Zero 88 beta pack

[timtheenchanteruk]

A place I am involved in setting up bought (with no consultation with anyone) a nice DMX desk but to go with it a Zero88 betapack 2 with analogue inputs.

 

the desk has been sent back, and we are using a borrowed basic analogue desk at the moment, as the budget has been spent up, but in the next few months, we wil be adding a second dimmer pack, and a proper desk.

 

now comes the complex bit.

 

I know the betapack2 is avaliable in a DMX version, so would it be possible to retrofit a DMX card into it, or would it be easier to get a Demux unit to put in there.

 

there will be only 12 channels for a quite a long time to come (no more power)

[Andrew C]

Zero USED to make retrofit cards for the early Betapacks. No longer available though.

[Neil Hampson]

There is space in the BetaPack2 for a DMX card, however finding one will prove difficult, and expensive. you can get a demux far cheaper than a card will cost. If I remember rightly you can can get a showtec Demux for about £100. Although a bit backwards, the demux will also mean that you can use / buy 2nd hand analogue dimmers if required. Also something to bear in mind, a lot of the newer desks are DMX only, so you are restricting your choice if you want an analogue desk.

 

Also remember if you use the DMX desk, the DMX signal will already be at the dimmers for later expansion, it is doubtful that new future dimmers will have analogue control for much longer, also it means that any future hires of scrollers, simple movers etc. would bemore feasiable.

[timtheenchanteruk]

cheers, thought that might be the case.

 

I`ll look into the Showtec De-mux, Itll be easier anyway, the dimmers are a little on the inaccessible side, being under the stage, accessed by a trap-door (dont ask!!)

Itll definatly be a DMX desk in the end, as there will be some LED PARs going in next year, light for no-power! mainly to use as a "cyc" wash, no cyc, but a white-wall!

 

I just wanted to sort the compatibility thing first before looking into suitable desks