Commonly Used DMX Fixtures

[Daveman]

I'm currently programming a DMX control system in MaxMSP to allow light programming from Ableton Live. I've made a few modules for different kinds of basic fixtures (Dimmer packs, Generic LED Pars etc.) but I want to start making modules for more specific pieces of hardware. Bearing in mind this is for use in a music/band type environment, what are some of the most common model numbers of fixtures in terms of scanners, moving lights, smoke machines/hazers etc.?

[Caldair]

Do you mean for a band-running-its-own-lighting setup? I wouldn't really know how advanced they'd get in that case...

 

For smoke and hazers, I think you'll cover most with two generic personalities - one single channel, one two channels with one channel for heat on/off and one channel for haze/fan. Usually I just patch them in as dimmer channels on my console.

 

"Most common" would depend on the sort of place you're in, I reckon. If you're talking about small clubs where the band is squeezed in on a stage barely big enough for them with a few red parcans that are turned on by the guy in the bar, my guess is that they don't have too many £2,000+ movers.

For the scale where you'd start hiring, y'know, us, it depends on how many you want to add. I suppose Mac600 and Mac700 are the ones I see most commonly out there - though that may vary with location (I'm in Norway). I'd just make it easy to add new personality files...

[JDLX]

What level of success are the bands? Are we talking local groups, tribute acts, mainstream? etc

[Daveman]

Well ultimately I want the system to work for anyone, but for now I'm focusing on small-level bands, using lighting equipment found in clubs, or cheap stuff they might have themselves.

[themadhippy]

There is no standard really,every manufacturer tends to use a different channel layout,a different amount of channels and different channel values to do different things,in fact even different fixtures from the same manufacturers often don't follow one type of layout.Ive just had a quick look at the software I use,it has profiles for 140+ manufacters, some have only 1 type of fixtures others nearly 200 and it hasn't got the profile for the cheep scanners I used last weekend.

[Daveman]

Sorry I think you misunderstood. I'm asking what fixture types (specific fixture models) are commonly found in this environment so I have some idea of what I should be working on initially. For example, I'm making a module for Mac 250s at the moment.

[david.elsbury]

There is no "common" fixture type. You would be better, as suggested above, to make it easy for the user to write their own personality for fittings as you'll never cover all the possibilities.

[Aaron-Hill07]

There's too many to suggest really, maybe a bit of forums searching would yield more results.. Bit of a broad question really as it completely depends on which ones the band buy as they usually have no idea about lighting.. Obviously if the bands are big enough to have their own lighting tech then it could be anything really.

 

I'll suggest a few bits and pieces you can start on:

 

Acme Winner

Acme Rover

Acme Dynamo

Acme Dynatwin

Abstract VRX

Martin MX1-MX4

Chauvet Insignia

NJD DMX-250

Isolution IM5

Isolution IM7s

Isolution 250w

Showtec Phantom Wash

Showtec Phantom Spot

Acme 200sr

 

That's simply a few I can think off from the top of my head, in terms of haze/smoke.. in most small bands they won't have DMX capable machines therefore uncontrollable, I've seen a few small bands with machines such as the Acme HP2 which is analog.

 

It's a very very broad question, and your never going to cover it by just asking on a forum such as this. Have a search on this forum using the search function, have a look around on eBay, google it?

 

You'll find a lot more out if you do some research using information sitting waiting for you, especially on a forum that has members from much bigger venues etc than pubs and clubs that small bands will play in!

 

A concurrent post has been automatically merged from this point on.

 

Also, if you want ''cheap stuff they may have themselves'' then why are you making fixture personalities for Martin Mac 250s? Not exactly cheap, or something you may just have sitting around.

[Daveman]

Thanks for the suggestions. I just wanted something to get started on really, was never asking for an exhaustive list! I have been also looking around forums and the web, but I wanted to get some ideas of what kind of gear people are actually likely to own, or at least have access to in small to medium size venues.

 

The way the system I'm working on is set up, I need to build a separate patch for each fixture personality. I have created a template to allow people to create their own personalities, but to do so would require knowledge of MaxMSP, and my main aim with this project is to allow musicians to program their lighting as easily as they compose their music, and in the same environment.

 

And I'm making a Mac250 personality because I have access to them for testing, (a club near me is particularly well-equipped tech-wise). Once I know I can create a working moving light module then I can apply to the same bits of code to other personalities, but I need to hardware test it first.

[back_ache]

I'm currently programming a DMX control system in MaxMSP to allow light programming from Ableton Live. I've made a few modules for different kinds of basic fixtures (Dimmer packs, Generic LED Pars etc.) but I want to start making modules for more specific pieces of hardware. Bearing in mind this is for use in a music/band type environment, what are some of the most common model numbers of fixtures in terms of scanners, moving lights, smoke machines/hazers etc.?

 

At the cheap and chearful end, StageTec's range LED pars, I believe they may use the same channel assignments across the entire range

[timmeh2]

Hi

 

I think a far more robust and practical idea would be to create a parser that translated a freely-available fixture library (such as Hog or Avolites) into something your plugin could understand. That way you could map the DMX values from just about any fixture on the planet and make it work with your program, rather than having to create your own.

 

The Hog and Avo fixture files are all just tab-delimited ASCII text files and are quite easy to work with.

 

Avo I know in particular are quite happy to help developers creating stuff with their bits and pieces - try giving Olly a call on 020 8955 9236, he might be able to give you a few pointers.

 

HTH

 

All the best

Timmeh

[Modge]

Firstly: ask whom ever is going to be testing this for you what they use, even before you get into disco tat there's an awful lot of fixtures out there and (I've found at least) writing fixture definitions takes quite a while, no matter what tools you make to do it for you. You will at some point need to make such a tool, so your users can make fixture files; You can't make everything instantly.

 

Also you make take heart from the fact that only the other day some one was telling me what a great idea an Ableton lighting control plug in would be!

[back_ache]

I think a far more robust and practical idea would be to create a parser that translated a freely-available fixture library (such as Hog or Avolites) into something your plugin could understand.

I think that's the winning idea right there.

[Tomo]

I think a far more robust and practical idea would be to create a parser that translated a freely-available fixture library (such as Hog or Avolites) into something your plugin could understand. That way you could map the DMX values from just about any fixture on the planet and make it work with your program, rather than having to create your own.

I would strongly advise against using someone else's fixture library without permission - that is straightforward copyright infringement, which is illegal.

Avolites or others may well give you permission, but you *must ask first*.

 

A much more flexible and reliable method would be to implement a simple personality creator for the controller, and let the user build them.

 

As a quick example, the SmartFade ML library has over 1000 different fixtures in it - and ETC have still had requests for some fixtures that were missed out.

The larger ETC consoles (Congo, Eos etc) have over 3000 fixtures in their libraries, and the list is still growing.

[collism]

This looks like brilliant ground for a collaboration - why not make a plugin that 'talks' to an existing system rather then having to deal with fixture libraries, shape generators etc. from scratch.