sam.henderson Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 Hi all, Just wondering what people experiences were of running generic lighting and ml's/ intelligent lighting on different desks?? Does it speed up programming?? Presumably because you can have 2 op's working at the same time it does- does this work in practice?? Any other ideas, tips about it?? As an operator so you like only controlling one (generics or mls)?? Thanks in advance for any info, Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benweblight Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 get a DMX merger,then you can run both desk down the same DMX line (im sure others will know more) you could also try linking them together with midi or something similar, but remember, you need to have the same cue numbers n both desks, even if is a blank scene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamtastic3 Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 Depends on what your lighting I spose.I did a rock night show for my old high school the other week ago, and I was hoping to to have all generics and moving lights on the one board. Turned out the DMX board's analogue inputs were corrupt so we had to run on different boards. It wasn't good because since it was a rock show, cues were quite hard to follow expect for the odd 'BO' or 'STROBE!. Also the person I had doing generics with didn't really have a clue on styles of lighting effects for rock gigs, so my movers probably stole the lighting aspect. Yet saying that we had seperate boards for a dance show and it turned out well provided you have actual cues and know what kind of effects each op has. But stick to the one board I say - sounds selfish but everything is tighter and more controlled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryson Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 My main theatre runs on a Hog 2 for movers, and an Expression 3 for conventionals. The logic is that if you lose a desk, you still get half the show. It's also easier to create the shows that way - 2 programmers at the same time. To be honest, I'm not completely keen on it for the shows I design and op myself - I'd rather have everything on the Hog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modge Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 Where I work we're rather forced into seperate intelligent and generic desks since unless we hire in (rare in the case of desks) we're stuck with initigent desks that suck for generic and a sirus 48 (the generic desk) that can't do intelligent. it's far from ideal to my mind but we get by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeStoddart Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 Interesting question this one. I was faced with this problem for Panto last year. Standard desk in the venue is ETC Express 125 - quite capable of running all the conventionals and scrollers but not going to be able to run four MAC 500s. SO bring in another desk to run the Macs or bring in another desk to run the MAcs and the conventionals. I went with a desk to run the whole rig - argument being that it was easier to operate one GO button and easier to co-ordinate the cues that needed to match. With hindsight it would have been quicker to program two desks with two operators but I'm not convinced about the running of the show - two GO buttons is not impossible for one operator but I think it's easier on one board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 In almost any situation I'd much prefer to have everything running through one desk - everything tends to be much tidier that way. If a rig reaches the point where it's actually too big for a single programmer to handle, however, it's a different matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spantax Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 Where I work we're rather forced into seperate intelligent and generic desks since unless we hire in (rare in the case of desks) we're stuck with initigent desks that suck for generic and a sirus 48 (the generic desk) that can't do intelligent. it's far from ideal to my mind but we get by.<{POST_SNAPBACK}> Out of interest, what is this intelligent desk that sucks for generics? a bit :) I know, but I got really curious! SpantaxLampettGeneralen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.elsbury Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 Well, the festival show I'm doing for the next week, I am running 2 seperate desks for generics & intelligents. I am however doing it because-I can't get a big enough desk-I can't program any of the moving light desks (or Lightjockey etc)-I want to be able to black them out seperately, etc.and -because I have 24 generic channels, and want 20+ submasters (I'm busking the show) and 6 moving-mirrors, and want 24 submasters.I can't find a desk with that many channels, with that many submasters, that I can learn easily, that's suitable for busking.Plus, if one desk goes down, it backs the other up Just my situationDavid With hindsight it would have been quicker to program two desks with two operators but I'm not convinced about the running of the show - two GO buttons is not impossible for one operator but I think it's easier on one board. Maybe you could program in blank cues in each one, so that you advanced them both together? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mystic Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 Out of interest, what is this intelligent desk that sucks for generics? a bit :) I know, but I got really curious! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> hmm... ScanCommander ? a lot of hiring companies have these in France and put them on any concert where there are movers, may be some kind of reflex... ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spantax Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 Out of interest, what is this intelligent desk that sucks for generics? a bit :) I know, but I got really curious! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> hmm... ScanCommander ? a lot of hiring companies have these in France and put them on any concert where there are movers, may be some kind of reflex... ;)<{POST_SNAPBACK}> Ouch! I feel for you!! SpantaxLampettGeneralen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modge Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 Out of interest, what is this intelligent desk that sucks for generics? a bit :) I know, but I got really curious! Spantax LampettGeneralen <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Actually I was thinking of our celco navigator which is boring use for absolutely anything (some one said it was way ahead of it's time, but either way I feel it's time has passed). Because our particular example is in dire need of some tlc or if we could but afford it a skip, we tend to use martin 3032 to control the movers which actually can't do generics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
si_cole Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 Out of interest, what was the DMX merger that benweblight mentioned? Si EDIT for spelling - doh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam.henderson Posted March 31, 2005 Author Share Posted March 31, 2005 Hi all, Thanks for your response so far. The main reasons I am considering using two desks is for the following reasons: -We really don't have much programming time (about one day) and there are a lot of cues to get through!! -Again time related, its a big rig and It would take a long time for one person to program generics for a state and then add in the movers and LED stuff and then all the LX in the set. Its is going to take a long time!! Oh and we would have two ops available so it wouldn't be like something stupid with 1 person running 2 desks. Just out of interest as a wild idea- Is there any way it could be programed on two strand 520i's and then merged together at the end of it?? How would you do this because I do agree that it is better to run the show from one Go button rather than 2!! Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 -We really don't have much programming time (about one day) and there are a lot of cues to get through!!I've programmed a big ML+Scroller rig onto a 520i (about 200 odd cues) in about 6hrs before - it doesn't always take as long as you think. Really depends how good your programmer is. If he/she makes it easy for himself and has lots of groups ready to use, and is continously using the groups in the plotting and not focussing the MLs each and every time you need them in a cue it becomes a hell of alot easier. Using things like Auto Move While Dark will also speed up programming time as you won't be programming 'preset' cues for the MLs etc. -Again time related, its a big rig and It would take a long time for one person to program generics for a state and then add in the movers and LED stuff and then all the LX in the set. Its is going to take a long time!!Again, see above. If you can do any programming before the fitup, like groups for the colours, gobos, prism etc on the movers, this'd help immensely. Is there any way it could be programed on two strand 520i's and then merged together at the end of it?? How would you do this because I do agree that it is better to run the show from one Go button rather than 2!!I've heard about this being done, but I wouldn't know how you'd do it. Something to do with MIDI I'd take a guess at... I'm sure someone more knowledgeable than I on 520s etc will pipe up and say. Stu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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