kgallen

It looks like you've got some Strand SLs there and maybe Selecon Acclaim profiles? They should do you for a bit - you could do much worse (and you'll need a decent budget to replace with comparable LED) if my image zooming-in sleuthing is not too wide of the mark! Give 'em a clean - I bet they'll serve you well for quite few more years. Looks like you've got a half-decent internally wired bar front of house. But I wouldn't be hanging a MAC mover from it though! (Not sure I'd be hanging a MAC mover anywhere these days though!).

You could run your LEDs as fixtures from the Fat Frog quite happily, at least in the short term. The fixture section on the Fat Frog isn't just for movers, it's perfectly usable for "colour only" LED fixtures and you get the colour palettes screen to use. (If the fixture definition is not in the latest library (unlikely) then you can write your own with the Fixture Tools or get Edward at Zero88 to put one together for you). Many venues including my own have mixed dimmer/tungsten and LED rigs, it's quite normal as we go through the transition. It will probably be over the next 10 years that the funds are incrementally available to move our venue over to full LED - and that will be driven by the loss of availability of T18/T25 lamps rather than problems with the equipment. The Zero88 Betapacks and Strand Quartets we have work just as well today as they did when installed in 1995 - just a little annual maintenance and cleaning required. In fact the LED fixtures we do have are arguably scrap already due to LED element failure - and they are less than 10 years old. Your space looks quite nice - and inspirational! I don't think you need to rush it too quickly into the 21st Century... ("More art, less tools")

Back here again... I'm looking for an omni headset mic (for Sennheiser, so 3.5mm jack) for an actor of colour. All I can find today are beige. I can't find any in brown on eBay/CPC/Thomann. Ideally £50 or less per piece. I only need a couple for now, but having note of a reliable supplier of such would be good. @cedd You mention a similar need above, have you found a new supplier? Thanks all...

There are a lot of X32 variants in service. Does anyone have more specific details of the PSU components that are known particularly weak in the design such that the "technically competent" amongst us can address our own X32s? I have X32 schematics but I don't believe this includes the PSU[*] which is a canned Meanwell-type caged SMPSU. Indeed is there an off-the-shelf Meanwell that is a drop-in replacement? If not, are there schematics or user-written docs about for the PSU, or at least refdes's for the caps/MOVs that we need to keep an eye on or could replace for a branded part - assuming those used at manufacture are "Wan-Hung-Lo" brand. Thanks in advance! [*] Edit, I was wrong, p69-70 of the schematics are the PSU.

We are struggling for a couple of the parts required now - switches and button caps are now hard to come by which can mean the front panel has to be hacked. Have a good look through that project thread - you probably want to be around page 13 or so, after the development phase, when lots of us are listing components and finding sources. My own build starts around page 17 (I built 4 beltpacks plus power supplies). I would expect your existing packs to be salvagable - 20 years is nothing in this game (I've got equipment far older still in tip-top working condition).

Loads of folk are going to come in on this one and help you out 🙂 I'll kick things off... Call lamps - replace with LEDs (many of us have). This has come up a few times on BR. This is one thread but maybe not the best: Connectors - I suspect these are replacable with Neutrik connectors with a bit of soldering (I'm assuming they are the usual XLR3 and XLR4 and most likely "horizontal PCB" mount). Cases. If they really are bad then that's a tricky one. Maybe you can find some replacement bumper surrounds for the ends. I can't find a link just now, but worth searching BR for the BlueCom project. Compatability - I think these Metro Audio packs will be compatible with the de-facto standard - Tecpro, Canford, ClearCom plus the BR's BlueCom which many of us have built...

Update Jan 2024: this is now the link: https://www.ranecommercial.com/legacy/library.html

Concur! These are the "older" LEDJ I have had for years. I use the 7Q5 a lot and they have indeed been reliable.

Depends what beam angle you want. I've had Showtec Power Spot 9Q5 for a fair few years and they have been good (for what they are) and are still widely available so presumably they've been a good seller and reliable in the general wilderness. I've got older LEDJ stuff which is also reliable but not had such a good experience with "newer" LEDJ stuff. As Tom says, Thomann is going to be your best friend with the 3 year warranty... https://www.thomann.de/gb/showtec_power_spot_9_q5.htm https://www.stage-electrics.co.uk/View/21935/showtec-42575-power-spot-9-q5-rgbwa-led-DMX-25deg

(I pinged support@zero88.com with this thread just in case @Edward- Z88 has any additional ideas for how to do some debug of this from the FLX side). Too late, he's just replied above!

Replied to your post on Reddit, but BR is my "usual space" so I'll copy my response here too now I've seen your post: I’m in the UK and use Sennheiser EW300G2 in 830-832 (with a license), get 4 channels and have good results in a local hall with audiences up to about 120. I’m using the standard antenna (not paddles) but the receivers are quite close to the stage (as well as the audience!). Actors have beltpacks. BUT I’m in a small town not a large city.

@Mylo you still haven’t told us which county or town you’re in, or enhanced your profile to say. We’re not asking for your house address and bank details. Folk here are falling over themselves to help, but you’re not helping us…

Search on eBay for Zero88 Alcora Zero88 Elara Zero88 Level Alcora and Elara are by default DMX but might have analogue kits fitted. eg https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/115981325722?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=lbTDg-56Tku&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=nsjPidUXSvu&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/276205469246?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=gVPRGinXT_y&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=nsjPidUXSvu&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/176040931340?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=F-xaUEw8TCG&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=nsjPidUXSvu&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/305220923859?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=mG1PSYMZRK2&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=nsjPidUXSvu&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Not that I know of - I don't think they've ever listed it on "simple" paperwork, but when you get the full 10 pages (or whatever it is), there are a whole load of bands there with the details and 823-832 is on there. ...at least it had better be because that band is the reason I buy my Shared license, so I'm keen to hear if it's really gone walkies...! It's on here and it looks to me that the page is still current: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/manage-your-licence/radiocommunication-licences/pmse/pmse-technical-info/mics-monitors/shared

The LEDs (or other device with more than one "colour") imply you need a console that treats one LED luminaire as one controllable object - just one with a number of colour (or other) attributes. Your typical £200 "console" still thinks in the "one fader controls one DMX channel controls one dimmer controls a light" mentality. So even the most basic LED fixture gobbles up your faders. Further, the console has no ability to understand your one LED luminaire as one light with elaborate controls and no ability to understand red, green, blue channels collectively as a colour control and thus no sensible way for the lighting designer to request a yellow, or a cyan or an orange or an... This is what (colour) palettes give you. If you add in movers (1) if you've got the money for movers you (2) need the money to have the control surface to work them. Movers require palettes too - for position. It is essentially impossible to plot a show in a meaningful time with movers without position palettes. Then really you need move on dark. Sure, in the past we've used marking cues to do this manually. But then you need time and an experienced programmer to anticipate what is required. This is why consoles like the FLX range and the higher devices from ETC et al exist. It's just not practical to operate these complex lights with the dimmer-oriented fader-based controls of yesteryear.

As of today there is no way I would want to use moving lights (or even LED washes) on anything less than an FLX type console. Considering the budget it seems to me "higher" consoles (ETC, Chamsys etc) are well out of range. There is no way I would want to do moving lights on a desk that didn't have that baked into the design as a first thought rather than an afterthought. Yes you can have half a decent bash with movers on a Fat Frog (which supports such devices) but it can be hard work. Behringer and Showmaster type desks - you've got to be kidding me, we're not on the same page here (we're not even in the same book) if that class of design is under consideration. FLX has move on dark, palettes galore, LED support, full-feature modern fixture libraries and proper tracking built into the design from day 1 - not the relatively horrendous Partial mode on the Frogs that you needed to use for anything beyond a two-preset type generics rig. Movers on a Sirius or Strand GSX era desk - you've got to be kidding! Seems we need a reset on this thread for the OP to spell out clearly what is in the rig - how many and what type of fixtures, who the users are, what type of shows need to be supported, and what capabilities within those shows. And the real budget. If there is a couple of hundred quid available we might have to just stop here.

Jester is long gone as a current product. FLX range, probably the entry level FLX S24 against the Jester, although there is no comparison really, the FLX S24 is a way more capable console. https://www.vari-lite.com/global/products/flx-s24 I’m sure @Edward- Z88 or @jonhole at Zero88/Vari-lite in Cwmbran will be happy to help. https://www.zero88.com/forum/forum/147-flx-s24-flx-s48/ Disclosure: I’m an FLX owner/user.

@TomHoward You can do at least 7 with EW G2 using Ch70 and Ch66 830-832MHz shared: If you don't mind foresaking the 3TxIM(3) then you can get 8 (which I use quite happily for AmDram). You'll need to programme up the user ('U') bank for the ones that aren't preprogrammed in Bank 8. 830.000, 830.400, 830.900, 831.300, 863.100 (B8/1), 863.500 (B8/2), 864.100, 864.900 (B8/4)

Thanks, do you have a CPC order code? https://cpc.farnell.com/w/c/audio-visual/professional-sound-lighting/microphones/performance-headset-microphones/prl/results?connector-type=3.5mm-locking-jack-plug&sort=P_PRICE

Can you share a link? I've been looking for some smaller sizes for some time...

For better or worse I buy something like this (various sellers): https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/302993558497 For a UK supplier of similar product I use these guys who are helpful/responsive: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271817195023?var=570644972552 For cardioid I've bought these: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204309188211?var=504860860293 They are good enough for amdram and if they last a dozen performances then I'm happy enough (although I don't like the EE waste really, but am I going to spend £100 or more per headset of my own money, unfortunately not). I use these with Senny EW G2 300/500 series.

I don't know how to quantify that for you as I only have qualitative data from my experience: when they start, noisy (as are all movers as the fans come on at max) when they idle, silent when you use them, depends how bright and how long a lot quieter than the Showtec Sharks which I also have and are pretty noisy for a very small unit There is a fan in the base and a fan in the head. Overall the Varytec's are much more usable on my small stage. The Sharks are obvious in my stage mics, I didn't suffer so badly with the Varytec's. This looks like a small unit. https://www.thomann.de/gb/varytec_hero_wash_340fx_rgbw_zoom.htm The headlines don't mention any "intelligent" fan control so my default assumption would be "noisy like the Showtec Sharks".

Big ask on those requirements. I’ve got some of these, pretty decent for the price. https://www.thomann.de/gb/varytec_hero_wash_300_fc.htm?i11l=en_GB.GBP

Yea looks Lighting Partners to me. Aren’t they usedlighting.co.uk - I’ve got those stickers on some 2nd hand Quartets I got from them years ago. But could just be a 2nd hand piece of kit they put a label on and sold on rather than being the OEM.

Dimmers look like these (can't find a better site yet): http://vikinglighting.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=538 I certainly hope that 4th box isn't a distro for the dimmers - 15A input per dimmer wouldn't be that useful (<3.5kW total load per dimmer). Maybe it's more of a small hot-power distro? Trace the cables. Often such dimmers (cf Zero88 Betapack range) can be wired single-phase or three-phase with maximum load 2kW/10A per channel (two 15A sockets per channel). Single-phase, the full load would be 63A supply. Three-phase would be 20A per phase. Internal wiring is usually two channels per phase (1+2, 3+4, 5+6 probably), with the three phases bus-barred across for single phase supply. This manual is for a Zero88 Betapack1, but I suspect your Pulsar's will look mighty similar around the back: https://www.vari-lite.com/b-dam/vari-lite/discontinued-products/betapack-1/betapack-1-manual.pdf ...although some dimmers of that vintage, like the Strand Act6 packs, had to be purchased either single or three phase. So those Pulsar's might be fixed single phase.