What would you charge for a 1994 ETC Impression console?

[jglodeklights]

I've had a solid state console s**t the bed in the middle of a show, and I've had an ION lose it's MOBO in the middle of a show. In reality, a laptop with a clean install of the OS is no different than an ION, MagicQ, or Strand Palette except you lack the console control surface. What is more important in with shelled OS console systems and software solutions is the stability of the software. We managed to find a bug in a certain console software this weekend that caused the system to crash while maintaining DMX output signal resulting in a full black out. This even applies to non shelled systems like the Express(ion) and Strand GSX. I managed to make a GSX crash by working very quickly in Blind to execute ranges of level changes.

Moral of the story? Old stuff ain't worth much because it wasn't designed to handle what we use currently. Also, with parts becoming increasingly harder to find and thus more expensive, a simple repair may end up costing more than what you paid for the console.

 

[Les]

So Les, which do you trust more:

Chamsys MagicQ software, an Enttec Dongle, on an old Dual Core 1000 mhz laptop with a well maintained clean install of Windows XP (it's not connected to the internet and no other software is on this laptop, just MagicQ).

You raise a valid point - it IS a tough call! I think I have become jaded by cheap laptops and blue screens of death-s. That, and most laptops I've seen have been abused as well.

I've been helping on a show lately that is running QLab for projections, which keeps freezing up, so that also has a bad taste in my mouth. Of course, it's a MacBook Air with who knows what else on it. Funny, because he could have probably gotten away with using PowerPoint.

 

[Kelite]

Moral of the story? Old stuff ain't worth much because it wasn't designed to handle what we use currently.

Very true, yet there are so many theatres that maintain an inventory of old, outdated 360's and other relics. Why? Tight budgets and these old fixtures still produce a usable beam of light.

 

[Judge]

I have used MagicQ plenty of times on my old Macbook, as well as a newer Dell Latitude XT tablet/laptop and only once had a hiccup. In the last year I have been touring an Avolites Mobile and the Dell again and must have run 50 shows on it. One time I had to restart the PC during programming, but never had a prob during the show. At Edinburgh Fringe in 2011 our GrandMA2 fell over at the end of a programming session, so it can happen to any device really. All lighting desks contain computer motherboards anyway, and they all either run Windows or Linux, so its not like they are much different - just neater and more integrated.
The key thing is, dont use any old PC for this. Neither MagicQ or Titan are very demanding on hardware requirements, but they do need to be clean. My Dell is only used for running this stuff and nothing else.

And back on topic, your old board is worth approx nothing I'm afraid, but if you can give it to another department that will actually use it then it would be one less electrical item in a land fill and that would be A Good Thing. For running simple cue stacks on dimmers there is nothing wrong with it. You know that original cost price? Forget all about that. You know what VCR's used to cost?
No further questions yer honour.

 

[techieman33]

Very true, yet there are so many theatres that maintain an inventory of old, outdated 360's and other relics. Why? Tight budgets and these old fixtures still produce a usable beam of light.

Lights and consoles are 2 separate things. I take that back, traditional quartz lights and consoles are 2 separate things. An old 360q is still perfectly serviceable, it may not be perfect but it will get the job done. Without a modernish console it can be nearly impossible to update your inventory with LED or moving light fixtures. An old light is easy and cheap to fix. An old console with all of it's electronics is incredibly expensive to fix, if you can even find the parts.

 

[scotteckers]

I paid $200 for an Impression two years ago. It served its purpose as a great programmable board for conventional lights and two movers in a medium-sized regional theater. I haven't used it since and it was cheaper than renting them a board. I have it as a backup now and may lend it to a junior high school for their spring show.

 

[BobHealey]

When the Expesses at the community venues I work at bite the dust, I've got no clue what I'll replace them with. A Smartfade 24/96 or a Leprecron 1548 are the if I had to buy something tomorrow choices for new. The one non-negotiable requirement is a fader for every channel. A highly desired feature is 2 scene mode. I'm the only one at those two venues who can program a show via keypad. Everyone else is done when they hit the final fader (#24 or #96 for 24/48 or 48/96). An Element might work, but it might be different enough that no one but me will touch it. An Ion or a PC+dongle just makes it so no one but me ever lights a show.

 

[theatricalmatt]

The SmartFade doesn't really give you channel-per-fader; it's four pages of twenty-four channels each. This can be really tricky for new users: if you bring one channel up, then switch pages, the "new" channel with the physical fader up won't actually have it's value until you move the fader.

The Leprecon would give you forty-eight channels (and a fader for each). Both boards have the ability to patch addresses to different channels, and to make cue lists and basic chase effects.

The Element gives you a lot more programming capabilities, although it's markedly more expensive. The learning curve from the Express(ion) isn't that steep.

 

[lwinters630]

Seriously? We bought it for $12,000 originally. And it still works just as well as the day we bought it. Granted, it may not be worth a lot, but I thought at least a couple grand.

Seriously . . . . If they will give you $500 (or 200 or 100), take it. It has limit capabilities. Enjoy your Ion.