Touring Rig Question

[jjarvis232]

I'm programming a show to go on tour later this summer on an ETC Ion, and I've got a question:

I have the Ion OLE on my Macbook Pro. Ideally, after programming the show, I was wondering if it's possible to do playback directly from my computer, by running my laptop through an ETC Net2 DMX Node, and basically turning my laptop into a controller. I've seen something similar done with the Strand Palette OS. Can I do that with Ion?

Thanks

 

[len]

I don't know the Ion, but I suppose it's possible. It's possible with other desks. The question is, will it work consistently. If the signal gets lost, then what?

Edit: Sorry, I missed OLE. If you had a real desk of some sort, it's possible, depending on the desk, but still not recommended.

 

[sk8rsdad]

The short answer is no. ETC makes money selling consoles not giving them away for free. The offline editor will stream a variety of protocols but bounces the rig to full every 10 seconds to discourage your proposed use.

 

[JSFox]

ETC makes money selling consoles not giving them away for free.

Which raises the question of the future of hard consoles. I don't think they'll completely go away anytime soon, but ...

 

[techieman33]

Which raises the question of the future of hard consoles. I don't think they'll completely go away anytime soon, but ...

I don't think that physical consoles will be going away anytime soon just for the sake of buttons and faders on a console.

 

[cpf]

...and the greater reliability of an all-in-one pre-packaged unit with a locked down computer inside, compared to someone's old Dell Latitude with a few peripherals plugged in the side, running whoknowswhat in the background.

 

[sk8rsdad]

At the risk of putting words in ETC's mouth (does a corporation have a mouth???), the recommended solution for your situation would be a rack-mounted RPU (or several for backup/failover) driving the rig, with a PC Client controlling the RPU.

 

[Erik456]

You can't eliminate the console, but you can use your laptop as a 'client'. ETC has a little purple dongle that allows you to use your laptop as a control surface (works wired and wireless, although wired is prefered). I use it frequently if I am tech'ing a moving light backstage and the RFU just won't do.

 

[SteveB]

You can't eliminate the console, but you can use your laptop as a 'client'. ETC has a little purple dongle that allows you to use your laptop as a control surface (works wired and wireless, although wired is prefered). I use it frequently if I am tech'ing a moving light backstage and the RFU just won't do.

Kirk at ETC wrote this excellent post on the ETC forum (6/15/12) about the issues related to using the OLE in client mode on a wireless router, part of which I'm quoting here. It probably belongs in the WiKi:

"Technically, wireless client connections can work. The caveat that is always attached is that because you are constantly sharing the entire show file, if the client drops the packet that has part of the showfile, the entire system will attempt to resync which, given Murphy's Law, is usually at the most inopportune time. For that reason, we do not recommend wireless client for show critical applications.

iRFR in contrast is more of an "on-demand" connection that doesn't need to share the entirety of the show file data, is less time critical, and uses a different underlying method of connection to the console that isn't practical for use of the entire show file. It only needs to send and receive small bits of data related to the current command."

 

[ejsandstrom]

...and the greater reliability of an all-in-one pre-packaged unit with a locked down computer inside, compared to someone's old Dell Latitude with a few peripherals plugged in the side, running whoknowswhat in the background.

Like a Jands I3, T2, T4, L5?

 

[TimMiller]

Most of the larger consoles now days are just a computer running windows or Linux embedded. Jands, Highend, strand, and I'm sure ETC consoles all have embedded operating systems. Same for a number of audio consoles on the market.

 

[traxman25]

Most of the larger consoles now days are just a computer running windows or Linux embedded. Jands, Highend, strand, and I'm sure ETC consoles all have embedded operating systems. Same for a number of audio consoles on the market.

ETC EOS series consoles are Windows based.

 

[StNic54]

Ever try to smoothly run a live fader with a PC-based program using a mouse? Ever have a PC freeze or download an automatic update during a live show? Consoles aren't going away anytime soon, but you will definitely see success with programs like MA, Vista, Chamsys that are offering both PC and console options. Try out all the programs you can download, and see which one makes the most sense to you, then check the prices.

 

[cbrandt]

The nice part is that it is becoming increasingly common for easy midi control of consoles. This breaks open the pc based lighting control market to the huge range of relatively inexpensive audio midi equipment to be used as sliders. Couple of years ago I rented a 15k dollar rig to a guy running the entire tour with a pc and one of the smallest chamsys fader wings I've ever seen.

My point is that while *I* would never choose to run a show off of a pc based system, they are becoming more robust (if prepared properly) and easier to expand into physical interfaces. I can see a lot of benefit in cheaper controls being available to more people.