Intergration of automated lighting

[ALF]

I am researching the intergration of automated lighting into our conventional lighting system. I have an expression ETC board. I have conventional fixtures. My question is what is the best way to intergrate/use automated lights in this system? What equipment and operations do I need and where can I go to obtain cost and implemntation information??

 

[Grog12]

The first thing everyone after me is going to say is that you'll want to update your board.

You can program movers/automated lighting on your Expression but its not as streamlined/easy to pick up as it is on newer consoles.

Me, I say RTFM. This will tell you a lot about your board and how to program them in your system.

Next read both Gafftaper Method - ControlBooth and Another Mod's view on the Gafftaper Method to get a sense of what other people do and choose for their venues.

After that you need to ask yourself how you intend on purposing the new lighting..do you want to created washes, specials ect.

Start there and come back to this thread with more questions and we'll help you along the way.

 

[Beans45601]

I would second the gafftapper method. Not only am I always a fan, but for your board, you are going to find that method working much better for you.

As someone who's main console is an Express, I can tell you that programming movers is no fun at all. Not impossible, no not by any means. But you. will. hate. it. I am currently running scrollers, gobo rotaters, haze and fog off my express and it works fine for things such as that (and other things you would run with the GT method).

 

[AhClem]

Contrary to Grog12's introductory statement, I'm not going to suggest changing your board.

Take a look at the BlueLite X1 controller. The X1-Mini ($399) can control a single universe (512 DMX channels) while the full X1 ($999) handles 4 universes (2048 DMX channels) and you can still use your ETC board as an external control console (DMX In) to control the BlueLite Submasters.
Rather than trying to use the ETC console to control the intellegent fixtures directly, the console would control the BlueLite's submasters and the submasters in turn contain whatever cue you've assigned to them (a cue can contain any or all fixtures... and we allow 1,000,000 cues).

You can download the BlueLite software and try it out to see if it would suit you and I'll be happy to assist you with any questions you may have.

Let me know which fixtures you're using (or planning on using) and I can create a Fixture Template for them, if they don't already exist, so you can see what it will look like as you create your cues.

We're controlling venues ranging from small community theaters with just conventional lighting up to the Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas, as well as for DJ's, churches and other 'touring' companies and I'm sure we could help you out as well.

We've also started releasing mobile apps that will allow control of your system using your iPhone, iPAD, Android, etc... mobile device to communicate via WiFi to our BlueLite software.

Craig Spredeman
[email protected]

 

[Grog12]

Technically you 1st the gafftaper method. Check the 2nd link.

I'm merely pointing out reading material

 

[SteveB]

I am researching the intergration of automated lighting into our conventional lighting system. I have an expression ETC board. I have conventional fixtures. My question is what is the best way to intergrate/use automated lights in this system? What equipment and operations do I need and where can I go to obtain cost and implemntation information??

I'm going to say replace the controls to make your life tolerable. Your expression has 400 ?, 800 ?, or 1200 channels ?.

Not sure what kind of budget you will be spending on automated, but at about $5,000 + or so ea., for a VariLite VL1000 or ETC Revolution, or more for fixtures with bells and whistles, say a MAC700, by the time you are into an inventory, the price of the console that will make the whole effort worthwhile, isn't that much.

Ion with a wing or two, plus 2 touch screens, at around $9,000. Or a Chamsys or GrandMA onPC Command wing, all will make good use of those movers and LED's, where as you will have to make an Expression dance and it will be nowhere bear as efficient.

Define for us more though your thoughts as to how complicated an automated system you want to move to.

 

[chausman]

Not trying to discourage, but also remember, automated fixtures like SteveB mentioned require bulbs that are around $125 a piece, and only last about 500 hours (for the VL1K). They also need an require some time intensive and costly maintenance.

 

[meatpopsicle]

Not sure what kind of budget you will be spending on automated, but at about $5,000 + or so ea., for a VariLite VL1000 or ETC Revolution, or more for fixtures with bells and whistles, say a MAC700, by the time you are into an inventory, the price of the console that will make the whole effort worthwhile, isn't that much.

Ion with a wing or two, plus 2 touch screens, at around $9,000. Or a Chamsys or GrandMA onPC Command wing, all will make good use of those movers and LED's, where as you will have to make an Expression dance and it will be nowhere bear as efficient.

I quite agree with Steve here.

However,this whole discussion, and the mention of the blue light X1 - which I had never heard of till today and now have encountered 3 times in 10 minutes, gives me rise to the thought that the tactic is completely sound. Use expression channels to trigger software enabled automated console control. You could, for instance, purchase a used Grand Ma two port DPU for around 2500.00 to 3000.00 and map playbacks in Ma On PC to channels in your expression. Load said channels to submasters and your playbacks are now on the expression.

The advantage is that you are A.) learning an existing automated control console and B.) spending the absolute minimum to be able to do that while augmenting your control setup.

Nothing Against the Blue light which, by my accounts, would be cheaper and a number of people, today, have spoke up about.