Jester iPad Control

[ItsMyNaturalColour]

Hey everyone, I'm just wondering if any of the Zero88 guys or anyone with experience of this kind of thing can help me out. I'm working with a Jester ML24.

 

First of all, I'm pretty jealous of the funky Zero88 iOS app that lets you control the Solution and Orb series desks. I'm just wondering if there's anything at all I can use to control a Jester? I'm aware that the desk has no network capabilities, but some kind of wifi to MIDI magic box with a good / flexible MIDI app or something? I have no idea, I just really want iPad control for a few different reasons.

 

Firstly, I want iPad control because it's an 800 seat auditorium and the desk is situated in the projection box right at the top of the balcony up a load of steps. This presents a problem for me because I'm partially sighted. Before we got movers this wasn't much of a problem, but now with remote focusing and all these complicated things that people want to see, I'm struggling a bit to say the least. I know we could move the desk for programming and rehearsals, but I'm often working on extremely tight schedules and the only DMX outlet is in the box so it takes a while to get everything set up outside the projection box. I do it for big shows, but I just want to make life a little easier for your everyday run of the mill production. Standing on stage with a tablet or any kind of remote to move fixtures and remotely focus would be a god send.

 

Any help at all would be amazing. I'm aware that this desk is aimed at people who are on a budget, so cool new technologies such as apps and stuff aren't available, but literally any advice would be great.

 

Thanks for reading,

 

Tom

[jonhole]

Hi Tim,

 

Even with clever apps and boxes and midi, you aren't going to get the control over the moving lights that you want. At best, you'll be able to turn on and off channels or submasters.

 

One option might be to purchase a dedicated app that can output Art-Net or sACN straight onto a WiFi network.

 

I haven't had any personal experience with these, but I'm sure others on the forum will have done.

 

There are a few out there, this is one of them: http://synthe-fx.com/products/luminair

 

This obviously isn't going to help you programme, but it would help you to remote focus.

 

Edit to add: You might be able to do something clever with the app, a DMX node, and the DMX In on the Jester, so you can plot a basic show, and then just walk up to the console to press record. However, without actually trying it and having a play, I can't quite work out how effective this would be - my suspicion is not very.

[Ken Coker]

If it's just for focussing I'd forget trying to drive the Jester - no diss to the Zero 88 posse intended.

 

 

Various people will sell you a hand-held DMX controller and you can simply plug that in wherever your DMX line manifests itself on stage - presuming it's not hard wired from the control box. I have an Artistic Licence one, but I will admit it can be a bit fiddly.

 

If the above approach is possible,(re-plugging the DMX onstage), if you have a laptop you could try out a cheap Chamsys dongle.

 

I know this doesn't solve the app issue, but it might get the focussing done.

 

KC

[DonkiDonki]

One possible solution (though at some cost. I don't recall exactly what I paid for mine but I think it was around the £500 mark) is to use this little jobby.

http://chamsys.co.uk/snakesysb4

http://chamsys.co.uk/resources/images/products/b4/B4-angle-large_290.jpg

 

(WARNING, even though I have just posted the very same link in another topic; I am in no way connected to Chamsys other than as a user of some of their kit)

 

WIth that box and a copy of MagicQ running on a PC, you could merge the DMX universe between the Jester and MagicQ. This would allow simultanious HTP control of dimmers from both control sources and you can specify in MagicQ which DMX channels it leaves to the Jester or controls itself for LTP stuff (LED and movers).

WIth the PC connected to a WIFI network it would be possible to use an IPAD as a focus remote (only for MagicQ) anywhere that the WIFI network can reach. (It will work over an existing network but a dedicated network would be more secure)

 

It is possible to program movers on a PC without a programming wing although cumbersome in comparison. (Programming and operation is greatly enhanced when using at least one touchscreen monitor and one of the PC Wing's)

[DrV]

Back in post #1 you seemed to imply that the main problem was the location of the DMX feed in the control box. What's to stop you moving the desk down to FOH for focussing etc and using a wireless DMX link back up to the box? It doesn't even have to be a really top quality one if it's not being used for a performance

Dave

[jpk]

One possible solution (though at some cost. I don't recall exactly what I paid for mine but I think it was around the £500 mark) is to use this little jobby.

http://chamsys.co.uk/snakesysb4

 

Shameless plug alert. We launched a similar product earlier this year which is a cost effective choice for adding a few more universes and merging iPad apps etc. into an existing system.

http://dmxking.com/a...cn/edmx4-tx-rdm