School Lighting Desk reccomendations

[notwhoyouthink]

Hi, my school is currently looking for a new lighting desk to replace a Fat Frog. Any reccomendations? It needs to be capable of controlling (at least) 36 dimmers, 2 moving heads and 11 scrollers. We are currently looking at the Strand Pallette, but are open to conversation!

 

Thanks for your help

Ed Collins

[Dj Dunc]

Do you mean 36 channels of dim :D

 

You did use the search button I guess ;)

if not...

may I point you to the bottom of the wiki which has lots of links to past topics of this variety :)

 

dunc

[notwhoyouthink]

Yeah, sorry :D

[dbuckley]

Given the school has (according top the OPs profile) half a dozen batapacks, then I'd say yes, 36 channels of dimmers :D

 

Given that a fat frog should (just!) be able to control the kit the OP has, the first questions I'd ask is why you need a new desk, and what are you looking for that the existing desk isn't giving you...?

[notwhoyouthink]

We are having a new drama studio built, and the new desk is mostly for that... but it will find its way in to the hall pretty quickly! We are annoyed by how the Frog has a habit of messing things up - for example, for our production of Fame this week, we were programming and up to cue 70, then it decides to make all memories the same as the last one. Also, we find it takes AGES to program, and other members of the crew have used Strands and love them. I have heard it said that Frogs are 'glorified disco desks', which, to be honest, I can see and do agree with.

[Dj Dunc]

It could be that your frog has an OS glitch or something. I run a Zero88 FROG in my hall, which had a glitch once. We fixed it using the floppy disk software that came with the desk

[dbuckley]

Other thing to note is that a Strand Palette is not actually a Strand desk... check out some of the recent threads on what's happened to Strand desks, post genlyte takeover.

[mac.calder]

In a school, I would avoid something as complex as the Pallet.

 

I (personally) would recommend a maXim with PatPad. Why?

 

1) I think the way the desk operates is great

2) They provide an excellent training CD with video tutorials - you can be using the desk "like a pro" in an hour or two - including things like pallets and presets

3) I think it is one of the easiest desks to operate

 

The main thing that I think needs to be considered is ease of use in a school. Schools = high turn over. High turn over means "Passed down" knowledge quickly becomes lost...Good desk quickly becomes a two channel preset board.

[Dj Dunc]

this page on the genlyte strand pallette

this page on the genlyte strand takeover

this page on the strand pallette

 

and also use the search button :D

 

dunc

[pritch]

It could be that your frog has an OS glitch or something. I run a Zero88 FROG in my hall, which had a glitch once. We fixed it using the floppy disk software that came with the desk

 

Or for that matter, there's always the option of installing some new software from Zero88's site.

[Dj Dunc]

Ah. never new there was new OS upgrades. Time for a hunt methinks

 

EDIT: got it. Thanks Pritch

[notwhoyouthink]

How exactly do you install updates? The manual says instructions come with a new release of software, so I toddle off to their site, download the software and... no instructions. Do I just shove the files on a floppy and re-boot with it in the frog's drive?

[Nick S]

I'd avoid the Palette. Some of your crew may be familiar with Genius Pro (the Strand OS), but the Palette is totally different in terms of UI (see posts linked above).

 

It may be worth waiting a bit, if it's not an urgent need - there are some interesting desks on the horizon next year. Off the top of my head, Zero88 will be releasing brand new Frogs with a totally rewritten OS, and ETC will have some new products aimed around the Frog market.

[tokm]

Other thing to note is that a Strand Palette is not actually a Strand desk... check out some of the recent threads on what's happened to Strand desks, post genlyte takeover.

I was just about to say the same before I read your comment dbuckley! ;)

 

Something along the lines of:

and other members of the crew have used Strands and love them

Then the Palette isn't the best option. The software's similar in some ways to Genius Pro desks, but in more ways, they're different. As other members have said, all the info on the strand palette range has been covered before.

 

My best suggestion would be to go for a 125 channel Strand 300i. If theirs any budget/power available, maybe up your rig to 48 ways, so another 2 6 way racks (seeing as your profile says your dimmers consist of them already and not a 36way install). Also, maybe look into getting another scroller to make your stock up to a nice round number.

 

Just a few suggestions as I'm sure your budget wouldn't only be spendable on a new desk..

 

HTH.

 

Tom

 

*dam :D beaten to it by Nick S*

[pritch]

How exactly do you install updates? The manual says instructions come with a new release of software, so I toddle off to their site, download the software and... no instructions. Do I just shove the files on a floppy and re-boot with it in the frog's drive?

 

Try this:

 

http://support.zero88.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=724