What news on the Light Palette?

[jamesholt]

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...

So the Classic Palette that was recently sold to one of the venues I work at isn't actually on the market? I think this is what we really hope is the case. The Palette will be a great Strand desk... in a year or two when the software's overhauled! :)

 

From the limited time I've spent using it so far I've had to be in the mindset of learning something from scratch rather than applying practices I've used on a 300. There's a few times where I've felt "oh, that's almost like how I did it on GeniusPro" but it isn't enough to feel familiar. I guess it's humbling that the Bytecraft guys can relate to the shortcomings of the desk (e.g. keys on the control surface not illuminated for working in the dark) whilst pushing its benefits.

 

Personally I'd be more inclined to explore the software if Strand followed ChamSys's lead and made the PC/offline version actually output DMX & ArtNet for free. Myself and a mate have used MagicQ at a few smaller gigs running off a laptop, USB->DMX widget and touchscreen - and if we were in the position of buying a new desk for a venue we'd take a serious look at their products because we're now quite familiar with the control software. But since Strand are still engrained in the "you can only use x channels" philosophy then I don't see this happening in the near future.

 

If this next console is still a Marquee hybrid, it's probably not what I'm waiting for.

I think the chances of this supposed new desk running different control software are zilch. "Palette/500 hybrid" probably means Palette software with a control surface resembling the 500 series. In theory, if you had the know-how to write your own custom drivers, you could make any USB input device drive the software... hmm... how about a Jands Vista S3? :)

[Andi_Davis]

Just to clarify some slight confusions that seem to have arisen...

 

1/ Both the Palette and Light Palette ranges are on sale now - neither are beta products, although as far as I know there are only comparatively few Light Palettes actually in the UK thus far.

 

2/ Both products are based on software provided by Horizon Controls (a dedicated lighting console software company that, like Strand, is owned by Genlyte) - this software was formerly used as the basis for the Marquee desk. However, the software has been significantly re-engineered for use on the Palette and Light Palette consoles.

 

3/ This process of modifying the software to target it more closely to the needs of former '500' Series is very much an ongoing process. Several of the key developers have been in the UK over the last few months talking to UK users about exactly these kinds of issues.

 

 

The ongoing myth of the late, great lighting desk that 'old' Strand had nearly perfected prior to the purchase of the company by Genlyte is exactly that sadly - a myth! Strand were indeed developing a new desk, based closely on the '500' Series software. This wasn't particularly secret - versions of this desk were demo-ed at trade shows in both the UK and the US just prior to the Strand group going under.

 

However, the product was still very much in beta - it might have been great given more time, but when Genlyte acquired Strand it was still deep in development and was dropped in favour of adapting the existing Horizon operating system. Horizon was an established product that had been running shows successfully for a number of years - this decision was disappointing, but its not at all difficult to see why Genlyte made the call to go with Horizon rather than pursue a project that was still in need of a great deal of work.

 

 

If this next console is still a Marquee hybrid, it's probably not what I'm waiting for.

 

 

I think the question of whether Palette is a Marquee disguised as a Strand product may turn out to be a red herring. I'm sure all UK users are in agreement that we wouldn't want someone else's desk simply 're-badged' as a Strand - however, if the Horizon software at Palette's core increasingly adopts a more 'Strand' approach I think the distinction will stop making much sense.

 

As users we interact with the product in two ways - through the hardware, and through the software's user interface. If both these aspects end up being satisfactory from our point of view, will anybody really mind who's development team actually wrote the 'behind the scenes' elements of the software such as the cue running engine and the database? I think not...

[fredb]

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.

I have heard from our Strand dealer that the latest software release for the Light Palette consoles (3.4.2) includes a firmware upgrade to the USB interface for the control surface... (an EPROM upgrade, not user installable.) Perhaps this is to address the lag issues.

[Andy Flatt]

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.

I have heard from our Strand dealer that the latest software release for the Light Palette consoles (3.4.2) includes a firmware upgrade to the USB interface for the control surface... (an EPROM upgrade, not user installable.) Perhaps this is to address the lag issues.

 

 

3.4.2 Does do a card level update, but it is user installable. There is no physical EEPROM change.

 

 

---Brief intro/disclaimer: I am a Strand dealer and ASC in the States.