New desk for £500?

[deskkky]

Hello everyone, long time reader, first time poster!

 

In our village hall we are looking to replace our current 3 lighting desks with 1 new DMX desk that will be able to control everything.

 

We have 2 X 12 channel Zero 88 dimmer packs which are at the moment running 1 12 channel desk per pack, 8 LED cans which have a simple 3 fadder controller and 6 ACME Winner Scanners which are on audio mode.

 

We would like to buy a new (or used if in good condition from a trusted source) desk which would be capable of controlling the 24 channels of dimming, the 8 LED cans & the 6 scanners for around the £500 mark.

 

I have found the 'Zero 88 Jester 12/24' and the 'ZERO 88 JUGGLER 12/24 DMX' and the 'SHOWTEC SHOWDESIGNER 1024' all within price range and look very impressive.

 

I really like the Zero 88 Jester, but I see the showtec have 2 wheels for panning/tilting and it's important to be able to control the scanners, also the jester says it has VGA output to a monitor, does that make life easier?

 

Could anyone have some suggestions, would be much appreciated. The shows we do are typical a couple of talent shows with pop music & a few dance shows & some musicals.

 

Being in a community position it has to be simple to learn how to use it, and operate it, but we would still like to be able to program scenes, cues, chases & 'animations for the scanners.

 

Also, I know we need a dmux for the dimmer packs.

 

Many thanks in advanced!

[brainwave-generator]

At that price I can't help but think you might be better leaving the scanners in audio mode. The Showtec would appear to probably be a PITA to program movers on. If you want proper Movers control, you need to be spending a bit more money, think second-hand Z88 Leap Frog or Pearl 2000 / 2004.

 

As such, I'd be tempted towards a Jester, and leaving the scanners alone. The Showtec probably 'does' control them, whether you'd get control to the point it looked better than audio mode is another question.

[GridGirl]

A 12/24 desk is going to be too small unless you plan on pairing - with 2 12-channel dimmer packs there goes your 24 channels without going near the LEDs or scanners. If I were you I'd be looking at a second-hand Zero88 LeapFrog or BullFrog desk if you can find one in your price range - they have dedicated moving light control which will make things a whole lot easier with the scanners - running movers off a desk which only has faders is a real PITA. Do-able, but it's very fiddly and has endless possibilities of things going wrong - pull the Grand Master down and all the moving light attributes reset to 0 as well, often creating an unintentional light show....A LeapFrog has the ability to run a show in 2-preset mode, off submasters or off a GO button, will do chases and is not difficult to learn. I'd be going for a desk with a monitor every time as well.

[pritch]

...or, keeping it Froggy, a second hand FatFrog, which may be a bit cheaper than the Bull or LeapFrogs.

 

There's also the option of PC control, but once the OP has bought a PC and dongle, there's not going to be anything left in the pot for buying a control surface.

[deskkky]

I understand what you are saying. Where would be the best place to try and find a fat frog desk? I found this on on ebay, does it look reasnable?

Thank you

[paulears]

For just over a grand it looks fine - just the usual caveats on an ebay purchase, which in my book boil down to one simple test.

 

Can you afford to lose the purchase price.

 

It's a test that works for me. Spending all your money and then discovering a problem that may well cost half of the purchase price to fix is a decider for me. That way, if you buy it, and a problem develops, you can live with yourself. I built up a paypal balance I leave sitting there, for speculative purchases - then, as I've never really 'had' the money, I don't consider it lost if it goes wrong. If it goes right, then until I've built up the fund again, I don't risk it - even if a bargain comes along.

 

Personally, I'm totally sold on Chamsys MagicQ and the small wing (the mini wing) is around £650, with the PC wing at £1400. The cost of a PC nowadays is minimal, especially as the computer requirements mean that often you can simply use a superseded one you have laying around. As funds become available, you can add bits and pieces to make the system unique to you. The software is of course, free - so you can stick it on a laptop, take it home and fiddle, then transfer files on a USB stick.

 

Worth a look?

[archmac123]

How about a Strand 200 plus 12/24? Stage Lighting have one here for £425, and it gives you the 24 channels for the dimmers, as well as the capability for 12 LEDs and 12 movers.

[mrjammy83]

I understand what you are saying. Where would be the best place to try and find a fat frog desk? I found this on on ebay, does it look reasnable?

Thank you

 

A fat frog is perfect for what you need

 

or even better would be a jester 12/24 ML ( the ML bit adds the ability to program intelligent fixtures or MOVING LIGHTS really easily)

 

http://www.stageservicesshop.com/shop/product.php?productid=16582

 

what your probably realising is.... whatever happens to get full sensible control over all your kit its going to be more than £500.

 

Having said that I understand that zero88 are ceasing production of the jester range and therefore are looking to sell off there stock. speak to them and see what they say

 

HTH

 

James

[brainwave-generator]

I understand what you are saying. Where would be the best place to try and find a fat frog desk? I found this on on ebay, does it look reasnable?

Thank you

 

A fat frog is perfect for what you need

 

or even better would be a jester 12/24 ML ( the ML bit adds the ability to program intelligent fixtures or MOVING LIGHTS really easily)

 

 

I would put the fatfrog above the jester ML.

 

the Fatfrog features far more functions of a 'proper' moving light console, where the Jester ML just adds a little bit of those consoles onto a pretty standard 24ch controller.

[peter]

Having said that I understand that zero88 are ceasing production of the jester range and therefore are looking to sell off there stock. speak to them and see what they say

Hi all,

 

I would like to categorically state that this is untrue. The jesters are and remain one of our most popular products and as such we have no plans to discontinue production of these products.

 

Peter

[ltully]

I understand what you are saying. Where would be the best place to try and find a fat frog desk? I found this on on ebay, does it look reasnable?

Thank you

 

Put bit more cash together and buy a Titan Mobile

[pritch]

I think we need the OP to give us an update as to what their budget actually is!

 

We started with £500. Then moved on to a £1100 Fat Frog. And now we're talking about circa £2000 for a Titan Mobile.

 

How much money do you actually want to spend, Deskkky?

[Jivemaster]

It's a village hall situation, so I presume that there will be other users on the stage. SO Anything that needs programming is wasted and may even limit the other hires that the hall can take.

 

Most people from caretaker up can push a fader an see lights come on, BUT if they have to boot a desk and programme their needs in then they probably will not hire the hall. loss of income could close the hall.

[paulears]

If he wants to control even rudimentary basic scans, then the shove a fader idea needs a brain on the end. I totally agree about keeping it simple, but Frogs are not controls for the caretaker.

[Jivemaster]

Agree, movers need a brain (chip) However if there are to be other hirers using the hall then they need simple sliders even if the movers don't come on. If the village Mother's Union/ Men's fellowship (et al) cannot put some lights on the stage, they may hire another hall, or someone will have to drive the desk for a night for nothing just to keep the meetings going.