STEVETERRY
Well-Known Member
What are you, her publicist?Thanks for the heads up. I would love to read it, but $66 is really expensive.
And while it's full of pearls of wisdom (even mine!), it sure isn't a $66 book. Look for a used copy.
ST
Lighting Console Basics
- Thread starterjmac
- Start date
And while it's full of pearls of wisdom (even mine!), it sure isn't a $66 book. Look for a used copy.
ST
I am not going to say jump out and buy an ION. I would never ever own one. What you should look into depending on your budget is something along the lines of a strand 200 series console, they run around 500-1000 and are fully patchable and easy to run. (i am not a strand person, but i put one in at an install that was running 2 6 ch dimmer packs and it worked perfectly for running cues and subs). If you want to spend less look at the liteputer (dont laugh, its actually not a bad console for the money) 135: DMX Controllers ($200 & Up) last console on the bottom for 275. I have 2 in my rental inventory, and everyone who has rented them has first said what the heck, then they come back and say its not a bad console. It will allow you to patch any of the 512 dmx channels to 96 circuits. Then if you want to spend more than 1000 i suggest looking at the avo tiger (Avolites Limited - The Lighting Control Company). It will run you around 3000-4000. It will control 2048 dmx channels. so you can run 2048 dimmers if you would like. You can also run any moving light under the sun that accepts dmx. Its a very sweet console for the money. Its on my list of next console to buy to keep in the garage/under the bed incase of an emergency. Also a cool thing about the avo consoles is they all read the same show disks. So you can save a show on your tiger, and say you are doing a really big show, but you want to build on your current show, so load your show disk you made on the tiger onto a bigger console such as the D4 or pearl. Your show will load up the programming syntax is exactly the same across all of their products whether new or old. For the price of an ION i can get a road hog which gives me 4 universes of DMX just like the tiger, plus its a whole lot more user friendly. I know costs drives, and these are all console i have used and strongly recommend. And yes i did spend a frustrating weekend with the ION so i have made an attempt at using it.
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Ok. Crunch time here. One last pass before I jump-
As mentioned earlier I have a good relationship with the local Strand rep. and can get a Classic Palette II for what I think is a great price. Can't get similar deal with Ion with fader wing. Just wondering if I will regret not waiting for Ion Jr., a/k/a Element. Problem is, it will not be available in time for upcoming show, and I can't really afford to even wait until next week, to see what it is..... I don't want to suffer thru another show with a rental Leprecon.
Any more thoughts on how the Classic Palette will stand up to the Element, assuming it will be a toned down Ion maybe w/o the encoders, but will likely have integral submasters. Any compelling reason to think I will regret going with Classic Palette?
Gafftaper, still happy with your Classic?? Sounds like you got thru your episode last week or so, ok...
As mentioned earlier I have a good relationship with the local Strand rep. and can get a Classic Palette II for what I think is a great price. Can't get similar deal with Ion with fader wing. Just wondering if I will regret not waiting for Ion Jr., a/k/a Element. Problem is, it will not be available in time for upcoming show, and I can't really afford to even wait until next week, to see what it is..... I don't want to suffer thru another show with a rental Leprecon.
Any more thoughts on how the Classic Palette will stand up to the Element, assuming it will be a toned down Ion maybe w/o the encoders, but will likely have integral submasters. Any compelling reason to think I will regret going with Classic Palette?
Gafftaper, still happy with your Classic?? Sounds like you got thru your episode last week or so, ok...
I have seen Eos, Ion, and the Strand Palettes. They are all great consoles. After hearing about Gaff's support experience, maybe Strand is trying to/starting to turn around their service issues. From everything you have said, it sounds like you would be plenty happy with the Classic Palette. Like ETC, Strand is continually updating and developing the software and they are listening to customer suggestions.
It is a big purchase, which can be kinda scary, but I think that if you have seen it, touched it, used it to turn your lights on and off and you are happy then there is no reason not to commit.
If you do go with the Classic Palette II, be sure to check out the open source software page at www.openpalette.org, and the rest of the Strand development forums at strand-dev.com • Index page
The biggest problem with Strand's customer service has been that they have had a reputation for just outright dropping old product support while ETC will repair ANYTHING they have ever made.
I was talking to my local Strand authorized repair guy and he said he thought the following... the primary reason for product abandonment in the past was that Strand kept getting purchased by smaller and smaller companies. New ownership would say, "I never made that product why should I support it?" and another line would get the axe. Now, Strand is owned by a mega company in Phillips. They have deep pockets and he felt they are more likely to be in it for the long haul and see the benefits of maintaining their product line for years to come.
Second thought, This console is just a PC with USB interfaces. As long as those control surfaces still work on top, and USB is a protocol that is used, you will be able to keep the console itself running by connecting it to another computer. You could literally install a laptop computer inside the case and keep running this thing for decades as long as the go button still works on the outside. SO, if Strand did abandon support for this console in 5-10 years you wouldn't be on your own trying to find a proprietary part. You could keep it going with the help from the computer repair shop down the street.
Finally, you are buying a console from a brand new product line so you are on the front edge of the wave.
One last note, it turns out the problem with my Classic Palette was caused by a bad power switch not the power supply. The switch was made by a known manufacturer. Just got a bad one from the production lot.
I was talking to my local Strand authorized repair guy and he said he thought the following... the primary reason for product abandonment in the past was that Strand kept getting purchased by smaller and smaller companies. New ownership would say, "I never made that product why should I support it?" and another line would get the axe. Now, Strand is owned by a mega company in Phillips. They have deep pockets and he felt they are more likely to be in it for the long haul and see the benefits of maintaining their product line for years to come.
Second thought, This console is just a PC with USB interfaces. As long as those control surfaces still work on top, and USB is a protocol that is used, you will be able to keep the console itself running by connecting it to another computer. You could literally install a laptop computer inside the case and keep running this thing for decades as long as the go button still works on the outside. SO, if Strand did abandon support for this console in 5-10 years you wouldn't be on your own trying to find a proprietary part. You could keep it going with the help from the computer repair shop down the street.
Finally, you are buying a console from a brand new product line so you are on the front edge of the wave.
One last note, it turns out the problem with my Classic Palette was caused by a bad power switch not the power supply. The switch was made by a known manufacturer. Just got a bad one from the production lot.
Jmac go register at strand-dev.com and start reading today. The website is inhabited by the Horizon software developers. Lot's to read and learn.
EDIT... well what do you know I see you are already hanging out there.
As for your question over there about tracking. Tracking can drive you crazy when you go back to edit cues if you aren't paying attention. So, learn this trick right now! Once you have all your cues recorded initially, when you go back to change or edit something you can create all kinds of havoc in the cue stack by saving in tracking mode. Sometimes you want your changes to track in that case just resave. But if you don't want to effect the cues around you, hold "SHIFT" and press "Record" then click the "cue only mode" box in order save a change in a cue without effecting cues around it. This little trick can save you a LOT of insanity.
EDIT... well what do you know I see you are already hanging out there.
As for your question over there about tracking. Tracking can drive you crazy when you go back to edit cues if you aren't paying attention. So, learn this trick right now! Once you have all your cues recorded initially, when you go back to change or edit something you can create all kinds of havoc in the cue stack by saving in tracking mode. Sometimes you want your changes to track in that case just resave. But if you don't want to effect the cues around you, hold "SHIFT" and press "Record" then click the "cue only mode" box in order save a change in a cue without effecting cues around it. This little trick can save you a LOT of insanity.
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Yes- I found the Strand forum. Thanks.
And thanks for the tip on editing in tracking mode. That looks essential!
So with tracking, it looks like it is best to plug in all the cues sequentially at first (?). Then come back and fine tune, using the tip you mentioned? In the past I have tended to set up the most used or "basic" scenes, and then modified them to make derivations for other scenes. But this was not necessarily done chronologically thru the script.
Is it best to go thru chronologically at first??
Yes. Definitely program them all in chronological order. The console doesn't care, but you'll drive yourself crazy if try it out of order with a tracking console.
Always remember, If I make a change to a cue in the middle of the stack that change will stay in effect until another cue tells it not to be that way.
The good part of tracking is, if you run your equity lights on a dimmer and forgot to program them in, by editing the first cue, your equity lights will stay on the whole show. Also the console is watching ahead for cues with intelligent gear. It will pre-move fixtures with moving capability and pre-load color into fixtures with color changing capability.
It's different to get used to but it can be very helpful once you learn how to use it to your advantage.
Always remember, If I make a change to a cue in the middle of the stack that change will stay in effect until another cue tells it not to be that way.
The good part of tracking is, if you run your equity lights on a dimmer and forgot to program them in, by editing the first cue, your equity lights will stay on the whole show. Also the console is watching ahead for cues with intelligent gear. It will pre-move fixtures with moving capability and pre-load color into fixtures with color changing capability.
It's different to get used to but it can be very helpful once you learn how to use it to your advantage.
Perhaps, oh, I don't know, a WHITE PAPER.pdf on Console Design Philosophies?
ControlBooth has really made the big time when we're influencing/inspiring manufacturers!
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White paper done!! Thanks for the prompts!
Anne
Anne
