dannyboi Posted February 4, 2007 Share Posted February 4, 2007 Hello, I just need a little advice! I am doing the lighting for my school in a futuristic kind of thing near the end of march. This gives me the chance to try out some new things! As the new theatre is still being built the current theatre has limited me to an analogue rig. But I want to try some new effects like strobes, dry ice and some colour changers maybe even some movers. The school just bought a new dry ice machine about a month ago and we tried it out last week, which was great. The equipment, on the control side of things, available is:1x Zero88 Sirius 24 (with DMX)4x 6Ch Betapacks (analogue) What I aiming at was trying DMX control through a laptop. I have a spare sony vaio sitting about so install some software on there and hire a USB-DMX widget for that. But I don't know about the betapacks, I think I heard of some hardware which I could hook up all 4x 8pin dins into ant the 24 analogue channels convert to 24 DMX channels would that work?? then from the dimmers hook up all the other equipment then to the laptop. And if the laptop idea fails I can always hook the DMX into the Sirius 24 as it handles DMX. Any advice or better ideas of what I could do??? Cheers in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dj Dunc Posted February 4, 2007 Share Posted February 4, 2007 What youre after here is a demultiplexer or more commonly refered to as a demux. This converts the analouge signal into DMX512. Using this, you could control the whole rig from the laptop (do a search for the software on here, many versions have been mentioned in previous topics). Or alternatively use the sirius for generic lanterns, and the laptop for everything else, or use the laptop as the "master desk" and the sirius as a backup HTH Dunc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted February 4, 2007 Share Posted February 4, 2007 OK.You say the school has the Sirius 24, and 4 Betapacks, but the packs are NOT DMX (so presumable Betapack 1's?)...From this I assume the desk has both DMX and analogue outputs - not unusual for this age of board. So - ignoring the desk, if you want to run the lighting from your laptop, what you'll need is a DMX to analogue converter - or demux - available from most theatre hire companies. Zero do their own 24/48 channel versions that will be fully compatible with the Betapacks. Now - I'm not sure whether you can actually hire a PC DMX dongle - never had the need, but it may be available - can't comment, but you MAY find yourself buying one. Software - there are a number of software options around, some free, but with very limited capabilities, others you have to buy to get to work properly. And some need a specific type of dongle, so beware. SEARCH the Blue Room for this topic - it's been done to detah already! A word of caution, however. Many of the PC based programs aren't always particularly intuitive to use, so be careful what you go for. try them out as demo's first if poss. Are you SURE that you want to dive straight in to the PC based solution? I know you say the production is futuristic, but trying to learn the software, learn how to use movers (if you go that way) and get the new software to control the movers properly is going to be a tall order.... As for using the Sirius for anything other than standard generic lanterns, I'd forget it! Especially as 24 channels of control isn't going to go far with lighting the stage before you even think of specials!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon T Posted February 4, 2007 Share Posted February 4, 2007 Hmmmm.. ™ <_< If looking for PC software I can recomend the Vista PC application. Dead simple to use and very intuitive. Creating positions can be a bit of a fidle with the 'X/Y' mapping but a bit of patience never hurt anybody :) Pricing not too sure on but I believe the cheapest dongle from jands costs around £250!? HTHJon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannyboi Posted February 4, 2007 Author Share Posted February 4, 2007 I have just been looking around the Internet, I have found the HighEnd Hog 3PC, I downloaded the software which dose not seem to difficult and the dongle is £100 per week to hire. also the Demux 24 look great just right for my application. I dont no about strobes though? 1x powerful DMX strobe or a few analogue strobes hooked up to a DMX controller?? Many ThanksDanny BOi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pritch Posted February 4, 2007 Share Posted February 4, 2007 Hmmmm.. ™ <_< If looking for PC software I can recomend the Vista PC application. Dead simple to use and very intuitive. Creating positions can be a bit of a fidle with the 'X/Y' mapping but a bit of patience never hurt anybody :) Pricing not too sure on but I believe the cheapest dongle from jands costs around £250!? HTHJon I believe the Vista software is free, isn't it? The plus side with things like the Vista software is that you can add a control surface to it later on if you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted February 4, 2007 Share Posted February 4, 2007 I have just been looking around the Internet, I have found the HighEnd Hog 3PC, I downloaded the software which dose not seem to difficult and the dongle is £100 per week to hire.If you're hiring the dongle for that much you may as well look at investing in buying one!Because take it from me, you'll probably need more than a week to get around using the PC 'desk' in the real live environment! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon T Posted February 4, 2007 Share Posted February 4, 2007 yes vista software is free. But for you to be able to output you need the dongle. Either just the application with the dongle or you can get an S3 to go with it for ease of programming and playback. Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_the_LD Posted February 4, 2007 Share Posted February 4, 2007 If you want some GOOD software I would recommend horizon by rosco. You download the software for free and it is fully useable but you need to buy a dongle from them to be able to output. (You need gold for moving lights). I have it (without dongle) and IT IS FANTASTIC!!! You can do allsorts, trigger audio, have multiple cuelists, macro things and much more. ALTHOUGH - IT IS VERY PRICY - nearly $2000. So depending on whether you are going to be controlling from computers from now on, or if this is a one off will depend vastly. P.S. - Our school have a Sirius 24 - Great desk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted February 4, 2007 Share Posted February 4, 2007 If you have a bit of software, but not the dongle to connect it to the outside world, and lights that actually do things - I fail to see how anyone can claim it's fantastic. and recommend it to people as a good product to buy. No doubt it's ok, but how can you tell? I can't see why there is this trend to move from hardware to software. When I can do a manual flash with one hand, while programming something with my right on a laptop, I might be convinced - but without a hardware surface I can't see me ever being interested. The hardware interface is the thing that I need. Real knobs, real faders and a go button - NOT a mouse,or touchpad. A touch screen might be ok? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_the_LD Posted February 4, 2007 Share Posted February 4, 2007 If you have a bit of software, but not the dongle to connect it to the outside world, and lights that actually do things - I fail to see how anyone can claim it's fantastic. and recommend it to people as a good product to buy. No doubt it's ok, but how can you tell? I have seen a friend of mine using it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tokm Posted February 4, 2007 Share Posted February 4, 2007 If you want some GOOD software I would recommend horizon by rosco. You download the software for free and it is fully useable but you need to buy a dongle from them to be able to output. (You need gold for moving lights). I have it (without dongle) and IT IS FANTASTIC!!! You can do allsorts, trigger audio, have multiple cuelists, macro things and much more. ALTHOUGH - IT IS VERY PRICY - nearly $2000.I've seen this product in action, its ok, but their are far better/easier to use bits of software around. Also, the price tag would put me off from ever using it when you can get 'said' other products for a fraction of the price. In terms of ever using a software base controller, I'm with Paul, nothing can beat having real buttons. I think the Vista PC with the the hardware component, the Hog 3PC/Ipc with the programming/playback units or the Congo Jr, is the closest separate computers and PC/DMX control will get, for quite a while.. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted February 4, 2007 Share Posted February 4, 2007 For a low-budget, high-functionality, user-friendly solution you could consider the MagicQ PC software from Chamsys. The software itself is a free download - you can get a single universe of DMX output very cheaply using one of the Enttec Open DMX USB dongles. For a much better user interface you can add one of Chamsys's USB wings (which all feature integrated DMX outputs as well as a 'hard' control surface for ease of programming and playback). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbuckley Posted February 4, 2007 Share Posted February 4, 2007 Lots of "you can" comments here, but I wonder, how many of the posters always use a laptop (or PC) for lighting control, hate traditional consoles and only go near the waste of control room desk space when forced to so by large blokes with dodgy haircuts...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
five_pin_xlr Posted February 4, 2007 Share Posted February 4, 2007 I use hog 2 pc, used it for a production once, when my spark lx was in repair. Worked so well, despite 1 universe. Its ok for busking, but I would prefer the hands on approach. I will always take the widget with me and my laptop when doing a show, just for backup, or if I need to light it last minute. I'm doing a big show for my church in march, which has 10 movers, 4 mac 250+ and 6mac300, but using the HOG widget to run all macs through a sync test. Also as backup as well. best regards alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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