Strand GSX Lighting Console

[SceneMaster]

So you wouldn’t recommend hiring a LBX or GSX instead of an Axiom36 for controlling moving lights then!!! ;)

 

Would ideally like a Pearl 2000 or 2004 but can't afford the hire costs!!!

[MarcT]

I love the GSX brilliant console and we still use ours quite regularly. yes it's not dedicated to moving lights but will control one or two after a fashion (it's quite tricky but if you use the subs it's not too bad) The scroller software is a bit of an afterthought but is also relatively simple to set up and use.

Downsides:

can't control chases/macros from cues all have to be done separately

chases are at full only (so not good for movers etc.)

no 0.* cues start at 1 which is annoying if you like using 0.5 for your preset!

 

otherwise a great little desk

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Gotta agree with you there. For straightforward theatre, the GSX is great - simple and easy to use.

 

I first used the GSX (which Strand kindly lent us) when I lit a Shakespeare tour around Europe in '96, and absolutely loved the desk. We even used it to control a pair of Miniscan HPEs in the rig - that was a bit of a pain, but workable.

 

I guess I just like Strand - the first memory desk I used was a Strand Tempus M24, and then a Gemini. Both these and the GSX have the same principle of operation. On the other hand I loathed the Zero88 Sirius48 (?) I had to use in Edinburgh '96.

 

I now own a second hand GSX, which I'm using this week to light the village panto. I used it three weeks ago to light a fantastic production of Macbeth, so it gets a fair use.

 

Lastly, a little tip if you *have* to use movers with one - there is an undocumented setting for the submasters. You can set them up as "Independent" - this means that if you run a cross-fade (such as CUE 0 GO), the channel values held on the submaster don't drop to 0. The real secret to using movers with the GSX is to use lots of move fades.

 

Marc