Bryson

I have a call booked with VL on Tuesday.   Will let y'all know once the embargo is lifted.  (I'm assuming that's Tuesday.)

So, Vari*Lite are teasing that they're releasing a Console, but no further details beyond that right now.  Does anyone know anything about it?  Are we talking a true successor to the Virtuoso, or just a rebrand of a Strand console?
 

Edit:  or even, Zero 88 are the same company now, too.  

On 10/9/2022 at 7:27 PM, gareth said:

Martin Atomic, or equivalent. Particularly the newer LED version - they rock. Best thing for a lightning effect.

I was always a fan of the Dataflash for this sort of thing, but I guess you can't really get them anymore.

My favourite ever rehearsal note I received:  "We need MORE strobes."  We doubled the order.  🙂

2 hours ago, themadhippy said:

Ok what am I missing? what do they offer over zebedee's

No spring to go BOING and launch itself across the room.  Whole assembly is captive and lives on the fixture, rather than needing to deal with separate pieces.  Much quicker to mount and demount.  Stops the yoke from grinding directly on the unstrut without a big washer.  They are genuinely nicer to work with....

1 hour ago, sandall said:

A huge difference in cost?

...but yes, that.

I'd argue that it's not a million miles from the cost of a decent hook clamp, but obviously orders of magnitude more than a 25 cent zebedee.

One of the cheapest of the "nice" options, though: https://www.stagelightingstore.com/Stage-lighting-store/unistrut-accessories?page=1

I think that the 1x1s he mentioned are about the same drop as the Arris.

Two things:  

1:  Minimize your drop by making the grid out of Unistrut tight to the ceiling, not pipe, and use these guys:  https://www.thelightsource.com/products/uni-bolt-for-strut-channels-82 to hang your fixtures.

2:  Look at some of the micro fixtures that Rosco make (actually, I think they resell them from someone else):   Braq/Miro/Pica or DMG Mix.

EDIT:

If you're just using the micro fixtures, Unistrut might even be overkill, tbh.  Might be something lighter weight you could do.

AVoIP means something like Crestron NVX, Visionary, JustAddPower, Extron NAV and so on.  There are many "flavours" but it's a way of using a regular computer network to send video and audio, not just a point to point link like HDBaseT.

2 hours ago, dje said:

Also worth making sure they know that this machine is going to live inside a nice clean tidy arts centre for the entire time it's on hire and probably come back cleaner than it went out. Partly so they can try and give you something relatively clean, but again they may also offer a better price for knowing that the machine is going into a clean environment where it'll be looked after, not driven around a dirty building site all day every day getting covered in plaster.

The guy who used to service the scissor lift at my old theatre was telling me that one of their other clients is the Mars chocolate factory, and that the machine is, quote: "Literally covered in fudge."   🤮

I *think* that 12' limit is on the height of the screen (reflective) surface, not the black - I'm assuming any larger means you have to have seams.  It may also be unique to that particular screen model, that was a midsize (Access FitE) screen I selected.

My typical solution to this is additional black drop, as you say.  You can (within reason) order as much as you like added to the top when ordering.  

Here's an extract from the Draper order form.

They're also surprisingly similar to playing MotoGP at the arcade. 😉

Hey, guess what:

My plan is to apply it overnight (like Midnight BST) tonight.  So log off before you go to bed, will ya?

Sort of a sideways shift - about 5 years ago I moved to work as a Theatre Consultant for new buildings and renovations - so I get to apply all my specialist knowledge but in a construction context instead of doing shows.  And I finish work at 5:30 pretty much every day.   It also corresponded with a big move across the country to a different city, and needing more time free for childcare, as my wife's job at the time was time-consuming and required long hours.

Having played with, and had a client buy the Robe system, I can say that it's very nice with lots of great features, but there is just the tiniest bit of lag in response, akin to using a very heavy spot.  Good operators will eventually learn to "anticipate" movements and lead them a little, but it might be a challenge with unpredictable performers.

I feel like they missed a trick by not calling in the RobeSpot, though...  😉

Oh, it was a genuine question!  Thought maybe you got an intensity wheel?  Never tried it.

On 9/7/2022 at 3:49 AM, p.k.roberts said:

+1 for the trackball, but I use this one;

https://www.kensington.com/en-ca/p/products/featured-products/orbit-scroll-ring-trackball-1/

I find the scroll ring a useful additional control.

What function does the ring map to on a Colorsource console?

It seems to me that the wider macro problem, is that this venue does not have regular staffing, and is trying to shift that responsibility onto it's renters....

These are exactly the type of problems easily avoided by supplying a trained and empowered technician with the venue rental.

A trackball is much more customary for this use.

I always liked the Kensington Orbit K64327F, (about 30 quid) but I usually see people using the Slimblade K72327US, (About 100 pounds) so maybe that one is better?   You get what you pay for, I guess.  The Orbit was always fine for me.

We're coming dangerously close to the type of advice I charge for here, but:

Do you have to meet tech riders for touring acts?  Or are the shows mostly rentals who will take what they get?

My understanding is the EM stuff sounds good...but...has not yet reached the level whereby any B or C tier touring act will accept it on a rider.  (A tier aren't playing rooms that size...)

If a significant proportion of your users are sending riders that say Meyer/L Acoustics/d&b only  (Insert other high-tier PA of your choice (Nexo/Adamson/Clair Bros), but those are the three I see most often) then it doesn't matter how good the EM rig actually is.

On the other hand, if you like how the EM sounds and don't think your users know or care, then congrats, you saved some cash and still got a great sounding system.

As someone who has done this several times, take your best guess for how long this will take you to install, then double it.  Suspending multiple things from overhead always takes way longer than you might think.

I favoured #8 sash cord in assorted lengths over cable ties...much easier to strike if you tie it in a bow.

How small is small, budget-wise?

For the money, I like the ProLights Eclipse fixtures, but they're still not "Chinese fixture" cheap.  

Is the Howard Eaton one still available?  http://www.helluk.com/Products/Stage_Management/Softcue/Softcue.htm

There's also LogiCue, but it's a US product, not sure there's a UK dealer:   http://nudeltadigital.com/products/logicue12/

36 minutes ago, themadhippy said:

I'd  say the decline began when strand was sold to vulture capitalist, Schroder Ventures.The sell off to genitals was just the final nail in the coffin

Autocorrect with the brutal takedown there.

Something like this: https://www.thelightsource.com/products/chain-pole-clamp-175 - with the extension will do 14" or 35.5cm.   Might mark the log, though.

So, I ended up doing this today, because the internet in Canada broke.

No, really.

Anyway, we're now on Invision 4.7.  Not sure there are any fancy new features to play with but take a look around.

It's possible the update broke some of my custom CSS.  If you notice anything weird, let us know and we'll try to fix it.

Thanks all!

Guess what?  It's that time again.  I have a software update to run.  

I'm proposing that I'll do it on Thursday night, late.  So about Midnight GMT on the 7th July into the 8th July.