sleah

I'd assume that dimmers that are hard wired to the mains (regardless of output patch or hard wired to bars) would be treated the same as any other hard wired device, be it air-con, boiler controls or other building management system as far as testing is concerned? I suppose the IWB's are slightly unique in that they can be essentially a glorified extension lead if terminated in a patch bay and not hard wired direct to a dimmer and so tested as you would a dom3st1c extension (give or take a couple of adaptors...)? If IWBs are hard wired to the dimmer, do they then fall under building electrical testing, so similar to a lighting circuit that has wall plate dimmers rather than a simple switch? How do they test lighting circuits with out destroying dom3st1c dimmers?

4500 lumens. Really. For a penny under 80 quid. Yeah right. Methinks boy racer measurements have crept in to light. more like 45 lumens in proper money! I notice it changes to 4500 lux in the listing, then doesn't mention any units in the comparisons <_<

It looks like the camera you have is analogue only. The convertor is digital to digital, suffice to say it won't work.... You need a composite video to HDMI convertor, which converts the analogue signal to a digital one. https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=cvbs+to+hdmi&ref=nb_sb_noss_1 Other options may be possible, however I don't know much about the other standards you mention the camera can output.

Yup! Or do them in pairs.

It could easily be an issue. You have a maximum of 13A from a standard UK socket, and you can only connect a dimmer to one plug, so a maximum of 3.1KW per dimmer, not per channel. That's a maximum of 3x1000W or 4x650W theatre halogens per 13A socket. You'll soon be running round looking for 13A outlets! Then there will be a maximum the circuit can supply. 3x13A sockets fully loaded takes you to the maximum many circuits can supply. To avoid any potential problems of not enough power, stick with LED.

My 2p worth - If using digital cemeras - i.e. over HDMI (or the like) as opposed to analogue composite video there can be a slight lag. Enough to throw music off but shouldn't be an issue for lighting unless you truely need split-second timing. You'll find there's a good chance saturated colours may not appear the same on camera as to the naked eye. For example, I've done a couple of events using LED PARs pointing at perimiter walls for both eye candy and ambient lighting. To the naked eye you see nice large pools of colour on the wall and the room has the overall cast of the colour. However on camera I see large pools of white with the rest of the walls in the colour. It's just the nature of how cameras see colour. Not all will be the same. I mention it because you could say decide to light a solo in a nice saturated red spot, and it could look quite different on your monitor. Not insurmountable, you just get used to how things look, but something just to bear in mind and probably not an issue for what you are thinking of.

I'd agree with most of what's been said. We've just built a brand new school and I've had chilli bypass dimmers put in the two larger main performance spaces. There's two other spaces that will have some performances (but not serious theatre) where I've just had hard power. We have quite a few decent LED fixtures, but the majority of our inventory is conventionals that will be used for serious drama and theatre. Over time we'll be changing them for LED, but as mentioned above it's a large investment. If you are building an inventory from scratch and have the budget to go all LED and you won't have external users bringing kit in then maybe go hard power only, otherwise get Chilli bypass or similar. Either that or a shed load of small dimmers that can be hung alongside conventionals...

Personally, I think 4m is borderline between a decent set of Zarges (A-frame ladders) and MEWP, but it depends on your circumstances and how you and other uses feel about ladders. We've recently moved in to a new build school where the ceiling heights in the performance spaces are around 6.2m, which is too high for my liking to use ladders. In the previous buildings we had Zarges in one space and scaffold in another. I convinced the powers that be to buy a MEWP for the new build (rather than existing scaffold (which is perfectly good!), I gave all the pros and cons plus I did a risk assemesment for using ladders, using scaffold and using MEWP. The MEWP won pretty much hands down, with very few cons. It may be worth you doing similar.

Simple answer - YES.More complex answer - yes, but not quite sure how it would be managed.... Agreed!! Everything said above regarding safety and how lasers can be safely used was being said to us in the early 1990's when I setup and operated (I wasn't the owner) argon lasers in entertainment settings - basically disco's and nightclubs - when they were all the rage at raves. We used a 150mW and 1W argon (ex medical) laser. Seriously dangerous in the right hands, never mind the wrong.. House parties? I hate being a party pooper, but just don't do it. But do do lot's of research in to laser types and how they can be safely used as display lasers, they are a fantastic effect when done properly.

I agree with what dje is saying. Don't underestimate what young people can handle. We have an Element 40 in a school which is ideal for a start in to professional lighting. We also have a Colorsource 20, again a nice introduction. Personally, I think Ch1@100 is far more intuative than getting your head round glorified disco controllers. I struggle with grasping our Element, mainly because I cut my teeth on analogue disco gear (proper stuff like Pulsar and Martin in the 80's & 90's not the cheap tat you get today for 30pence) then moved to analogue twin preset desks for theatre. If I was starting out and could forget all my previous experience, I'd be starting on the likes of Element and would pick it up quite easily and quickly. Sound is a bit different, you can start on a simple analogue desk and move up to digital. One of main differences is all the outboard is inboard.... same principles though. That said, why not start on a digital desk, you can mix a few sources without delving in to all the clever stuff.

Another approach is a bog standard PVR from Currys or the like (to do the timer recording) and either a cheap stand-alone HDMI capture device (often call game recorders) or an HDMI capture card. It's then a case of old-school hitting play on the DVR and record on the capture device. Copy protection may get in the way.... look up HDMI splitters ;)

Are you saying the whole thing is live or just part? You initially mention people submitting recordings for later viewing, then describe doing it live? If it's all done live then it sounds like Microsoft Teams Live Events will do what you require. I have used it a few times at work recently. You have a producer, which is in effect the host, with a camera input. Then you invite people as presenters, the producer has control of which presenters go 'live' to viewers. However, regardless of who is being shown any unmuted audio is live. Also the presenters can see each other a bit like a 'normal' Teams meeting. When you create the event, it creates a link which can be sent to viewers (who are not taking part) which will only show them what the producer decides - with the caveat of being able to hear any unmuted audio. If it sounds a bit confusing and a bit clunky, it's because it is! Teams Live Events still has a way to go.... Oh, and it's a separate license to the rest of Office 365 and I don't know if you can buy it as stand-alone product. If that's not what you are after, paid for Zoom may do it?? OBS would work very well if it's just one live camera and a bunch of recordings, it can stream to pretty much any platform.

I have a need for a couple of GLI's. One is for a PC output to mixer. I already have some of those common stereo types which works a treat. The other is to go between a mixer output and a Symetrix processor. I've used one of said stereo types to find out if that was the issue and it has worked. However it is unbalancing the (I would assume) balanced XLR out from the mixer then feeding in to the (again I assume) balanced line input on the Symetrix as an unbalanced signal. I suppose if it works....then stick with it, but part of me says I should endeavor to keep the signal path balanced. Cutting to the chase... short of going with pro-kit for proper money, is it possible to be cheapskate and use a pair of the aforementioned stereo GLI's but instead use 1 per channel. So instead of Left & Right I connect them to an XLR or TRS as Line and Return, with the two screens connected together on pin 1? I don't see why it shouldn't work. Maybe I should just try it and see! :) Hope that makes sense. I think it does to me :blink:

I work at a school that has just moved to a new build and the move management company are disposing of the unwanted assets. Some of these are lighting/sound related and are being auctioned. No reserve and likely to go for peanuts! In case anyone is interested here are a couple of the items. Please note they are in-situ and would likely need the buyer to remove. Based in Macclesfield Cheshire. 4 x BetaPack 2 DMX cards fitted. I can vouch for the BetaPacks in full working order when last used in March this year. Lighting grid 15A sockets. Oddly wired in pairs. Was in use until March this year. There should be more similar cropping up in the next few weeks. There's some random audio kit on there too. D0m3stic CD players etc & a couple of guitar amps. Here's a link to the page listing the auctions. Auction Lists I have no personal gain or direct interest in the auctions. A little sentimental though, I've used the lighting systems since installation over 25 years ago :( I just want to give members the opportunity to see what's there in case anything is of interest.

Awesome. Thanks Bryson :D

Following on.... I was thinking similar reading the thread. Having just moved in to a brand new purpose built school, I had the potential performance spaces flood wired with CAT6 (that's what the IT infrastructure is using). I'm hoping STP CAT5 isn't specifically required for digital stageboxes... and the above is just a specific issue? :unsure:

Question for admins I guess..... I'd like to let the good folk of the Blue Room know about an online auction - specifically a couple of items - that may be of interest. In my work we have just moved school sites to a new purpose built site and as part of that we have installed new lighting/sound systems. I didn't take any of the lighting grids nor many of the old beta-pack dimmers. I'm not in a position to eBay the dimmers, let alone deal with trying to sell an in-situ lighting grid. The auction (using bidspotter) is being handled by the management company that did the bulk of the school move and now subsequent disposal of unwanted assets. As an auction it doesn't fit the criteria of the for sale forum, nor does it seem to fit the free ads section. I'd simply like to think folk who may be interested get the opportunity to look and possibly bid. I have nothing to personally gain. Sorry for the long post! Where would be the most appropriate section to post this, if allowed at all? Cheers. Simon

Just reading current gov. recommendations for performing arts. Mostly about social distancing, performing outdoors if possible, personal hygiene etc etc. Part of it talks about equipment and instruments and mentions people cleaning their own equipment, all quite sensible. It also suggests use of additional microphones to avoid sharing (and loud singing?!?!) and have dedicated people to handle them and wipe them down. So it doesn't matter that a couple of people are going to effectively come in DIRECT contact with every person who uses a microphone. The risk of cross-contamination is potentially huge! The risks can of course be reduced by the person handling the mics wearing gloves and constantly sanitising their hands, but that only prevents cross-contamination from mic to handler, not from mic to mic. Again that can be reduced by a virtual military operation of cleaning and sanitising between the handling of every mic. But it's difficult to fully sanitise a microphone, especially headsets where you chance destroying the mic element. Not to mention time consuming. When we get to a point of performances taking place where microphones are requested (by taking government advice!!), how are we going to respond? My feeling is to advise against using personal mics and if some amplification is required to fall back on boundary/shotgun/dangly mics where there is no direct contact with the mics. The government have been pretty shocking with their recommendations with many making no sense, so I think ignoring it in such a way that is safer all round is quite acceptable. I'm interested to hear thoughts and opinions on the use of microphones as performances restart. Edit to add: I think Directors may have to accept technicians and backstage support refusing to handle personal mics and that it may not be possible to use them. Am I over-reacting and over-thinking this??

Any joy with the focus knob? I've got some old T-Spots.... if they have the correct part, happy to post for cost of postage :) I can get a pic if you're interested.

Pretty much the case for display lasers. Back in th'early 90's we were taking 150mw and 2w argon lasers to rave clubs, we're talking galvo's and a PM20(or was it PM19) desk. Ravers loved them. Since stupidly high power laser diodes started to become a thing, any ID10T can have a laser show in their living room. Every Dave-Double-Decks can happily attempt to blind his audience. Of course the graphics are cak on the el-cheapos you can buy on th'bay. Servos instead of galvos. Crazy - the galvos cost many times the laser source these days. Back in th ex-medical argon days £1000 for a pair of galvos was a fraction of the overall cost.

Me too! I hung a standard bayonet holder over the curtain pole and stuck an LED flame lamp in it. (The type Clive likes to pull to bits :D ) I was going to go with a bog standard white LED, but thought "Wait - back in Florence's day she would be carrying a candle". Me not daft ;)

I'm looking at OBS / Teams(Zoom) to do a school open event. However, Zoom can't get the audio from OBS. It can 'see' the virtual camera but will only see the usual audio inputs, i.e. the PC's mic, line in etc. I can easily use an external mic, but part of the presentation is a video clip with sound that I would run via OBS - but can't get the sound from the video to Zoom, only the pictures! So far I'm looking at a workaround of using an external USB mixer to feed in a decent mic, then sending the video clip sound to an additional simple USB sound card, from that in to the USB mixer to mix with the mic, then using the PC built in sound for the audio coming back from Zoom.... Or something like that. There may be a way of using 'stereo mix', but that very much depends if the laptop I'll be using has it.... Confused? I am. :( Am I missing something or is just that Zoom/Teams was only ever intended to be used with a blurry tinny onboard webcam/phone camera??

Why do you think anyone should notice? If you're unlucky it's hello funny squeaky, clicky, hissy electrical type noises or the dreaded earth loop in particular when the laptop PSU has an earth connection. No, I have never removed the earth from a laptop PSU in desperation minutes before a performance... ;) Suffice to say, another vote for a USB sound card :)

I cut and paste the code and it worked fine. It could be the cut and paste process - Windoze does have that habbit of adding a space at the end or start of words even though you carefully click. It's quite an art to only copy the bit you want!

I was just thinking it's the kind of thing that gets BigClive and John Ward all excited. I can just visualise a JW video overloading it... :D