olistockman Posted January 28, 2004 Share Posted January 28, 2004 The time has come to move to a 'virtual' lighting desk, due to the variety of shows my firm works on, using a desk is becoming increasingly impractical.I'm trialling ShowCAD Artist and HogPC, and so far, HogPC is coming across as by far the better system, however I'm open to convincing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted January 28, 2004 Share Posted January 28, 2004 HogPC gets my vote, for a couple of major reasons .... 1 - you get to use the HogOS programming syntax, which is already familiar to many programmers and is very versatile 2 - you can make the system as big or as minimal as you like - anything from a laptop with a single DMX Widget, to a PC with twin touchscreens, four DMX widgets, a LTC widget, a programmer wing and a couple of playback wings. 3 - (OK, it's a very loose couple!) - the Hog3 version of HogPC is apparently due for release later this year. From what I've heard it will be available FOC for use as an OLE, but there will be a small charge if you want to enable it to run wings and widgets. But hey, it'll be way cheaper than a 'proper' Hog3, and just as much fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wodp Posted January 28, 2004 Share Posted January 28, 2004 While we're on recommendations for virtual desks, any ideas for something that'll run under Mac OS X (i.e. NOT windows)? Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olistockman Posted January 28, 2004 Author Share Posted January 28, 2004 Thanks very much... I agree with the power of Hog, unfortunately, negotiations with the importer are proving a little difficult, I'm restricted to spending between £750 and £800, and the sales staff at TMB have been lax to get back to my boss...very dissapointing, as we would be looking to expand from the basic system over the year, but they just can't stretch from the initail quote (which wasn't a huge amount more!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andystone Posted January 28, 2004 Share Posted January 28, 2004 There's also the Compulite Vector OLE (off line editor). As the Vector screens run on Windows XP, this is exactly the same software as the console with a virtual keyboard and real time processor. You operate and playback exactly like the console and run lights using an Ethernet to DMX converter. If you want to give it a try let me know. AndyStagetec Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted January 28, 2004 Share Posted January 28, 2004 having used showcad, or partly used...(dan)... I'd say there is toooo much to it, too cpmlicated unless you know exactly what your doing and have a degree in using it, far too complicated for me, so hogpc you get my vote ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Mel Posted January 28, 2004 Share Posted January 28, 2004 Check out this site: www.chamsys.co.uk They are launching a new board soon that I have seen as a prototype and its fantastic - combines all the best features you could hope for and then polishes them up a bit!! Touch screen access to functions, loads of rotary encoders etc. The PC version will be available to download apparently Keep an eye on the site Andy Mel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olistockman Posted January 29, 2004 Author Share Posted January 29, 2004 Thanks very much guys, HogPC it is, thanks for your help Gareth, AC have been very helpful indeed, hopefully this will be a fruitful relationship, as their ex-rental lists are turning very much into our wish-lists!We sold a massive amount of kit recently, and have started from scratch (bar a couple of favourite dimmers, DMX splitters, and 2 favourite mixers) so we will be doing a fair amount of shopping this year. Again, thank you all very much, no doubt my next posts will be making the most of some of hogs most powerful features Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ziggyP Posted January 29, 2004 Share Posted January 29, 2004 Andy's right, I have not seen the hardware but have used the PC version. Check out the Chamsys download on www.chamsys.co.uk/support.html. you can download a fully functional 6 universe PC desk that outputs on Artistic dongles or Artnet. They have been getting some LD's to test the interface (that’s how I got the info). They ask you not to download except if invited but you can and it all works. He saw the desks at Brixton Academy on New Years Eve, 2 different versions, they look real cool (Hog 2ish with colour display) and going to be cheaper than Avo Pearl apparently. I have been using the download to run a small theatre show (50 lamps 4 movingheads) for the last 2 weeks with no crashes or problems. If you are a Pearl user you will love the interface does everything a Pearl does but properly with loads of extra Hog 2 type stuff, don't know the Hog's so can't comment on that side of it . Seems to be about 95% complete a few little rough edges but extremely usable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielArkley Posted January 29, 2004 Share Posted January 29, 2004 Bit late now, but I would prefer Artist by Showcad as it seems to be very powerful and simple to use. I got on great with it at school, especially as it was my first show using anything that was not CCT :blink:. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fingez Posted February 5, 2004 Share Posted February 5, 2004 For me, I find Artist the most powerful of the two.You can run Artist Like a Hog but you cant run a Hog like Artist.Artist is becomming almost a lighting language where anything is possible, this has proven so valuable to me as most of my projects call for the unconventional.The fact that almost everything is patchable control-wise, your options are endless.The only advantage is see with the Hog is that it's a more common controller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wodp Posted February 5, 2004 Share Posted February 5, 2004 The demo of artist that I just downloaded keeps crashing. Even if I haven't chosen an interface cos I don't have one, shouldnt cause a crash.. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olistockman Posted February 5, 2004 Author Share Posted February 5, 2004 I had very similar problems with my demo copy of artist, I can't remember what I was trying to do at the time, but it was while I was setting the demo up, it kicked me out three or four times. I got round it in the end. If I remember how I'll let you know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olistockman Posted February 5, 2004 Author Share Posted February 5, 2004 Does anybody know if FPS will be releasing Hog PC3 on Linux, as well as windows, surely this would be a logical step as the Hog3 is Linux based. I've been working with Linux for years, and will swear by it, for exactly the same reasons as FPS do, reliable, stable, it (Generally) makes much better use of your hardware, and these days, you don't need a degree to configure and edit it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wodp Posted February 5, 2004 Share Posted February 5, 2004 It doesn't crash now but I can't see a way of viewing the DMX values. If I could only figure out how to make several scenes at once run in showXpress using the user window (I can have several activated in its eyes but the visualisers output implies only one program at a time is doing it) then I'd think about getting a cheap laptop to run that off. I'm guessing mask has something to do with it but if I click the mask button in builder screen it doesnt go on and off for each scene as if it's a global thing for all your scenes. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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