maXim in Schools

[mac.calder]

I have been contracted by a school to upgrade their lighting system.

 

I was looking at the maXim S or M.

I was thinking about using that as there is the PaTPad optio for movers control, although there is currently little need.

 

It has both cue stacks and scene masters, which is a plus, it seems to work much like the atom (which I am familiar with, so I would need minimal playing to become familiar with the idiosyncracies of the console before teaching it, and it has disk backup.

 

Does anyone have experiance with them (plus or minus), or suggestions of a similar priced desk

 

Idealy I would like one where I could access channels with a keypad as well, but they all seem to be quite a bit more expensive.

[Sim]

We use a maXim at my school for our base lighting, great for conventionals. easy to use, easy to program. Wish we had of got the PaTPad with ours though cause we are starting to use some movers for corperate events within the school.

[jcgoldcoast]

I agree (we are form the same school, ** laughs out loud **). The only thing I would add is to make SURE you do add the VGA monitor and Disk Drive option, because my school is stingy, and wouldnt spend the extra $$ for this, therefore we cannot backup shows or monitor anything, it really sucks! and the patpad would be nice as well, but we didnt need it at the time, so again the school didnt get it...now we do need it, not fun working with movers without a patpad!!!

 

Just my 2 cents

[mac.calder]

Oh, there is no doubt that I would add the monitor and drive option. The movers patPad is something I am tossing up on.

[jcgoldcoast]

Well, if there is a 0.0000001% chance that you would be using movers any time, I would get the patpad. It ends up paying for itsself after having to hire a desk that can handle movers for 3 or 4 gigs

[trissy]

Yeah, im going to be purchasing the maXim M(MP not sure yet) for school next budget (if the darn thing gets approved...bloody financial people).

 

Definatly be getting the VGA/disk option....

 

I almost had an accident over the XTC though...although it could be a little impracticle for the more conventional shows.

[jcgoldcoast]

I almost had an accident over the XTC though...although it could be a little impracticle for the more conventional shows.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

YAY, I got a laugh out of that one, havent heard that terminology in a while, but I must agree with you, it is so sexy the way you can almost see its guts, now, stop daydreaming, and I prolly shouldnt quit my day job!

[paulears]

It's a real shame we are now looking at controls in terms of sexyness and excitement rather than what they do (or how well).

 

A device that spends most of its life in the dark, or in a case, being tended by a single person? Rather pointless, and I wonder how you'd explain the choice to somebody who signs the cheques. Far too many of the things I saw at plasa were big boys toys, with too much plastic and colour.

 

I realise I'm a lone voice, but anybody considering a desk on looks needs therapy.

[trissy]

but anybody considering a desk on looks needs therapy.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I didnt say I was considering buying it :unsure:

 

a bit too over the top for me

[HDnL]

BOT,

 

Worked with a maxim console (LP) from a local rental company quite some times now and I still love to take him with me on a gig,

 

I never had any troubles with them in terms of reliability like loss of stacks or shows.

for conventional they are easy to use and still have some nice features, like a different fade in/out.

 

for movers I think in it's price class it is a wonderful desk, when there is little time you can oh so easily programm a little show with just basic program's.

but if you want to take it to a next level you can do this with filtered progging, overrides, delay and movement times etc etc

 

besides this the shape generator is rather nice and although I think it's not were it supposed to be (below the menu) I still like the simplicity of it.

and again the possibility's of expanding the level of complication.

 

furtheron the support turned out to be okay, needed a template of some east european fixture within a couple of days I had one.

 

I'd say, wonderful desk!

[iaindennis]

Maxims without the PaTPad can have one retro-fitted at any time.

 

Anyone wanting one, "PM me" for a price..... or a price for a complete Ex-Demo console.

 

Cheers

 

Iain

[jcgoldcoast]

Maxims without the PaTPad can have one retro-fitted at any time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not true, only the maXim MP-XXL can have a PaTPad retro-fitted, the S and M models cannot have the PaTPad retro-fitted

[mac.calder]

Maxims without the PaTPad can have one retro-fitted at any time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not true, only the maXim MP-XXL can have a PaTPad retro-fitted, the S and M models cannot have the PaTPad retro-fitted

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Actually, only the L-XXL can be retrofitted - the MP has the patpad as standard and is more expensive than the L, hence, I am tempted to go for the L which has the added bonus of the 'blue' faders, SVGA and disk drive as standard and the second universe, both of which are isolated standard. Of course the main problem is that it still eats into the budget quite a bit.

 

I had a play with a maxim today (a MP) and was quite impressed. Having never used the desk before it was really simple - although editing stacks could be a pain in the rear end - although I assume it would be easier with a monitor to see what I was doing.

[BlueShift]

How easy is it to busk on a maXim?

 

For a new rig im building I have been eyeing up a jands 408 for control purposes, but I did like what I saw with the maxim.

 

Also, how easy is the PaTPad to use?

 

Cheers

[mac.calder]

How easy is it to busk on a maXim?

 

For a new rig im building I have been eyeing up a jands 408 for control purposes, but I did like what I saw with the maxim.

 

Also, how easy is the PaTPad to use?

 

Cheers

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Busking is fairly simple from what I could see - just create a bunch of scenes and chases and place them on the scene masters (red and blue faders), then busk as you normally would. IIRC you just need to turn the wheel to increase the tempo of a chase, you do not need to edit it unless you want it permanantly faster, although I could be wrong.

 

The PatPad seems to be fairly easy to use - there is a demo video on it at http://lsclighting.co.uk/Maxim.html (right down the bottom)