experience with ETC iRFR on iPad?

[Stuart R]

Hello all -

Do any of you have experience running ETC's iRFR app using an iPad? Do you think one could actually RUN A SHOW that way? [Yes, I know, the terror of relying on a wireless connection... I do have a dedicated wireless router for this purpose and we're willing to at least try it.]

Why do this? Our ETC lighting console AND Yamaha mixing board are right next to the stage and aren't moving (a long story that I can share if someone is really curious and really bored). So, I'd love to be able to put a little tech desk out in the house and run both lights and sound from there on twin iPads. We've already run sound this way, and it's fine, especially because we can configure the screen any way we want (so all the relevant faders fit).

Now we're wondering, should we give it a go with lights too? (give it a "go" - get it?)

Also, if you've used an iPad with iRFR for this purpose do you think we should get an iPad Pro over a regular iPad? I've got a regular iPad, but could buy a new iPad Pro if the increased ease of use (larger screen size) would be worth the expense.

Thanks -

SR

 

[ChrisB_SanDiego]

I've had a more than a few times where this is the way i need to run a show. It's not always ideal but it works great as long as you have had enough time to set up the show, or you know your setup well enough to run it live.

iRFR has been incredible stable for me. It depends what you want to use it for. I personally prefer to use OSC RFR to run the show, with iRFR as a cue list.

Sometimes I have to run a show from the sound board, where mute groups will trigger midi to advance the lightboard and ShowCueSystems but, my preferred way to solo a show is to have Show Cue Systems trigger an ION via midi as well as an X32 via midi, but I will keep iRFR next to me just to have. About half of my gigs end up this way because I do a lot of portable shows in museums.

During a church service, sometimes volunteers don't show for various reasons so I will trigger go on an ION with iRFR, while sitting at the ProPresenter position running slides...

as far as the iPad vs pro... unless you need the screen real estate for long cue titles or a bunch of direct selects I don't think you'll gain anything...

another option if you just want a bigger screen or are just really accustomed to EOS is to grab a laptop and put it in client mode. A 256 output dongle will allow full control over eos in client mode. just disable "backup takes over..." in shell, otherwise you'll end up in the dark... literally.

one thing to note: if this is a large venue and a lot of people will crowd next to you sitting in the audience, be aware of cell phone noise. I have had large groups of people (approx 2,000 in close proximity) disable the wi-fi simply based on antenna noise. Not a typical issue but it's important to know. If your access point is ceiling mounted this shouldn't be an issue. I also recommend the lighting network be password protected and hidden.

 

[z2oo]

Side note: If you do go the iPad route, I believe you should be able to find ethernet dongles for them so as to at least have a hard connection to the network (and then turn WiFi back on when you roam around in the house).

 

[SteveB]

Side note: If you do go the iPad route, I believe you should be able to find ethernet dongles for them so as to at least have a hard connection to the network (and then turn WiFi back on when you roam around in the house).

This sounds like a great idea in theory. Not sure if you set up the iPad as a device on the Net3 network though, or how to do that. In theory you would be enabling the DHCP server on the console to give an IP address to the iPad but I don't think the iRFR app is set up to function as a remote in this manner as a discrete user, etc....

Curious.

 

[sk8rsdad]

The iRFR app allows you to set the userid.

 

[SteveB]

As I've set up the iRFR app, it required the consoles IP address. In a wired configuration, the console should be sending a dynamic IP as determined by the DHCP server and when the console sees that the device, in this case the iRFR app, is present and in need of an address. Not sure of the app allows that.

 

[SteveB]

I posted this on the FB Eos group page. We'll see what the *other" learned folks think

"A question as to possibility of hooking up the iRFR app on an iPad via a Lightning to Ethernet adapter, thus not using WiFi, but instead having the app on a hard wired connection. The user wants to remote the iPad so as to trigger cues and doesn't want to encounter WiFi lag or dropouts. Anybody done this ?"

 

[NickVon]

If there is money for an iPad Pro, why not a ETC Nomad, linked in to the master console. I'm not sure of all the hardware needed But I think just a simple switch and a hard line Cat5 run to your "run" location with a laptop. All had for way less then an Ipad Pro. Bonus You have a Nomad now. If there is theoretical money for an Ipad if it was needed, this seems like a solid solution.

I'm not super familiar with the Nomad but one if it's selling points beyond 'software console in a box" is a backup to your console or a remote station for a designer or programming. Others might have other thoughts.

 

[SteveB]

Jayvee's solution.

A cheap laptop wired to the ETC Network, running Nomad in Mirror Mode, enable spacebar as the GO button.

Cheapest option.

 

[Amiers]

Get a good router with good coverage. Today while using ours I had 3 connection errors and a host error where I had to resync the ipads wifi. Now granted I was touching it a ton more than go as I was channel checking while color dropping. But it can happen just sitting as well.

Whatever iPad you get , get one with fastest guts you can. I don’t know what model we have but some times it lags after inputting commands. Now it could just be me over doing it and being faster than the app but “shrug” imo its 2019 tech should be faster than my fingers can navigate.

My 2 cents from today’s rehang for a dance company coming in in 2 days.