Lighting control software

[soundboy82]

Hi all

 

I am looking for a computer programme to control a lighting rig at a church. They currently have 24 channel of dimmers, 2x mac 500's, 2x mac 600's and 4 channels of house lights controlled on a Zero88 Fat frog

 

There are not many lighting changes during the service but they just need something more user friendly for an idiot to control.

 

Any suggestions are greatly welcomed.

[paulears]

I'm normally very pro computer - but Frogs are the common lighting control in schools and colleges for exactly this reason - they are very simple. If somebody cannot work a control with real faders that can have labels stuck on the important knobs, the prospect of a computer that has to be booted up, fiddled with and then shut down carefully is a bit scary. Using a purely computer operated system with no real faders means users need to use a mouse, or get to grips with touch screens. My experience is that for people computer literate and blessed with decent dexterity, all can work well - but schools usually have brainy teacher who can't plug something in to save their lives. I suspect that if they're having trouble with a Frog, then a computer system will be even worse.

 

Fair enough - with a touchscreen and something like MagicQ, you could set up a single screen with a series of buttons that would bring up certain popular combinations - but with proper programming, this is perfectly possible on the frog? What do they find difficult?

[soundboy82]

I don't know how they can get things so wrong. I have programmed the desk on to the sub masters.

 

sub 1 Walk in/out state

sub 2 band state

sub 3 preaching state

 

You would think they could push one fader up and pull the other fader down (easy I hear you say) not for these people.

 

So I was just looking into the concept of having a computer where they could click a button for a preset state (I did toy with the idea of using the go button on the frog but there services are not always the same cues and the idea of them trying to changing cue orders etc when they can't even push a fader up and down not a viable option)

 

but I may be out of solutions

 

 

 

[Gerry]

Sorry but if someone can't handle one fader up and the other two down then there is no hope of them using a computer controlled solution.

Cheers

Gerry

[Modge]

Most software (we're really not alone on this) could give you 3 buttons, with text on, and (in most case) a different colour on screen when they're pressed. It's probably less scary for someone "hard of thinking" as well.

 

All that said, a fatfrog would do the job just fine.

[LX-Dave]

Could it be that, despite having been shown how to work the 3 faders, the mere sight of a Frog (with many faders and buttons etc) panics these people enough that they don't want to know what to do?

 

If all that's required are 3 (or so) states, could you make an appropriately labelled button panel and connect to the Frog's remote inputs?

[johnhuson]

Could it be that, despite having been shown how to work the 3 faders, the mere sight of a Frog (with many faders and buttons etc) panics these people enough that they don't want to know what to do?

 

If all that's required are 3 (or so) states, could you make an appropriately labelled button panel and connect to the Frog's remote inputs?

Unfortunately the Fat Frog remote input only enables you to remotely trigger the Go button. Whilst the OP could build a cue stack the looped round the three cues they would sometimes have to flick through another cue to get the one they want.

[LX-Dave]

Unfortunately the Fat Frog remote input only enables you to remotely trigger the Go button. Whilst the OP could build a cue stack the looped round the three cues they would sometimes have to flick through another cue to get the one they want.

 

 

The manual appears to indicate that you can have the remote input perform "GO Memory" operations, so surely each button of the remote could be set to go directly to a specific memory...?

[Wol]

Could it be that, despite having been shown how to work the 3 faders, the mere sight of a Frog (with many faders and buttons etc) panics these people enough that they don't want to know what to do?

 

Maybe use some form of Control Surface Input Limitation Modifier. a.k.a "bit of cardboard with gaps cut out" so the only thing they can see is the three faders?

 

http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/imagebuzz/web03/2010/7/12/14/remote-control-for-grandparents-2464-1278961145-19.jpg

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m94thlmVni1qcgn3qo1_500.jpg

 

Either way, as Gerry says, if they can't work what is essentially a common household dimmer whether it be in linear or rotary form, then any form of computer solution will be way over their heads! Maybe even reprogram it to that the states are slightly further apart on the faders on the Frog so that they don't have several things too close to each other?

[ojc123]

I'm in the process of getting quotes to upgrade our stage and FoH lights. I've had AC Lighting in and they're currently costing up a system for me where I can set up a few standard states for FoH and/or stage lights together using my desk and then assign those states to some simple control pad with buttons 1-10 (or whatever). My plan is to allow the teachers to switch on some basic lighting states for events while the desk is locked out. I'm not sure of cost yet but the plan sounds good. I can't tell you the name of the pad but it is DMX rather than Chillinet based so it ties in with our existing system.

 

I'm sure other suppliers will be able to do this and it may be expensive. Sorry I can't be more specific but I'm waiting for the details from AC Lighting.

[Brian]

The manual appears to indicate that you can have the remote input perform "GO Memory" operations, so surely each button of the remote could be set to go directly to a specific memory...?

 

Correct.

 

This...

 

 

...is a 3-button RF remote I made when I had Frogs which I used as a riggers remote. Memories 900-999 turned on each channel in turn. One button was set to jump to 900, one was assigned the GO function to step on a channel, the third jumped to mem 0 for a blackout. Power came from the desk light XLR. Bits from CPC at around £40 IIRC.

 

The board is an off-the-shelf part from RF Solutions.

 

[JCC1996]

Apologies for the hi-jack, but I'm actually thinking of building a remote too. Would it be possible to make the switch terminate in XLR to send it up the multi to the control position and then convert XLR to DIN at the desk?

[alistermorton]

Hi all

 

I am looking for a computer programme to control a lighting rig at a church. They currently have 24 channel of dimmers, 2x mac 500's, 2x mac 600's and 4 channels of house lights controlled on a Zero88 Fat frog

 

There are not many lighting changes during the service but they just need something more user friendly for an idiot to control.

 

Any suggestions are greatly welcomed.

 

Sounds like you need something like an architectural control panel to interface to the dimmers. Push button selection of preset states is what they do with ease.

[Robin D]

Something like this perhaps?

 

No idea how much they are though.

[Brian]

Would it be possible...

Yes.