Any hardware based light controller which also triggers videos and audio files....

[plainman007]

Id like to know if there are dmx lighting controllers, not pc based, but hardware control desks which can also trigger audio and video files at specific moments or as part of the programmed sequence.

Just would like to know if such a thing exists on the market.

Thanks
Josh

[katman]

I would imagine that the deivce playing the audio/video files would need to have a DMX interface in order to do so.

[Larry B Entertainment]

Something like this ?

http://www.arkaos.net/category/index.php?catid=2

Responds to DMX signals from any lighting desk.

Not cheap though !

[DazzyD]

Not cheap?? Not cheap?? :eek: At £12,750 I think "not cheap" is the understatement of the century!! Think I'll save some money and continue just pressing play with my finger!!!

;)

[Get Me A DJ]

Id like to know if there are dmx lighting controllers, not pc based, but hardware control desks which can also trigger audio and video files at specific moments or as part of the programmed sequence.

Just would like to know if such a thing exists on the market.

Thanks
Josh

Yes there such a thing which uses time codes.
Leave it with me and I'll dig the info out for you.

Kev

[jamesh]

Any reason why not pc based???

[Get Me A DJ]

Any reason why not pc based???

Maybe prefers the "hands on" approach of a LIVE desk rather than a PC?

[plainman007]

Hi Guys,

Some good questions youve asked. In fact i had already bought a software PC based program for 650 USD. Extremely cluttered user interface. Zero support. Not a single video on youtube regarding programming using that software. Shows how popular it is. But it does the audio, video, and light tiriggering all from one interface and with AV files that reside on the system.

During trying to program it itself it has locked up and crashed quite often. Tried on 3 different very robust systems. What if that happens during a show. The manual has several gramatical errors (in a technical manual concerning dmx programming just image what that could do) reversing the entire meaning of what it intends to say. Seems the makers arent eglish speaking but poised for the world market. The makers also say that theirs is the most popular software. But not one video on youtube, nobody is bothered to make one cause probably its not that popular or important. Id really be keen on making it work though and am still trying.

Am considering a hard controller because of the solid state electronics no moving parts or hdd boots to crash. On a side note just imagine if someone built a simple media player function into hardware boards. They have display lcds anyway. And they could have a simple firmware like what comes on portable media players etc which accepts a thumbdrive or maybe even a hdd bay slot like the ones coming on servers. The all it does is read the files on the drive and show the list. The user picks media files he would like to play at a particular moment of the show and probably assigns them to seperate buttons and then uses those buttons to key the mp3 event into the light sequence. Later on that button can be free again to assign a different mp3. Esentially the dmx code will have nothing to do with the triggering of the files. The system just remembers at what time you want which media file played and independently plays them. A media player with HD video costs about $100 upwards ??? Combine them into the same desk and charge much more. I and maybe a lot of others will readily pay for something like that. But we cant afford media servers which cost thousands of dollars plus a lot more to get it to work.

Jamesh > what software have you worked with on pc and has it been reliable ?

Thanks

[hammy]

Jamesh > what software have you worked with on pc and has it been reliable ?

Thanks

Wonder whats coming next from James :D :D :D

[jamesh]

Maybe prefers the "hands on" approach of a LIVE desk rather than a PC?

You can have hands on with software too - you just choose a software with midi controller support and have an external controller hooked up to it.. That way you get the hands on approach with the power of the software.


Hi Guys,....


Jamesh > what software have you worked with on pc and has it been reliable ?

Thanks

Wow what software was that as it sounds a nightmare!

Personally software that has been reliable that i've used includes Martin Lightjockey, Daslight and Venue Magic but my overall preference is Venue Magic - we were so impressed with it we took out the licence to become the sole uk distributor for it.

I had played around with Freestyler for quite a while and even used it on a few functions but struggled with the reliability of it (although haven't looked at it for over a year so things may have changed)

For years i used Daslight having looked for reliable software on a budget when coming back from the cruiseship which had martin light jockey to control it's fixtures and daslight seemed to be spot on for what i needed at lot less of the costs than Martin light jocket.

Daslight is a very powerful piece of kit but i found support wasn't that great with emails not being answered and having to resort to the forum where most of the time users were more help than the developers so i started looking at other software.

It's then that i started looking at software that could run sound lighting and video and came across two software packages - ShowMagic and VenueMagic. Show magic was pretty much out of budget costing over £1000 per licence so i started to look at venue magic as the full version came in under £500 and after playing with the demo and using the tutorial videos to get to grips with it and contacting support when stuck we purchased a copy and have never looked back.

As mentioned before we were so pleased with the software we became UK distributors and haven't looked back since.

Have a look and see what you think - you can get more info from www.venuemagic.co.uk and within the next week or so we'll have a nice new website with all the info on which should make it easier to read and get the info and trials etc...


**Edit**

Just a quick post regarding solid state drives. You can get them for computer systems now so why not invest in a solid state drive for your laptop or computer - that way you get the best of both worlds - powerful software one a solid state drive so less chance of it going wrong.

[plainman007]

Hi Jamesh, That nightmare software was Sunlite Suite. Recently that they've added video tutorials to their website. That was a joke. Just some screen capture software based video with not even a voice over. Just try that video, how can one watch the video and concentrate on the subtitles instructing you what to do. And even that is not indepth. They have no idea what an instructional video should look like. You will find yourself missing the small subtitles of one line vague instructions. Bad english used in the software itself means confusing menus. error dialogs in the software that say things like "some little problem occured" and the manual is in even worse broken english and not logically sequenced. What to do, ive already bought it and now cant change. But at least members can be wary and stay clear of such software.

Yes in fact i was thinking of solid state drives, even embedded windows and industrial pc options. Industrial pcs come with quite nominal video/hd processing capabilities as they are meant to control machinery etc ? Also they lack the dual monitor outputs which i might need etc. Basically looking at building a crash free pc, though such a thing doesnt exist, but aiming for the stars will at least get us beyond the fence minimizing any possible crashes. Second option was a laptop as they are meant for travelling. But they dont have dual monitor outputs like those offered by a dedicated video card on a pc. But laptops are build to withstand travel. An assembled pc has the problem of cards or parts loosening up during travel. These seem to be the pros and cons.

But im still yet to understand how a solid state drive would add to stability except that it is hardware crash free. But it doesnt make windows anymore stable right ?

[jamesh]

Sounds a nightmare software!!! although i'm suprised as the sunlight suite is the BIG DADDY SOFTWARE wrote by the makers of - Daslight - which is a very cut down version of it.

Did you not spot the problematic english translation before you purchased the software? How long ago did you purchase it? you may be able to get a refund on it?



But im still yet to understand how a solid state drive would add to stability except that it is hardware crash free. But it doesnt make windows anymore stable right ?

Yes it would make it hardware crash free - or as near to it as possible but as you say no it wont make windows any more stable although in my professional experience i've never had a issue with using computer based systems out on the road on live events or had a issue with windows not being stable once configured and optimised correctly (windows 2000, windows XP and windows 7).

If you have a properly configured machine, optimised for the sort of software you want to run, don't go on the internet or at least don't use it as an everyday machine and install all sorts of rubbish onto it and have something built for the job you really shouldn't have any issues at all.

I've even run lighting software on a netbook for long periods of time without a hitch (again configured correctly and no additional software on it)- although you'd want something with a higher spec to run lighting, video and audio off really (although it does cope!)

For venue magic i tend to use my OODJ system as it works perfectly for that and has enough power to run the lighting, video and audio from it - and the touch screen display is very handy for on the fly lighting. I even have Virtual DJ running at the same time usually and it has never caused me any problems in a live event situation. For back up i also have a Dell Inspiron duo (again for the touch screen) and a main laptop but in live events i've never had to use them so far!

[plainman007]

Jamesh,

Properly configuring the pc is not a problem at all. I have done that and work with systems everyday. I built one such system just to handle Sunlite. I mean in depth optimisation right from the registry level. Shutting down all unnecessary processes with only selective startup. A very powerful processor CORE 2 DUO 3.4 Ghz if im right. 4 gb ram (the max win xp 32 bit will accept). All the best known professional tips and tricks used to streamline and strip windows to its bare essentials. Im sure you wudnt have gone to the extent of making a stripped version of windows right. I mean removing core elements of windows to make a special kind of windows xp disk that doesnt install (right when installing windows on a raw hdd) many unused components such as movie maker, etc etc. I spent $200 for a special server styled 4u rack thats supposed to withstand vibrations and its incredibly heavy. All this was 3 years ago, when these system specs were considered overkill for a dmx light control system. Then what went wrong ?

Sunlite...Nothing serious...i just still cant understand it (esp when it says little little problem occurred) and its got a jumbled interface. Mostly translated menus by people who cant speak english. Menus placed out of logic. But i know, or have heard that they also wrote the software for elation controller or something like that. And no i wasnt given an opportunity to see the actual manual and how it would be worded out. Im not blaming them. It was partly my mistake too. But the best part is the system which i made just for this costed me about $1200. Nothing great maybe but surely overkill for the job intended. Anyhow i now plan to somehow manage with the software because its what i got. So thats that. Now on to the actual problem based on your rightly posed question of "why not use a normal pc solution"

What happened with all this is that....the system isnt trustworthy with all this effort put in. It wont boot. Why ? because it doesnt survive travel. Period. Configuring windows etc is something i do with passion and precision. But now finding a stable hardware solution has become the only problem. Very simply the system doesnt stand vibration and travel for 100s of Kms even in the boot of a salon car. Id have to open the system and press and wiggle boards and then get it to boot. Solid state drives might be a good answer to atleast ensuring that part of the system isnt susceptible to common vibration. But ram sticks, graphics cards etc still give problems and prevent the system from booting. No hence my search for a complete solid state computer which can take vibration. Its not rocket science, even mere laptops are made tightly knit and they survive travel everyday. But i cant run from a laptop and need a full fledged system.

This leads me to ask you. What sort of pc are you using ? A normal lightweight desktop cabinet ? Any graphics cards ? Solid state drives ? What kind of Ram ECC, Industrial Ram ?

[plainman007]

Jamesh ??? No reply ? I just asked what kind of pc hardware or cabinet your using. Would you share ?

[Corabar Entertainment]

Jamesh ??? No reply ? I just asked what kind of pc hardware or cabinte your using. Would you share ?
Why make the assumption that he doesn't want to share, as opposed to just missing your query? :confused:

[jamesh]

Jamesh ??? No reply ? I just asked what kind of pc hardware or cabinet your using. Would you share ?


Why make the assumption that he doesn't want to share, as opposed to just missing your query? :confused:

Oops Sorry as has been pointed out i didn't see that you'd replied so thanks for the bump..

I use a specially made system called the OODJ and have used that for my audio video and lighting needs for at least 3 or 4 years and it's roughly the size of a laptop but without a battery and built for life on the road and has been optimised and had all the unless bits from Windows XP taken off of it.

It's never once caused me problems at events and that's using it as a audio/DJ based system running Virtual DJ, OTS AV and PCDJ, a conference presentation system running slide shows and videos, a dmx lighting system and most of the time all of the above at the same time.

[plainman007]

Corobar > Seems like your just waiting for an opportunity to pick on me. Im unfazed. You spend so much time looking for what you can say/pick on such simple statements ? :D

Dont make an assumption, that im assuming that he doesnt want to share. I just asked him to share. Thats all.

Jamesh > Thanks for clarifying.

[Corabar Entertainment]

Mind your step, Plainman, or you won't be posting on here at all.

Try reading my posts properly, and you could also do with reading your own posts back to yourself to see how they are coming across.

Stop accusing everyone of picking on you!

If you can't play nicely with others, then you won't be allowed to play at all!

[plainman007]

I couldnt care less for your measly threats. Go ahead and do what you want.

Ofcourse you wouldnt have the confidence to leave this post as it is. If you had stuff. You'd leave for for others to read as opposed to being secreting to remove it immediately. Your the only one who sees my posts as being offensive while im having a purely decent discussion with others.

All this shows how much time you have at our disposal.

My posts are coming across as healthy and also contributing to users who might want info on this particular branch of pc based systems.

Dont assume we are people with zero knowledge of ANY subject. Now go ahead and do what you want, hide up this post like the coward you are. And shove your ownership. A web based site that costs zero to launch, wow what an achievement. I own a company much more serious and larger in infrastructure to waste time with you. lol.

[plainman007]

Nice try with the psychology, trying to include everyone by saying "Stop accusing everyone of picking on you! "

I never accused anyone but you. Dont try to garner sympathy and support by saying i accused everyone.

Everyones been fine here but you.

[Corabar Entertainment]

Oh, I'll leave your posts exactly as they are for everyone on the forum to read.

However, I don't make threats. I merely look after our decent members and I pointed out facts (something sadly lacking in your last couple of posts), and we won't tolerate any abuse whatsoever. You clearly have a problem so kindly take it elsewhere.

Bye! :wave: