PauliePurple Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 Hello, I am looking to buy a USB DMX dongle for use with my laptop, as a decent hardware controller is out of my budget. I've been looking at a few e.g. the Enttec Pro, the Avolites Titan One, Chamsys MagicDMX. This will be used for a temporary small scale club lighting setup (say 2 scanners, a few par cans, strobe, hazer, possibly a laser), so I need to be able to manually trigger different chases rapidly, blackouts, flashes etc quickly in response to whatever the music is doing. My laptop does not have a touch screen, and I don't own a wing / hardware console product. As such I need to choose a dongle and software that will work well when you only have a keyboard and mouse (and possibly MIDI). Really what I believe I need to be able to do is to map whatever keyboard keys I want to different software functions, so I don't have to use the mouse / trackpad. As far as I've been able to ascertain the Titan PC suite that you have to use with the Titan One isn't great for using the keyboard, but is otherwise a great piece of software, but if I can't use the keyboard it sounds like it's probably not for me? I do have a MIDI USB DJ controller that I could potentially add into the mix in addition to the keyboard, I know the Titan PC suite doesn't support MIDI input through the computer, and only supports MIDI input through one of their hardware console products. MagicQ seems to be the software of choice for the MagicDMX, is that a good match for me perhaps? It seems to support keyboard mapping and MIDI input? I realise when it comes to dongles and software it's very subjective, but based on my specific restrictions could I get some feedback on what could work well? If the dongle works with a range of software rather than tying me into a specific software product all the better. Thanks a lot Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard CSL Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 Chamsys Magic Q midi will not work without a separate bespoke interface, and the sound activation will also not work without another audio interface, for what you are doing either Sunlite or Daslight are a far more reasonable solution as you can buy a limited interface for 128 ch of control. or you can buy one of these, they do work as I have tested one. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USB-DMX512-DMX-6602-LED-Light-controller-Interface-Converter-support-10-software-/271898308253?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3f4e66ee9d although this only works with DVC2 not 3. But _DVC2 wil do what you want . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Bleasdale Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 You say budget is low, but what is it exactly? £10, £100? £500? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Ross Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 I personally use QLC+ and an Entec open USB dongle when I provide lighting. The laptop lives in a custom flight case along with the interface and a novastation midi controler to give me more buttons, dials and faders. I do however have a number of functions on the keyboard and it is perfectly usable like that. With QLC+ you setup a "virtual console" with the functions you want and then assign them to a keyboard and/or midi note. I think the whole setup cost me less than £100 but it does the job Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PauliePurple Posted August 6, 2015 Author Share Posted August 6, 2015 Thanks Richard and Kevin - I'm checking out Sunlite Suite and Daslite Virtual Controller 2, and will take a look at QLC+ as well. You say budget is low, but what is it exactly? £10, £100? £500? Hi Joe - say £100 max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modge Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Our offering has a lot of customisability in terms of hotkeys and can be run with a keyboard and mouse. http://tracelighting.com/products/Also in the absence of the verse we're selling the DX2 at a reduced price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
osimidi Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 You can use OsiMIDI application to control Avolites Titan One with a cheap USB MIDI controller directly connected to your PC, like Korg nanoKontrol. OsiMIDI website: http://www.osimidi.comVideo tutorial: Demos: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timsabre Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 You can use OsiMIDI application to control Avolites Titan One with a cheap USB MIDI controller directly connected to your PC, like Korg nanoKontrol. OsiMIDI website: http://www.osimidi.comVideo tutorial: Demos: Interesting, does this have the approval of Avolites? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
osimidi Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 Obviously Avolites will not support OsiMIDI, as they are not the developers. OsiMIDI is an independent software, that offers a new funcionality that Avolites Titan One doesn't provides. It allows the connection of a USB MIDI device to Titan One. (Its a more specialized but similar to AutoHotKeys software, but intead of using keyboard to control other softwares it uses a UDB MIDI device). Of course OsiMIDI is not a crack, it desnt modifies any file of Avolites software. It uses Microsoft Technologies (WPF and windows APIs) to control it without doing any modification to the original software. And of course users must buy the Titan One dongle and the software license to Avolites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timsabre Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 Obviously Avolites will not support OsiMIDI, as they are not the developers.OsiMIDI is an independent software, that offers a new funcionality that Avolites Titan One doesn't provides. It allows the connection of a USB MIDI device to Titan One. (Its a more specialized but similar to AutoHotKeys software, but intead of using keyboard to control other softwares it uses a UDB MIDI device). If you have not done this with their approval, I wouldn't have thought they will be too happy about it as you are adding a feature to their software that they have specifically disabled to protect sales of the Titan Mobile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
osimidi Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 Obviously Avolites will not support OsiMIDI, as they are not the developers.OsiMIDI is an independent software, that offers a new funcionality that Avolites Titan One doesn't provides. It allows the connection of a USB MIDI device to Titan One. (Its a more specialized but similar to AutoHotKeys software, but intead of using keyboard to control other softwares it uses a UDB MIDI device). If you have not done this with their approval, I wouldn't have thought they will be too happy about it as you are adding a feature to their software that they have specifically disabled to protect sales of the Titan Mobile. I dont think that a nanoKontrol can compete or affect sales of Mobile, OsiMIDI is intended to extend Titan One a bit allowing to control the sliders and some buttons with the USB controller, and Mobile gives you the full controlof the software (and 4 DMX ports, and more...). If you'relooking for a full profesional solution you buy Mobile and not Titan One + OsiMIDI, but if you're a student, amateur or a starting profesional you buy the less expensive solution Titan One, even if OsiMIDI doesnt exists. But in this case OsiMIDI is an interesting utility that can do life a bit easier to you :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddSocks Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 +1 for OSC+ Custom keyboard short cuts, midi input mapping and an active support community. For the money you wont find anything better ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jivemaster Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 Cut the laptop, go for an old reliable solid desk. There are Pulsar Masterpiece programmable desks on ebay from 99p to £300. learn to program it!There was an NJD 256 channel desk once If you can find one with the memory card (plug in extra) then that should be able to control all you want once you learn to programme it. likely you will get desk and flight case inside your budget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.elsbury Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 Really? You'd recommend a masterpiece over a new pc based control solution? Not an intelligent idea in my opinion- how comfortable would you be trusting your show to such an old desk? I'd rather have something more reliable thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jivemaster Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 If I had to do it on a sub £100 budget as per the OP, I think an old dedicated desk is a fair idea. If I had £1000 I'd buy a dedicated and competent laptop and a modern pro lighting control system system. It's a bit like a car, if I had £100 I wouldn't get much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.