Control/Dimming Strand Neo Compact 10?

I’m TD for a small high school theater. We currently have one DMX universe running 96 strand dimmers and half a dozen older moving lights. We may look to replace some of our instruments with more flexible LED’s down the road.

Currently we are using a Compulite Vector Orange console, which runs Windows XP Embedded and which can no longer be updated. It is old, and getting less reliable, so I think we need to upgrade to something newer. I’ve been researching consoles from Strand and ETC, and I came across the Strand Neo Compact 10. It appears to run a custom version of LightFactory. It looks like it it will do everything our current console does, and the price is right. Has anyone used it? Is there anything I should be aware of? Any feedback would be welcome.
 
I think its a case of this is not your Grandpa's Strand.

That said, it temains to be seen what direction they now take with the latest merger.
Are you talking about Signify/Phillips buying Cooper Lighting (Parent of zero88)? Because it seems like the answer is it's just ruining another company.
 
Yes, and I sincerely hope they don't wreck Zero88 but instead let the Zero88 crew fix what is wrong with the Strand range. Time will tell. Certainly I've heard less than brilliant tales of Neo users having hardware trouble. The software has been around for some time and can work well.
 
I’ve decided to go for ETC. If we want to prepare our students for post-secondary theater tech, it’s best to get them trained up on the industry standard. I’m pushing for the Ion Xe 20 for future capabilities; we may want to add some smarter instruments in the future, and and we already have some moving heads that we’d have a hard time taking advantage of on an Element 2 without encoder wheels.
 
I’ve been researching consoles from Strand and ETC, and I came across the Strand Neo Compact 10. It appears to run a custom version of LightFactory. It looks like it it will do everything our current console does, and the price is right. Has anyone used it? Is there anything I should be aware of? Any feedback would be welcome.
Hi thelatinist, I'm Jon, Product Manager for Systems and Control at Strand. I joined the company a few months ago. If there's anything I can do to help you make your decision, like put you in touch with your local Strand Rep and organise a demo console, please let me know - I'd be pleased to help in any way that is useful.

Don't buy strand. It's never a good idea
Hi danTt, have you used the Neo Compact 10 that the OP mentions, or are you referencing older consoles? If you'd be willing, I'd love to chat through your experiences of Strand... as I mentioned above, I've recently joined the company so would like to learn more about our strengths and weaknesses directly from the end users.

Are you talking about Signify/Phillips buying Cooper Lighting (Parent of zero88)? Because it seems like the answer is it's just ruining another company.
To be clear - Philips is nothing to do with Strand or Vari-Lite any longer. Signify licence the Philips brand name for consumer products (eg Philips Hue), but that is all. I'd be interested to know what causes you to say "it seems like the answer is it's just ruining another company".

Jon
[email protected]
 
Hi thelatinist, I'm Jon, Product Manager for Systems and Control at Strand. I joined the company a few months ago. If there's anything I can do to help you make your decision, like put you in touch with your local Strand Rep and organise a demo console, please let me know - I'd be pleased to help in any way that is useful.


Hi danTt, have you used the Neo Compact 10 that the OP mentions, or are you referencing older consoles? If you'd be willing, I'd love to chat through your experiences of Strand... as I mentioned above, I've recently joined the company so would like to learn more about our strengths and weaknesses directly from the end users.


To be clear - Philips is nothing to do with Strand or Vari-Lite any longer. Signify licence the Philips brand name for consumer products (eg Philips Hue), but that is all. I'd be interested to know what causes you to say "it seems like the answer is it's just ruining another company".

Jon
[email protected]

Unfortunately you will find a very uphill battle when it comes to upselling Strand to this user base. I am sure you have already done your initial word searches on Strand on the forums if not you will and should. We look forward to hearing the companies side of things.
 
Unfortunately you will find a very uphill battle when it comes to upselling Strand to this user base. I am sure you have already done your initial word searches on Strand on the forums if not you will and should. We look forward to hearing the companies side of things.
Sure, nowhere was I trying to "upsell" the brand... I was just offering help to the origional OP and requesting an oppertunity to listen to other's thoughts. I can't change the past, but maybe I can impact things going forward.
 
Sure, nowhere was I trying to "upsell" the brand... I was just offering help to the origional OP and requesting an oppertunity to listen to other's thoughts. I can't change the past, but maybe I can impact things going forward.
Hi Jon, I see you've met the Welcome Wagon folks. If they brought food have someone else take the first bite... /nudge, wink

You're in the unenviable position of arriving after the Brand trauma was inflicted, the damage done, the bridge burned. It will take decades (at least 2 of them) to begin repairing the reputation Strand eventually earned.

Good luck, sir.
 
I've seen the same thing happen in broadcasting. Transmitter brand X supports everything they ever built to the fullest extent possible. Transmitter brand Y decided to cut costs by dumping parts and documentation for their older products. Guess which company just got my order for a new one? I was a Strand customer, too.
 
I've seen the same thing happen in broadcasting. Transmitter brand X supports everything they ever built to the fullest extent possible. Transmitter brand Y decided to cut costs by dumping parts and documentation for their older products. Guess which company just got my order for a new one? I was a Strand customer, too.
Continental?
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard
 
A company much closer to where you live. Nautel of Hackett's Cove, NS. Continental made some of the best tube final transmitters, but didn't make a good transition to solid state. Nautel is arguably the leader in AM and FM, and they got there with excellent products and service.
I was going to assume it was Nautel. Now, of course, there are *still* people trying to keep AMPFETs running, but those are, what, 4 generations old now?

Give my best to Jeff.
 
I was going to assume it was Nautel. Now, of course, there are *still* people trying to keep AMPFETs running, but those are, what, 4 generations old now?

Give my best to Jeff.
Jeff is fantastic. I remember Jeff telling the story that his wife had listened to him taking so many support calls at O'dark 30, that she sometimes started asking the client questions and offering the correct solutions before waking him. Yes, I think I know where there's an AMPFET or two on the air.
 
Jeff is fantastic. I remember Jeff telling the story that his wife had listened to him taking so many support calls at O'dark 30, that she sometimes started asking the client questions and offering the correct solutions before waking him. Yes, I think I know where there's an AMPFET or two on the air.
I had *not* heard that story, but I love it.
 
Hi thelatinist, I'm Jon, Product Manager for Systems and Control at Strand. I joined the company a few months ago. If there's anything I can do to help you make your decision, like put you in touch with your local Strand Rep and organise a demo console, please let me know - I'd be pleased to help in any way that is useful.


Hi danTt, have you used the Neo Compact 10 that the OP mentions, or are you referencing older consoles? If you'd be willing, I'd love to chat through your experiences of Strand... as I mentioned above, I've recently joined the company so would like to learn more about our strengths and weaknesses directly from the end users.


To be clear - Philips is nothing to do with Strand or Vari-Lite any longer. Signify licence the Philips brand name for consumer products (eg Philips Hue), but that is all. I'd be interested to know what causes you to say "it seems like the answer is it's just ruining another company".

Jon
[email protected]
Jon
Hi thelatinist, I'm Jon, Product Manager for Systems and Control at Strand. I joined the company a few months ago. If there's anything I can do to help you make your decision, like put you in touch with your local Strand Rep and organise a demo console, please let me know - I'd be pleased to help in any way that is useful.


Hi danTt, have you used the Neo Compact 10 that the OP mentions, or are you referencing older consoles? If you'd be willing, I'd love to chat through your experiences of Strand... as I mentioned above, I've recently joined the company so would like to learn more about our strengths and weaknesses directly from the end users.


To be clear - Philips is nothing to do with Strand or Vari-Lite any longer. Signify licence the Philips brand name for consumer products (eg Philips Hue), but that is all. I'd be interested to know what causes you to say "it seems like the answer is it's just ruining another company".

Jon
[email protected]
Hi Jon,

I have all the best hopes for you in your new world, and we certainly could use more competition in the market, but I don't think I'm going out on a limb by saying that all of the companies purchased by Phillips (and now rebranded? as signify) have not really produced anything noteworthy, competitive, or innovative in the time since they've been purchased. I welcome you proving me wrong though!
 
Phillips (and now rebranded? as signify)
In 2016, Philips split off it's Lighting Divison (including Strand, Vari-Lite, ColorKintetics, Hue, etc). In 2018, this new company was renamed "Signify" - https://www.signify....is-now-signify.

In 2019, Eaton announced a similar move, splitting off it's Lighting Divison (including Zero 88, iLight, etc). This was purchased by Signify.

I welcome you proving me wrong though!
It's my intent to try :) Obviously that won't happen overnight though, you'll need to give me some time.
 
I'd like to hear about the NEO Compact. I'm self-described LightFactory apologist 😅. Haven't laid hands on a NEO itself, but I have three pretty robust LF installations that I enjoy. Granted, it sometimes is a PITA to get it to do what I want, but what keeps me around for LF is that Martin Searancke is so helpful and invested in improving the platform. Anyway, I saw when they teased the Compact a few years back as a companion wing interface and I've seen on B&H and Production Advantage now. It is compatible with LF correct? I see a lot for NEO PC, which makes sense being Strand. But I'm willing to go against the tide and be a Strand "stan" (in the parlance of our youth, @gafftaper can help me out with the lingo) if this wing works as well as it looks like it does.
 
I'd like to hear about the NEO Compact. I'm self-described LightFactory apologist 😅. Haven't laid hands on a NEO itself, but I have three pretty robust LF installations that I enjoy. Granted, it sometimes is a PITA to get it to do what I want, but what keeps me around for LF is that Martin Searancke is so helpful and invested in improving the platform. Anyway, I saw when they teased the Compact a few years back as a companion wing interface and I've seen on B&H and Production Advantage now. It is compatible with LF correct? I see a lot for NEO PC, which makes sense being Strand. But I'm willing to go against the tide and be a Strand "stan" (in the parlance of our youth, @gafftaper can help me out with the lingo) if this wing works as well as it looks like it does.
Being familiar with LF, it will be very familiar. it has it's own 7" touchscreen interface which will be new for you. However, it's the same software. Also the configuration of the user keys (Shortcuts) and the 10 faders should give you a better hardware related experience.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back