Which Lighting Desk?

[P. Funk]

Yeah - the problem with the Strand wouldnt be ease of use of the desk itself, but rather the students would be missing out on how to use manual desks.

[peter]

From that point of view you could go for the Strand 300 which I believe is available in a 24/48 version

[gareth]

I personally like the Strand but my boss is uneasy because of the Syntax

Hmmm. Now this is a comment that has cropped up more than once on this forum, and one which I still don't really understand the reasoning behind. What exactly is wrong with the Strand programming syntax? They invented it, after all - it's been around since the earliest memory lighting desks, and the {channel} @ {level} syntax and operational philosophy has been embraced by pretty much every other memory desk manufacturer (until recently!).

 

On a slightly more detailed level, if the gripe is with the "command line vs. direct action" divide, then the Strand couldn't be a more perfect solution - GeniusPro software offers you the choice of both!

 

I guess it's a fact that there are, and always will be, people who simply don't get on with Strand consoles - that's fine, it's theur decision and I respect that. But you can't get away from the fact that Strand make damned fine lighting desks, which are good enough to have found their way into a vast majority of professional venues in the UK.

[paulears]

I've come to this thread a bit late and am amazed that strand only got mentioned near the end. Most of the kit mentioned is great for rock and roll and unstructured, seat of the pants stuff, but if you're follwing the BTEC specs they are based around theatre operation, so cues, times, crossfades a la strand are the sort of thing expected. students are expected to know about manual and memory desks, cues, patch sheets, manual and memory control techniques. only if they tale a dedicated automated lighting unit do they really need to attempt 'clever; programming.Even at HND, all that happens is depth goes up, but the subject areas pretty well stay the same.

 

as for the avo azures - the membrane surface version is horrible to work. My old college had gsx, 300 and azure available to students - gsx and 300 were always more popular. As far as I know, the azure is still not being used - well, at least nobody has phoned up and asked what the pin number is!

paul

[mikienorth]

Does anyone know what Dan Arkley meant by OLE in his post saying how simple the strand 500 series is?

I'm after all the help I can get.

It's not as bad as some make out I dont think, the Help key is proving to be a godsend, but I am due some training soon, never seen one before this week (had a hog in the last job) and its different enough to confuse from the off.

[Dweeks]

Pretty sure it means "OffLine Editor", where you download a simulation of the desk and can play with to your hearts content until you realise that you are sitting at home playing with a virtual lighting desk.... and you get that bottle of aspirines out.... 23 and counting :)

 

 

Nah, they allow people to program at home also I believe. Fat Frog etc can do it also.

[mikienorth]

Thanks, any ideas where to find one?

Yep, having a dumb day.

[Dweeks]

From the boards website?

 

Strand/Zero 99's website I guess....

[gareth]

Thanks, any ideas where to find one?

Take a look at the Blue Room's Lighting FAQ - there's a section in there which answers exactly this question.

[Trig]

Personnaly I'm a fan of the ETC express in this situation... I think the important thing is to give the students the look of a 2 preset desk. ie: 2 banks of faders... I've got nothing against a strand, however I think the 300's modular appearance may be an issue. I would not back any of the bottom end desks by Zero 88. Happy purchase!

[Russ247]

as for the avo azures - the membrane surface version is horrible to work.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

To be fair to Avos, the original idea was to be able to put a Pearl where you wouldn't want to leave one! The membrane (original) version was aimed at the install in a DJ booth & so all the lights wouldn't go out if one of the drinks was spilt on the desk. Quite handy if you ask me!

 

As far as the Theatre programming side goes they've never quite got that right, but considering they are IMHO one of the best range of desks for rock & roll / busking it probably isn't high on the list unfortunately. They lost out on the TV side to Compulite (another good family of desks though never got to grips with it myself probably through lack of "playtime").

 

The main falling down of Avo's Theatre programming is the update & save though

 

£0.02

 

R

[James]

I thought the Azure was atractive because of the membrane surface, although that could be beccause I cut my ML teeth on an ALS enigma and it feels reminicent. (Mmmm Faders, Nice!!!)

[jagardner1984]

Couldn't agree more with some of the comments above.

 

At RSAMD, we use the Strand 530 in our main house, with an Illusion 500 in the Studio. I have to say purely from personal experience never having used either desk prior to my time here, I found the Strand a joy to use, I am not sure really what this would be called, but the idea of inputting what you are thinking is fantastic "I want CHANNEL 25 @ 50 enter" It just seems to me that operation of the board is aided so much by this feature. By contrast I must say I found the Illusion quite difficult to get my head around. Is this because I was coming at it from using the Strand? or have others had difficulties.

 

As for the OLE, the Strand you just download the Operating System, Strand OS2.6 at the moment I think, and all you need to do it is in the .zip file. There are also instructions on the Strand size.

 

A big but though is that the OLE will not work with Windows XP, not even in "Windows 95 Compatibility Mode" Unless anyone knows a way around this

 

James

[Jivemaster]

There is no desk that allows optimum use in both rehearsed theatre and on the fly corporate/rock n roll gigs.

 

Spend some money on installation. Fixed or mobile case, lid etc. Try a buffer DMX relay to prevent any faults on downstream units damaging the new desk. Get several copies of the user manual laminated for frequent use, get the basic user instructions laminated or engraved and put in a usefull place possibly get a stock of any loseable bits - they will prob throw in foc some slider knobs on delivery or charge £15 + p&p +vat later.

 

The politics of buying to budget are well to be studied. Check that the product can be delivered before the budget expires. If you underspend do you lose the rest or transfer it to the next purchase. I know one venue with a 48 chan mixer to mix 4 mics cos the supplier couldnt supply a smaller one til after the budget expired, price was not a factor but delivery was.

[propmonkey]

strand is easy, its what I first and currently using. I used a ect during the summer(I think of it as a generic strand). I sat down at a 300 with a tutorial and with in 1 min I knew how to record a cue. after 5 hrs I knew most about it and I practiced doing some cues and fx and such. strand is a good way to go. I hear lepercon are very easy to use, if you kow anything about lighting with in 5 mins you cna use one. strand at time isnt user friendly.