What news on the Light Palette?

[david.elsbury]

Ethernet could also be an option for a fader wing, ala the Enttec shortcut wings etc.

[richard]

Just on a pedantic note - the Frog 2 was on XP embedded but has now been ported over to Linux. I never used it on XP but I believe that the switch to linux has made it more stable. Whether this is due to the different OS or rather due to the porting requiring them to actually re-check all their code is a different question!

 

Richard

[Albatross]

We could all sit around gnashing our teeth for the next 10 years I suppose. But that won't succeed in changing anything. The alternative is that we all knuckle down and work to help 'new' Strand build a desk that is a worthy successor to the '500' Series. Its easy to sit on the sidelines and hurl rocks - better to be constructive don't ya think?

I can see that my comments could have come across as hurling rocks. That was not my intetnion, rather to be informative & realistic. I realise that people are hoping & wishing that a real Strand board will emerge. I too really wanted that.

I AM doing my bit to change things. I am informing others, here, as well as directly through the sales & technical people, of our concerns & issues with this board as it has been presented to us to buy

The only changes that can be made are in software now, an dcurrently it just will not match our needs.

 

No-one said it was perfect yet... but that's where the 'constantly under development software' bit comes in! A bit of patience will be called for here - even with the best of intentions these things won't be fixed overnight! But there's every reason to think that they will eventually be got right. Hopefully soon!

Unfortunately, we have waited 2 years for this board to be ready, and are now at the stage where we can see it, touch it, and use it, and desperately need to replace our Strand 300. This board can not do that, for reasons I have tried to make very clear. We need a replacement now, and held off for ages in the hope that this would be it.

 

However, what the Palette doesn't currently do so well is sequential effects in the style of the '500' Series effects engine. For me the jury is still out on whether this will prove a critical problem, or whether a combination of multiple cue lists and the effects engine as described above will provide all the necessary functionality. To be continued...

It IS a critical problem. We do not have any movers/intelligent lighting. A large percentage of Theatres don't; they are hired in/brought in with shows. For 95% of shows in our Theatre all lighting is conventional and the effects engine built in to this desk, and the way it is programmed & operated is clumsy & convoluted; and not backwardly compatible.

Our Theatre has a variety of users, skilled to basic, but ALL can program a basic Strand Effect. The sequential, step by step logic of it is easy to grasp, and the commands are relatively clear. Not so for this machine/software in its current form.

 

The Palette isn't that desk. Yet. But taken on its own terms its a powerful product, and it doesn't take a huge stretch of the imagination to see that with time, money, and hard work this potential could be harnessed to build the desk that we all want it to be. But it won't happen overnight. Its early days for the 'new' Palette - lets not be too quick to judge. :D

It may be early days but this is being SOLD NOW, as is! We are in the market to buy now, and have been waiting specifically for this desk to be demo'd to us.

 

Flimsy? Light weight? With the noticeable exception of the '500' Series this sounds EXACTLY like a Strand product!

Will the hardware faders/ buttons change? I don't think so, and comparing them side by side to our existing Strand 300 it is easy to see & feel the quite obvious difference; the new desk is just not built as well or with quality components.

Software is the one area that this can improve, and I don't doubt that there will be changes & improvements there.

 

Windows XP Embedded with USB connections was intended to be informative, not critical. People have been concerned about the software/ hardware base. I wanted it clearly stated, finally, what is actually in existence; no longer vapourware or supposition.

 

I like Windows XP, and am extremely comfortable & skilled in it. I was looking forward to a desk based on it with the potential to cut & paste as just one aspect of a Windows versus and old DOS system (Genius Pro).

Currently the Windows software doesn't seem to take advantage of things as potentially powerful as cut & paste or drag & drop. That may change in the future.

 

I also like USB, and was commenting on the system as it appears in front of me. My comment on lag may not be technically correct; there are likely aspects of this, either software or hardware, which can improve it. I hope so.

 

My judgement is not a quick one, but well informed, from a long term (20 years) Strand user.

I really, really, wanted this desk to be our replacement, but in full honesty & with the very best of intentions I can not reccomend it.

[nigel]

Hi Ric,

Have you looked at the Jands Vista? I love the strand 500 series boards and like you was waiting their new release and like you I was disapointed too.

In time they might be good lighting console and I am sure time will tell.

However I have seen a demo of the Jands vista and thought it was great, very easy to use, I did have a issue with screen when you just had channels on the display it could be an icon or a number with a bar graph. A number with a precentage is far quicker to read. You can set a external monitor to be a output display with a number and precentage I pointed out to the Tech guy that it would be a nice option to have in the future.

However it is well worth a look and I am sure your staff would be able to pick it up in no time.

By the way I am not a company rep just liked the console.

Happy hunting.

Regards

Nigel

[Brent Smith]

My understanding, through rumor and gossip, is that when Genlyte bought Strand, the UK division (including the new console development) was put into receivership. Is this British Bankruptcy? Genlyte was not allowed to profit from that portion for a specfied amount of time. I have heard that is was this circumstance that pushed them to adopting the Marquee platform. At least I hope it wasn't just because the Marquee Hardware is cheaper. Now that it seems to be meeting general dissapproval from the Theatre Folk that know better, I have these questions;

 

What has become of the Console that was in development? Is that division out of receivership? Does Genlyte actually own that part?

 

Does anyone know, think, or hope that That console will ever be produced now?

[strand600X]

The console is been developed with just a couple of glitches to iron out. Let's hope we see it soon. I think it will be amazing when it does arrive...

[JMC]

Huh? What are you referring to Baz?

 

Brent; Strand Lighting Inc was owned by Strand Lighting Group Limited in the UK. This, and the UK trading arm, Strand Lighting Limited, were put into receivership, which is not the same as bankruptcy. They're basically liquidating and winding up the assets of the company, voluntarily.

 

At that time, Genlyte bought the US arm (Strand Lighting Inc), but could not salvage the UK holding company and trading arm, for various reasons. However, what they *were* able to do is purchase several assets of the UK trading arm, such as the 300/500 series consoles, Quartets, SL's and some of the dimming products. There was "certain intellectual properties" mentioned, but I don't know what that constituted... However, as far as I knew development of the original console was scrapped (although Strand Lighting Inc may now own the IP rights to it..)..

 

As far as the not being able to profit from it for a year goes; I'm not aware of any restrictions on that... However I believe there were some catches involved in trading under the name "Strand Lighting" again... Don't quote me on that though..

[James]

OK - This is a huge assumption here but my experience of such things in the broadcast world is this

 

a) Major manufacturer has idea for new product

b) Major manufacturer develops and produces alpha version of new product.

c) Major manufacturer tests product internally and comes up with improvements / bug fixes and when developed enough comes up with a beta version

d) Major manufacturer contacts a select number of its customers, gets them to sign a NDA and lends them a beta version of the new product

e) select customers try test and play with new product feeding back to manufacturer bugs and feature requests

f) Major manufacturer incorporates feedback from beta testers and when developed enough releases a gold release

g) Sales team let loose with gold release on the basis of possible more improvements

h) Major manufacturer incorporates feedback from gold release and possible extra feature requests into release version 1.0

 

 

 

v1.0 released to general public and software development starts in earnest.

 

Basically - I wouldn't be surprised to know that a manufacturer might have hardware out with customers there running beta software and the customers covered by an NDA - of course one of the normal terms of an NDA is you mustn't admit you are covered by an NDA...

 

sorry if this is off at a complete tangent here...

 

James

[strand600X]

I Have it on good authority from someone in strand/genlyte that a "new" desk is on it's way and there are minor bugs that need ironing out before they release it. I had heard that a September release was a possibility. Maybe in time for PLASA? We wait and see.

And the Emails I have recieved have the company as Strand Lighting Europe LTD, A Genlyte Company. Thats about as much as I know at the moment.

Baz

[JMC]

Yes indeed, Strand Lighting Europe Limitied is up and running, as mentioned here.

 

If what you say is true Baz, I will be very very very happy, ecstatic even! :D

[gareth]

The console is been developed with just a couple of glitches to iron out. Let's hope we see it soon. I think it will be amazing when it does arrive...

As JMC asked - what are you talking about? If you mean the Light Palette range, then they're already 'here' and have 'arrived'. If you mean something else - what?!

 

Edit : sorry, posted this before reading to the end of the thread where you've already replied! D'oh!!! So, Baz, tell us more - is this mythical New Desk going to be something that's based around the Palette software and therefore compatible with existing Strand desks, rather than the Marquee-with-a-Strand-badge-on-it that the Light Palette has apparently turned into? Is the Strand UK team involved in its development?

[Ynot]

I Have it on good authority from someone in strand/genlyte that a "new" desk is on it's way and there are minor bugs that need ironing out before they release it. I had heard that a September release was a possibility. Maybe in time for PLASA?

But not to be too cynical (though I'm another confirmed historic Strand User who'd LOVE the idea of a new generation desk to properly replace the 300/500 series), we've heard that somewhere before.....

:D

[JMC]

Just what I was about to say Ynot... and it's what, 6 years later now? :D

[strand600X]

As far as I understand, but I cannot confirm any of this. It is a palette/marquee/500 hi-bred. The only thing I do know is that I keep getting told that I will be amazed by the desk (whatever it is).

Like many users on here I have been a fan of Strand for a long time and have been involved with the 400/500 series almost since day 1. Indeed we had the first or second 430 ever bought in this country. So any "upgraded 500" series desk IMHO is worth the wait.

As I said I cannot confirm any of this it is just what I have been told. I do not work for Strand though I would like to.

Baz

 

:D

[Brent Smith]

I would wager that anybody from Strand would tell us that we should be "amazed" by the board they're selling now. If this next console is still a Marquee hybrid, it's probably not what I'm waiting for.