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Lighting design programs


Csaba

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For my new job I need a lighting designer program, but becouse I've never worked with one it's a hard choise.

 

Can you tell me about the ones you prefer and why.

 

I also need to pick a lighting console (AVO/Wholehog/Strand/MA), and it would be nice to do pre-programming on the computer at the office.

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As a regular user of "Capture" lighting design I would recomend it. It's easy enough to use after a basic read of the instructions and has a live visualiser included with the programme. Programming from an office I'm not sure about unless you happen to have the console you are using sitting infront of you :blink: . Although you can download the pearl 2000 and 2004 simulator to get a basic idea, same with wholehog - you can download hogpc. The simulators can be connected to capture via ACDI and CITP. Both simulators can be downloaded from their websites. I'm also sure you could get hold of an offline editor for whatever console you end up using.

 

 

As for choosing the right console for the event it all depends on what your needs are. Strand tends to be more theatre based with the 500 series consoles being more dedicated to automated fixtures, while the Avo's and Hogs being more automated based.

 

....and from what what I can remember MAlighting has a visualiser, 3D console simulator and offline editor for the grandMA consoles availbale to download from their site.

 

Hope that helped a bit,

 

Jon

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I personally am a MA lover, why use a bit of everyones stuff when the MA family provide it all, accept of print out of plans but a Exelent console, for prity much any inviroment, As long as u know how to use it. you can learn pleanty from there free training DVD, and there visulisations softwear is good. this isnt best suited for a busking desk, for that I say u can never beat a AVO product, but everything else I would turn to MA for. If people reliased what they can do with their family of equipment im sure they would sell like hot cakes. visit there web site for more details and the brocha is prity informative. Great technical support side to the company too. sorry I dont have much bad to say bout them MA's visuliser isnt on the same league as wyg but its good enought for a preplot.

 

Matt

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Thanks for all the advice.

 

The AVO, and Hog were my first thought, couse I've worked with the Pearl 2000&2004& WholehogII. So these are the ones I know, but I also heard good about the MA's, but there's hardly any in Hungary.

 

The console, needs to be good for all purposes, I work on all sors of events.

 

I've still plenty of time to make up my mind, about a month.

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Sorry but in my mind there is only one true all purpose reliable high powerd desk out there and that has to be the Grand MA. if ur worride about it then contact MA from there website and no dout they will reasure u, they have done me very well over the past few years, ive used them on all sorts of shows. softwear is free too, and I not sure if this is still the case but when we got both of ours we got completly free training and I believe this still stands, but drop them a mail and I sure they help. dont be put down by what the few in experinced operators of the console say about the MA, its extreamly powerfull tool and extremly simple to use.

 

You wont go wrong by looking into it

 

Matt

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dont be put down by what the few in experinced operators of the console say about the MA

What do they say about it?

 

(Oh, and please use the spell check facility that is built into this site - it makes posts so much easier to read if they're correctly spelt.)

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I have had many people, who are quite inexperienced in the desk say they don't like to use it. all these people are people which have normally only used the console once I have found and had never been on the training course for it. its a extremely powerful desk and you do need the advance course to be shown the quick and easy ways of doing things, but it is childs play.

 

Sorry for the errors, I will spell check in future.

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I agreed that the GrandMA is a very powerfull tool it was also the first to offer many of the features that are only now avaliable in the hog3 and avo d4 by a couple of years!. the reason that many operators get confused over its operation is that there are so many ways of doing everything and learning the quickest way isn't always the most obviose.

 

Having said that I know many people who have moved from hog2's to the MA beacuse it can do what the hog 3 can but with much more stability.

 

I currently have settled with the avo diamond 4 as it has all the features avaliable in any of the other desks avaliable( that I find importiant anyway ) with the advantage over all the others that it's as simple to busk on as a pearl. For high budget or big rigs (over 8 DMX Universes) I would choose a Vari*lite Virtuoso as it is quite simply the ultimate console. It can do anything that you could possible think of very easily.

 

As for design work, I usually do all my drawing and 3d renders in Vectorworks, then import them into Wysiwyg for visualizationn, this works very well for mac users, but you will have to get a PC for wysiwyg!.

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How about taking a look at the new Jands Vista? www.jandsvista.com

really intuitive desk! and if my memory serves me correct, (please dot kill me if I'm wrong) it will connect to WYSIWYG whiteout a WYGIT interface.

 

They also have a pc version in the making.

 

Spantax

LampettGeneralen

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