Lampy Craig Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 'Ello People, Just wondering if someone might be able to help me out? I work with a band who are off on tour for a couple of months in America. They can't afford an Op' for the tour, but want to take a back drop made from led tape. They then want the back drop to glow and fade in time to their music, but not in a mechanical/sound to light disco way. My original idea was to use magic q which would work perfectly, but the cost of the audio interface and pc wing is too much for the band at the minute. Anybody come across any alternatives? I know it's a big ask wanting something for next to nothing. But thought I'd try to help them out with it by asking you lovely lot. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImagineerTom Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 There are many cheep, chinese "RGB led curtains" that come in star or grid patterns and that have nice, neat self-contained controllers. If you need something that can be programmed once then thrown out on the road with no technician to monitor it then that's going to be your best option by a long way... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImagineerTom Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 There are many cheep, chinese "RGB led curtains" that come in star or grid patterns and that have nice, neat self-contained controllers. If you need something that can be programmed once then thrown out on the road with no technician to monitor it then that's going to be your best option by a long way... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lampy Craig Posted January 22, 2013 Author Share Posted January 22, 2013 Cheers Tom, It's not really the look they're after. And even the cheapest ones are a bit too expensive for them. They're pretty clued up on the technical side of things, (so they could program it) just skint as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImagineerTom Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 If £900 for what is effectively a low res video wall is too expensive then this is something you need to shoot down. It would be possible to bodge-together various controllers and LED strips to make something slightly cheeper (but not significantly) and you'd end up with something that would require maintenance on the road, would require some knowledge to be set up (wheras ANY crew could hang a curtain) and would be the first thing to get damaged (or abandoned) in a difficult load in/out - it's doomed to fail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lampy Craig Posted January 22, 2013 Author Share Posted January 22, 2013 I hear ya mate. But all their dosh is going on flights, a van and fuel. So they really have very little dosh to get gear in with. The singer is pretty awesome with a soldering iron, so whatever we come up with, he's more than capable of maintaining it on the road. A video curtain is just not the look they're after. I can do it when I'm at a gig with them easy, but we're just looking for something that can be left to run itself, by way of midi/etc. We looked at chamsys, but they're skint so tried looking at freestyler etc for other options. But it's obviously not going to be easy as the sound to light part of it does not quite seem controllable enough. Thanks for your input though, much appreciated. If anybody else had an idea or has seen somethig along these lines? Please give me a shout Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkPAman Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 How many channels of DMX do they need to control? If its only a small number, then something like Behringer's Eurolight may be able to do it. Edit - actually probably not the Behringer, it looks as if it only uses midi to connect two desks together, but this may do the job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImagineerTom Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Those chinese RGB curtains DO run themselves - you preload images/patterns etc in to them via a USB or flashcard and off they go; there's no active "controlling" required Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henny Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Look at lanbox , it can be fired by midi and play back whatever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbuckley Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Ok firstly, what sort of LED tape? Single colour, RGB, or digital RGB? How many channels? How long? If its the first two then there are any number of boxes on AliExpress for a small number of dollars that will convert DMX to LED. If you were more specific, I could point you at some. DItton for power supplies. examples. For control, if they've got a lappie, then I'd guess that Freestyler plus WinAmp might be worth looking at. No experience, but heard of it mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenalien Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 This would be a good use for a Masterpiece Replay Unit (256 DMX channels) or Replay 216 (512 DMX channels) - both available regularly on Ebay for around £150 for the Replay Unit or £200 for the Replay 216 - or less, if you're lucky. You'll also need to beg or borrow a Masterpiece desk and a Pulsar memory card to program the unit. The reason these units are recommended is because of their excellent sound to light engines, that can be used to bump cues in time with bass, mid or treble beats (as well as sound to light modulation, but you say you don't want that). The unit can either be connected to your PA or has a microphone input.However, there is a learning curve unless you can get someone to program one for you, and the number of available control / DMX channels may be restrictive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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