Computer VS Lighting Desk

[fincaman]

Hello All, I've been using the free DMX control 2 for some years my needs are simple I have RGBW Par cans moving head lights and a lazer. I programme all the scenes I need on to keyboard shortcuts. I saw a show a couple of months ago and the lighting guy had a desk the size of a table for 4 and a computer on the night didn't do anything more complicated than I do in fact much less so. DMX Control does massive amounts of stuff but you can buy pro software which I presume does even more so why are people using desks am I missing something ?

[timsabre]

It's all about having a nice control surface... Real faders and buttons make the job easier, in my opinion at least. But as you observed the quality of the operator makes a lot more difference.

[david.elsbury]

It is of course quite common to buy a control surface for a computer. So a hardware fader wing, and a touch screen computer or two, can be a good compromise and cost 1/3 to 1/2 a proper console.

[dosxuk]

Most large lighting desks these days are computers, just with specialised controls attached to make their use quicker and more intuitive.

[knightdan65]

I find the biggest advantage of desks is that you can op on the fly - if something goes wrong on stage for example (I work in a college theatre so this isn’t too uncommon), it’s nice to have faders to hand to improvise on. Also, when programming it’s much quicker and easier to pull up a few faders and hit record than to remember a bunch of syntax commands. That said, software is certainly a more accessible option for DMX control for small venues and low budgets. I use a simple 48 channel desk for generics and run a small number of movers from ETC Nomad software.

[fincaman]

Most large lighting desks these days are computers, just with specialised controls attached to make their use quicker and more intuitive.

You're from my home town

[Jivemaster]

If you are running a fully recorded show where everything happens exactly on cue every night, or a freeform busking show with interaction with the audience never two nights the same you will chose very different control surfaces for either. Theatre can use huge pre-made cue stacks, Rock n Roll may have few cues and more manual desk driving, -the best sync to the beat is often an operator.

After that like some people are Apple people and some are PC, some people like different brands for the way they work.

[ImagineerTom]

I’d hazard “cost” is also a factor. If your show is completely automated but you have a full sized desk and an operator who knows how to use it you won’t want to be renting / buying a pc based desk and operator purely for neatness reasons.

[mac.calder]

Stability is a big one.

 

A computer, the user has direct access to the operating system. A lighting desk has the operating system relatively hidden away. With access to the OS comes potential for more instability to be introduced to the system through user intervention (installing things, using the computer for other tasks etc). Things that are almost impossible to do on a lighting console. There are also some advantages to developing on a fixed hardware platform. Look at Apple - by restricting their hardware base they are able to squeeze a lot more performance out of their systems - the code can be optimised for the hardware.

 

When you are running a show the issue of stability is huge. A cancelled show costs a lot of money.

[fincaman]

I find the biggest advantage of desks is that you can op on the fly - if something goes wrong on stage for example (I work in a college theatre so this isn't too uncommon), it's nice to have faders to hand to improvise on. Also, when programming it's much quicker and easier to pull up a few faders and hit record than to remember a bunch of syntax commands. That said, software is certainly a more accessible option for DMX control for small venues and low budgets. I use a simple 48 channel desk for generics and run a small number of movers from ETC Nomad software.

You can do all that with DMX Control 2

 

If you are running a fully recorded show where everything happens exactly on cue every night, or a freeform busking show with interaction with the audience never two nights the same you will chose very different control surfaces for either. Theatre can use huge pre-made cue stacks, Rock n Roll may have few cues and more manual desk driving, -the best sync to the beat is often an operator.

After that like some people are Apple people and some are PC, some people like different brands for the way they work.

You can work both ways with DMX Control2 I usually put all my scenes on keyboard shortcuts and call them up as needed, you can also create a scene list and run through it, at all times the on screen sliders are available

 

The thing I don't like about desks at least the ones that I have come across is that they have fixed DMX addresses ie 1 to 48 is DMX 1 to 48. My LED pars are 8 channel but I only use the first 4 so 4 slots on the desk are wasted, with DMX Control 2 you can assign the next fader slot (5) to address. People tend to like what they are used to, I can remember the first time I used LED Pars I couldn't get used to how cold white they were so I used to pull down the blue now when I see filament lamps I find they look yellow

[timsabre]

The thing I don't like about desks at least the ones that I have come across is that they have fixed DMX addresses ie 1 to 48 is DMX 1 to 48. My LED pars are 8 channel but I only use the first 4 so 4 slots on the desk are wasted, with DMX Control 2 you can assign the next fader slot (5) to address. People tend to like what they are used to, I can remember the first time I used LED Pars I couldn't get used to how cold white they were so I used to pull down the blue now when I see filament lamps I find they look yellow

Hmmm I think when you say "desks" you are talking about el-cheapo DMX controllers with 16 sliders and fixed DMX allocation like the Chauvet Obey. Everyone else is talking about proper lighting desks like Avo and MA. You can't really compare them.

 

But you are right about people liking what they are used to. The best DMX desk/controller is always the one that you know really well...

[alistermorton]

at all times the on screen sliders are available

 

On screen sliders aren't anywhere near as easy to use for busking as physical sliders that you can grab without looking and move en masse with several fingers. Multi Touch screens can only get you so far, and using a mouse is a non starter. So that aspect makes a proper console more attractive in certain circumstances than a PC package without an additional control surface.

 

 

 

[fincaman]

at all times the on screen sliders are available

 

On screen sliders aren't anywhere near as easy to use for busking as physical sliders that you can grab without looking and move en masse with several fingers. Multi Touch screens can only get you so far, and using a mouse is a non starter. So that aspect makes a proper console more attractive in certain circumstances than a PC package without an additional control surface.

 

 

 

I agree about on screen sliders I have an audio mixer (XR12) that uses a computer screen and I don't care for it but funnily enough I have always used a mouse with DMX Control 2