Design Need help optimizing system

[bigbadbugg]

I'm a student at a local private school in Albany, New York. Currently our system in our school's auditorium is as listed:

1x-Leprecon LP 1536 lighting console
3x-Leprecon Dimmer rack(12 channels e/a)
1x-PowerMac G5 (OS x 10.3.9)
2x-Monitors
16x-PARcans
6x-Par64's
6x-Spots

What I'm looking for is to integrate the lighting console and the PowerMac G5. I need a reliable yet inexpensive program I can run and a node that will support 5pin DMX-512. I also am looking to have the ability to control both the conventional and intelligent lights (particularly 4 scanners and 4 MH).

Any suggestions would be great I would really like to see what I can make out of the system

 

[derekleffew]

Can you be a little more specific regarding

16x-PARcans
6x-Par64's
6x-Spots

?

Buy the Enttec DMXUSBPRO for $151. Download the free ChamSys MagicQ software for the Mac. Using the Enttec's DMX in, you'll be able to use your Leprecon board as a "wing."

[EDIT: Above is INCORRECT information, see next post for clarification.]

It's a bit overkill for your application, especially if you have no MLs or LEDs. And be prepared for a somewhat steep learning curve if all you've ever used is the two-scene preset, but you'll end up with a very powerful system. One that you'll be able to grow with once you add MLs/LEDs.

However, see also http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/collaborative-articles/7572-gafftaper-method.html.

 

[tvi675]

Re: DMX-in on Chamsys Magic Q PC

Hi Everyone,

The MagicQ software is free for everyone to download and use - 18 universes of incredibly powerful control, and you don't have to pay us a penny for it! Because of this, we do need to make our money somewhere so until you have a piece of our hardware connected over USB, we limit the options that would allow you to use third party control surfaces.

With a MagicQ console, you can connect up a slave desk over Art-Net and use it to control the 24 playbacks on Wing 1. You can do this on MagicQ PC with a piece of our hardware (either an interface or wing) connected over USB, but you can only control the first ten playbacks on Wing 1.

Unfortunately we don't support DMX input from third party dongles, so it needs to be done over Ethernet.

Best regards,

Matt Lemon
ChamSys Ltd