Prompt Desk

[mac.calder]

I find my self in the possition to design (and build) a prompt desk. I thought this had been covered before here, but a search brought up nothing.

 

It is for a standard pros. arch theatre, and it is going in prompt corner.

 

So what sort of things would you like to see?

 

I have already specced:

8 power points - 2 each side, four on the back

2 litelight desk lights - blue/white LED

4 channel cans system (FOH, Crew/Show, Backstage page, Foyer page) + PA output for FOH page

4 video feed inputs with selector

Lock-box at the bottom

Draw underneath desk surface

Foot rest

Networked computer with touch screen (see notes for use)

Phone

 

So what else would you add?

 

notes for computer uses

Timer (? may have real timer)

Clock (? may have real clock)

Access to LX system (focus remote!)

Fire board monitor

For visiting SM's who use computerised scripts

cue lights (hence touch screen)

communication with box office and other departments who may be off cans using IRC or equiv.

[paulears]

pyro system built in, telephone ringer, lcd monitors (linked to the already spec'd switcher) a camera control with pan/tilt/zoom, wing ir cameras, I-ear tx linked to comms, cup holder, and if we're getting clever, a pre-rec solid state call device to save coming up to the desk from the bowels of the building to give a 5 sec call! - actually, maybe even something like a radio tx like they use on the underground for announcements - make calls from anywhere!

 

All this on a desk that can be left-right-pit, or even groan, foh

[sam.henderson]

Just a few notes from me,

 

Personally, I would much rather have 18 ways of physical cue lights with proper acknowledgement as well instead of a fancy-pancy computer system!

 

Again I would rather have a physical (large and radio sync-ed) Clock and a real stopwatch rather than using a computer system.

 

Phone with an outside line (as well as internal), somewhere safe to put your radio and other bits and bobs during the show where they won't fall off. Also a phone system to speak to the MD in the pit (possibly integrated with cans).

 

Wall space behind or a board so you can note important things, stick your calls etc. etc.

 

Control for working lights, houselights, backstage blues etc.

 

As for backstage relay, backstage calls, FOH calls and barbells I would rather have that seperate from the cans system. A dedicated pannel to all of this where you can have a single gouseneck and then choose where you want to realy the call. And Label it clearly, there's nothing worse than giving beginners FOH by accident!! Also if you get a tech-pro cans masterstation a retrofit so you can turn your mic off but still listen on the headset outputs is always good!

 

Finally (and most importantly) Space. Enough space to have the cans station and all that gubbins behind the book (and possibly slightly elevated), then in front space for a open A4 ringbinder and an A4 Pad (show report) and pens, pencils, etc. etc.

 

HTH,

 

Sam

[peter]

Again I would rather have a physical (large and radio sync-ed) Clock and a real stopwatch rather than using a computer system.

A digital clock rather than an analogue one, for accuracy...

Phone with an outside line (as well as internal), somewhere safe to put your radio and other bits and bobs during the show where they won't fall off. Also a phone system to speak to the MD in the pit (possibly integrated with cans).

The outside line should be able to be disabled during performances, whilst the internal line should perhaps have a flasher rather than a ringer.

 

Control for working lights, houselights, backstage blues etc.

Also control for the littlelites on the desk - dimmable ideally.

[sam.henderson]

Just another thing I though of, covering (with a metal grill) any power sockets at footlevel so you can't accidently kick the lug to the cans master station would be good.

 

Sam

[mac.calder]

I will try and deal with these all in order without quotes because invision appears to not like loads of quotes.

 

Paulears

Pyro - This venue is no-pyro, so negative on that one.

 

Telephone Ringer - The phone system being installed is VOIP (voice over ip) and the ATA's I have access to are dual port, so it would be extreamly easy to make an onstage phone ring by using a fast key on the prompt desk phone - save a bit of $$$.

 

LCD Monitors - I would love to do that, on monitor arms, I think though that it will depend on budget - same with pan/tilt cameras.

 

Cup holder - I hate the damn things but it is a good idea. Specced.

 

I would not have a clue how to do the pre-rec solid state call device.

 

The desk will of course be fully portable. Weigh a bloody tonne, but movable. I will be using good quality locking castors and basically building it like one would a flight case.

 

Sam.Henderson

Personally, I like computerised master stations for cue lights - It still has proper acknowledgement, groups, etc, and is oftimes more versatile - and it takes up less desk space!

 

I, also prefer a physical clock and timer - which is why I added the comment beside it. IIRC, NTP syncing clocks are not as expensive as they used to be, and a tad cheaper than the radio/sat syncing clocks, so I may go with them.

 

Again, using VOIP to an Asterisk PABX, so it will be able to dial out using a local VOIP provider as well as fall back to a PSTN line, it will also have internal calls. It would probably be easiest to just have another voip phone down in the pit with just a couple of buttons set to dial certain extensions and although it will take a little bit of experimenting, it should be possible to allow any phone to integrate with cans through the PABX. I have to play with Asterisk some more before I do it though

 

All lighting is DMX controlled, and as I said, the PC will be able to issue commands to the desk, or if the desk chosen does not have good networkability (?word?), a USB DMX 'thing' connected to DMX in on the desk, so that includes bringing down levels of houselights.

 

Separating the 'Announcement system' is probably the best idea - except I (personally) like to use the mic on my cans headset for announcements, as opposed to goosneck - I may use 2 channel (FOH, general cans) + 1 PA relay, then have 3 momentary action switches (illuminated with good lables) which switch where the PA output goes as well as triggering the relay (will have to think on that)

 

Space is a big thing, and I am definatly going to mock something up and test it before building the final one.

 

Peter

 

Digital is a given.

 

Disabling of the external line during shows is easy with an Asterisk PABX, and I agree, flasher for during shows.

 

And I was planning on using the dimmable littlelites.

 

Sam Henderson #2

 

That is why all the extra sockets are on the back and sides and there will be cord holes to the back at each level. Things like cans master station, computer etc will all be boxed in and switches away from sight, accessible from behind with a key lock I think (I have noticed that if you dont lock things like that you end up with people putting rubish in there).

[gareth]

A touch-screen computerised cuelight system is all well and good if you're solely a producing venue, with only resident SM staff operating the prompt desk. But if you receive a lot of touring product, touring DSMs will thank you for keeping it simple with a row of standby switches, a row of go switches, and a master for each.

[Glyn Edwards]

Clear space is invaluable! A lot of the books we get on tours are bigger than our prompt desk. As a minimum I would suggest that you need room for an open A4 lever arch file (if you're planning a sloped surface don't forget some way to stop the book, pens etc from rolling off the bottom) , a pencil case and dressing room keys etc, as well as a hook to hang headsets on. Sadly a large flat space is very easy to clutter up so don't go too mad.

 

Other niceities would include space for a bottle of water (or possibly a cup holder as previously suggested) and a matched chair that doesn't get pinched for anything else. I realise that its obvious, but some how we managed to forget it!

 

Finally I think that whatever you build needs to be well labelled and easy to operate.

[Ben Langfeld]

I may be going a bit past the point here, but I could be a good idea to make it fully caseable with locks - could stop people fiddling when it's not needed maybe. :)

[Andrew C]

Not sure about the analogue vs digital clock. If you go for a radio one (C £10 over here) counting down to a go is easy & accurate... Matter of taste I suppose. How about one with a digital display on the face of an analogue?

 

I'd be tempted to have a fist-full of spare, undedicated cable running to it from LX and sound positions. 2/3/4 mic lines and some o/a screened multiway, 10 pair or so. Just makes adding that extra widget easier.

[back_ache]

screened multiway, 10 pair or so. Just makes adding that extra widget easier.

 

Why not just have structured cat5 sockets and cabling? Then could have anything from video to custom circuitry linking anywhere.

[mac.calder]

I may be going a bit past the point here, but I could be a good idea to make it fully caseable with locks - could stop people fiddling when it's not needed maybe. :D

 

 

Good idea, but very expensive. I will probably just secure the thing as I would anything else - physical security on doors/drawers etc and digital security on the rest. The other problem would be that if you case it, there will be case pannels floating arround when opened. I have considered it, and I am not ruling it out, because I may be able to get the top to fold in neatly, leaving only one straight pannel for the front which could be made usefull by putting fold out legs on it.

 

As for the runs of cable, there are 10 or 12 RJ45 sockets in Prompt Corner running to a patch bay in dimmer land which allows patching to points in LX, Sound, flys, dome positions, FOH and the FOH grid. (everything is passive, so there is nothing that will alter signals) One of those will be attatched to a switch in the SM desk and patched into the network, which leaves 9 for anything that needs general purpose.

[robloxley]

All buttons backlit with single lamp-test switch.

Phone flasher for the phone.

Barbells?

Decent mic esp for FOH calls.

Fire alarm repeater panel, or at least flashing red light.

Bolt it to something so it doesn't get knocked over by errant trucks!

[erroneousblack]

The most important thing about the prompt desk clock is to remember it is never wrong, that seems to be something the younger generation fail to realise!

[Suzette]

Prompt desk clock - 1 large (ish) digital clock that is always right! As erroneousblack said - that is the clock that is never wrong and that is the clock everyone should work to for starting a show.

Also a separate stopwatch/timer.

A houselight mimic light - so the SM can see when the houselights are on/off/fading and not have to rely on the LX Op to tell them.

If the money is there - as well as a standard CCTV monitor of the stage also an IR monitor for seeing those scene changes in a blackout!

A lockable "box" for company valuables - esp for touring companies

Plenty of room - flat space as well as a sloping space for the prompt book