Control/Dimming Strand 520i (500 Series) Mac Dongle

[J0rdster]

Howdy!

I'm a student/Master Electrician for the University of Utah Theatre Dept. and I'm looking for the Macintosh dongle for the Strand 500 series console (we use a 520i). By chance, does anybody have an old dongle that they don't need/use anymore? A donation to the University would be ideal, but if need be, I can purchase it myself. I've looked online for used dongles with no luck. Any ideas?

Thanks for your help!

Jord

 

[icewolf08]

What you are looking for is the designer's remote, but according to this page: Designers Remote Software | Strand Lighting - A Philips Group Brand they no longer make for mac, but I don't know why that would be since the software hasn't changed at all.

 

[xander]

Are you looking for the XConnect? I don't have one for you, but it will be helpful to others if we figure out what exactly it is you are looking for. Icewolf talks about the Designers Remote, I think they are the same thing. Anyone know the difference? Also, while it does say that it is for Win 2k and XP only, I think it works on macs too. For instance, I currently am on the Strand software, on my PowerBook G4 OS 10.3.9, wirelessly connected to my 520i OS 2.8.5 and it appears to work fine. Mind you I don't actually have the dongle plugged in (my friend has the XConnect and I can barrow it when I need it). Without the dongle, the software only works for like 10 mins but it is still fully functional, for those 10 mins. More disclaimers: I am running an extremely old OSX and the board is not running the latest software (that's a whole other story) so I am not making any guarantees here.

Moral of the story, talk to your Strand rep and see if you will even be able to use it before you go to all the effort to find one.

-Tim

 

[J0rdster]

Yeah, I read more about it and I think I would prefer XConnect. XConnect is the same as the Designer's Remote software, but for Mac, and doesn't work as an offline editor, but works while the console is running to make live edits and monitor activity, which is what I would like.

I'm going to make a few phone calls tomorrow and see what I can find. I realize the console isn't sold anymore, and you can't really buy accessories for it, so I'm not getting my hopes up, it would just be nice.

Thanks, Alex! Thanks, Tim!

 

[icewolf08]

XConnect is the software, the "Designer's Remote" is the hardware/dongle. The other option, though it won't let you run multiple displays is to install the console software on a virtual machine in VMWare Fusion or Parallels (you will need DOS) and you can then log in to the network as a client. Strand used to have instructions for this on their site, they may still.

 

[icewolf08]

Yet another option is to call Randy or Nick at GTS and see if they can still get one for you from their sources at Strand. You would have to pay though.