Morning Campers !

[PWES 0]

 

Some will probably already know me, but those who don't, I'm Pete Williams, old fart DJ (30 years+) and still getting away with it !

 

I am not a minimalist DJ, although I am impressed by small smart rigs, I AM however starcloth and moving head friendly, but with a dirty great truss etc :-)

 

I have a vague handle on music, it's my day job as well, but my passion these days tends to be lighting, and love playing with DMX via Freestyler, and happy to pass on tips n tricks in that department to those that may need help

 

Look forward to chatting with you soon...

[gadget 0]

Some will probably already know me, but those who don't, I'm Pete Williams, old fart DJ (30 years+) and still getting away with it !

 

I am not a minimalist DJ, although I am impressed by small smart rigs, I AM however starcloth and moving head friendly, but with a dirty great truss etc :-)

 

I have a vague handle on music, it's my day job as well, but my passion these days tends to be lighting, and love playing with DMX via Freestyler, and happy to pass on tips n tricks in that department to those that may need help

 

Look forward to chatting with you soon...

 

 

:welcome:

 

I too love FreeStyler - until it crashes! What DMX interface do you use with it, and do you use any external control?

 

Cheers,

 

David

[PWES 0]

:welcome:

 

I too love FreeStyler - until it crashes! What DMX interface do you use with it, and do you use any external control?

 

Cheers,

 

David

Hi David, 'Dickies Dongle' otherwise known as the afterglow dongle, I've known other to buy cheaper varieties and have issues, so I prefer this this one

 

I have NEVER had freestyler crash, and that's in about 5-6 years, it must be you ;-) I tend to always be one version behind the latest, I don't beta test at functions !!

 

I have recently considered a joystick, but for the moment I use a touchscreen which is great, although the follow spot feature can be a bit flaky if you dont keep pressure on it...

 

[UKHero 0]

Hi Pete

 

Welcome to the forum. I too like Freestyler but dont get to use it to often as most of my gigs I have to be set up with in an hour and by the time I have rigged and EQ the PA and wired the lighting they want to start.

 

It is an amazing bit of software for free though.

 

Nik

[Raymilkybarkid 0]

:welcome: to the forum and nice introduction.

 

[gadget 0]

Hi Pete

 

Welcome to the forum. I too like Freestyler but dont get to use it to often as most of my gigs I have to be set up with in an hour and by the time I have rigged and EQ the PA and wired the lighting they want to start.

 

It is an amazing bit of software for free though.

 

Nik

 

Agreed!

 

It takes more time wiring the DMX in - btu then with two separate t-bars and lights on both sides requiring cabling its a bit of a pain. Masses of DMX cables about the place and trying to keep the cabling neat etc!

 

Cheers,

 

David

 

Hi David, 'Dickies Dongle' otherwise known as the afterglow dongle, I've known other to buy cheaper varieties and have issues, so I prefer this this one

 

I have NEVER had freestyler crash, and that's in about 5-6 years, it must be you ;-) I tend to always be one version behind the latest, I don't beta test at functions !!

 

I have recently considered a joystick, but for the moment I use a touchscreen which is great, although the follow spot feature can be a bit flaky if you dont keep pressure on it...

 

I'm using Enttec Open DMX, which is actually rather good and fairly well supported. I'll probably go for the Enttec Pro if I was doing serious lighting - I know one LJ who uses this in a club and does all of it off one of these - but for disco use, controlling a handful of lights (less than 64 channels), the OpenDMX is quite good and pretty fast. (Far better than that Velleman rubbish I started off with!).

 

I too want some sort of joystick control - but not found a suitable one yet (one with enough buttons for selecting things).

 

To be fair the latest freestylerDMX which is out now has worked much better than its previous version (which had broken sound2light in some circumstances!)

 

Cheers,

 

David

[UKHero 0]

Agreed!

 

It takes more time wiring the DMX in - btu then with two separate t-bars and lights on both sides requiring cabling its a bit of a pain. Masses of DMX cables about the place and trying to keep the cabling neat etc!

 

Cheers,

 

David

I'm using Enttec Open DMX, which is actually rather good and fairly well supported. I'll probably go for the Enttec Pro if I was doing serious lighting - I know one LJ who uses this in a club and does all of it off one of these - but for disco use, controlling a handful of lights (less than 64 channels), the OpenDMX is quite good and pretty fast. (Far better than that Velleman rubbish I started off with!).

 

I too want some sort of joystick control - but not found a suitable one yet (one with enough buttons for selecting things).

 

To be fair the latest freestylerDMX which is out now has worked much better than its previous version (which had broken sound2light in some circumstances!)

 

Yes I have tha Vellerman its ok for what I do with it. I was looking at my DMX I think their interface works with FS as well as there own software.

 

Nik

 

Cheers,

 

David

 

[PWES 0]

 

 

Thanks for the warm welcome chaps, good to hear from some blast from the past too ;-)

 

...Masses of DMX cables about the place and trying to keep the cabling neat etc!

 

AHA, that's where pre-wiring your truss/ T bars works so well. Happy to post some pics of how I did it in case anyone is interested, in the correct place of course

 

[Norfolk DJ 0]

 

Hi Pete

 

You are getting around the forums alot these days!!

[PWES 0]

Hi Pete

 

You are getting around the forums alot these days!!

 

I used to spend a crazy amount of time on forums, I learnt a lot, did very little work, got P'd off with one forum, another one collapsed, got a divorce, and then went off to actually do some work for a year ! :-D

 

Wanting to 'put myself about' a bit more recently, I'm getting back into forum life, VERY addictive... damn !

 

[UKHero 0]

I used to spend a crazy amount of time on forums, I learnt a lot, did very little work, got P'd off with one forum, another one collapsed, got a divorce, and then went off to actually do some work for a year ! :-D

 

Wanting to 'put myself about' a bit more recently, I'm getting back into forum life, VERY addictive... damn !

 

Especialy when you have something to sell maybe

 

Nik

[vokf 0]

Hi Pete,

welcome to the forum! :Thumbup:

[gadget 0]

Thanks for the warm welcome chaps, good to hear from some blast from the past too ;-)

AHA, that's where pre-wiring your truss/ T bars works so well. Happy to post some pics of how I did it in case anyone is interested, in the correct place of course

 

pre-wiring works to a point - but I never really got around to doing that - because the setup potentially changed a bit each time - plus I was always considering a deck stand and thought it wasn't worth it..

 

Now my deckstand config will be (l-r or r-l whichever): Datamoon/Colourscan/Dynaroll/Colourscan/Datamoon. However wiring is going to be *fun* as the colourscans have reverse DMX sockets on them, and the Datamoons 5-pin and the dynaroll is the normal-wired 3-pin.. So some rewiring of cables and adaptors is needed. (Plus the colourscans won't work *at all* unless you terminate the DMX chain!).

 

Cheers,

 

David, with one Indian Datamoon too (jack inputs!))..

 

ps photos are always welcome! :photo:

 

Edited August 15, 2010 by gadget

[PWES 0]

Especialy when you have something to sell maybe

 

Nik

 

You have such insight sir :-) I'm not permitted to mention it here yet Nik, but I'm sure the rumour mill will make everything clear very soon... YOU could probably mention it...and feedback would be welcome !

 

 

ps photos are always welcome! :photo:

 

I'll sort something today/ tomorrow for you to laugh at David ;-)

 

[vokf 0]

You have such insight sir :-) I'm not permitted to mention it here yet Nik, but I'm sure the rumour mill will make everything clear very soon... YOU could probably mention it...and feedback would be welcome !

I'll sort something today/ tomorrow for you to laugh at David ;-)

 

Pete, probably best to place this in "Techie Talk";

http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/index.php?showforum=10

 

I have a pre-rigged t-bar, with DMX. Set-up is much quicker, but may go overhead again next year, so will try to pre-rig that.

 

I think we're all fans of gear pics :-) (or is it just me! lol)

 

[PWES 0]

Pete, probably best to place this in "Techie Talk";

http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/index.php?showforum=10

 

I have a pre-rigged t-bar, with DMX. Set-up is much quicker, but may go overhead again next year, so will try to pre-rig that.

 

I think we're all fans of gear pics :-) (or is it just me! lol)

 

Yup, we all love gig pics !

 

I'll get some on there now... (thanks for the link !!)

[Dukesy 0]

Especialy when you have something to sell maybe

 

Nik

 

 

I'm surprised he feels needed around here with the likes of you Nik!

After all, who voluntarily posted his website link for him on the PLI thread on Saturday???

 

Here's a clue:- it began with 'N'

 

I'm not permitted to mention it here yet Nik

 

Nik seems to already have done so for you

 

You have such insight sir :-)

 

When a 4 year old alias with no posts suddenly springs to life and starts randomly posting, then it usually indicates an ulterior motive and will get noticed hence Nik's comment. Everybody thinks they are the first and that nobody will see the contrived connection between a few posts appearing 24 hours before 'something' is launched, in reality it happens all of the time. Which is why members are in a mod queue during the early part of their membership, you can thank certain over zealous but selfish Association colleagues of yours for us having to routinely introduce that procedure!, the type who think that DJU is fair game to constantly advertise on, but won't give it or its members the time of day otherwise.

 

In fact when a SEDA meeting is on the horizon, its like 'day of the dead' around here, with all of the dormant corpses waking up and suddenly posting.

 

Never kid a Kidder eh?

 

Kinda Sad really, that these Association leaders only see fit to demonstrate their desire to "improve and better the industry and assist others", when there is a motivation factor, and usually that motivation factor is centered around promoting ones own interests (or slagging off the competition - which of course we don't allow in name here and this is the reason most of them have been ejected or left in disgust at the lack of soap opera opportunities).

 

I don't think its just a coincidence that the members with 100's or 1000's of posts on forums all have no vested interest in an association, but who post voluntarily with no commercial interest. I think its actually the members of the industry who provide more committment, assistance and respect to each other than the majority of the associations! (who are more often too busy slagging each other off elsewhere and so promoting the negative angle). So I suppose there is a glimmer of hope for the industry yet.

 

I suppose only time will tell which side of that fence you and the 'Accreditation' contingent sit, eh Pete?, will you be following the Association theme and only post when there is a '£' or promotional opportunity or will you be continuing to share the vast industry experience that you have, purely out of goodwill, just like the majority of the other members here.

 

Welcome to the forum by the way !

[PWES 0]

I'm surprised he feels needed around here with the likes of you Nik!

After all, who voluntarily posted his website link for him on the PLI thread on Saturday???

Here's a clue:- it began with 'N'

 

 

 

When a 4 year old alias with no posts suddenly springs to life and starts randomly posting, then it usually indicates an ulterior motive and will get noticed

 

Oh ye of little faith tongue out icon

 

I suppose only time will tell which side of that fence you and the 'Accreditation' contingent sit, eh Pete?, will you be following the Association theme and only post when there is a '£' or promotional opportunity or will you be continuing to share the vast industry experience that you have, purely out of goodwill, just like the majority of the other members here.

 

Welcome to the forum by the way!.

 

Although yes, it's screamingly obvious to everyone that I had an ulterior motive for coming back, I feel my addiction to forums overwhelming me again. It can take up huge amounts of time, but we learn a lot, give some back (hopefully) and it's good fun. Shame it doesn't earn you money at the same time, or I wouldn't get this guilt trip....