Control/Dimming ETC Congo?

[weldingdude]

Hello all!

Just interested to hear any thoughts / comments / experiences with the Congo lighting system?

I recently started working as the primary lighting tech/designer in a building that has an ETC Congo Jr. and would like to hear some other thoughts/reactions to the system.

 

[Jeroen]

Hello all!

Just interested to hear any thoughts / comments / experiences with the Congo lighting system?

I recently started working as the primary lighting tech/designer in a building that has an ETC Congo Jr. and would like to hear some other thoughts/reactions to the system.

Only used the full congo once on a demo session for intelligent lighting, and I was impressed. And that was only v4, now with the new software it seems to have a lot more effect possibilities.

I realy liked the way the console works, however people used to ETC Express type of thinking are probably going to like Element / ION / EOS more I guess. The Congo comes from the AVAB line. ETC and AVAB joined a few years back. Therefor Congo is labeled "AVAB by ETC" .The Congo as default uses RPN (reverse polish notation) and mainly HTP.
If you are used to Expression style programming or multi-scene programming (eg the Smartfade consoles or many ADB consoles) you probably are going to like the congo more than EOS/ION

you can easily program the same show on an EOS or a Congo, both are very high end consoles, and the congo junior has the same footprint as the ION, but the way you will program them is different.

The things I realy liked on the full Congo:
- short command style (rpn)
- theatrical style main playback fader
- individual channel fade times within cues and the way congo handles them
- independents for work lights... and a sort of 'freeze' mode to program following scenes 'blind' while for example rehearsals are going on.

 

[SteveB]

rpn[/autolink])
- theatrical style main playback fader
- individual channel fade times within cues and the way congo handles them
- independents for work lights... and a sort of 'freeze' mode to program following scenes 'blind' while for example rehearsals are going on.

You could pretty much swap this phrase "full Congo" for Eos Ion.

The most obvious difference is the syntax, with Congo using RPN, which some folks HATE.

Example:

On Eos/Ion; (as quoted from a similar thread on the Lightnetwork)

[Channel 1 @ Full Enter]
[Channel 5 thru 10 @ 50 Enter] (You actually only need to type "5", not "50" - the console knows)
[Record Cue 1 Enter]
[Cue 1 GO]

On Congo/Jr;

[1 Channel Full Level]
[5 Channel 10 Thru 50 Level]
[Preset 1 Record]
[1 Cue Load X1 GO

The Eos/Ion syntax is from the Light Palette of early 80's, followed thru on all the Strand desks as well as the Obsession line and allowed button presses mostly in the format of the way theatrical designer asked for channels while sitting at a design table, with a separate console operator in a booth, as example.

Congo (and Avab in general) is a very Euro style desk and didn't always assume this with the result that the desk can be fast to program for an LD actually running their own console, once he/she becomes proficient at the console. Thus nearly everyone that actually sits and uses a Congo enjoys the setup and finds the desk fast to program.

The Congo series is seemingly a slightly better desk at "busking" or doing one-off's with little cuing time, but maybe a little more work to get it to think like a theater console, such as Eos/Ion ?. That of course, is very dependent on the skill of the operator

I happened to recently choose an Ion, even though I do a LOT of busking, mostly as I think in Eos/Ion syntax (having previously programmed on both Light Palette as well as Colortran Prestige), as do many folks coming from Express/ion, who might find it easy to switch over to. I also think it's slightly easier to make an Ion do R&R then to make a Congo JR. do theater. Many disagree.

So what we need to do is have a speed test, with a Congo alongside an Eos and a defined set of busking and theater cuing requirements, Sarah C. on the Congo and Anne V. on the Eos and watch the blur of hands and watch the spark [Effects] fly !.

Steve B

 

[shiben]

I have used both the Ion and the Congo Jr. Both are very nice consoles, but the Congo has some issues, imo. If the people using it are unfamiliar with how lighting consoles work, the Ion is easier to pick up, just because all the button presses are in the order that you would do it. The Congo is more of a programer's lingo type deal going on, and can be super fast, as was mentioned. I just find the RPN on the congo to be really tough to work with personally. However, for busking and calling up effects and whatnot quickly, the Congo seems to be the winner to me. I have run maybe 15 concerts and 3 dance shows on the congo, and all went off without a hitch, despite some board issues (some dumbass spilled coffee on ours at some point, makes the power suply do odd things). Oh another thing, the patch in Congo is kind of confusing, to patch a device you go through this "wizzard" thing and its complicated and i can not figure out how to patch multiple addresses to one channel (like, say, a scroller on a source 4). The Ion's patching system is much better, imo.

 

[sclausenETC]

Hi all -

Congo has evolved quite a bit since its initial release. I would highly recommend anyone who wants to know how Congo works take a look at our tutorial videos, currently available on You Tube.

The syntax examples for Congo Steve provides are not completely accurate. Additionally, we provide a mode called At Mode that makes channel selection and level setting more like other console syntaxes. Otherwise, Congo syntax is simply a number and a key press, like 5 RECORD to record a preset, or 6 TIME to apply a crossfade time of 6 seconds.

In addition to the excellent community here at ControlBooth.com, I invite anyone looking for more information on Congo operation to visit our forums at Home - Electronic Theatre Controls. There are many Congo operators there, using it for many different types of productions including theatre, opera, event, etc.

Thanks much -

Sarah

 

[shiben]

There is a thread on this over on the LightNetwork as well. It might be of some use.

 

[rwhealey]

I love the RPN, but I've used an HP calculator for six years now...

 

[fredthe]

I love the RPN, but I've used an HP calculator for six years now...

I haven't used the Congo yet, but I've used HP calculators for over 30 years...

 

[Nate1714]

I have used one in a demo from ETC, I thought it was great, fairly easy to learn on and syntex is just a bit diffrent. Now we have an Ion and that works great as well.

 

[erosing]

It's a nice console in my opinion, I like the RPN. It plays nicely with moving fixtures, that's for sure. Admittedly though, I like the color best.