Jester 24/48 ML or ETC Insight?

[ropemonkey]

Looking to purchase my own desk for touring a small show, save the headache of reprogramming the lights at every venue
Two options up for sale at the moment, each for around £800 - Zero88 Jester 24/48 ML or an ETC Insight 2

Any advice as to which to go for?
I have more experience with ETC boards, but am worried by it being unsupported , and having to rely on floppy disks
Jester is tempting with USB storage, offline editor etc but have previously had nightmares trying to understand the Zero88 FatFrog. Is it similar?

Thanks in advance!

Topher

 

[starksk]

Hi Topher,

I won't try to sway you one way or the other, as I have an obvious bias, but I did want to let you know that while the Insight 2 is no longer in active development, we still support the console and can repair it long into the future should the need arise.

 

[emac]

No experience with the insight 2, but I have used the old fat frog 24/48 ml, and found it pretty easy to get programming on. I read the manual, and took it home to mess around with it and the. Went straight into programming. I did have the manual handy, but was able to get stuff done easily. I am not sure how much zero88 has changed the os now though.

 

[LXPlot]

I've worked with an Insight 2. A couple things that may be good about that:

It runs Expression software, which is the software of the best selling console line in history, you could argue, I believe. You will very likely have at least one person who has used it in the past regardless of where you go. The actual console is nice, assuming you like faders. The thing has like a hundred submasters or something like that. So long as you don't need lots of moving lights (it is a real pain for movers. I programmed fairly simple **** with one and it was annoying...but only doing it once isn't too bad, I spose, even though you need to adjust angles a bit at each venue), it works really nicely and easily.

Also, you can get a USB to floppy adapter for your computer for about 10$ at a local internet or microcenter. If need be, you can keep copies of show files on the off-line editor (which is nice). And floppies have never been a problem as long as you don't have magnets or large blasts of electricity handy.

The software is super easy, if that helps. You should have no problem using it. That seems like a fairly nice price as well, I believe.

I cannot speak to the virtues of the Jester or anything else by Z88, unfortunately.

 

[Les]

Zero88 consoles are rarely encountered in the wild in the US, but in your area, you might have a better support network/knowledge base.

I have a Zero88 Level 18 Plus, which is only a simple 2-scene preset, but it is a great, well-built console.

Programming it should be easier than that of the Frog line, as the Jester series (or at least some of the Jesters) have real alphanumeric keypads.
[size=-2]Nevermind, the 24/48 doesn't[/size].

I've read up on the Jesters, and they claim an "industry-standard programming syntax", but that sounds like something right out of the List of Big Lies. That said, I don't have any reason to believe Zero88 is trying to deceive us, and once you get to know it, it's probably an easy board. Since it is for your [-]personal[/-] professional use, you shouldn't have to worry too much about others knowing their way around it.

Moving light capabilities seem to be consciously implemented on select consoles, and they appear to have a decent support forum.

Were I looking to buy an inexpensive lighting console for a modest rig with mostly conventionals and a few simple movers/LEDs, the Jester would definitely be in the running (but I like the TLXtra -- probably way more $$$).

 

[Pie4Weebl]

If those are your only two choices, why even bother carrying a console?

Perhaps you should just put a desk in the rider?

 

[SteveB]

sily.

Also, you can get a USB to floppy adapter for your computer for about 10$ at a local internet or microcenter. If need be, you can keep copies of show files on the off-line editor (which is nice). And floppies have never been a problem as long as you don't have magnets or large blasts of electricity handy.
.

Noah, have you actually seen or tried this USB to floppy conversion on any of the ETC consoles ?. Reason I ask is as far as I'm aware, the code that controls the floppy drive on the Expression/Express series consoles is not standard and is hard written into the OS. Thus it's not a standard plug-and-play conversion and as far as I know, Only Litetrol has gotten this to work successfully. If you know otherwise please enlighten us.

 

[bishopthomas]

As Les said, coming across a Zero 88 console in the US is rare. That's why I don't typically recommend it to anyone stateside. But since they're more prevalent in your neck of the globe you'll probably have better luck getting support. I'm actually running sound in a restaurant tonight that has a Jester. I still haven't really figured it out yet. I also am not sure why the installers picked that console, especially since they had to wait 6 weeks for delivery...

 

[cleighton]

Go with etc should something go wrong you have a better chance of getting it fixed. As for me running your board into my systems bring up a whole new set of questions, since i have never seen a DMX input in the theatre.

 

[LavaASU]

He's talking about an external floppy drive for the computer running offline, not adding USBs to the console...

I've never had a problem with that... I have an old USB floppy drive from a 15 year old laptop that I have used with multiple modern computers with zero issues.

 

[SteveB]

He's talking about an external floppy drive for the computer running offline, not adding USBs to the console...

I've never had a problem with that... I have an old USB floppy drive from a 15 year old laptop that I have used with multiple modern computers with zero issues.

Ah, missed that. thanks for the clarification.

And as note that ETC purchased a couple of palettes of floppies a few years back, so I think they will be able to supply as needed for a while.