Strand 520i Midi control

[Jevans]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm working in a black box theatre in a couple of weeks that is usually end on, but is for this production being put into traverse. One of the side effects of the seating moving around etc. is that the tech box is slightly harder to get to than normal, which wouldn't be a massive problem, but I also know from experience that sitting at the LX console I will be unable to see clearly much of the traverse stage, as it will be hidden behind a balcony in front of the box. I then thought "well, just move the console into the audience to plot" but there's nowhere to plug in, and no long cables either. My next thought was that the LX console, which is a 520i, is plugged into MIDI already for fireing it from Qlab, and maybe I could use my iPad on wireless to get the computer to send the MIDI commands to the desk to control it for the focus and maybe the plot - not just MSC, but full control.

 

I've had a poke around the manual and the internet and it seems there is a way of doing this using MIDI, sending button commands to the desk directly, which people have had success with before. I was wondering if any of you have any experience of doing anything like this with a 520i and had any thoughts or advice on trying to remote control it? Am I barking up the wrong tree and trying to make this far to complicated?

 

I know I could get around my problem by hiring a couple of long power and DMX cables, but I'm curious if I can make it wireless now! :)

[Tomo]

Just hire the cables and put the console in the house.

Seriously.

 

Trying to run a command-line console (or almost any console) 'blind' in that way is quite simply not worth the attempt, it will be that frustrating.

It will miss keystrokes - at the iPad end, over the WiFi link, when QLab translates that and finally when the 520i receives the MIDI.

 

One mistyped command could result in you erasing entire cues, or even larger parts of the show - and you won't even know it happened until later because you can't see the screen.

[henny]

Best bet would be to track down a USB designers stick for it , it allows you to run a remote desk session under win or mac over a network with the desk , even works over wifi

[Jevans]

Just hire the cables and put the console in the house.

Seriously.

 

Seriously tempted to do that, given that I can't see any way at all to view even the command line from the remote position.

 

Best bet would be to track down a USB designers stick for it , it allows you to run a remote desk session under win or mac over a network with the desk , even works over wifi

 

Is this the XConnect software? I can't seem to track down any information about how to get hold of one of those now that Strand no longer sells the 5xx series.