Help with Strand 300 and MagicQ PC

[beninjam]

Hello all,

I am doing a Gymnastics annual display on the 28th at my local (leisure centre), and I have a choice of two desks to use. The first is the Strand 300 series we have up there, which I am fairly good at using. However, I feel it lacks expandability, and being stuck as 24 subs is not really enough.

 

Also, it doesn't have a "tap" function for chases that I know of, does anyone know different?

 

My other choice is my tablet running MagicQ PC, which a MagicDMX dongle. Again the tap problem is a problem, as I don't have an interface with encoders, and although I'm learning the desk, it's intelligent lighting abilities are better than that of the strand.

 

Any advice? It's mainly 60 par 64s and a couple of movers.

 

Thanks.

[Ynot]

Well, the 300 has - if memory serves - 3 or 4 pages of subs, though it's been a while since I used the facility. Have a gander at the manual to see what that tells you.

 

However, why does the subs route restrict you? Can you not treat it like a normal show and have a cue stack, or is there a need to be reactive to specific areas on demand?

 

As for 'tap', what do you mean by this? Do you mean being able to step a chase manually to the beat by hitting a button?

[paulears]

The chase function on the Chamsys is a very different beast to the Strand, and they work differently. I've used both and for a gymnastic display I'd be happy using either - but YOU have already mentioned the key thing. You are fairly good at using the Strand, and only learning magicq.

 

This suggests that you should use the one you understand best, and without lots of manual faders to grab on the magicq without a proper wing, I'd go for the Strand for quickness and ability to get you out of trouble. Using a mouse or tablet isn't as quick, or in an emergency anywhere near as handy. The Chamsys with a doubt has far better facilities and scope with a proper wing. Without the wing, just more awkward. As Ynot says, the pages feature on the Strand gives you access to more subs. As for chases on the Strand, I've always found it far better to use a few bump buttons and do it manually - 5 works well.

 

Busking on a desk you're only just learning is tricky - because if you forget a sequence of button presses, or get yourself into trouble, this isn't the time to get the manual out - especially on the Chamsys because the manual if printed is telephone book thickness!

[gareth]

For busking with parcans, and only a 'couple' of movers, I'd chose the 300 (unless you have access to a hardware wing for the MagicQ). I have to ask, though - why is multiple pages of 24 subs "not really enough" for a simple gymnastics display?

[beninjam]

Well, the 300 has - if memory serves - 3 or 4 pages of subs, though it's been a while since I used the facility. Have a gander at the manual to see what that tells you.

 

However, why does the subs route restrict you? Can you not treat it like a normal show and have a cue stack, or is there a need to be reactive to specific areas on demand?

 

As for 'tap', what do you mean by this? Do you mean being able to step a chase manually to the beat by hitting a button?

 

For some reason our desk is limited one page to 24, and I've read the manual. Strange...

 

And by tap I mean being able to push a button twice in beat with the music and all chase steps get set to the delay inbetween the 2 button pushes. Is there a term I'm mssing here?

 

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

 

For busking with parcans, and only a 'couple' of movers, I'd chose the 300 (unless you have access to a hardware wing for the MagicQ). I have to ask, though - why is multiple pages of 24 subs "not really enough" for a simple gymnastics display?

 

Our desk seems limited to one page of 24 for some reason, even after changing settings and reading through the manual...

 

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

 

The chase function on the Chamsys is a very different beast to the Strand, and they work differently. I've used both and for a gymnastic display I'd be happy using either - but YOU have already mentioned the key thing. You are fairly good at using the Strand, and only learning magicq.

 

This suggests that you should use the one you understand best, and without lots of manual faders to grab on the magicq without a proper wing, I'd go for the Strand for quickness and ability to get you out of trouble. Using a mouse or tablet isn't as quick, or in an emergency anywhere near as handy. The Chamsys with a doubt has far better facilities and scope with a proper wing. Without the wing, just more awkward. As Ynot says, the pages feature on the Strand gives you access to more subs. As for chases on the Strand, I've always found it far better to use a few bump buttons and do it manually - 5 works well.

 

Busking on a desk you're only just learning is tricky - because if you forget a sequence of button presses, or get yourself into trouble, this isn't the time to get the manual out - especially on the Chamsys because the manual if printed is telephone book thickness!

 

That is very true. Thanks for the advice. I'm only a student so I like to make sure I'm thinking sanely, but thanks a lit.

[Junior8]

I can't tell from your original post whether you are busking or working to a plot. If busking Paulears is right use a board with the ability to intervene by slider immediately. (I can still recall with terrible clarity trying to isolate and knock out a rogue way on an early Berkey numerical call up control of very dubious reliability.) All I would say is that my experience - albeit years ago now - of lighting gymnastics in a leisure centre is to keep it as simple as possible. After all they've come to see the gymnasts not your lighting. Oh yes and the positioning of the various lanterns in this kind of work is far more important than the detail at the control end - above all the performers must be able to see what they are doing.

[Ynot]

OK, so tell us precisely what you're trying to achieve here.

 

If this is for a normal gymnastics display, then why are you looking at chasing the lighting states?

I - like the last poster - would suspect that flashing lights are likely to be rather distracting to the performers.

 

But if the chases are for something like an intro piece, prior to the jumping around, then is the timing really THAT critical? You can set the chase time manually when an FX is running, make a note of it, then modify the time steps of the FX so that when you next run it, the speed should pretty well be right.

 

And again, considering the type of event this seems to be, what can you possibly want more than 24 subs for...? (Even though you WILL be able to get at more than one page of 24).

 

Have you been ASKED for flishy-flashy lighting or is this something you're trying to achieve from your own initiative? Unless there's something key here that we can't see, the K.I.S.S. principle would certainly be the order of the day as far as I can see...

[derykh]

The 300 series has 4 subpages like the 500 series but no subpage button like the 500 series however you can swap subpages by pressing SUB, + or - buttons and it moves the sub page up or down by one.

Regards

 

Deryk