Multi-Monitor Consoles

Charc

Well-Known Member
I've noticed that many-a-console on the market has two monitors. I've wondered why for awhile. I believe the Strand 300 is capable of two displays (if I remember correctly), but from my experience, I'm not quite sure if that's necessary. Also, I'm not sure what info one would display? Patch on one-side and Live on the other? Or just one screen dedicated to Live all the time, and one that takes input? Or what? Can you choose which screen data would display on, and what? Any thoughts on this subject? Is it worth it for me to grab an extra monitor lying around from the IT people?
 
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Depends on the desk. The expression has the live channel readout on one screen and on the other it displays the cue list, and submaster names.
On the hog 3 and its offshoots you can set up the monitors to display whatever info you want on whatever screens you choose.

If you have an extra monitor laying around what do you have to loose?
 
Depends on the desk. The expression has the live channel readout on one screen and on the other it displays the cue list, and submaster names.
On the hog 3 and its offshoots you can set up the monitors to display whatever info you want on whatever screens you choose.
If you have an extra monitor laying around what do you have to loose?

Desk space. It's at an ultra premium, I'm wondering if it's even worth exploring if the trade-off won't be that helpful.
 
Desk space. It's at an ultra premium, I'm wondering if it's even worth exploring if the trade-off won't be that helpful.
LCD screens, young Luke. The grandMA has three built-in touchscreens and two external monitors, and more and more programmers are requesting 19" or 21". Standard with the HogII was two built-in touchscreens and two external monitors and anything could be anywhere, all operator preference.

I don't know how it would work on the 300, but since 1979, every console with two monitors has had channels/cue contents on one screen and cue-list on the other. As theatre boards get more complex, there's more information to display. Though you don't have to look at everything at once.

The Electro-Controls Premiere even had a Heads Up Display, where you watched the stage though the channel display. Never caught on though for obvious reasons.
 
LCD screens, young Luke. The grandMA has three built-in touchscreens and two external monitors, and more and more programmers are requesting 19" or 21". Standard with the HogII was two built-in touchscreens and two external monitors and anything could be anywhere, all operator preference.
I don't know how it would work on the 300, but since 1979, every console with two monitors has had channels/cue contents on one screen and cue-list on the other. As theatre boards get more complex, there's more information to display. Though you don't have to look at everything at once.
The Electro-Controls Premiere even had a Heads Up Display, where you watched the stage though the channel display. Never caught on though for obvious reasons.

Yes Darth Fader, the one external monitor we have is an LCD display, and I'd only think of adding a second LCD display, not CRT.

It's interesting you mention the way content is displayed, the Strand 300 series has almost a "split-screen" view which I love. Cues on the bottom, channels up top. I guess there is nothing else to view then?
 
I always use two monitors when I can. One has my list (cue, sub, group, fixture, attribute, focus group, or other) on it, and the other has my live levels (either standard channel window or ML attribute window). Makes life a lot easier.
 
Yes Darth Fader, the one external monitor we have is an LCD display, and I'd only think of adding a second LCD display, not CRT.
It's interesting you mention the way content is displayed, the Strand 300 series has almost a "split-screen" view which I love. Cues on the bottom, channels up top. I guess there is nothing else to view then?


I might start calling Derek Darth Fader. I wonder if he can shoot force lightning out of his followspot.
 
Oh, yea. Two (or more!) monitors is great. Both with conventionals (Express at my school, one's channels/intensities and the other's cues.) and with MLs (like the HogII, great for monitoring two attributes at the same time). I doubt there's any constraint other than space that would dictate why NOT to have more monitors.
 
On the Strands it's very handy, you have all live channel levels one one monitor, and then depending on the show you have you have whatever else is relevant on the other monitor; sub levels, FX, cues, etc.
 
For theater you probably (and again, I don't do much theater so I'm just guessing based on limited experience) don't need so many, because the cues are all set and in order. But when you busk a rock and roll show (even one where the set list is very tightly designed and cued) you need lots of playback access. All those monitors are typically touch screens, so you can get access to a cue faster.
 
Oh, yea. Two (or more!) monitors is great. Both with conventionals (Express at my school, one's channels/intensities and the other's cues.) .

Ummm.... maybe you have an ExpressION ?, as the Express series only supports a single monitor.

Emphasis, much to my dismay, never allowed the monitor coming off the Emphasis server to display the cue list.

Steve B.
 
Woops, I realized my mistake while reading my quote, before I even got to your part of the message. I never got why ETC had to be so wonderously confusing between Express, Expression, Emphasis. Where's the creativity, guys.

You're right, its an ExpressION, with Emphasis.
 
So to answer your original question, Charcoaldabs, listen to the "12, soon to be 13!"-year-old who uses FOUR touchscreens with his Maxxyz (No offense intended, PadawanGeek. I thinks it's great. You might take jobs away from Joel Young one day soon.) Add the other monitor. Perhaps wall mount one or both of them to save desk space. The early systems would only display 100 channels at a time, (20 across) and the Expression series (25 across) still only does 150 on a screen. Pressing <Expand> allows the user to see 300 channels across both screens.
 
Multiple monitors is a must (unless you can't). In Strand world you get channels on one screen, up to 250, I believe, if you have the console set to Genius+. The second display is configurable to show cue list, FX, Subs, Macros, etc. The second display also changes when you change modes, while the channel display is constant. So, if you are in patch, you get the patch screen on one display and channels on the other. You can add more displays with an RVN.

With say and ObsessionII, if you have an RVN you can have 4 displays (2 on the face panel and 2 on the node), or more. You just need to tell the RVN to be a video extension.
 
Thoughts: I only have 100 channels anyways, I think I'd have to pay for more. I'm also concerned this might be too confusing for the dept head...? So cue-list, I'm sorry this is confusing me, is the same as my current cue display, only as a longer list...? Or does it display more/unique data?
 
Same as the current one, just longer. But normally you'll have FX, subs etc. as well. Probably not as beneficial for a show that has been already programmed for you - but nice for busking.

Slightly OT: Does the USA have calisthenics?
 
Wikipedia said:
In Australia, calisthenics is a competitive performing sport for mostly women

It's like dance schools with competitions and things at the theatres.
 

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