Simplest 50+ channel

[kenact]

I'm probably tilting at windmills, but in a theater that currently uses an Elation Stage Setter 24, typically run in 2x12 mode, the owner would like to put in a couple of moving heads.

The owner rents the theater to many people who don't know how to run anything past a 2 scene preset.

I'm wondering if there's something simple I could put in, that would allow relatively easy control of the current 12 instruments as well as 2,-11 channel moving heads.

It won't affect me directly. I'll still be using my laptop with QLC+.

 

[dbaxter]

I could suggest our software that has an easy color picker and we just added a map for movers to tell the pan angle given the install location and where you want the light. Tilt is up to you. The submaster control has a setting for a rep plot that would allow for 8 fixed "scenes". Free trial. Link in my signature.

 

[kenact]

I could suggest our software that has an easy color picker and we just added a map for movers to tell the pan angle given the install location and where you want the light. Tilt is up to you. The submaster control has a setting for a rep plot that would allow for 8 fixed "scenes". Free trial. Link in my signature.

Thanks for the suggestion and offer, but I'm specifically looking for a hardware solution. The owner, who sometimes runs the lights for his own shows, is in his 80s, still writes his scripts on a typewriter and runs sound cues from a CD player. He out of his depth running anything more than a 2 scene preset.

 

[Mac Hosehead]

I am wondering if you could get away with a 2-scene board that has soft-patching. You could then label faders as to their function in the moving lights. You could reduce channel count by not patching functions that you don't use. It should be easy to understand, anyway.

 

[kenact]

I am wondering if you could get away with a 2-scene board that has soft-patching. You could then label faders as to their function in the moving lights. You could reduce channel count by not patching functions that you don't use. It should be easy to understand, anyway.

I would still need at least 4 channels per device. Pan, tilt, intensity and color. It's already going to be a teaching challenge to get the idea of moving the head and setting the color before turning up the intensity.

 

[Mac Hosehead]

I see used Strand 200 boards that are pretty cheap. A 24/48 would get you 6 channels per fixture. Maybe even could combine dimmer channels. It shouldn't be too hard to learn. There is a 'submaster mode'. My guess is there are similar boards out there to consider and maybe rent first.

 

[kenact]

I see used Strand 200 boards that are pretty cheap. A 24/48 would get you 6 channels per fixture. Maybe even could combine dimmer channels. It shouldn't be too hard to learn. There is a 'submaster mode'. My guess is there are similar boards out there to consider and maybe rent first.

Thanks, that might be the solution, if it will fit the space. I believe there's a Strand that was donated to the theater, but there wasn't a space that needed it. I had completely forgotten about it. I'll download the manual and test it, before trying to haul it into the booth.

 

[microstar]

I would still need at least 4 channels per device. Pan, tilt, intensity and color. It's already going to be a teaching challenge to get the idea of moving the head and setting the color before turning up the intensity.

Finally someone to take this Dove Systems TM36/72 with Sublime (submasters) off my hands! I built it several years ago by combining a TM24/48 with a TM12/24+Sublime module. Faders galore!
Absolutely foolproof 36-channel 2-scene preset or 72 chan single scene, both with 24 submasters. DMX output. No soft patch. See the specs at www.dovesystems.com

 

[Mac Hosehead]

While this method of controlling moving lights with faders is simple, there can be some limitations to this. If, say, you have a fixture on at certain position with a particular color on the wheel. Then if you want to crossfade to another scene without changing the fixture, you would have to be good at matching the fader levels in the new scene. Some things other than intensity might have to be set in the previous cue. You might have problems if you repeatedly need a spot to be positioned 'dead on'.

 

[Crisp image]

A LSC Mantra lite might fit here. 24 channel faders that control intensity then an app to do the colour and movement. You can record looks in to a playback and on each playback (10 of them) can be a cue list or a chase. Easy to learn and use. One of the local schools has one and fits the bill.
Regards
Geoff

 

[danTt]

I don't know what the budget is, but if it were my space I'd rather get something that has power and features for the future and get users to adapt than I would buy something that's dated before I find it. People had to learn a two scene preset, they'll learn whatever you give them.

 

[Mac Hosehead]

People had to learn a two scene preset, they'll learn whatever you give them.

Generally I would appreciate this sentiment since once you get into moving lights and LEDs, you should at least have a board with a fixture library. In this case, I might be concerned with keeping the owner and other users happy. If there is an existing manual board that would work then it might show the owner what a pain it can be to use such a board with moving lights. Then again, he might just be content with his 2-scene.

 

[NickVon]

if you arn't recalling "presets/submasters" or using a cue stack, I would stay away from movers on a 2-scene preset console. A pro and experienced user would be okay, but any novice is going to struggle, trying to live busk movers.

 

[NickVon]

if you arn't recalling "presets/submasters" or using a cue stack, I would stay away from movers on a 2-scene preset console. A pro and experienced user would be okay, but any novice is going to struggle, trying to live busk movers.

the The smallest ETC Colorsource Console is very functional and would give you lots abitity to control fancier stuff.

 

[microstar]

Kind of depends on the use case for the movers...are they doing moving effects or just being used as movable specials.