Wireless DMX Lights Controller

Izzy31

New Member
Hi, I’m in need of a dmx light controller that is simple to use and setup in a pinch. It should be wireless capable and sound reactive-if needed.
Here are some of the lights I need to control (they are primarily Rockville dmx lights)

Our DMX wireless lights are all Rockwell. 18 are 6-light strips, ten of them are moving head gobos. Strips have wireless built in, we are using adapter with dsisy chain on gobos.

Want to be able to control color on all, and program directional lighting with the gobos.

I would appreciate any help in a controller recommendations. Again, it should be simple enough controller that I could give it to someone to learn quickly. Thanks again for your help.
 
By "wireless capable" do you mean wireless DMX, as in the wireless control of lights, or the ability to use a wireless control surface (ie: a tablet-based focus remote)?
In terms of learning how to use the console, how quick is "quickly"? Do you expect someone to know the ins and outs of this console in a few weeks? A few days? A few hours?

Most sound-reactive controllers aren't going to make a good show with fixtures that are that complex, they are usually designed with single-channel fixtures in mind, basically just glorified color organs. However, if you give up your sound-reactive requirements there are some consoles that may fit your needs. Something like a chamsys quickq, or ETC colorsource console would fit the bill pretty well. I must admit I don't really like either console, for most who have programming experience they are so over-simplified that doing certain tasks takes longer. For inexperienced users they can be very good consoles, most people I have handed them to could learn basic functions within a day or two. I know the chamsys models have companion apps for tablets and phones (although I wouldn't trust any wireless device like that to run a show over a 2.4ghz network). Both of these consoles are relatively cheap and have offline editors so you can play with the software on a computer and see which works best for you.

There are also several software options that will run a show from a computer, but they are all a bit more complex. Lightkey (mac only) is the only "simple" one I have had experience with, and I would recommend steering clear. I've heard some horror stories and been a part of some myself. I wouldn't trust people with zero experience to figure any software out all that quickly, although with a little training it's doable. My main concern is with troubleshooting. If something goes wrong can you trust someone who just learned the software/hardware to figure things out in a timely manner without any major interruptions? Unfortunately, there really isn't a "set it and forget it" option.

Apologies if this comes out a bit too negative, but my intention is to let you know what you are getting into. Many people assume that "it can't be that hard" and end up disappointed with low-end consoles/controllers, or with a lack of experience in general.
 
Thanks for your reply. It was very informative. I am considering excluding the wireless transmitter/receiver option because of stability issues. I’m also considering using a PC or iPad with a lights controller software and connecting it to a type of usb to dmx converter. I’m hoping that using a stage lighting software will allow a newbie to learn how to setup lighting scenes, groups, etc. Any suggestions in this area? Thanks again for your help.
 
What's your use case? Theatre, music shows, spoken word etc? There's the matter of budget. Realistically, what's your budget? Are you looking for a console, or would a PC/laptop with a wing attached suffice?
I’m looking for an easy way for a person to learn how to setup a basic light scheme (color schemes, panning, positioning, etc). We have 25 dmx lights — combination of par lights and gobos that we need to control. They are 3 pin Rockville dmx lights. We had a Rockville Rockforce wireless 384 that we no longer have, but when we had it, it was too difficult to program. Our budget is $1000, excluding the pc since we have multiple laptops, iPad and chrome books. If a software and dmx device is the best solution for a beginner or a console please let me know your recommendation. We use Windows 10 systems. We would use the lights as part of the events we host which is usually between 100 to 1000 people. It’s mostly conferences with speakers and sometimes entertainment. Thanks for your help.
 
OK, couple more questions - are you looking to have a team of dedicated operators, or do you want to be able to say to someone (anyone) "just push up faders 1, 3, 5 ..." in other words, what level of training and experience do you expect an operator to have? What previous experience do you and your team have - you mention the Rockville product (with which I'm not familiar) but any other consoles or software? It might be worth trying to build on previous experience.

Edit: Just looked for the Rockville and it's one of those desks that is sold worldwide under myriad names, and yes, they're not easy to work with.

If you have movers in your rig, you'll really appreciate having proper encoders, or at least virtual, on screen encoders to position them. That means something more like proper console software.

The good news is you can get proper console software to work on a PC, along with adapter for well under your $1000 budget, but adding a control surface will push up the costs. Some software can use inexpensive midi controllers, but others need dedicated and somewhat more expensive hardware. May be worth looking at Chamsys, Avolites Titan and a few others which will no doubt be suggested.
 
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Our Cue Player Lighting software may be fit for you. It is a Windows based product and can use a midi slider for easy control of scenes, as suggested in a previous post. It is designed more for theatrical use than busking and does not have encoders for moving lights. There are several YouTube videos explaining the features and it is the software they use at Blackfriars Theatre to run all their shows.
 

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