Thank you theaterEd and yes I know I don't have much patience for people like then and I dough I will leave and go on my Mary way! My mom's the band director I know that she will want me to come to the concert and work the lights and such and talent etc. And I want responsible kids to know how to work it in car of emergency.
High school DMX board replacement
- Thread starterDillweed
- Start date
Thank you theaterEd and yes I know I don't have much patience for people like that. I will probably never be fully aparted from the school reason being my moms the band director I know she'll have me come back for the lights and everyone else knows I know how to work them and they'll probably call me or a 09' graduate. And I want responsible student to know how to use it for when I'm not there but that's how our bijou board keeps getting messed up!
Large career ambitions here...
Get more people involved. Help them learn. Its a school, not a kingdom for you to reign over.
DuckJordan
Touring IATSE Member
Dillweed, Many of us have been through your situation. is the board actually at the end of its life cycle. The reason I ask is I have yet to see a console actually fail from age. That said I doubt the district is able to buy direct for anything larger than $500. 99% of the time it has to go out to bid. to be honest your attitute is complete crap, in a situation where you were a candidate for a tech position I was hiring for just based on this thread alone you'd be put into the big blue filing cabinet.
My suggestion is to loose the tude, find out exactly how the school has to aquire new equipment then get a professional involved in specing something...
My suggestion is to loose the tude, find out exactly how the school has to aquire new equipment then get a professional involved in specing something...
Les
Well-Known Member
For what it's worth, the Bijou is a very simple console to use (for those who don't know, it is laid out and programmed almost exactly like an Express). So, why has no one been trained on it? Is there no one interested/trusted? Is there any outreach? This is a school, after all, and part of that curriculum should be learning to use a lighting console. This isn't like the HVAC or fire alarm system.
Also, with all due respect, don't count on yourself as being the "responsible persons" for years to come. You'll be out of there in two years and like it or not, some students will 'take over' that space. Might start mitigating risk rather than trying to prevent it completely. What I mean is, try to help people use things properly rather than lock them completely out. You won't always be there to look over things.
Also, with all due respect, don't count on yourself as being the "responsible persons" for years to come. You'll be out of there in two years and like it or not, some students will 'take over' that space. Might start mitigating risk rather than trying to prevent it completely. What I mean is, try to help people use things properly rather than lock them completely out. You won't always be there to look over things.
AsherSB
Active Member
As far as behavior goes, this is pretty unacceptable on all sides. I know Dillweed's comments were crude and misguided, and I agree with what has been said, but not how it's been said. As was mentioned this is a professional forum, so leave the taunting to somewhere else. For the console the element is your best bet, used it comes in under 5k, if your school will buy used that is. The element works great for conventionals, and has good tools for both LEDs and movers. It runs great with just subs, but does well with programmed shows as well. If you have a lot of intelligent fixtures then the cognito2 would be a better choice.
Thank you @AsherSB thats all was ask is a recommended replacement board!! The reason we are in the program of find a board is that the board now is no longer holding is settings and doesn't function to its ability! You all are not in the school and functioning with the admin so you have no right to criticize people just because their an student and helping the admin!
@DuckJordan yes it is very close to the need and it's just not me thinking it's going out! The school can't afford a new one for the net, but we have audio/visual stores close that are willing to give us a rate. and @Les your not in the school and don't know the atmosphere please stop criticizing people! The school has and will always look out to the previous users and I'm one out of 3! The students that use it the most is band and drama that's it. There's no one else in the school that's willing or trustworthy of using the board.
Have you looked in to repair at all? I'm not familiar with the board, but not holding settings can be something as simple as a dead internal battery. A $2 fix. Still look in to getting the board replaced with something more modern, but the fix may buy you time to find more funds to afford the proper board for what you need (rather than only what you can afford at the moment).
Now: I completely agree with everyone else here that others should be trained on whichever board you end up with. We're not saying to let just anyone walk up and use the board, but find a few people that are interested and train them on how to properly use it.
As much as you'd like to be, you won't always be available. What if you go to a college in another state? What if you end up in the hospital on show night? In this business, there always needs to be a plan B. It's not a matter of IF you'll need to use it, only WHEN.
Figure out what the process is for getting a new board. Here, I have to get three quotes on anything that costs over $1k. No exceptions. None. If I come to the purchasing department with shoddy quotes, they'll re-do the work and delay things even more. Figure out the purchasing process at your school, so you can follow it properly.
Lastly: The reason that you're meeting resistance here is that ControlBooth is here to share knowledge and ideas. You're asking us to take the time to share our knowledge, then telling us that you're too special to do the same for the other students. You can either hold back the info and make sure your program stagnates, or you can spread it and grow both the program and your own leadership skills.
As a side effect, growing the program is a good way to justify increased spending from the administration. On things like new light boards.
Now: I completely agree with everyone else here that others should be trained on whichever board you end up with. We're not saying to let just anyone walk up and use the board, but find a few people that are interested and train them on how to properly use it.
As much as you'd like to be, you won't always be available. What if you go to a college in another state? What if you end up in the hospital on show night? In this business, there always needs to be a plan B. It's not a matter of IF you'll need to use it, only WHEN.
Figure out what the process is for getting a new board. Here, I have to get three quotes on anything that costs over $1k. No exceptions. None. If I come to the purchasing department with shoddy quotes, they'll re-do the work and delay things even more. Figure out the purchasing process at your school, so you can follow it properly.
Lastly: The reason that you're meeting resistance here is that ControlBooth is here to share knowledge and ideas. You're asking us to take the time to share our knowledge, then telling us that you're too special to do the same for the other students. You can either hold back the info and make sure your program stagnates, or you can spread it and grow both the program and your own leadership skills.
As a side effect, growing the program is a good way to justify increased spending from the administration. On things like new light boards.
Les
Well-Known Member
I know you feel like you're being beat up, but in reality, we are just trying to help correct a situation we've seen time and time again.
Also, no one is suggesting that the board needs to be public property for everyone to use at their leisure. However, there needs to be a happy medium between that, and you + a handful of teachers. Maybe just one or two more trained students... If no one steps up, well it is what it is. But ideally, you would be part of a team of technicians rather than working at it alone.
Also, no one is suggesting that the board needs to be public property for everyone to use at their leisure. However, there needs to be a happy medium between that, and you + a handful of teachers. Maybe just one or two more trained students... If no one steps up, well it is what it is. But ideally, you would be part of a team of technicians rather than working at it alone.
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RickR
Well-Known Member
Thank you @Calc for those wise words.
@Dillweed The school process, both paperwork and political, in getting new equipment is very common. Learning what it's like now will be very useful through out your life no matter what field you work in.
You might also learn a bit on how you are perceived by others, especially those not in your age group. You might realize that we have all been in high school, some like yours some not. We also have many educators of all levels here. I work with many high school administrators, music and drama teachers and students on just these issues. You've been given advice by experts that applies directly to your situation, in all ways. You might even ask your mother about some of the deeper issues raised here. I suspect she knows quite a bit about how students behave at the school.
@Dillweed The school process, both paperwork and political, in getting new equipment is very common. Learning what it's like now will be very useful through out your life no matter what field you work in.
You might also learn a bit on how you are perceived by others, especially those not in your age group. You might realize that we have all been in high school, some like yours some not. We also have many educators of all levels here. I work with many high school administrators, music and drama teachers and students on just these issues. You've been given advice by experts that applies directly to your situation, in all ways. You might even ask your mother about some of the deeper issues raised here. I suspect she knows quite a bit about how students behave at the school.
Check/change out the on board battery as Calc suggested. Have your mother or principal put a workorder in with the IT department to have it done. As a student you should not be the one to do the work without direct supervision of knowledgeable staff.
if anyone wants to learn the board i would sit them down in front of it and tell them how. Tell them the keystrokes and moves. No fair reaching over their shoulder to make something happen. (if you do, they can slap your hand)
Hope the battery does the trick. even if it does you should start the process of getting a replacement. Right now administrators are working on the next fiscal years budget. So if a $5-10K board is what you need get your principal to add it to the buildings line item needs. To find that kind of funding for this fiscal year they would need to take it from some other approved/unused line item. (like the football program)
If you can make the Bijou last the school year, then you could get something very nice to replace it in August. Or let this years available funds determine your solution.
if anyone wants to learn the board i would sit them down in front of it and tell them how. Tell them the keystrokes and moves. No fair reaching over their shoulder to make something happen. (if you do, they can slap your hand)
Hope the battery does the trick. even if it does you should start the process of getting a replacement. Right now administrators are working on the next fiscal years budget. So if a $5-10K board is what you need get your principal to add it to the buildings line item needs. To find that kind of funding for this fiscal year they would need to take it from some other approved/unused line item. (like the football program)
If you can make the Bijou last the school year, then you could get something very nice to replace it in August. Or let this years available funds determine your solution.
Les
Well-Known Member
Wow, this thread has really flown off the rails. Dillweed, you have found by now that CB is more than just a technical theatre resource. You will also receive life lessons, whether you like them or not.
Most of us have been in your shoes and I know why you're reacting the way you are. No one likes to feel like they're being corrected or criticized. Back when I was new on this forum (2003, when you were probably about four or five years old), I was corrected quite a bit, and being the high-school student I was at the time, it was hard to not take things personally, and even harder to pretend that I didn't - I'm the king of sarcastic and snippy remarks.
But man, if I had let that get to me then, I wouldn't have stuck around and I wouldn't have the job I have today. Actually, I have two jobs at the moment - one as a full-time pyrotechnician and the other working for a lighting/sound/video design-build firm. Both of these positions resulted from direct contacts from here at CB. You know what else? Both of those bosses researched my previous posts to see what kind of candidate I was.
If someone upsets you, it's okay to react, but be respectful about it. Maybe we are all a bit desensitized to your situation (again, we see it a lot), but now is the time to learn to communicate effectively. You will be criticized on a regular basis when you enter the real world (and it's closer than you think), so you'd might as well start practicing how you're going to handle that. Water off a duck's back and all that.
Most of us have been in your shoes and I know why you're reacting the way you are. No one likes to feel like they're being corrected or criticized. Back when I was new on this forum (2003, when you were probably about four or five years old), I was corrected quite a bit, and being the high-school student I was at the time, it was hard to not take things personally, and even harder to pretend that I didn't - I'm the king of sarcastic and snippy remarks.
But man, if I had let that get to me then, I wouldn't have stuck around and I wouldn't have the job I have today. Actually, I have two jobs at the moment - one as a full-time pyrotechnician and the other working for a lighting/sound/video design-build firm. Both of these positions resulted from direct contacts from here at CB. You know what else? Both of those bosses researched my previous posts to see what kind of candidate I was.
If someone upsets you, it's okay to react, but be respectful about it. Maybe we are all a bit desensitized to your situation (again, we see it a lot), but now is the time to learn to communicate effectively. You will be criticized on a regular basis when you enter the real world (and it's closer than you think), so you'd might as well start practicing how you're going to handle that. Water off a duck's back and all that.
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Les
Well-Known Member
• ETC Element (might be just over $5k brand new, but it wouldn't hurt to get a quote).
• Pathway Cognito (also good for movers & LEDs).
• That's all I can think of off the top of my head. There are other consoles by Strand, Zero88, and others.
• I don't recommend exploring the idea of buying used.
What type of system are you controlling, and what is the dimmer count?
I don't think anyone accused you of not knowing the purchasing process, at least not intended as an insult - it's just something we add since most students don't know the process. We didn't want you to be disappointed or discouraged if it turned out to be more complicated than you expected.
• Pathway Cognito (also good for movers & LEDs).
• That's all I can think of off the top of my head. There are other consoles by Strand, Zero88, and others.
• I don't recommend exploring the idea of buying used.
What type of system are you controlling, and what is the dimmer count?
I don't think anyone accused you of not knowing the purchasing process, at least not intended as an insult - it's just something we add since most students don't know the process. We didn't want you to be disappointed or discouraged if it turned out to be more complicated than you expected.
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Yes I'm in the process of checking with a local audio/visual store. Can you explain what type of system? And there 33 dimmers mounted in the rack! And @Les I had a huntch that things would blow up once someone asked what my position is in the school, people usual don't think that a kid in high school would know that much about a school.
DuckJordan
Touring IATSE Member
Not to be pessimistic but it still doesn't seem like you do, so here's the kind of info we would need to help you.
1. How many channels of dimming, what kind of rack?
2. What (if any) dmx fixtures do you have or plan to use in the next 5 years?
3. How is your board connected currently to control your dimming/fixtures?
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