DMX 512 CONTROLLER??

[persuasion]

hi all, complete novice here I have a pair of "chauvet vue 1.1" and a pair of "lantra orion links"

currently they are all set up purely sound to light but we want especially with the lantra units to be able to use the washs,fades etc

ideally we want to be able to set up memories which can be used for specific songs, which DMX controllers will allow us to this and more besides??

any help would be useful as we know we're not getting the full potential out of our lights

martin

[KevinE]

Yes, a controller will allow this. There are hundreds out there, some are nigh on impossible to use in a live situation, some are ideal. All will need custom programmes making for your application which will require a good understanding of how DMX is implemented if you're to do it yourself...ie there's no plug and play solution.

 

If you use the forum stickies to read-up exactly how DMX works then you'll be in a better position to make a choice of controller that will work for you. There's nothing worse than blindly buying something that 'looks good' but in practice turns out to be awkward (and disheartening) to use when in fact you've simply bought the wrong unit.

 

Everyone has their own favourite DMX controller and what seems great for one person is a fiddle for another.

 

In your position I would speak to a retailer who knows their stuff, where you can actually see and play with a controller before you buy it.

[Phill.Beynon]

Weeelllll, withstanding that this is a live show forum and not particularly useful for DJ equipment, I'll try to recommend something. I have no knowledge of any DJ style controllers which may or may not be cheaper and more suitable.

The Chauvets are 6 channels each and the Lantas are 2, 3, 4, 7, 14 or 26 channel if I have the right fixture, depending on the mode you put them in. I would suggest 7 channel mode for you which should give you colour mixing channels and some effects at a guess. Ideally this means that you need a 26 channel lighting desk just for these 4 fixtures, which is non-existent as far as I know. Common channel configurations for cost effective desks are 6, 12 or 24 channels. This means that you can either leave the Chauvets in sound to light mode and use the Lantas in 7 channel mode on the desk, or put the Lantas into 4 channel mode and use all the fixtures from your 24 channel desk. A good control desk with memory capability is the Zero88 Jester. There are cheaper desks out there from CPC, Showtec etc. but in my experience they are all cheap for a reason, and most are pretty much unusable.

 

[Ashley R]

Everyone does have their own favourite's, but the most common hardware controllers that I see people on low budgets use are things like the Chauvet Obey 40, Acme DMX Master, Elation DMX operator 192 -- all identical units that pretty much work in the same way, can be had on eBay for only AUD$100(or at a guess 50-60GBP).

 

Those controllers should be more than capable of doing what you want, but it is not a plug and play solution, you need to then sit down and program your own scene's. But there are tonnes of Selp help video's on the topic on YouTube, all aimed at DJ's.

 

And alternative is to go for software, that runs off your laptop. Things like FreeStyler (which is free), DasLight, Chamsys MagicQ, ADJ's My DMX. But ive never used any of these products so I wont comment on them.

 

You will definitely want to read up a little more on how DMX works, to get a feel for what you really do need to achieve and possibly how you can achieve them, and then go to a store and try some of the controllers that they have there out, to see which one you like the feel of best.