Six-way dimmers - Zero88? Strand?

[rossmck]

Another +1 for BetaPack 3s... great dimmers.

 

I've also always been a fan of Avo for dimming, it generally isn't considered cheap but you might be surprised if you ask for quotes :)

[Maddison]

Definately would be worth looking at the Anytronics offering.

 

(Edited to repair link)

[paulears]

The Paradims are pretty reliable, but given the choice on offer of 'proper' long term support brands, then the only one has to be Zero 88 for this type of product.Strand won't be on my shopping list because they're not Strand, at least not the Strand many of us grew up with, they're Philips,who saw fit for business reasons to dump the history, and loyal customer base they'd built up. For a very long time, users remained loyal, then within just a few short years, everyone has dropped them - anybody know a Strand desk being bought in their area? The result seems to be a bits and pieces company - almost a distributor - as Strand is not a full product range, they have luminaires from one savaged brand, controls from another, and have hung on to some dimmers - or at least that's how it appear to me. Baby and bathwater.

 

Zero 88, however grew into Cooper Controls without any of the users even noticing because it's clear they know who their customers are and what their customers really want. You can't knock that.

[pritch]

Thanks everyone (especially Paul for his comments on Strand).

 

Support is important to us, so that's a black mark against Strand (although I'd be interested to hear from anyone whose opinions differ to Paul's). I think prior experience of dealing with Zero88 support is a big mark in their favour, so the Betapacks are looking like the favourite.

 

Any recommendations on places to buy from? The quote that I've got from my usual place isn't great, even with a discount for buying four. The best I've found so far is Lighting Partners who have them listed on the website for £400+VAT.

[Junior8]

Any recommendations on places to buy from? The quote that I've got from my usual place isn't great, even with a discount for buying four. The best I've found so far is Lighting Partners who have them listed on the website for £400+VAT.

 

I can't beat that price with any suplliers I know. Closest was AJS @ £443 - no-one else in same street.

[jexjexjex]

The Paradims are pretty reliable, but given the choice on offer of 'proper' long term support brands, then the only one has to be Zero 88...

 

*Snip*

 

Zero 88, however grew into Cooper Controls without any of the users even noticing because it's clear they know who their customers are and what their customers really want. You can't knock that.

 

Interesting to note that Lightprocessor, who make the Paradim(e) dimmers are a division of Cooper Controls.

[sguy42]

Thanks everyone (especially Paul for his comments on Strand).

 

Support is important to us, so that's a black mark against Strand (although I'd be interested to hear from anyone whose opinions differ to Paul's). I think prior experience of dealing with Zero88 support is a big mark in their favour, so the Betapacks are looking like the favourite.

 

Any recommendations on places to buy from? The quote that I've got from my usual place isn't great, even with a discount for buying four. The best I've found so far is Lighting Partners who have them listed on the website for £400+VAT.

 

Having stopped buying Strand a few years ago for all the obvious reasons, we have re-started and have been impressed with the price / quality of what we've had so far.

 

Big Caveat - We've only bought small bits & pieces for projects - Dim 1, Strand 100, Sixer desks.

 

We certainly wouldn't be thinking about using Strand for a large desk etc (yet).

 

We regularly use Lighting Partners, good on price & service.

[the kid]

To point out a few extras that you get with the BetaPacks:

 

Is there any way of connecting the DMX line at the back of the packs, Jon? It's not a deal-breaker if it's not possible, but due to how tight things can get in our dimmer corner, it's certainly a nice-to-have.

 

Silly thought but would a 90deg DMX plug/socket fit better than a normal straight one?

[pritch]

Silly thought but would a 90deg DMX plug/socket fit better than a normal straight one?

 

Now, that's an interesting idea; I started looking at whether that would be an option after Tom Howard came out with the same thought on the first page of the thread.

 

Courtesy of this ###### enormous picture of the right hand side of a Betapack, I had a look at which direction the XLRs point in. With many right angled XLRs, the cable comes out in such a way that the DMX in and out connectors would foul each other. However, I note that Neutrik do some connectors where you can change the position of the insert relative to the shell.

 

Hmmm...®

[the kid]

oh I missed that post.

 

Ah thisfrom neutrik swivels but its male counterpart is fixed. which is no help.

 

Can't work out why one does and one does not though.

[DrV]

oh I missed that post.

 

Ah thisfrom neutrik swivels but its male counterpart is fixed. which is no help.

 

Can't work out why one does and one does not though.

 

The NC5FRX and NC5MRX can both be swivelled through 90 degrees in either direction of centre. Centre is with the latch on the opposite side to the cable entry (as you wouldn't be able to undo the latch with the cable entry on top of it). They only swivel in discrete steps to +45 +90 -45 -90 degrees so your only real options would be to exit them towards top left or straight up, otherwise you'll be obstructing controls or MCBs

 

HTH

Dave

[rossmck]

The Paradims are pretty reliable, but given the choice on offer of 'proper' long term support brands, then the only one has to be Zero 88...

Interesting to note that Lightprocessor, who make the Paradim(e) dimmers are a division of Cooper Controls.

 

Also interesting to note that the Strand DIG6 dimmer was made by Lightprocessor, and is simply a rebrand of one of there Paradim(e) dimmers.

 

Likewise I believe the Showtec Dim-Master 6 is made by the same OEM as the current Strand SD6...

 

Strand don't make anything any more, like paul said ... at least not the Strand we once knew :(

[the kid]

oh I missed that post.

 

Ah thisfrom neutrik swivels but its male counterpart is fixed. which is no help.

 

Can't work out why one does and one does not though.

 

The NC5FRX and NC5MRX can both be swivelled through 90 degrees in either direction of centre. Centre is with the latch on the opposite side to the cable entry (as you wouldn't be able to undo the latch with the cable entry on top of it). They only swivel in discrete steps to +45 +90 -45 -90 degrees so your only real options would be to exit them towards top left or straight up, otherwise you'll be obstructing controls or MCBs

 

HTH

Dave

 

 

That would be the female having a diagram and the male not.

 

[mild intoxicated Friday night humour] thankfully I don't need a diagram for a female [/mild intoxicated Friday night humour]

[TomHoward]

It's worth mentioning that the Betapack 3 is a pretty shallow unit as well, if there's any scope to reduce the depth of your racks to keep space in the corner. Can't be much more than 300mm max deep.

[Ashley R]

Silly thought but would a 90deg DMX plug/socket fit better than a normal straight one?

 

Now, that's an interesting idea; I started looking at whether that would be an option after Tom Howard came out with the same thought on the first page of the thread.

 

Courtesy of this ###### enormous picture of the right hand side of a Betapack, I had a look at which direction the XLRs point in. With many right angled XLRs, the cable comes out in such a way that the DMX in and out connectors would foul each other. However, I note that Neutrik do some connectors where you can change the position of the insert relative to the shell.

 

Hmmm...®

 

Just wondering why don't you just flip the Female XLR Connector in the pack itself? Or is it a PCB Mounted one?

 

(But then again when are things ever so simple?)