Ion (again ?)

[SteveB]

Alex... why would the want an ION if they already have 5 EOS? Is the answer "because it is there"?

Perhaps the Ions are remotes for the Eos ?. They are supposed to function in that capacity.

LDS has a LOT of spaces, as well as 4,000 Sensor dimmers or some such.

Wonder if they are converting up to Net3 at the same time, though the ETC website seems to imply that CEM+ is still only Net2.

SB

 

[icewolf08]

They were probably "old-style" without integral body safety attachment and 575W only-no "handy handle." Who would want those?

They were all 750w source fours. The catch was that they had been used outside, and they came without lenses. So, we had to strip them down, clean out the bird nests, hit the shutters and gates with some CLR, repaint, and re-assemble. Oh, and buy lenses (funny thing about how the theatre department still has their pile sitting there in pieces lens-less). Lot of work, and still a good chunk of money when you figure $88/lens, but totally worth it. I paid for half the lenses through the sale of old Strand radials.

Perhaps the Ions are remotes for the Eos ?. They are supposed to function in that capacity.
LDS has a LOT of spaces, as well as 4,000 Sensor dimmers or some such.
Wonder if they are converting up to Net3 at the same time, though the ETC website seems to imply that CEM+ is still only Net2.
SB

I do believe that is the intention, the IONs as remotes to the EOS. Also, when I say the conference center that is the only space I mean. That hall has 4000 dimmers, and 5 consoles. The little theatre there has it's own system in addition to that. And the tabernacle is completely separate, though it also has just been updated.

I believe CEM+ will work with Net3, but Steve Terry might be able to give the final word on that. Other than that, a transition to Net3 is just software.

 

[derekleffew]

Okay, someone HAS to ask, might as well be me. What did LDS-CC do with the lenses? Did the outdoor creatures eat them? Were they lens-tube-less also or did someone take the time to remove the lenses and re-assemble empty tubes? I suppose it was useful for you that you could buy any lens 19>50 you needed.

 

[icewolf08]

Ok, let me clarify, they were sans lens tube. They figured that they could save a little money by keeping the lens tubes and just buying lens-tube-less units to replace the old ones. And I gout to buy any lenses I wanted, but this is how I jump-started my inventory of 14˚ lenses. Plus the 19-50 range.

 

[SteveB]

I believe CEM+ will work with Net3, but Steve Terry might be able to give the final word on that. Other than that, a transition to Net3 is just software.

Alex, curious if you heard this from ETC or a Rep., as I believe I read (somewhere that I cannot find right now) that only the 2 Port Net2 nodes were software upgradable (These are the Pathway built nodes running ETC Net2), implying that the ETC 4 port portable, as well as 4 port rack nodes were not software upgradable to Net3.

I did no research as to the other Net2 devices, such as Emphasis, Obsession II, CEM+, RVI's etc... as to what ETC had in store for them. I would have to imagine that CEM+ HAS to go Net3, but in reality, the only other Net3 devices seemingly available - besides Ion and Eos, are the Net3 Gateway node, Net3 RVI and the Net3 RRFU interface. No mention is made of what's happening with the Unison CMEi as example, which one would think would also have to go Net3 for a complete system to be a total Net3 environment.

Nothing wrong with Net2 in any event, Net3 (from what I can derive from website info.) really only adds the ability to incorporate ACN if and when.....

SB

 

[icewolf08]

The way I understand it, which seems to be similar to the way you do, is that Net2 and Net3 aren't so different except for the addition of ACN compatibility. The Net1 to Net2 upgrade required replacing all the network nodes in the system, and most end users were not terribly thrilled by that, they weren't happy that you couldn't update the Obsession II system software without replacing all the network hardware. So, I would try to avoid a situation like that.

I dodn't remember exactly what the ETC reps said last year when they brought in the EOS demo, but I really thought they said that people would not have physically update any of their existing network hardware unless it was still Net1.

I will try to get a better answer, I can ask my buddies at ETC, and I can ask the guys at the Conference Center since they are in the midst of the upgrade now.




Oh, and back to my story for a minute... The day that I almost broke the parking sign was the day that the first EOS, serial number 001, was delivered to the conference center.

 

[SteveB]

I will try to get a better answer, I can ask my buddies at ETC, and I can ask the guys at the Conference Center since they are in the midst of the upgrade now..

Alex, thanks for the reply.

I actually am in no real rush, it was mostly my own thought process looking a bit down the road as to when I move to Ion or whatever the intermediate console between Ion and Eos becomes, with Eos as probably way too much console for my needs - plus I like the footprint of Ion with a bunch of fader wings.

I have a Net2 system now that works very well, with some rack mount 4 ports, a portable 4 port, some portable 2 ports as well as CEM+ racks and Unison CMEi, so was starting to get curious about ACN and Net3 and how it applies to me. In truth, unless I have some burning need to incorporate ACN - such as a lot of rentals with gear that's all ACN, I probably will be perfectly content leaving it all as Net2.

Some details, such as will a Eos/Ion RRFU that runs on Net3 be Net2 compliant ?, and/or will I have to run the link between console and RRFU interface on a separate E-Net line ?, are all the type of things my brain starts to store away for questions to ETC at a later date.

Steve B.

 

[jmcgregor]

Interesting thread here. I work as the ETC Rep for Utah. (Hi Alex) If I can answer any questions about the LDS conference center and tabernacle I'd be happy to do my best to offer answers. Both facilities are very impressive in their own unique ways. I am usually able to arrange for backstage tours, so if anyone is in town please let me know. Also, if you would like to demo any ETC gear in Utah, I'd be happy to make arrangements for you.


Pertaining to the Net2 / Net3 questions posed above:

Net3 is ETC's implementation of ACN and is the future of ETC control on TCP/IP networks. However, all of the new consoles, Eos, Ion, & Congo support both Net2 and Net3 on the same network. Therefore, older Net2 nodes will be compatible with the new desks. (Video nodes will not - they're Expression/Emphasis/Obsession-centric - hence the introduction of the new Net3 RVI.) Will two port pathway style nodes be software upgradeable to Net3? Possibly? I don't know, but I doubt it because of the introduction of the new Gateways (4port, 2port, 1port) which, as far as I know, support both Net2 and Net3. CEM+ is currently Net2 but I think it will be upgraded to Net3 sooner or later. From what I hear NextGen Unison will be Net3 only.

As far as I know, Net2 and Net3 can coexist on the same network however. So to answer SteveB's question, right now the new Net3 RFR runs off of a USB connection to Eos/Ion/Congo... In the (near, I hope...) future it will be a Net3 device that could easily be incorporated into an existing Net2 system because it would be communicating with the desk via Net3 on the same network while not interfering with Net2 data to the nodes.

- CAVIAT: I may be wrong, but that's how I understand things will work...

Hope that all makes sense. Please feel free to contact me at:

jmcgregor(dot)quantum(at)lighting(dot)net

 

[icewolf08]

Welcome to the booth Jay! It is always good to have another knowledgeable voice around here. As is typical of our welcome wagon, I am sure that people would love to hear about you in our new member forum.

Also, do you have any idea if it would be possible to get an ION demo up at PTC at some point?

 

[jmcgregor]

I think we definitely could arrange something in January... Is that soon enough? I'll talk to ETC and give you a call.

-Jay

 

[icewolf08]

January is fine, there is no rush. I had been talking to Karl, but he wasn't sure when he could get one over.