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qifop

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Posts posted by qifop

  1. You can do some great stuff with them. Like setting a red gobo and slow movement for the smoochies. I might be wrong but to keep the lights away from the crowd would require reprogramming at each venue and that will become tiresome very quickly. It isn't no 5 minute job either.

     

    All comes down to your controller. The more you spend on the controller the less you have to do.

     

    I use a Zero88 Diablo which is designed for intelligent fixtures. The movement macros are already built in and you can simply adjust the area with the joystick live. The same applies to all other fixture attributes. The ripple function is very time saving, meaning you can offset functions to create a scrolling rainbox across the fixtures without having to make a step for each change. I have used an NJD Merlin 256 also which is quite flexible.

     

    I used a Dmx Operator (which I think is rebranded as everything under the sun now including the one mentioned here) at first years ago and understand this can be a nightmare, especially when it comes to pan/tilt programming & fades. Its a good base though as you can understand the workings, then later on when you have higher end controllers that do the difficult bits for you, when you need to go back to roots for fault finding (such as I did the other day when a moving yoke was getting a reset command continously when on the DMX chain) you have the knowledge.

  2. Are people missing one major point here?

     

    Only more high end fixtures from my experience have anchor points for safety chains. So if you guys are wrapping around the bracket you are wasting your money as the fixtures own bracket is more likely to fail (due to frequent stress from adjustment) than the G clamp hanging it. FACT.

     

    Result, small piece of metal bracket still happily chained to rig (along with its main fixing method). Lighting fixture with sheered bolts on floor in pieces... or worse!

     

     

     

  3. Should pick up a fairly good nick Martin Roboscan 812 for that money.

     

    Packed with features and VERY reliable. Parts are also as common as bird muck.

     

    Benefits from HTI lamp also for good output and long lamp life.

     

  4. Find out the motor type (off your old one) then ring a radio controlled car specialist. They use stepper motors and deal with them more frequently. They will be able to sort you out.

     

    When you mention intelligent lights the price triples for some reason.

     

  5. I use Lightjockey for bigger shows (on Martin interface with its own processor), but also have a Martin 2510 controller so if the job doesnt warrant the computer I can still use most my shows with the standalone programs I've created in lightjockey once uploaded to the 2510.

     

     

  6. I have loads of them. They dont HAVE to use the internal vector mode. If you controller does fades then thats fine with them. I use them alongside Robocolour III's (use same internals apart from gobo wheel as 812s).

     

    They are very reliable and would use them over and of this cheap chinese rubbish anyday. They are sturdy work horses, as someone else mentioned they do collect cack so do well to clean them regularly.

     

    I use them with both a 2510 controller and also lightjockey sometimes, though if your using purely 812's I highly recommend the 2504 as these are programmed specifically for 812s and give an amazing show thats easy to operate to leave you time to DJ.

     

    I have replaced most of my equipment over the years sound wise but I can see the 812's running for a fair few years to go.

     

    As some have said, you still seem them installed in venues around the country to date.

  7. Sounds like an ideal gig to me, good ole rest instead of usual manic. Whilst everyone is watching fireworks would be an ideal time for DJ to rape said buffet.

     

    I can see it being very boring though.... hope the DJ has a laptop with a few films on it!

  8. Mine are very dark blue, I have a friend that does all the printing for me. The shirts cost £4 from Tesco's! (Collared Polo Shirts) and then I get the printing done for the cost of a few beers.

     

    Makes them almost disposable in my eyes so not bothered if the cheaper printing goes astray in wash as just throw it away!

     

    I have company logo in small on chest, larger one with URL on back then Yellow Pages logo on one sleve, with Trade Association logo on other.

  9. I find my beams are still visable without smoke anywhere, until they ban smoking in public places you can use consumer provided "smoke!"

     

    Saying that cant wait for when they ban smoking in public places no more stripping roboscans down most weekends removing fag residue from optics!

  10. I think its brilliant that something can bring a majority of the nation together. Im not a huge football fan yet I love the feeling of people being together behind the team. Seeing the flag fly everywhere you look.

     

    Brilliant.

     

    Its not about the football but the unity to me. When there is so much **** going on in this country its great to see something that a nation as a whole can relate to.

     

    Put it this way....

     

    When the general elections take place, people support labour etc and put signs up. However this "only a sport" gets more visual support than something as important as national elections.

     

    There are too many people in this country living in their own little world. I could bait this thread with the fact the majority of anti world cup opinion has come from our 2 neigbouring countries which failed to qualify........ coincidence?

     

  11. Friday = nothing due to Saturdays commitments

     

    Saturday = Outdoor england party, starts at 12.30 midday. Rigging from 9am alongside Marquee people -ARRG! Ideal though as dry hire of lighting and projectors only and not collecting until Sunday so can share a few beers with the guests!

     

    Sunday = Take down and hang over.

  12. Showtec make a dimmer pack which can take a much higher load (if you have a 16amp power source up to 4k). Again DMX controlled however has built in chases and DMX addressing is done via a LCD menu system rather than the dated Dipswitch method. I use these quite regularly and dont have any problems.

     

    Approx cost £70-80ea.

  13. Id advise against this practice. The hole is small for a reason. If you make it bigger the outside cooler temperature air will enter the heat exchanger making warm up times more lengthy and potentially cause damage to the heating element itself through overwork.

     

  14. Martin have always been one of the top names when lighting is concerned. As you said some fixtures are almost 25yrs old, like the rainbox yet still working!

     

    Martin Audio seem to be a favourite with the installation boys, taking over where Marquee audio left. Martin have cornered alot of markets. Jem smoke yet another string to their bow.

     

    Martin Audio seem to be bespoke systems on installs and therefore I wouldnt imagine encountering them on the mobile disco stage for a while to come.

  15. Lighting wise,

     

    As you wish to stay with your existing EVL spins then it would make sense to add more EVL products. Not only to keep the rig looking uniform but this will save you hours when it comes to programming them as they will share personalitys (yes their will be some differences). Perhaps EVL Scan or Star if your budget stretches. I sold a couple of EVL Minispot moving heads on ebay a few weeks ago for £180 each which was a bargain so its worth keeping an eye out (however dont expect to hang these off your rig as they weigh 20kgs).

     

    Controller wise, if your just looking for sound to light with the ability to black the lights out you would be wise to consider again, an EVL product, such as the EVL micro controller. Yes it looks mickey mouse however these are built for the units you are using and is very simple to use. It does not offer any programming ability but in my experience, even in bars i've fitted with £1000's of intelligent lighting at their disposal the DJ simply does not have time to mess with it and therefore auto programmes made by the manufacturer are often the best route for the best visual result.

     

    However if you want something you can programme then their are plenty out there. I always try to stick with the manufacturer of the lights however I have good experiences with STAGELINE 1440 controllers (sold one of these on ebay for £100 last week). However they can be long winded to setup originally. You can pick these up from CPC @ about £120 these days, 3 unit rack mount however so will eat @ your rack space.

     

    I believe there is a rack mount kit for the EVL Micro Controller also.

     

    Hope this helps. No idea about audio im afraid! Someone else does that for me!

     

  16. Only come into contact with ROBE twice now on 2 installs and this was before I needed high end scanners, everyone seems to have totally jumped off the scanner wagon now. I dont rate the Martin 918 much as very large for what it is. ROBE are used extensively in the theatre and television studio along with top clubs and nightspots which I think says it all.

     

    I had an install with 4 of their scanners, only problem I encountered was the mounting kits are not ideal and took a bit of "encouragement" to get them to sit flush! But that shouldnt effect you mobile dudes. Their moving heads are apparantly very good also, but I've only installed MAC 250's and EVL minispots so far so cannot comment.

     

     

  17. 5 pin DMX leads believe it or not are the INDUSTRY standard and its 3 pin that are the unofficial off cast. They were orginally 5 pin so they could include a live feed to power controller and auxillary devices. This is not longer required by most but you will find a lot of big name, especially theatrical manufacturers still ship with 5 pin connections. GENI, Clay Packy to name a couple.

     

    Most have now changed to 3 pin which is alot easier.

     

    NJD datamoon is the best thing to come out of them. The predator series of scanners were and still are massively overpriced for the features you get and the output is not the best. NJD's chasers and dimmer packs used to suffer from dry joint related failures commonly.

     

    I agree with all the comments though. I had 2 datamoons pretty early on in my DJ life before moving trade and they never let me down. Infact I think they are in the shed or somewhere still no doubt!

     

     

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