Strand 500/Midi

[JohnG]

Hi all. New to the list. I am wondering if anyone can tell me how difficult it is to have Strand 500 series console send simple CUE x.x GO command to another device? I simply have no idea where to start when it comes to putting a MIDI command into a cue or a macro. I've programmed these consoles since '97 but have never sent a MIDI or SERIAL go command.

 

I have the Communique software and have looked over the manual but I am still lost. Any advice? This is not an urgent situation. But it would solve a small problem on an upcoming production.

 

Best,

 

John Gibilisco

Omaha Playhouse

Omaha, Nebraska

[henny]

Hi all. New to the list. I am wondering if anyone can tell me how difficult it is to have Strand 500 series console send simple CUE x.x GO command to another device? I simply have no idea where to start when it comes to putting a MIDI command into a cue or a macro. I've programmed these consoles since '97 but have never sent a MIDI or SERIAL go command.

 

I have the Communique software and have looked over the manual but I am still lost. Any advice? This is not an urgent situation. But it would solve a small problem on an upcoming production.

 

Best,

 

John Gibilisco

Omaha Playhouse

Omaha, Nebraska

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there is a way to send serial comands , basiciley it sends any text contained wthin a pait of " " in a macro's text name

 

to enable it , look under colsole setup, theres somthing like ASCII out or something.

 

dont hod me best looking under the manual or help for ascii out

 

ian

[Lxdoc]

Just enable midi output and channel from the setup screen.

The console will output midi commands for all of its functions. Set your other piece of kit to look for a specific command, not just an x1 go as this would trigger it for all cues.

I set my midi outboard to look for x2 go commands and use dual playback and a dummy move fade cue triggered from a macro.

A bit long winded, sorry

 

Why not just plug whatever it is into a dim circuit

 

To obtain ascii output from a specified cue, have it fire a macro with an exclamation mark as the first letter of its name. I think this is sent via the ascii out port. (not midi messages)

[JohnG]

Just enable midi output and channel from the setup screen.

The console will output midi commands for all of its functions.

 

This is the setup we used in the end. Every keystroke and GO cue from the main console (530) was transmitted to the moving light Console (520).

 

Set your other piece of kit to look for a specific command, not just an x1 go as this would trigger it for all cues.

 

This would have been much nicer and cleaner. I will look at this feature next time. I hope to use MIDI to trigger an SFX sound workstation in the future.

 

I set my midi outboard to look for x2 go commands and use dual playback and a dummy move fade cue triggered from a macro.

A bit long winded, sorry

 

Not at all long winded. Information is why I enjoy this forum.

 

Why not just plug whatever it is into a dim circuit

 

Long, long story. I'll try to keep it brief. The producer provided a bunch of I Beams purchased off of ebay and planned to control them with the old I Beam controller because he believed he had working show disk for this specific controller. Easy.

 

When this idea did not work out, (no show disk, clunky slow programming interface) They decided to use a second programmer who would write moving light cues to a second desk and abandon the old Lightwave research I beam control. This was done overnight in desperation.

 

(NOTE: They could have networked the two 500 series consoles and partitioned channels. They did not.)

 

This is where the midi conversation started. The Designer wanted one operator with one GO button. They found a MIDI cable in the music directors closet and the rest is history. It was kind of messy but they made it work. They used identical cue stacks. Console 1 ran conventional lights only. Each GO from console one triggered a cue on console 2. Console 2 ran only 12 channels of moving lights.

 

Now that is long winded!

 

Best,

 

John G

[dbuckley]

...I will look at this feature next time. I hope to use MIDI to trigger an SFX sound workstation in the future.

 

Do you mean SFX generically or brand namedly?

 

If the latter, can I put my evangelists hat on and recommend you consider PCStage instead? I used to say that PCStage is in most respects functionally similar to SFX, and being free being rather better value for money, and if nothing else a decent stepping stone to the day when I needed to fork out $1300, but having just looked at the current SFX demo I now think PCStage is actually the far more capable package, particularly in terms of triggering sophistication. So thats SFX now firmly off my wishlist.

 

No connection other than as a very happy user.

 

But back to the story. What if that MIDI cable wasn't in the MDs stash.....

[JohnG]

but having just looked at the current SFX demo I now think PCStage is actually the far more capable package, particularly in terms of triggering sophistication.

 

Had I only discovered this forum/advice a year and half ago...... I've been running Stage Research's SFX for that long. (I am on way to check out PCStage for the fun of it.)

 

I've been dragging my feet on learning how to use the MIDI features on our Strand consoles. This whole mess has motivated me to move along a little faster. We have so many shows that the light board op could easily trigger basic sound cues and act music.

 

But back to the story.  What if that MIDI cable wasn't in the MDs stash.....

 

Ah, that would have been 530 under left index finger and 520 under right index finger.

 

Best,

 

John G

 

 

Moderator's edit : quotes fixed.

[dbuckley]

I've been running Stage Research's SFX for that long. (I am on way to check out PCStage for the fun of it..)

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I'd be really interested in your comments. Although both packages do (in the final analysis) the same sorts of things, their attitudes and approaches are often very different :-)