Control/Dimming Fun Dimmer Solution
- Thread startertexskittles
- Start date
STEVETERRY
Well-Known Member
Ha. We still have an old patch bay (and 6k/12k dimmers) that Mr. Terry used to be paid to fix... and that was 25 years ago!
...oh, and the Performer he left there is still around...
Re-patches and A/B switches used to be common place. I am actually surprised that when Mrs. Footer was cleaning our her shop when she first took over she did not find any. We have a separate com system that connects our patchbay, dimmer room, and lighting console (really lighting furniture) so re-patches could be called, along with general trouble shooting.
waynehoskins
Active Member
These high school and university kids now with their Ions and multiple Sensors and DPC systems don't know what they're missing. When I was in college, I loved the system in our black box, with its 3.6 and 7.2 modules, two-preset manual with 5 true submasters, and slider patch -- until it finally died in '02, 25 years after the warranty expired and 20 years after the manufacturer was gone. I still miss that beast.
I wish I was there back in the '80s to experience the mainstage's old system. I think it was a Century rig with punchcard memory, could date back to '65 when the space was built; it was replaced with two MD288s probably a decade before I got there in '99.
I spend (Actually Mrs. Footer) way to much time dealing with this old stuff. It works great, however, its not even close to rider friendly.
At some point I am going to take pictures of everything and post pictures. Back in '78 they installed the 70 dimmers, 380 circuits on a telephone patch, and a 4 scene preset console with submasters on a pin matrix. In the 80's they installed a Kliegl Performer and another 48 dimmers for FOH. After that a Mini Pallete went in. Currently we are running an Express on ETC response units. Dimmers are still going strong after 34 years in service. Everything gets semi-annual maintenance but it keeps going.... somehow.
However, its fun to watch Mrs. Footer fight with an LD before they come to relize that our theatre is not your standard theatre (its a giant egg for crying out loud)... and yes... you can put all of our double hung cyc lights in one dimmer.
To give credit where credit is due, if you're not going to have dimmer-per-circuit this actually isn't a bad system to work with. Everything's right there in front of you, and it's a hell of a lot easier than re-circuiting. I can completely reconfigure our entire system without breaking a single connector.
Whomever invented that system deserves their own circle in hell. As easy and convenient as the telephone patch panel is, that's how much of a pain in the ass that FOH patch panel (which looks more like the OP's setup) is. I'll change patch on the telephone patch panel without argument, but I'll fight to the death to not have to mess with that FOH patch panel.
They absolutely still work great! The only thing they don't do well is they aren't quite as spry as newer dimmers, which means they're a little slower on the snaps. It means when I flash 'n trash with the beat they're maybe a quarter of a second behind and anything programmed with a time of 1 gets programmed with a time of 0.
500 fixtures and I can turn them all on as long as they all turn on at the same time. Isolation just doesn't exist if you have more than about 4 systems. It's a hard concept for some LDs to understand in this world where 1-1 is standard, and until I can help them understand it gets hard to move in any kind of forward direction.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that the concept of the OP's setup isn't as wacky-world-of-tech-theatre-Seuss as it might seem, and in fact can be a very practical solution to a common problem. (But maybe work of the whole flammable thing.)
Steph and Kyle (and any others with old gear)...
I used a similar type setup for 25 years, fighting the limitations daily.
Then we were fortunate and got to renovated to DPC and all ETC Net back in '04 and I can state that not for a nanosecond do I miss any part of the old system. EVERYTHING I do is easier to use and works well with almost no trouble shooting (excepting my Unison, which has been causing sleepless nights on occasion).
It was well worth all the hassles of dealing with endless design meetings, dealing with idiot contractors, to finally see a workable and up to date system installed. That experience somewhat alleviates all the current hassles of dealing with the new theater building, 'cause I know it's going to be pretty good when it's done.
I used a similar type setup for 25 years, fighting the limitations daily.
Then we were fortunate and got to renovated to DPC and all ETC Net back in '04 and I can state that not for a nanosecond do I miss any part of the old system. EVERYTHING I do is easier to use and works well with almost no trouble shooting (excepting my Unison, which has been causing sleepless nights on occasion).
It was well worth all the hassles of dealing with endless design meetings, dealing with idiot contractors, to finally see a workable and up to date system installed. That experience somewhat alleviates all the current hassles of dealing with the new theater building, 'cause I know it's going to be pretty good when it's done.
Hold on now, I didn't say that I wouldn't trade Kyle for a 150 or so Sensors without blinking. (Because I totally would. [Sorry, honey.]) Just that the OP's concept isn't so ridiculous as it might seem, and systems conceptually like his are still in place and used everyday. Yes, I am counting down the seconds until my rig finally catches on fire and can be replaced, (and have even contemplated starting the process along,) but until then, my ancient-ass system does me just fine. (Or at least good enough.)
Nope, sorry, you're all wrong. It's impossible ("tell the sun to leave the sky, tell a baby not to cry, impossible") to meet the demands of today's lighting professional with 70 @6K/12K dimmers and FEL and older ERSs. IF I don't have at least four full racks of Sensor3 (Sensor+ SUX!, and that's the last time I'm going to say it), >50+ VL3Ks, a wall of LEDs and a GMA2, how can you possibly expect me to light your friggin' show? <Stomps off with an artful flourish, hand on hip.>
shiben
Well-Known Member
There is some other way to do it? It cant possibly be art then...
