kurtman68 Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 I'm currently looking to purchase a new console for our lighting rig. We currently use a Colortran Status 24 - but it is seriously underpowered for control of our 2, 12 channel dimmer packs and 8 single channel scrollers. I've rented the ETC Express 125, and liked it for conventionals. I've rented the Fat Frog, but found it difficult to program a theatrical style show utilizing conventionals and movers. One of my suppliers has suggested a Compulite D-Lite 36/72, which on the brochure looks fine, however the only discussion thread I've read stated that Compulite's are clunky to program. Now perhaps that means older ones. Does anyone have some good experience-based info on any new Compulite consoles, even the D-lite, although it just came out. ALSO: My other supplier has suggested the ETC Express 24/48 with the Emphasis 2D server. I think that the ETC is the better solution, seeing as we do mostly conventionals and scrollers, but intend to rent or buy movers in a year or two. In fact, I'm trying to step up to an Expression with 3D Emphasis. My quandary is that I have a budget that allows for the purchase of a console that is in the Dlite/Expression price range, but I can't find anyone who says, "ETC with Empasis is great for movers and conventionals in theatre - go for it!". Nor can I find someone who says, "My new D-lite is the greatest thing since the invention of the submaster!". Please feel free to step up to the plate and give me your opinions on this range of consoles when applied to conventionals and movers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinw Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 Look at Strand 300 series - very good theatre style operation, handles scrollers very well, and has the best moving light control of any of the 'traditional' theatre style consoles. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Foster Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 From what I've seen of Emphasis, it adds more moving light functionality to the ETC desks such as shape generators but it still doesn't make it all that much easier to program movers. The way the cue structure and the playbacks work, and the way the "LTP" channels work still make it hard to do any serious moving light stuff. Also, with the express range you only have the trackpad for the moving lights. Might be worth looking at an expression for the encoders. I guess express will handle moving lights to an acceptable level for a theatre style cue stack, with a bit of extra thought and time when programming, but its useless for rock and roll. [/rambling] <_< Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 IMHO, don't go for an Express (or Expression for that matter) if you want to run movers or scrollers. They make a nice theatrical, generic desk but I really don't like expecting much more of them than that. I have seen a ML based show run on a Expression 3 with a handful of VL6s but I didn't want to be the guy reprogramming it then, nor would I like to do it myself in the future. As previously stated, the 300 series is a nice console (not as nice as it's more expensive 500 brother tho) and, as it has pretty much the same software as the 500s (I believe), means it's damn handy at running scrollers and MLs. How much do you have to spend? A certain used lighting company has a Strand 520 (non-I version) at £3,600+VAT. Good luck.Stu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtman68 Posted March 23, 2005 Author Share Posted March 23, 2005 ...How much do you have to spend? A certain used lighting company has a Strand 520 (non-I version) at £3,600+VAT. Good luck.Stu I have about CAD$10,000 to $12,000. But, you can't just convert Pounds to Dollars, because I don't think I pay as much as you guys do, after you consider economic differences, etc. (I'm in Toronto, btw). Basically, I can get an Express 12/24 with Emphasis for about $10,000, the D-lite is in the same range. The Expression is up to about $15,000 and that's out of my budget. What would you guys pay for a Strand 300? Any other consoles suggested? What if I could get a used Avolites Sapphire, or something? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 A 125 channel 300 lists at £ 4,552.00. The 24/48 version is £ 3,305.00. Both prices exclude VAT (tax), which is at 17.5%. A 520i would set you back £ 9,386.67 for a 250 channel version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lxkev Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 Have a look at the frog 2, by zero 88!! ps its nothing like the basic frogs. avo pearl, ok theatre stack, but end of the day its a live desk. expresion, not my fav desk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam.henderson Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 This is some useful information andy_sa posted about the Dlite console in another thread: Dlite was developed as we found there was a gap in the market, there weren't really any consoles around that offered a good combination of all requirements. So Dlite incorporates straight forward two preset manual control, 20 siubmasters, a fully featured theatre style split crossfade playback, touch screen and full moving light capability at a very attractive price. At the end of the day it is always difficult for anyone to recommend a console to you, you need to evaluate your requirements in terms of what features you need, whether you need a printer, off line editor, etc., then look at what is available and make a choice - it is always up to personal preference and one person's greatest desk will be another person's worst! Hope this helpful, Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milky Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 I've commented in a similar thread, & my suggestion here is exactly the same.... have a look at the LSC Maxim range, with the PATPAD moving light option! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam.henderson Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 Just to pick up on this comment in your original post: I've rented the Fat Frog, but found it difficult to program a theatrical style show utilizing conventionals and movers Taking an educated guess this is probably becuase you were using it in full mode so it records basicly exactly what you see (What you see is what you get!) so thats the positions of the movers, channels up, scroller positions etc. If you program the desk in Partial mode you can 'Tag' fixtures to record so you only program/ record what you want to. Makes it easier!! Just thought I would bring it up as some of the other desks you metioned seem like a little bit of an overkill for 24 channels and 8 scrollers. Don't forget the Fat Frog also ocmes in bigger sizes like the Leap Frog which has 48 channels and some more moving light and scroller capability (24 fixtures instead of 12 on the fat frog). Might be an option if you wanted to save a little bit of $money$ or spend it on something else! More info can be found at: The Zero88 Website Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnEvans Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 A.C. Lighting has an office in Toronto and we handle a number of different brands of consoles. If you would like to contact mejohn.evans@aclighting.com, I would be glad to offer you any assistance that I can. John EvansA.C. Lighting Inc.Toronto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoyF18 Posted March 29, 2005 Share Posted March 29, 2005 Have a look at the frog 2, by zero 88!! ps its nothing like the basic frogs. avo pearl, ok theatre stack, but end of the day its a live desk. Agreed - the only thing that's shared with the Fat/Bull/Leap Frogs is the name (possibly a mistake by Zero 88 because most people won't give it the time of day because they are biased against the name 'Frog' by now...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeStoddart Posted March 29, 2005 Share Posted March 29, 2005 {snip} the only thing that's shared with the Fat/Bull/Leap Frogs is the name (possibly a mistake by Zero 88 because most people won't give it the time of day because they are biased against the name 'Frog' by now...)<{POST_SNAPBACK}> I'm surprised by that statement - I don't think "most people" would ignore Frog 2 and I don't think most people are biased against the Frog name. My experience of the Frog is very positive and my reading of message boards like this suggests that the Frog is well regarded by many users. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotus Posted March 30, 2005 Share Posted March 30, 2005 How about a Jands Event 408 (or 416) http://www.jands.com.au/jandsweb/lighting_con_event408.html Great theatre and live desk, based on the Event 4 range of consoles, but with moving light control added (pallettes, fix. librarys etc) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoyF18 Posted March 30, 2005 Share Posted March 30, 2005 {snip} the only thing that's shared with the Fat/Bull/Leap Frogs is the name (possibly a mistake by Zero 88 because most people won't give it the time of day because they are biased against the name 'Frog' by now...)<{POST_SNAPBACK}> I'm surprised by that statement - I don't think "most people" would ignore Frog 2 and I don't think most people are biased against the Frog name. My experience of the Frog is very positive and my reading of message boards like this suggests that the Frog is well regarded by many users.<{POST_SNAPBACK}> True the Frog is a widely used desk (including by me) but that is mainly because of it's price. If you search this forum you'll find that the majority of people find it hard to program (for example kurtman68 who started this topic) and would choose another desk before a Frog.The Frog 2 has had a lot of interest on this forum and having seen it & used it I know this is well deserved. The point I was making was that unfortunately for Zero 88 mud sticks and because the desk is so entirely different from what came before it might've been a good idea to call it something else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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