support with it.

 

[techieman33]

But not everyone knows the value of that. I agree with your point, but I think that the puck would be less alluring.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Maybe 10 years ago, these days everyone knows that sound and lighting gear is expensive. And in the world of smart phones they could look up a price in seconds.

Has anyone else noticed that the actual Puck hardware is an Intel NUC? It's fully fledged computing hardware made by Intel, they're often used in office's as thin clients.
So ETC buy a few thousand and re-lable them as there own? Considering a NUC sells for about $400 and a Nomad is $480 why is there such a price difference?

I run an Intel NUC with Windows 7 Embedded running Martin MPC, haven't had an issue yet...

They're a lot more than $480. Your paying for the hardware, and a license for the software and the number of universes you need. And of course a nice big mark up so ETC makes some money.

 

[RickR]

I believe there is less of Windows to get fouled in a Puck, just like the full consoles. Easier maintenance, lower crash rate and such.

 

[DavidNorth]

They're a lot more than $480. Your paying for the hardware, and a license for the software and the number of universes you need. And of course a nice big mark up so ETC makes some money.

Or paying for all the nice people that write software, answer phones and make/ship product. But I think that's what you meant.

David

 

[JohnD]

I understand the ETC reasoning for a locked down version of Windows for the Puck, but I am still intrigued by the idea of a DIY "fauxPuck".
One thing to consider when comparing a laptop vs puck is that the Intel NUC is a barebones computer. You have to add an operating system, memory and a drive. There are many SKU's from Intel, a 1 at the end means it has a power cord, and the letter H means it is the taller version which has room for a second laptop SATA drive in addition to the mSATA drive. One cool thing from Intel is the very reasonably priced WiFi+Bluetooth plug in card. So you could have Adobe reader and all your manuals with you, and other lighting software too. Oh yeah, you also have to get adapter cables for your monitors, the NUC has miniHDMI and miniDisplayPort.

 

[lightingguy1]

As per my conversation last Thurs with ETC tech support, Nomad will only talk sACN, thus is not comparable with Net2 devices that are only EDMX capable. You can update the 2 port nodes that were manufactured by Pathway for ETC, as well as CEM+ to enable sACN.

EDIT: As per a thread on the ETC forum, those legacy 2 port Net 2 nodes are upgradable via sACN software from Pathway, not ETC. As such ETC can't support a product using software from a separate vendor. I have not done this upgrade (and don't plan to do so), so can't comment on how well ,or if it works.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I have done this upgrade in the past. I had a thread on here from 5-6 years ago and I guess one of the admins had it taken down due to requests from the manufacturers. It works well and every chance I get to grab an old ETCnet2 2-port node on eBay, I always buy for the shear fact of its upgradable firmware for sACN capability.

I thought I saved all the info in the cloud, but I can't find it. SteveB, do you happen to remember this thread?? I remember I had a whole package with a text file with instructions and I believe you might have responded and had your nodes upgraded, no?

I recall using ETC's NCE to flash a bin file from Pathport. I'll work on this tonight. Anyone else please DM me - publicly sharing will only get the information censored.

#WelcomeToNorthKorea

 

[danTt]

I have done this upgrade in the past. I had a thread on here from 5-6 years ago and I guess one of the admins had it taken down due to requests from the manufacturers. It works well and every chance I get to grab an old ETCnet2 2-port node on eBay, I always buy for the shear fact of its upgradable firmware for sACN capability.

I thought I saved all the info in the cloud, but I can't find it. SteveB, do you happen to remember this thread?? I remember I had a whole package with a text file with instructions and I believe you might have responded and had your nodes upgraded, no?

I recall using ETC's NCE to flash a bin file from Pathport. I'll work on this tonight. Anyone else please DM me - publicly sharing will only get the information censored.

#WelcomeToNorthKorea

It's been a while, but it should be as simple as replacing the firmware file NCE is looking for with the pathport one.
#hashtagsmakeyoulooksilly

 

[lightingguy1]

Indeed you are correct & Thank goodness I don’t take this forum seriously! #TheNerve..

One must rename the “C-D series.Bin” file from Pathport Manager 5 firmware package and replace the ETC bin file, “twoport.bin” with the renamed Pathport bin file firmware. Flash it and once beloved Net2 Nodes can now be used with sACN, among other protocols.

I have all the documentation and software needed for this project. DM me if anyone needs the share link.

Take care,