500 series networking and wireless networking

[trussmonkee]

hi there all

 

this is the first time I've ever tried posting or anything so apologies if it ain't right but here goes

 

my question is has any one done much with networking 500 series consoles and adding wireless pdas as riggers

 

my venue has recently bought a 520i

 

and a R120 cabled remote

 

the building has a computer network and a wireless network all linked

 

does any one know if it would be possible (not perhaps advisable but possible) to put the desk on the network to use a wifi enabled pda as a riggers, and would this also negate the need to buy the wireless networking key for the 520i from strand (at a cost of about a £1000 I might add)

 

many thanks

 

hope some one can help

 

trussmonkee

[gareth]

If you want to use a PDA as a remote on a 500-series, you need several things - a wireless-enabled PDA (obviously!), the software to run on it (freely downloadable from Strand's website), a console running the Networker portion of the GeniusPro software, a wireless access point, and the keycode from Strand to make the console talk to the PDA. This last item is what's going to cost you the money - quite a lot of money. Don't get me started on that! :D

 

If you already have a wireless-enabled laptop, you can do it more cheaply - all you need is an xConnect dongle with the "Designer's Remote" software on it, and a WAP for the console (which needs to be running Networker). (If your building already has a wireless network covering the required areas, and you can get a link from your console into a nearby switch or hub, you can probasbly do without the WAP, too). With this setup, you can log into the console from your laptop as a remote user. The software is still not perfect yet (I'm still waiting for some feedback from Strand concerning some bugs I reported a few weeks ago), but it's getting there and it's pretty funky!

[trussmonkee]

thanks for that, the xconnect looks to be something we might try soon and with the cost of the wifi code we'll be trying that a little later on.

 

as I understand it the software is already on the machine just not able to run without the code don't you think a grand is a bit much for this code

[gareth]

as I understand it the software is already on the machine just not able to run without the code don't you think a grand is a bit much for this code

Like I said - don't get me started on that subject .... :D

[trussmonkee]

do you know much about shownet and how it works with nodes and pc's

[Crash_Override]

I think I have a same question. I need a wireless remote for my 520i. Only problem is that, that our theater doesn't have the mony for it. In house we have wifi, If I connect my console to the wifi, is then it possible, of course I have do buy wifi PDA. I think I can connect my console to PC and then to the wifi network.

I would be happy if somebody could help me.

[trussmonkee]

I think I have a same question. I need a wireless remote for my 520i. Only problem is that, that our theater doesn't have the mony for it. In house we have wifi, If I connect my console to the wifi, is then it possible, of course I have do buy wifi PDA. I think I can connect my console to PC and then to the wifi network.

I would be happy if somebody could help me.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

from what I have discovered with the pointers above you would still need to pay the money for the key to use wifi on the desk which is about a grand.

 

strand have a system called xconnect which is supplied on a usb memory stick and costs about 129 quid, which you install onto a pc and network with the desk, which effectively gives you a designers remote console.

 

the bonus is that you can network the desk through a wireless router without having to pay for the key unfortunately you can't run xconnect on a pda and so to use it as a riggers you would need to walk around with a wifi enabled laptop.

 

I hope this is of some help

 

what is your specific application do you just need a riggers in which case have a look at the stage electrics wired remote or are you likely to need to need to do design work in which case xconnect may work for you.

 

also do you have a department laptop or computer

[J Pearce]

Could you not use remote desktop to link the PDA to a laptop or desktop PC then via xconnect to the desk?

[goochr96]

Is it possible to do this kind if thing to an older console, at our theatre we have a Strand 430, I dont think it has a network card in it, would it be very hard to get a system with X connect up and running?

[strand600X]

In order to run a pda as a wirless remote you must enable wifi in your desk

this as everyone says cost a lot of money to do

 

We use X connect all the time but it is not without its problems

 

You can also use the OLE to network to a console but you need a DOS based PC or virtual PC

 

I do all the above and I have only one problem and that is when you use X connect and log in as anything other than user 1 it crashes the remotes

I use a R120 wired and a R120 radio and when it crashes them I have to reconfigure them in set up basically turn them off then back on

Its a pain and I told Bill at Strand who is aware of the problem

 

I use a PC in our workshop as an OLE server it works like X connect but with the advantage of running as a stand alone as well as connecting to the desk when needed

 

Its all in the way you configure the setup when installing the software and going into the edit function of DOS to change a couplke of lines in a couple of files

 

Baz

Opera North

[goochr96]

Yeah, so is it very hard to install a network card in to the desk? I think the Os on the desk is 2.x something. ??

[strand600X]

Its very easy to install a card into a desk but configuring it may be another matter I would talk to strand as it depends how old your desk is and how slow it is

[gareth]

I have only one problem and that is when you use X connect and log in as anything other than user 1 it crashes the remotes

I use a R120 wired and a R120 radio and when it crashes them I have to reconfigure them in set up basically turn them off then back on

Really? Never experienced that issue myself. As a touring electrician I use my xConnect to log into desks in a variety of theatres with a variety of remotes attached to their desks, and I've never crashed one yet (I usually log in as user 2).

[strand600X]

I usually log in as user 3 allowing the LD to log in as user 2

I use a PC running winXP which always crashes the remotes but most LD's seem to favour the MAC which doesn't seem to do it. So in conclusion I would guess its a Windows thing

[gareth]

I use a PC running winXP which always crashes the remotes but most LD's seem to favour the MAC which doesn't seem to do it. So in conclusion I would guess its a Windows thing

Nope again - I run xConnect under WinXP - no problems logging in as any user, either as Login or Monitor. Have logged into desks with Strand remotes (wired and radio), Stage Electrics remotes, and iPaq wi-fi remotes - no crashes with xConnect. Must be something peculiar to your system, Barry.