Help lighting control
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Les
Well-Known Member
First off, skip any 'DJ' boards like Chauvet, Elation, etc (basically anything in the sub $1,000 range) if you want to do any serious control.
If you want to go with a console and not the PC route, the least amount of console I'd get is the ETC Smartfade ML. It will control your LEDs and Moving Heads just fine. Not exactly the most intuitive console out there, but it can be learned and work well.
If you go the PC route, Chamsys Magic Q is great on the "free, or nearly free" end (you need a PC/laptop and USB-DMX dongle), and Jands Vista is awesome, but definitely not free albeit, very powerful and easy to use. There are of course others out there, including way more information on Magic Q if you run a search on this site.
Addendum: The Elation Show Designer 2 and 3 are great, but nearly as expensive as a pro-level console.
If you want to go with a console and not the PC route, the least amount of console I'd get is the ETC Smartfade ML. It will control your LEDs and Moving Heads just fine. Not exactly the most intuitive console out there, but it can be learned and work well.
If you go the PC route, Chamsys Magic Q is great on the "free, or nearly free" end (you need a PC/laptop and USB-DMX dongle), and Jands Vista is awesome, but definitely not free albeit, very powerful and easy to use. There are of course others out there, including way more information on Magic Q if you run a search on this site.
Addendum: The Elation Show Designer 2 and 3 are great, but nearly as expensive as a pro-level console.
Last edited:
jglodeklights
Well-Known Member
I noticed your location said "Phil". Does that happen to be Philadelphia?
What is the size of the space, what is the size of the area you want to light, what is your budget, what do you want the lighting to do? Is it just staying static? Or are you going a little rock'n'roll with it? What is the experience level of the people who will be running lights?
We need some more info if we are to effectively help you.
nope not from philly=) but philippines=) size of the church is around 400 seater the stage area is around 3.5depth x 11wide meters.. budget i think max aroun 6,000 usd. i just want the light to give a good atmosphere for worship. i want to have a little of cross fading of colours, change colors between songs, a little of flashing lights during fast songs.. experience i would say close to none.. we do have an old dmx mixer 24 channel nova brand from china with a basic fader and a few slots for memory..
thanks
thanks
kicknargel
Well-Known Member
2-scene preset is a type of non-memory console. It has two sets of faders for all the channels. At any one time, one set of faders is active, and you preset your next look on the other set, then fade control to that set, and preset the next look on the first set of faders. While a few linger here and there (and I think fondly of running them), it's obsolete technology and totally useless for any kind of moving light.
The reason PC systems are often recommended in cases like yours is you get lots of features at a lower price, while making small sacrifices in convenience of operation and reliability.
The reason PC systems are often recommended in cases like yours is you get lots of features at a lower price, while making small sacrifices in convenience of operation and reliability.
Depends how much you want to spend - but if you're using LED PARs and Moving Heads etc. I'd suggest an Avolites Titan Mobile. It's a USB wing which you attached to a laptop/PC running the Titan software.
Cheap for what it does, nice control surface that feels well built and most people can use them! Faders for putting bits on, along with buttons.
If that's too much you could go for an Avolites Titan One. This will give you 1 universe of DMX using the same Titan software, except all the controls are on a screen in front of you.
Either way - I'd suggest Avo! Especially as in the UK the Titan One sells for £70 - less than 150 USD (if I've done the maths right!) And Avo are a very reputable brand...
Cheap for what it does, nice control surface that feels well built and most people can use them! Faders for putting bits on, along with buttons.
If that's too much you could go for an Avolites Titan One. This will give you 1 universe of DMX using the same Titan software, except all the controls are on a screen in front of you.
Either way - I'd suggest Avo! Especially as in the UK the Titan One sells for £70 - less than 150 USD (if I've done the maths right!) And Avo are a very reputable brand...
ejsandstrom
Member
Coming from a church that has several campuses that very in size,
My first question is what kind of worship are you doing? Is it Hymn-ny or more Hillsong? That will be your biggest deciding factor.
If it is a worship leader with an acoustic then a really simple fader based board may be what you need. But anything above that, look at something else. We have both a showdesigner 1 and showdesigner 2 at 2 different campuses. They work fine and you can string multiple songs together so the guy using it just presses the "go" button. The SD2 has a ps2 keyboard input that makes it boatloads easer than the 1 to use. Most volunteers can learn to use and program one in a short amount of time.
We have a PC/dongle based set up at one campus. It works for them but the limits are obvious and the ease of use is not to the level of other programs.
Our main campus uses Jands Vista, by far the easiest to use. I have an 11 year old that can run a weekend service and have it be every bit as tight as if an adult was doing it. It is the most costly out of all of the choices, but if being volunteer friendly is one of your deciding factors, you wont go wrong.
ejsandstrom
Member
I would stay away from 2 scene and fader type boards. They will limit you and your volunteers. For budget look at some of the PC offerings suggested, I think a Jands Vista M1 will cost around 1500 to 2000 usd plus PC.
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