Quick Question--Will It Work

[DarSax]

This actually is a pretty quick question. I'm in charge of designing our blowout Talent Show again this year, only last year I had no idea what I was doing so someone else organized/hooked up the specifics. This year, I'm on my own.

That being said, I don't want to completely @#$% everything up. Can someone do me a favor and tell me if this would work, control wise?

 

[SteveB]

Yes. it'll work

SB

 

[DarSax]

Good answer . Thanksus!

 

[zac850]

Yep, looks fine. Just make sure you address everything correctly. Nothings worse then miss-addressed fixtures. Well, a few things are, but not much.

Comes out to 231 DMX channels in the intels alone, so unless you have over 281 dimmers, looks like it will fit into one DMX universe. That being said, I presume you have data for the conventional dimmers out of some other port of the Maxxyz that you didn't draw?

 

[DarSax]

Actually, conventionals are being run on a different console entirely. We're a high school, our bands kind of aren't the greatest, so I can't depend on any sort of constant time from night to night.

I want the lights to really follow the music. I can do that easily with intels, just have them go through macros, colors strobes, etc. But in conventionals, I want some very big changes--if there's a solo with four base drum hits, I want blinders on each one

That being said, I want to run the conventionals live on another board entirely, have an operator just pressing the bump buttons when necessary. I can't depend on these bands to have constant time from night to night. The Maxxyz isn't the best for that sort of thing, in my experience.

This is of course assuming I can get the Maxxyz, I haven't the slightest idea if its free yet, I was waiting for an affirmation that this would work before getting the quote :O

 

[Pie4Weebl]

when is the show this year? I've been looking foreward to see what you do with this years since you posted pics of last years.

 

[soundlight]

Looks like my cousin will be switching to Walt Whitman this winter or at the start of next school year (she's going to Holton Arms right now and not happy with it), so I'll have to tell her and my aunt to go to your show! Looks like you've got a very nice system there! Good luck. (Good luck can be interpreted as holy -crap-you-rented-MAC700-profiles-I-want-to-play-with-some-of-those).

 

[DarSax]

To Weebl: Yarr, it's not 'till April. But that's good, more time to get my extensive special effects system in place.

I mean....

To soundlight,
Send her over! It's amazing how much these forums show how small the world is.

 

[highschooltech]

It looks good to me. Make sure you are adressed right or it could turn into a huge mess.

 

[jonhirsh]

DarSax you have to get vector works or some sort of drafting program.

This is a very standard setup with the opto, just pre-adress on the deck and put a piece of gaff that says what the adress is. Saves time in the end and its more comfertable on the neck. What's more important then a hookup diagram is your plott do you have a drawn plot yet with chanel or fixture numbers? That will help you more in figureing out how to cable.

Also have you thought about power distro yet? Where it comes from, how you will get it there and how much you need.


JH

 

[DarSax]

Yeah, I do. I have a load more documentation than that though; that was just a quick drawing highlighting the splitter.

As for the address--what did you mean by pre-addressing "on the deck?" Since the show isn't till April I'm going to figure out the addresses long before, and if I'm lucky maybe I can get the software from the board we're getting (hopefully the Maxxyz) and address it all off-line.

As for distro, good question because I don't know anything about power "distros." But. I'm plugging all intel. fixtures into the same 120v outlets that are standard in our aud, on non-dimming circuits. I'm adding up amps to make sure I don't come close to blowing anything. I know we hooked up intels the same way last year, so I don't think I will have any trouble, right? We have a hard-patch system if that helps at all, patching to ND's and our always-on Test circuit.

And if you give me a bit, I can upload some plot drawings, show y'all what I'm planning if you're interested

 

[soundman1024]

Just throwing my two cents out there..the Studio Color is a great fixture. They throw quite a bit of light, and move pretty fast. That being said you might look into the Studio Beam (another HES fixture). They put out a TON more light. If that isn't enough the colours can be more saturated, since it is CMY you can always back the wheel off a bit. They can also move a bit faster than the Studio Colors. In addition they aren't quite as heavy as Studio Colors. Rental rates probably don't differ much between them, so you might look into that.

 

[DarSax]

Hm. Actually, I've never seen the Studio Beam in a rental catalog . I'm familiar with the fixture, but I just haven't seen it anywhere. I would be interested in be getting their newer Studio Commands, but I don't have the money unfortunately.

 

[jonhirsh]

Adress all of the fixtures on the deck before you hang them.

JH

 

[Pie4Weebl]

Adress all of the fixtures on the deck before you hang them.
JH

out side of fixtures using dip switches to address, or ones with batteries in them so you can access the settings with out powering it up, how would he be able to do this if he can't get power until their in place. (I believe all of his rig is dead hung)

 

[jonhirsh]

you take an extension cord and plug them in? Im not sure if that was the answer you were looking for but thats how most shows i have done do it you set the fixture on the case and adress it do all of them at once then hang.

JH

ps. some rental houses with pre adress for you, but only if you ask really nice.

 

[DarSax]

My rig is all dead hung with spansets, but from pipes I'll crank down to almost waist height to rig everything.

With that being said, that's an unbelievably obvious tip I wouldn't have thought of. We've always done the much (less) smarter thing and addressed them when they were up in the air.

Thanks, heh.

 

[Pie4Weebl]

you take an extension cord and plug them in? Im not sure if that was the answer you were looking for but thats how most shows i have done do it you set the fixture on the case and adress it do all of them at once then hang.
JH

Well its the most obvious ones you never think of right lol. Beats the hell out hanging off catwalks trying to adress VL1000's.... (With those the control is on the bottom of the arms because they have no real base, its loads off fun to hang off a cat and do while its trying to reset to its home position)

 

[DarSax]

In case y'all were interested.

 

[Jezza]

DarSax-

-Looks like an interesting design and it sounds like you've got it all under control. But as another member suggested, investing in an education version of Vectorkworks will really do you wonders. It might seem daunting to try and learn at first, but well worth it when you are trying to convey your designs to others. I like the way your trussing is hanging, but it doesn't seem like you have too many conventionals up in air...which can be good or bad. Good luck, send pictures.