soundlight
Well-Known Member
In an educational situation I would not consider a laptop. You want a hardware console that has sliders for all the other various things the room will be used for. I would also not remotely consider American DJ, Chauvet DJ, Eliminator, or similar lighting controllers. They're all but disposable in an educational setting.
For a console I'd recommend no less than an ETC Smartfade 1248. If you get LEDs or if you want to be able to record a list of cues (the Smartfade advertises the ability to do a cuelist but it really is futile), you want to go with the ColorSource Console. Yes, it costs more than a Scene Setter. But it's not disposable, it will last for many years not some to many months. I've seen DJ level controllers go in mere months in a heavy use setting. They're not designed to handle regular use.
I'm going to say something that might not be what you want to hear but it really needs to be said. When I was in high school I did so so much to hobble along the theater, make the lighting system usable again, make the old stuff work, and buy cheap, DJ-level gear to stretch the budget. When I left, within a few years, they redid the lighting system, replaced the light board, and got a proper, motorized front of house position put in. They removed all of the asbestos tails form the existing lights, cleaned them, and purchased a dozen or two brand new ETC Source Fours. They also replaced the "CrapBox 5000X" dimming system (my name for it) with a brand new 96 channel ETC Sensor rack. It really should be done once & done right.
I'm not saying that you or your school has the budget for what I described above. What I am saying is that maybe putting together a true proposal for a long-lasting solution that is durable and fully installed is the way to go. This will require quotes from local vendors for the installation and labor based on your space.
Idea for the actual equipment list (this is just me spitballing a list, definitely have a pro vendor provide a full gear spec):
(1) ColorSource 40 Console
(1) ColorSource Transmitter
(12) Chauvet Ovation E910FC (front light, beam spread TBD based on throw)
(12) Elation Colour Chorus 12 (these things are killer as toplight, great output, nice colors, and they have a slot for spread lenses)
(2) professionally installed 10' sch. 40 pipe positions out front, one left and one right, each with its own 20A circuit, each to hold 6 of the E910FCs, each with a ColorSource relay to receive data wirelessly and also to power on and off the fixtures.
(3) professionally installed sch. 40 pipe over stage; downstage, midstage, and upstage; each with its own 20A circuit, each to hold (4) Colour Chorus 12, each with a ColorSource relay to receive data wirelessly and also to power on and off the fixtures. These will definitely be where you want to expand with more units later.
Such a system is not cheap but would probably still be usable 5 years down the road pretty much as installed.
For a console I'd recommend no less than an ETC Smartfade 1248. If you get LEDs or if you want to be able to record a list of cues (the Smartfade advertises the ability to do a cuelist but it really is futile), you want to go with the ColorSource Console. Yes, it costs more than a Scene Setter. But it's not disposable, it will last for many years not some to many months. I've seen DJ level controllers go in mere months in a heavy use setting. They're not designed to handle regular use.
I'm going to say something that might not be what you want to hear but it really needs to be said. When I was in high school I did so so much to hobble along the theater, make the lighting system usable again, make the old stuff work, and buy cheap, DJ-level gear to stretch the budget. When I left, within a few years, they redid the lighting system, replaced the light board, and got a proper, motorized front of house position put in. They removed all of the asbestos tails form the existing lights, cleaned them, and purchased a dozen or two brand new ETC Source Fours. They also replaced the "CrapBox 5000X" dimming system (my name for it) with a brand new 96 channel ETC Sensor rack. It really should be done once & done right.
I'm not saying that you or your school has the budget for what I described above. What I am saying is that maybe putting together a true proposal for a long-lasting solution that is durable and fully installed is the way to go. This will require quotes from local vendors for the installation and labor based on your space.
Idea for the actual equipment list (this is just me spitballing a list, definitely have a pro vendor provide a full gear spec):
(1) ColorSource 40 Console
(1) ColorSource Transmitter
(12) Chauvet Ovation E910FC (front light, beam spread TBD based on throw)
(12) Elation Colour Chorus 12 (these things are killer as toplight, great output, nice colors, and they have a slot for spread lenses)
(2) professionally installed 10' sch. 40 pipe positions out front, one left and one right, each with its own 20A circuit, each to hold 6 of the E910FCs, each with a ColorSource relay to receive data wirelessly and also to power on and off the fixtures.
(3) professionally installed sch. 40 pipe over stage; downstage, midstage, and upstage; each with its own 20A circuit, each to hold (4) Colour Chorus 12, each with a ColorSource relay to receive data wirelessly and also to power on and off the fixtures. These will definitely be where you want to expand with more units later.
Such a system is not cheap but would probably still be usable 5 years down the road pretty much as installed.