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Sound to Light / PC lighting control software


ace

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Hi guys,

 

I have a quick question about some of the PC based lighting control software. I am usually in a lampy role where whatever I am doing is heavily designed and operated - even if that just means busking in a nightclub to ensure that the lighting follows the music.

 

However I have agreed to help a friend out with a party at the weekend, where there is no option to have an operator firstly because no one is available to do it, but mainly because it seems a bit over the top for such a small party - probably around 30 people. I have acquired 16 economy led parcams, and a few older scans, as well as a small truss goalpost - the usual kind of stuff I have laying around.

 

My only option for control, however is a laptop and a usb DMX adapter. The lighting needs to basically cover a dancefloor, and it needs to take care of itself all evening. My question to you guys is -any suggestions on how to set it up? I could use freestyler, but I am loathed to just leave it with a single chase all night. Is there any better software out there for automation / sound to light? Or has anyone got any cunning sug gestions as to how they would set this up?

 

Many thanks,

 

Chris

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laptop and a usb DMX adapter. The lighting needs to basically cover a dancefloor, and it needs to take care of itself all evening.... I could use freestyler, but I am loathed to just leave it with a single chase all night. Is there any better software out there for automation / sound to light?

 

If you have freestyler already have you had a look at http://www.freestylersupport.com/wiki/sound_2_light

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A trick I do using Magic Q for unattended movers (and possibly could be done on Freestyler)

 

1. Build a chase with different slow Pan/tilt movements - i.e. shapes changing every 30 seconds

2. Build a chase with 1 scene per colour changing every 20 seconds

3. Build a chase with 1 scene per gobo changing every 25 seconds

4. If rotating gobos build a chase with gobos rotating slowly.

5. Build a chase with prism rotating slowly and then a step with no gobo changing every 30 seconds

 

Repeat 1-5 with fast movements

 

Then build an execute screen and then tell user on night to select either fast/slow movement, fast/slow colours, fast/slow gobos etc.

 

A bit budget but does the trick when no operator!

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Put your DMX input in a bucket of water!

Of course that wouldn't work.

 

To be seen as a valid RS485 signal requires that the potential difference between pins 2 and 3 exceeds +/-200mV. Even in a salt water solution the electrode potential is insufficient to generate that amount.

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Put your DMX input in a bucket of water!

Of course that wouldn't work.

 

To be seen as a valid RS485 signal requires that the potential difference between pins 2 and 3 exceeds +/-200mV. Even in a salt water solution the electrode potential is insufficient to generate that amount.

 

Haha!

 

Thanks guys! I value you input, but I have a feeling I might just leave the LED pars in auto sound to light mode, and assume that the drunk party goers probably wont notice! ;-)

 

Chris

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If you were to go the freestyler route, they've recently released a new sound to light module which I have been quite impressed by.

 

Usually LED pars have quite a good sound to light feature and can work slave-master so you can either leave them standalone or link them up together - all together, every 2, every other etc.

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