UK based touring LD Mark Wynn-Edwards takes time for a chat and to tell us why, despite years of being an Avo man, he now owns and uses a Jands Vista.

The Jands Vista has been around for quite a while but isn’t one of those consoles I see regularly on the road, at least not in the UK. With no particular incentives or word from other LD’s, I have to confess to have left the Vista on the list of ” Oh, yeah. Saw that once at PLASA” desks. Let’s face it, until all your mates start raving about a desk or one turns up in every control position, things remain on the backburner. Maybe I would take a look … one day.

Mark Wynn-Edwards has toured as LD/Programmer with many acts including Grace Jones, The Klaxons, Jamie Cullum and As I Lay Dying (quite a mix, then). Finding out that an LD like Mark had spent his own hard earned cash on a Jands Vista T2….well, it needed investigating! Time to find out what the Vista is all about and what better way than to ask Mark himself.

Mark in the office with his Vista T2

OSL: Mark, people occasionally mention the Jands Vista to me but I don’t know a lot about it. Give me a reference point relating to other desk manufacturers and console types – where are the similarities?

Mark W-E: There are similarities as all desks are controlling the same thing. Running the Vista is like no other – it has more in common with Apple Imovie. I am led to believe Imovie was an inspiration, with the idea of having little “clips” that you place on a time line …..its a great way to work.
Some people have issues with the desk but once you have shed all the console baggage and assumptions, it suddenly makes a lot of sense and you realise that it’s very powerful.

OSL: Most consoles and their associated press releases tell us they are equally at home in any lightng control situation. Do you think that the Vista has a kind of show that it really lends itself to controlling?

Mark W-E: Over the years I have had the desk I have used it for touring Pop, Rock and metal bands , corporate work and TV work – I have yet to use the Vista for Theatre . The console is equally capable in all situations and with a bit of use and thought you can even busk on it ….. contrary to what people think. You can create looks very quickly with just a few touches of the tablet. Very handy for corporate and Tv work when people are wanting and demanding instant looks.

OSL: You have a background in Avolites Pearls, Hog II and others, why did you decide to buy a Vista T2 for your personal desk?

Mark W-E: When I went shopping at PLASA I was looking for a desk to cover all the varied work I do so it would have to be happy in a TV studio or FOH at a gig. At the time I had a Pearl 2000 so I considered moving to a D4 and after a few hours at the Avo stand I was convinced this was what I wanted.

But …..

I went for a walk to think about it (spending a lot of money ) and also took a look at Hog as the III had just come out but we all know how the hog III was in the early days…. Then I saw the A.C lighting stand and this desk called the Jands Vista. Neil Vann gave me a demo and it just clicked – no more number crunching, just working and staying in the train of thought of what I am trying to do with the lights. Simple as..

A week later I was down at AC for training and picking up a Jands T4 …I couldn’t get home quick enough.

Never looked back ………and with each update the desk improves and you get fantastic support from Jands. They also listen to the operators when they ask or suggest options for the desk.

OSL: Like a lot of lighting controls, Jands have a PC version for learning, pre-patching etc. How does the interface compare with the real thing?

Mark W-E: The PC/Mac version is identical to the real desks. I have a version on my Apple that I use to try ideas out, or after a show make changes while they are fresh in my mind to reload the next day. I also use the Apple version to test fixtures with the USB –DMX cable that Jands do. Its a very handy little thing. With the addition of a DMX dongle and one of the many playback wings, you have a fully working Vista desk

I plan to build a super portable version of my desk for those gigs where you fly out do the gig and fly back. And for touring and festival use where you have to use some sort of hell desk at times.

OSL: It is possible for a beginner to make a good start learning on just the PC version?

Mark W-E: The PC/Mac version is an ideal way to learn the console or brush up on what you know.

OSL: Jands highlight two features of the Vista in particular – less keypad style entry and the timeline. I left number crunching behind in the theatre, but timeline has been around in various forms for a while. Tell me why I should fully embrace the timeline as a Lighting Designer?

Mark W-E: The timeline has numerous uses depending on how you use the desk. Its great way to work as you can see precisely when things happen and what the lights are doing .- very handy if you get a rogue fixture doing something it shouldn’t.

If required you can set moments for a show to happen bang on time using the time line. You can add MP3 tracks to the time line this is great as you can program to the mp3. You have to remember to put pauses in there to allow for the band playing it differently.
You can get the desk to Cue other Cues – load media on a server so its ready to go or get fixtures into position so you don’t get that classy moment where lights go woosh across the stage.

Having the desk do all these things make operating a show a great experience and help make the show be quite fluid and live.

OSL: You work on a lot of live music touring. What’s your typical programming and playback style and what kind of notes are always on your programming To Do list?

Mark W-E: How I run my desk varies from contract to contract but normally it’s a page for every song – then each page has the elements of each song on a fader or a button
On the screen I have the control of colours and position or other stuff required -I try to keep it as simple as I can . And a page for the local tech to do the support bands, as always.

OSL: As well as the Vista, your CV mentions Avo and Hog consoles. Do you have any thoughts on the MA and Cham Sys desks?

Mark W-E: I don’t know much about the Cham Sys desks but the MA is very impressive. I have used them a few times at festivals . I love the networking function where you have a master and slave desk. I saw that used to its limit on Chemical Brothers which was impressive.

But now I have the Vista way of doing stuff I get tripped up mentally when I have to go back to number crunching – I am used to doing a drag and drop or a simple click . But I would like to learn more about the MA.

OSL: For anyone just starting out in lighting and hoping to make a career of it there seems to be a lot to know nowadays. The skillset is growing rapidly and I am not sure that I could learn this complex trade in the space of a few years. Do you think that specialists will rule the lighting world of the future or do we just need to start changing the way we train lighting professionals?

Mark W-E: I think there will always be a place for the freelancer who can generally do stuff but high end shows will require and demand specialists as it can get quite technical at times.
The business has been headed in this direction since moving lights first came on the scene, starting with the VL techs . When not working as an LD, I work as a moving light tech, staying up to date. Modern fixtures cost so much to hire and generally you get one spare – you need people who can look at a fixture, know what they are doing and make it work . Not just the crew member who has some tools and is willing to have a bash.

Thanks, Mark.

So, I have resolved to try to make some time for the Jands Vista and maybe follow it up with another article. Perhaps On Stage Lighting readers would like to give the Vista a try – download the PC or Mac version and post your Vista experiences in the comments below. We’d love to hear ‘em.

If this has helped you, consider buying me a beer and CLICK HERE to donate a few bucks to On Stage Lighting (why should I donate?). Thanks, - Rob

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Media Servers and Digital Lighting was a quick introduction to “convergence” and the technologies involved in using digital media for stage lighting. Current lighting trends include the use of arrays of fixtures such as RGB LED units to replay images and effects, using Pixel Mapping. This article looks at the basics of pixel mapping and asks if it is possible to re create some of these effects on a budget.

What is Pixel Mapping, exactly?

Pixel Mapping (in the World of Lampie) is the use of software to map and replay media such as bitmaps or video on an array (AKA grid or raster) of lighting fixtures. The fixtures could be anything; moving spots, PAR cans, Birdies but the use of colour mixing LED kit (inc Pixeline, Versa Tube or Color Web) is a common and appealing technique. You effectively get a low resolution screen to display your goodies, made from “pixels” of red, green and blue LEDs. In this article, we will refer back to the RGB LED model as it’s easy to understand.

Displaying the image on the screen is the job of the pixel mapper. Professional lighting media servers have mapping functions, pixel mapping software (like PixelDrive or the Arkaos Pixel Mapper) is available to run on a laptop and some lighting consoles can cope with a degree of mapping all on their own.

Pixel Mapping isn’t projecting media content using a projecter and firing it from the lighting console. The main brief of mapping is to turn your array of “simple” fixtures into a giant telly. The “screen” doesn’t have to be rectangular or even one complete surface – using pixel mapping, you could create some great effects with a long single strip of RGB LEDS or play a huge image across a number of different elements.

How does pixel mapping work?

The pixel mapper treats each fixture as an individual pixel and sends the correct information (usually colour and intensity) to the array.

Lighting fixtures are still commonly controlled using different implementations of DMX. With our LED “pixels” using up at least 3 DMX channels, you can see how even a small surface can use up hundreds of DMX addresses. Some control systems and media servers have their own proprietory network protocol to talk to each other, but talking to the fixtures themselves requires a standardised approach. Currently, the most common control signals are sent using ARTNet, the open source protocol for sending mulitple DMX universes. This can be split down at the surface or go straight into a proprietory control box for the LED sytem.

Pixel mapping is only an interface tool. It lets you create complex effects the easy wasy – with digital media. It certainly beats programming a 1000 step chase of complex RGB levels. It doesn’t have to be a full colour “screen” of LEDs. There is no reason why you can’t send the output to dimmers connected to a grid of PARS.

What information does a pixel mapper need?

Take the simplest system – a 3 x 3 grid of PARs (yes, you can’t display hi res video on this but it’s a good starting point). The pixel mapper needs to know that your array or grid is 3 pixels by 3 pixels – 9 PARs in a square.

The system also needs to know that PAR 1 (DMX dimmer A/001 for example) is top left and that the number runs from Left to Right, Top to Bottom. This means when media pixel 1 is ON, the correct PAR (Top Left) fades up.

If we had a 3 x 3 grid of RGB leds, it would need to know that DMX 0/001 was Red, Top Left; 0/002 Green, Top Left etc. When media pixel 1 needed to be Yellow, it would send 100% ish to 0/001 and 0/002. (If you are wondering what 0/ is, it’s just the numbering system we are using to identify DMX universes this time. The first ARTnet DMX universe is 0)

So, the pixel mapper needs to know the number of fixtures and the shape of the surface plus the positioning (ie. DMX addresses) of the fixtures. Media server pixel mapping software can have the fixture personalities of particular instruments to help with the DMX channels. The personalities are handy for the quick set up of large arrays using common fixtures such as Color Web or Pixeline. In our examples, we’ll just think in terms of a few simple RGB elements.

Pitch or Offset

Many products and layouts have a set pixel “pitch”. This is the distance between each pixel, vertically and horizontally, and is important when mapping onto surfaces where the pixels/fixtures aren’t jammed up tight together.

Mapping a screen image onto a surface with a wide pitch, the image ends up stretched all over. Digital media usually has a 1:1 pixel pitch ( the horizontal pitch is the same as the vertical). If your fixtures were 300mm apart sideways but 1m up/down from each other, the resulting image is stretched and squashed all over the place. Distortion of media might be a nice effect but only if you intended it to happen.

Some mapping layouts consist of a number of different “bits” of surface, spread apart from each other across stage. Getting an entire image to work across all the surfaces requires the actual positions of each piece being entered into the pixel mapper. Getting the heights and offsets correct, in the mapper as well as in the rig, can be time consuming. The final effect is worth it.

Content for Pixel Mapping

The suitability of content for pixel mapping depends on the arrays they will be replayed on. A really low resolution grid like our 9 PARs isn’t going to look much with an XGA full colour image across it. Although it is not always necessary to create media content at exactly the right resolution, understanding how the images will actually look is important. Great effects can be created with a low resolution array and some carefully chosen higher res media but think of the result of 16 million colours on those 9 PAR Cans. A bit of a dimmy, flashy mess. I don’t recommend trying to get those colours using scrollers – heh, heh!

Pixel Mapping on the cheap

We bet that you want ways to experiment with pixel mapping without going the expense of full on media servers or Grand MA’s. Quite a few cheap lighting control software has some form of pixel mapping function including the OSL favourite – Cham Sys MagicQ PC (some tutorials on pixel mapping the Cham Sys are in the pipeline). The onboard array control on the Cham Sys is similar in nature to the system on the Grand MA – creation of grids, applying fixtures and mapping images, text and other effects to them. The MagicQ also has the facility to preview the resulting output in a window, so you can see the result.

Previewing your pixel mapping is ideal when you are looking for a cheap solution to experiment with this kind of digital lighting. Even if with some free pixel mapping software, the chances of being able to set up a vast array of real RGB LEDs to work with are slim. Even getting hold of 9 working PAR cans is a struggle in some places

What cheap pixel mapping options are there?

I have done some hunting around on behalf of the On Stage Lighting readers. Many of the software mappers have free trials but some genuinely free pixel mapping software is .Matrix, a project developed by a student from Tulsa. Although not in current active development, .Matrix maps Quicktime files to an LED Matrix,.outputs ArtNet ArtNet and developer Landy Bible, tells us that current features are stable and show ready:

“.Matrix is stable in my experience, and none of my users have reported any problems with it.
The biggest problem that anybody wanting to use .Matrix will have is getting it working the first time. It relies on Java and Quicktime to do its magic, and Quicktime doesn’t always like to play nice with Java. Typically, reinstalling Quicktime after Java is installed will correct the problem. “

Landy also says that he has currently put extra features on hold ( more I/O devices like the Enttec Pro USB DMX) but hints that if enough people are interested, he would continue working on the software. So, why not download it and let us know how you get on.

On Stage Lighting readers always want to know how they can learn this kind of technology without huge budgets. Do you have experience of any free/cheap solutions for pixel mapping? Tell us about your experiences in the comments box.

If this has helped you, consider buying me a beer and CLICK HERE to donate a few bucks to On Stage Lighting (why should I donate?). Thanks, - Rob

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A guide to the basics of RDM (Remote Device Management) DMX. How it works and what it does.

What is RDM DMX?

You might know that DMX512 is a one way, serial control signal, the basics of which are explained in DMX Lighting Systems.

RDM is a development built on the DMX512 stage lighting control protocol that enables Remote Device Management of devices such as moving lights, dimmers and other DMX effects. Outlined in ANSI E1.20-2006 and using the existing DMX signal cores (pins 2 and 3), RDM allows two way communication between a lighting controller and the fixtures in rig.

Two way communication allows the controller to interrogate other RDM devices and make changes to their settings. Common uses might be remote setting of DMX start addresses from the console or collecting fault reports from the equipment.

What equipment do you need to use RDM DMX?

Lighting equipment manufacturers are trumpeting the fact that their new Wobbli Buckettes ™ are RDM compatible. This is because, while RDM systems are backwards compatible with “normal” DMX, the main components of RDM DMX need to be able to deal with the new two way system.

So, if you want to use the RDM functions you will need a controller that can do it. This doesn’t have to be the main lighting desk , it could be a laptop. You will also need devices (fixtures, dimmers etc) that have some degree of RDM control. Importantly, you will need to use RDM compatible DMX buffers/splitters in those parts of your DMX system – these gateways must allow the two way communication all the way back to the controller.

You can still use your old 3 core cables – woo hoo – but RDM is not as “easy” as a normal DMX signal. This means that the correct system design, cabling and termination is even more important. Using cheap mic cables won’t be a satisfactory option (not that it is at the moment).

How does RDM work?

Normal DMX values are sent along the line from the controller and “heard” by all the devices in that DMX universe. RDM values are sent back the other way – but not constantly. During an RDM interaction the controller can ask one or more devices for some information, which they then return. The RDM interactions then subside until the next query. In this way, RDM does not eat up 50% of the signal capacity. During normal operation, the RDM part of the signal only accounts for around 10% – 15% of the action.

The controller can also send instructions to the devices, such as parameters setting, without asking for a response.

For the system to work, the individual parts must be indentifiable. RDM uses UID (Unique Indentification Number) fixed within each device, as well as a manufacturer ID. This is an unalterable hardware setting and is not the same as the DMX start address.

To determine the UID of each RDM device on the line, the controller uses a “one off” process called “discovery”. This is a signal and computer hungry process, begun after all devices are connected up. The actual process of UID discovery is a bit like a digital game of “20 Questions” that gradually eliminates all the “players” (devices) until the controller is satisfied that it has the UID of all the RDM equipment.

How do I set DMX addresses remotely?

So far, the RDM controller knows the UID and model of each fixture – but not where it is in your rig. To locate each fixture and set a DMX address the user can cycle through the devices, each one showing themselves. Once a fixture is identified the operator can set the desired DMX address or any other options available. Order is restored.

What else could RDM do?

As well as setting DMX addresses from the floor, two way RDM communication between operator and device brings other uses such as:

• Lamp hours monitoring
• Temperature sensor reporting
• Fault codes
• Fixture mode setting
• Attribute inverting – Pan/Tilt etc.

The benefit of these depend on your rig and situation, but the possibility of more advanced stage lighting control using a simple and robust system like DMX can only be a good thing. Although lighting manufacturers are now building equipment with one eye on RDM, the actual implementation is slow going. Other developments in the integration of networks, media and lighting control might get in the way. We’ll just have to wait and see.

If you have any questions or comments about RDM, put them in the box below.

If this has helped you, consider buying me a beer and CLICK HERE to donate a few bucks to On Stage Lighting (why should I donate?). Thanks, - Rob

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Wireless DMX systems are getting affordable. At outdoor concerts this summer, On Stage Lighting gave up “control by wire” and got to test the Zero88 ZeroWire system. This article looks at the features of a cheap WiFi DMX solution.

What is a WiFi DMX controller.

A wireless DMX512 control system, in this case using ethernet over a standard IEEE 802.11b Wifi network over the “free for use” 2.4Ghz radio spectrum. Radio DMX has been around for a while and, let’s face it, in a world full of cables the ability to run a few less is low on the list for many shows. But there are times when linking up an entire DMX system using cables is not so attractive.

The ZeroWire also integrates closely with the new generation of their consoles the Frog 2 and Leap Frog 48/96 (maybe more about this desk in another article).

What does the Wireless DMX bit?

Most systems, including the Zero Wire, start with two boxes. One transmitter and one receiver that need an electricity supply and connect using a standard 5 pin DMX 512 XLR. Plug your DMX controller into the transmitter, connect the receiver to your kit and off you go. The ZeroWire is configured as either a transmitter or receiver via a PC application which also sets up the “networking “ parts your closed wireless system.

Do I need to set DMX addresses in the Wi Fi box?

No, the wireless boxes just sends/receives one universe of DMX values. As long as the boxes are set up to network together, then the system is pretty much as “plug and play” as you can get. The wireless DMX can also be sent to multiple receivers in a system – great if you have 40 HuugeSpots ™ dotted around the grounds of Buck House.

What kind of range can I use this lovely DMX signal?

Well, most manufacturers say about1 Km. Zero88 claim to have done tests up to 5 Km and tbh, we didn’t try it much more than 100m. But hey, how often do you program moving heads that are 5 Km away? I would definitely need to wear my glasses.

The range of these wireless DMX thingys seem pretty good. Because they systems use a standard Wi Fi signal, you could pimp your network with an “off the shelf” Wireless Access Point (WAP).

Is wireless DMX reliable?

You could have problems in situations where a “normal” wireless network is a bit sketchy or where similar radio spectrum transmitters could interfere with your system.

The only problems we had during the shows were with the “back up” DMX cable from the Front Of House position. Perhaps someone stuck an umbrella through the cable during a break in the rain!

Great, where do I buy one?

Loads of places. Avolites do one – eDMX. Chauvet too.

The Zero88 system we tried in a field – sorry, grassed organic performance space – worked. Plug it in - it just worked. That’s pretty much all you need to know.

If this has helped you, consider buying me a beer and CLICK HERE to donate a few bucks to On Stage Lighting (why should I donate?). Thanks, - Rob

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An explanation of the “Wide” mode that is found on a range of lighting consoles including budget models. Wide mode is useful because it doubles the number of control channels on a small lighting desk – great when you add some extra kit to your usual lighting rig.

Manual Lighting Control Basics

When lighting desks had little more than two banks of faders (known as a 2-preset), the top and bottom banks both controlled the same set of channels. Channels 1 – 24 on a 24 way 2-preset desk. One preset outputs the scene on stage while the other bank of faders are set to the next lighting state. Crossfade between the two presets and you have a cue. Simple – 48 faders, 24 channel of control.

More complex memory lighting controllers, such the Zero88 Jester, still have the useful function of 2 presets of faders to control your dimmers. There is no substitute for being able to push up a real fader when controlling “generics” (lanterns controlled by dimmers). A Jester 24 / 48 has two banks of 24 faders and, despite all the additional capabilities of a memory control, you can still use it as a 24 way 2 preset desk. Hell, you can even use an Avolites Pearl as a 2-preset but….

The extra function that modern lighting desks have is “Wide” mode – a handy idea that was originally only available on a few consoles but is now quite common.

Get this many channels for your lighting desk for nothing. Image by Fudj

What is Wide mode?

“Wide” mode is a setting that doubles the capacity of your faders by changing two sets of 24 faders into one set of 48. Usually, the top bank of faders gives you control over dimmers 1 -24, while the bottom preset handles 25 – 48.

How do I set “Wide” mode on my lighting desk?

If your lighting desk has “Wide” mode, the setting is usually either a button on the console or changed in the User Settings. Some desks also have a button that toggles a preset between 1 -24 or 25 – 48 (or whatever the capacity of your desk is – the Jester 24 / 48 can wide to 48 channels, surprise!!).

Can I use “Wide” mode to crossfade between scenes?

Ok, you say, but how can I do the whole, 2 presetty crossfading thing when I don’t have a second bank of faders?

Modern lighting desks that have a “Wide” mode also have ability to operate your show in 2 preset mode by using a temporary memory. Set up your scene using the faders in “Wide” mode and hit some kind of “store” button. This latches your scene to a A/B master, leaving the channel faders free to reset for the next state.

Next cue, crossfade to your new reset faders to bring up the new scene. When the lighting state is being output to the stage, press “store” and reset the faders again. “Did I press Store? Or was that the last cue? Oh, bother.”

Sounds like a recipe for cock-up, to me.

Well, using your lighting desk in crossfading “Wide” mode is not ideal. Much better to take 5 minutes reading the user manual and getting to grips with the memory stack or submasters, if you have the facility. Lighting desk manufacturers are just trying to provide new functions while retaining the ability to do things “your old way”. Hey, if we are going to that, let’s break out the lime or the saltwater dimmers!

So, that’s all there is to “Wide” mode. Get 100% extra control channels free. Unfortunately, setting your lighting desk to “Wide” does not instantly install a bunch of extra dimmers or buy more lanterns. It is useful for controlling those cheap LED PARs that you persuaded someone to let you hire for the next show.

If you have any questions or comments about “Wide” mode, put them in the box below.

If this has helped you, consider buying me a beer and CLICK HERE to donate a few bucks to On Stage Lighting (why should I donate?). Thanks, - Rob

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On Stage Lighting has always liked the ChamSys MagicQ and MagicQ PC, the free PC lighting control software, is the cheapest way to get your hands on a professional console. What makes MagicQ PC so great and why is it worth learning?

This month UK lighting control firm Cham Sys announced an affiliation with PRG Group to distribute the new MagicQ Pro series of lighting consoles in the US, Canada and Japan. This distribution partnership should mean that the MagicQ will become used more widely . The MagicQ Pro range was shown at PLASA 2007 and is aimed at the top end, professional users with complex stage lighting systems. The other MagicQ desks are no less “Pro” though.

Many features are common to all MagicQ control products, including the free MagicQ PC software. And, with the aid of a laptop and cheap DMX USB dongle, you can actually use MagicQ PC to run your shows.

Why is the MagicQ PC software free?

When MagicQ PC hit the scene, it was one of the first free PC versions of a professional lighting controller that wasn’t just a simulator and didn’t require expensive hardware to output DMX. ChamSys obviously decided that, in order to break into market dominated by a few well established players, they had to get their system used by as many people as possible. So, with 50 odd Euros of Enttec Open DMX USB dongle, you can download the free software and get cracking. Now MagicQ supports a number of third party PC DMX interfaces and ChamSys also produce their own hardware for outputting both DMX and Ethernet protocols. More about that later.

Why do the professionals like the MagicQ?

Looking for free lighting control software, you will find plenty of lighting professionals singing the praises of MagicQ PC. This is partly due it’s the range of lighting control features, but also comes down to familiarity. The workflow and interface of the MagicQ ranges are closely matched to other professional lighting consoles that we all know and love. Any operator who has a knowledge of popular lighting consoles such as the Flying Pig Systems Hog II or the Avolites range, can start programming, even without the manual or the on board help screens.

Other PC lighting control software is often less like a real lighting desk (why would it need to be?). The benefit of learning to use PC software like MagicQ PC is that becoming familiar with a console workflow is improving programming skills for real world situations.

What are the best features of MagicQ PC?

As well as dimmer and moving light control, the MagicQ also has features that are now the norm in good lighting consoles. LED array programming (media engine), Media Server integration and networking capabilities are a must have a professional lighting desk. A decent shape generator and Programmer based recording (the entire output of the console is not recorded – just the values set by the operator) are par for the course.

Another widely adopted feature includes spreadsheet manipulation and importing of data such as patch sheets and fixture information. A fixture personality editor gives you the option to tweak existing fixture files or create your own.

Graphical rig layouts and gobo/media icons are great for find the stuff you need quickly. All the major 3rd party visualisers are supported for pre-programming of shows.

A big selling point of the MagicQ system is flexibility. Busking shows, creating theatre stacks or triggering media events are all available in a user friendly format.

Some of best features on the MagicQ are found in the details of advanced use. Just some of these are:

• Fixture Cloning – Adding additional fixtures to your rig and using existing palette/memory information to “force” them into your original programming.
• Fixture Morphing – Swap all you WobblyLite 700’s for Noddin Buckette 2000’s and the desk will automatically try to work out how to get your show right.
• Auto Move While Dark – A feature from theatre stack moving light consoles such as the Strand 520. Auto Move While Dark sets fixtures not in the current cue into position, ready for it’s next use. This means that the programmer doesn’t have to worry about creating “Mark” cues ( a cue that presets a moving light, ready for it’s next cue).
• Advanced Fixture Selection – Selecting generic lighting by gel numbers, moving heads by rig postion etc. Speeds up the process of programming.
• Complex playback timing – Fade time options for seperate moving light attributes such as Pan/Tilt, Colour etc. Wait times can be “fanned” into the programmer.
• Submaster Playback options – Theatre stacks, chases, shape size/speed all controllable from the playback faders.
• Virtual Faders – The MagicQ doesn’t have individual channel faders but makes up for it with a GUI that includes “virtual sliders” on it’s touch screen. MagicQ PC can be used with external touchscreens or a tablet laptop.
• Media previews and thumbnails, LED drivers and other Lighting 2.0 stuff.

What operating systems can MagicQ PC run on?

There are versions of MagicQ PC to suit most users operating systems such as Windows, Linux and MAC (Intel and PPC).

How do I get DMX out of the MagicQ PC software?

MagicQ PC can now be used with a variety of 3rd Party devices that output DMX. If you want to buy a cheap USB to DMX dongle that works well, I recommend the Enttec USB DMX Pro. Although the original Open USB DMX dongle works with MagicQ PC, some users have DMX signal problems. This results in twitching of moving lights and a DMX tester reveals framing issues – these can be rectified by cutting down the number of channels that the MagicQ PC outputs. The DMX Pro is based on different hardware and doesn’t suffer from this problem. For a cheap USB to DMX dongle, you can can’t really go wrong with the Pro, which can also be used as a DMX input device for many visualisers and other applications.

The downside to this lovely free stage lighting controller is, on a laptop, you don’t get to play with faders and wheels. This becomes a pain when trying to program more complex lighting rigs. ChamSys make the MagicQ PC Wing, which has all the major buttons and encoders plus the playback faders and go buttons. The PC wing also has two DMX universe outputs, giving you plenty of control capacity for shows. Using the MagicQ PC wing and a tablet laptop or touchscreens is near as you can get to owning a really high quality, professional lighting console without spending tens of thousands.

Cham Sys now produce all manner of fader wings, cut down consoles and add ons – all using the same platform. Something for everyone, you might say.

Learning the MagicQ Software

The MagicQ lighting control range is gaining industry popularity. It takes time for new manufacturers to become really established in a market but Cham Sys have a good product. They also have the right attitude towards their users and with growing market penetration, could become an “industry standard” brand. It also seems like their presence has forced a few other lighting console makers to up their game.

Download the free MagicQ PC lighting control software and play around with it – the features and work flow of the MagicQ are worth learning. Similar to many desks in the current generation of professional lighting consoles, the free MagicQ PC software with a cheap DMX dongle is an offer too good to refuse.

If you have used the ChamSys MagicQ software and have any thoughts, let us know in the Comments section. If you would like On Stage Lighting to feature MagicQ tutorials in the future, get in touch.

If this has helped you, consider buying me a beer and CLICK HERE to donate a few bucks to On Stage Lighting (why should I donate?). Thanks, - Rob

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DMX over Ethernet has been around in stage lighting control for quite a while. The concept of sending DMX512 universes over a network, using Cat5 cable or Wireless, has some advantages but an ethernet to DMX converter has not been cheap. As a new low cost ethernet to DMX gateway enters the market, On Stage Lighting looks at the use of DMX over a network.

Enttec, the makers of the Open USB DMX and the USB DMX Pro, has added another piece of hardware to it’s expanding lighting control range. The Enttec Open DMX Ethernet (ODE) is a cheap ethernet to DMX converter/gateway (or vice versa) that supports ArtNet and ESP, two common protocols used to distribute DMX data on a network. Featuring both 5 pin DMX Input and Output, 10/100 network connection and set up using a PC interface, at 200 Euros, the ODE is an inexpensive way to enter the world of ethernet lighting control. So what’s this DMX network thingy all about?

What is DMX Over Ethernet?

DMX512, the serial stage lighting protocol, has many limitations and control capacity is one of them. The 512 channel limit per DMX universe/cable seemed huge when all we wanted to do was control single dimmer channels. As time passes, intelligent lighting needs more channels of control per fixture and that leads to the need for multiple DMX universes.
DMX Over Ethernet enables the sending of multiple DMX universes of control data via a network using CAT5 cable, just like a computer network does. This also means that modern complex stage lighting systems can talk to each other, each part as a “node” on that network.
Sending DMX Over Ethernet also allows the possibility of using a WiFi system to have your lighting control “wireless”.

What is DMX Over Ethernet used for?

A DMX network using DOE, at it’s simplest, is used to transmit many DMX universes from a lighting control console, down a single CAT5 cable, to the stage. An ethernet to DMX converter is used, via DMX buffers/Splitters to send data off to different parts of the lighting rig. It certainly beats running four or more standard DMX XLR cables over the same distance.

The real benefit of DMX over ethernet centres around the lighting control equipment itself. More consoles, visualisers, media server and other complex parts of a large lighting system can use the two way nature and bandwidth of a network to communicate in a way that the “old” DMX 512, one-way serial protocol just can’t do.

If we can send lighting control signals via a network, why bother with DMX at all?

DMX512 control is limited but simple and robust. Being a “standard” also means that there is a legacy of stage lighting equipment that uses DMX and that doesn’t look set to change any time soon. A real advantage of using DMX is that you can “daisy chain” lighting fixtures together in a control chain. DMX Cable goes to Fixture 1, out and along to Fixture 2 then 3 etc.

Some lighting equipment manufacturers have built RJ45 sockets alongside the conventional DMX connectors, which gives us the option of using the first fixture in the chain as a ethernet to DMX converter. Not sure how comfortable I am with the concept of the whole system relying on a hot, dusty, moving light that is 8m from the ground.

Ethernet networks are like a spider with many legs. Each cable connection has to come from a network hub(*see comments) switch and this could lead to an excess of control cabling. Because each lighting fixture is a “node” on the network, more control complexity creeps in – instead of just “listening” for an instruction, each node must communicate with the switch correctly. This could lead to all kinds of trouble, just think about the last time you tried to set up a network of a few PC’s and magnify that by 100 – then take it on tour!

Why not get rid of the cables and control all intelligent lights using a WiFi network?

If you think that administrating a DMX over ethernet cable network sounds painful, imagine trying to get a wireless network of 100 fixtures together – With all the nodes surrounded by steel roofwork, truss and bits of drape. The possibility of making sure that the network was a closed loop, without interference from other wireless sources, seems like a mammoth.

Also, as we have not invented a wireless way to get power to moving lights, the benefit of wireless lighting control systems is minimal. WiFi or radio DMX systems are the answer to a specific logistical problem.

So, not much point in getting this DMX Over Ethernet stuff, then?

DMX over Ethernet has its advantages as mentioned above. Wisely integrating the network with existing DMX control equipment has now become affordable. Ethernet is also set to play a part in the future of stage lighting control, mainly due to fast progress in the lighting media and control sector.

Get yourself a PC based Stage Lighting control, a cheap WiFi access point and an Ethernet to DMX converter and you could have your first wireless stage lighting control system.

If this has helped you, consider buying me a beer and CLICK HERE to donate a few bucks to On Stage Lighting (why should I donate?). Thanks, - Rob

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Away from the “glamourous” world of intelligent stage lighting, the humble manual lighting desk is still the cornerstone of small venue and school lighting control. The Zero88 Jester is actually a rather sophisticated DMX memory lighting controller aimed at a budget market who need control of a small conventional lighting rig. On Stage Lighting recently took a Zero88 Jester 12/24 on the road as part of a UK tour and noted the good and bad points of this small lighting desk.

Two sizes of the Zero88 Jester are available, the 12/24 and the 24/48 and they feature:

• 12/24 or 24/48 channels of control
• 24 or 48 submasters
• Playback stack
• Patching to 512 DMX channels
• DMX in allowing snap shots of all 512 DMX channels
• 12 or 24 auxiliary buttons
• VGA-Text Monitor Output
• USB storage
• MIDI notes
• Multi-lingual Online Help

Lighting Desk – Good Stuff:

Having both cue stack control and a good number of submasters means that you can control your school play or busk along to a band gig.

Chase memories can be assigned to submasters, giving you the flexibility of a grown-up DMX lighting desk.

The Jester can be used in Wide mode, giving you a huge 24 faders of control with the 12/24 (48 for the 24/48). Quite a lot for such a small lighting desk

The lighting desk can also be set up to control simple Auxiliary DMX channels, good for smoke machines, scrollers etc.

Although a small lighting control, the Zero88 Jester supports a screen via VDU output , giving you feedback about channel levels and times. You can also preview the contents of memories and patch information.

Labelling memories and chases using the flash buttons on the desk. Good for use with the screen.

Nice solid control buttons and faders and very good overall build quality for a budget lighting desk.

USB memory stick backup. No more messing about with floppy disk or special memory cards.

Sound to light control of chases. A simple way to control a band or disco lighting.

DMX input. Enables the Zero88 Jester to accept a whole 512 DMX universe AND record it to a memory for output. Good for using the lighting desk as a backup and playback complex scenes recorded using a larger controller.

Lighting Desk – Not So Good Stuff:

The functions are accessesed in the “usual” Zero88 way of using up/down, left/right buttons to navigate through menus. Using only the LCD screen, this can be a bit tiresome, especially with tasks such as patching. I frequently hit “enter” when I should have hit “>” – my own inexperience with Zero88 lighting desks.

No connection for a QWERTY keyboard Update: Greg tells us in the comments section that it is possible to connect a keyboard via the USB. Further investigation of the user manual says that this is available on the later r2 hardware version This would make labelling memories easier, not having to bump through flash buttons á la text message.

The rear connections, including DMX outlet, are protected by being set back inside the frame of the lighting desk. You have to tip the desk up to access connections and releasing the 5 pin XLR DMX connection is more difficult.

Complex patching and use of Auxillary outputs. Very useful idea but the concept of set up and use could be daunting for anyone new to stage lighting control.

The Auxiliary control channels cannot be recorded in a memory, but are fired using the flash buttons.

Conclusion.

The tour ended in London at the Purcell Rooms on the South Bank. A fully equipped theatre venue with a Strand 520i (aargh!) lighting control, the Jester 12/24 slotted in alongside, the house patch done and we were soon running the whole show from a console that looked like a TV remote compared to the monster beside it.

The Jester is a small lighting desk that is cheap enough for a school, with enough credibility and features for the professional. Many hire companies in the UK are replacing their ageing small lighting desks with the Jester range and with good reason.

A look at the Jester ML , the intelligent lighting control in the same Zero88 range, is definitely on the On Stage Lighting “Things To Do” list.

You will also like:

Beginner’s Guide To Stage Lighting Control

DMX Lighting Sytems

If this has helped you, consider buying me a beer and CLICK HERE to donate a few bucks to On Stage Lighting (why should I donate?). Thanks, - Rob

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DMX512 is the most common stage lighting control system that can control both intelligent lighting and DMX dimmer systems. A DMX control system is pretty simple and robust and DMX faults are a less common problem in stage lighting, compared to blown lamps etc. If you do have a fault in your DMX chain, it can be tricky to find the source so On Stage Lighting has this guide to troubleshooting DMX, how to spot a DMX fault and how to trace and solve the problems – and without a DMX tester.

Ok, so you’ve got the lighting rig together, dimmers working, moving lights responding and you need to start programming the desk because you have to be ready in a few hours for rehearsal. But, your moving lights start to act strangely. Some of them are fine, some don’t respond to DMX control at all and one just seems to think it is a random search light.
This happened to me on a gig last week, and it is classic DMX fault symptom that was the kick-start of this DMX problem guide. Before reading this your should make sure that you have read DMX Lighting Systems.. and understand how DMX works and how to avoid problems in the first place (using correct cable, termination etc.)

But before we start troubleshooting the DMX…

Non DMX faults

DMX512 is pretty hardy and there are some problems in stage lighting rig that the novice will think is a DMX fault. So, let’s look at their symptoms and eliminate them from our enquiries:

Problem – Nothing Happens / No Control

If you have no DMX control over your lighting rig, then it is likely that:
The Grand Master or DBO button is set to OFF or you need to press clear on the lighting desk.
The lighting desk has not been patched correctly or the DMX output cable has been plugged into the wrong output on the back of the console.
There is an “air gap” (it’s not plugged in) somewhere in your control cable chain. This could be a fault in the DMX cable, but more often than not, turns out to be a error made when connecting up.

Problem – Strange behaviour from your lighting rig.

If your all of your WobblyLiteTM 575s seem to respond to DMX but all do the same weird things, you have patched the console using the wrong fixture personality or have set-up the DMX addresses incorrectly.(See DMX Lighting Systems…)
If only one of your DMX fixtures is behaving oddly, then the problem may well be the address of that fixture. Having checked the DMX addresses, try resetting the fixture.
If one fixture doesn’t do anything, go back and check you didn’t just miss it out when connecting up your DMX cable chain.

Troubleshooting a real DMX problem

Problem : DMX sort of works by fixtures behave erractically

You’ve checked your control cable, patching, fixture personalities, DMX addressing and absolutely every other possible fault (including the most common, human error!) has been eliminated – your DMX problems continue.

It time to get serious but don’t worry, this article is not about DMX Break Rates, Packets, Frames or using an oscilloscope to diagnose DMX problems. If you need to break out that kind of test gear just to get your lighting rig working, it’s time to get some new kit or find a new hire company!!!

There are only really three bits of to a DMX lighting system: The Control, The Cable and The Fixture.

We have mostly discounted The Control as at fault in the previous section, although output circuits on DMX lighting desks have been known to be faulty, they are pretty solid. So, it is the hardware in the rig that is suspect. Let’s send it some DMX signal and get tracing…

Set up a regular effect on the console to all the fixtures in your rig such as open white Tilt Saw or a two-position chase with the shutter open. With all your fixtures doing the same things, you can see your DMX testing have an effect instantly.

The Fixture has an input and output socket that slot them into the DMX control chain. These circuits can fail to pass DMX to the next fixture in the chain, meaning that your rig works fine right up to that fixture and no further. This problem can be verified by disconnecting the DMX in and out cables of the suspect fixture and joining them together, missing out the fixture all together. Simple enough but not as common as our runaway winner…

And the winner is… The Cable!

It’s nearly always a cable. When you get puzzling DMX problems that seem to occur randomly all over the rig a dodgy cable is the cause. Cables get pull about and abused and a dry joint or broken conductor is likely, causing all kinds of strangeness in the DMX signal and confusing your moving lights. DMX dimmers can also suffer from this kind of fault with erratic dimming and flickering but moving lights just go nuts when a faulty cable gets in the DMX chain.

So, where the hell is that cable, then?

Start at the beginning. You’ve got the console sending a regular effect to your moving lights?

Go to the first fixture in your DMX chain and unplug the DMX output cable. This leaves only the first fixture receiving DMX. If it behaves itself, you can assume that the main DMX cable from the console is good – for the moment.

Top DMX Fault Tip:

Using a DMX buffer/splitter to boost or split your DMX signal can mask DMX cable problems. The buffer pushes such strong DMX signals that it can hide the real location of the fault. A cable fault on a buffered DMX chain can be easier to spot if you connect the lighting console directly to the fixtures, so try bypassing the DMX buffer for your tests. Often, an unbuffered signal just seems to stop at the point of the fault, which is much easier to find.

Finding The Cable

To find the fault in the rest of the DMX chain it simply a matter of unplugging output cables from your moving lights, in sequence noting when things start to go wrong, to locate where in the rig the problems lies. Don’t forget that a cable fault further “upstream” can sometimes not show up until you have re-connected more fixtures, which can confuse matters.

When you suspect a cable, just try using a new one for that link in the chain. Don’t bother removing the old cable but do tape over and mark the ends of the dodgy DMX cable in position. You will forget to do it during the get-out and the naughty cable will live to fight another day.

And waste the time of another lampie! It could even be YOU!!!

Good Luck.

P.S Once you have mastered these techniques of tracing a strange DMX fault and are having problems with a large rig, instead of starting from one end of the chain, try splitting the rig in two. Using a long DMX cable, you can “divide and decide” which half of the rig the problem lies and then divide that chain in two and test again. This can seriously cut down the amount of time it takes to check a large lighting rig, but you have to keep your head clear to remember which part of the system you are working on and interpret the results of your elimination.

And, don’t forget to reconnect all the cables when you have finished.

See also:

• DMX Lighting Sytems – Is Anyone Listening?
• DMX PC Lighting Software – Cheap Stage Lighting Controllers

If this has helped you, consider buying me a beer and CLICK HERE to donate a few bucks to On Stage Lighting (why should I donate?). Thanks, - Rob

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The new Avolites Pearl Tiger lighting control was launched in the UK at PLASA 2007. The price tag brought the idea of owning an Avolites lighting control within reach of a new budget market. On Stage Lighting looks at the features of the Avo Pearl Tiger Moving Light Controller and “the Avolites way” for anyone who doesn’t really know much about the Pearl.

If you asked a load of “lampies” to tell you all about the Avolites Pearl Tiger you would get this answer:

“It’s a baby Pearl, mate, with less faders on it!”

Great, but not very helpful if you don’t know much about Avolites desks. So let’s stop talking about the Pearl and look at the features of the Tiger…

Conventional Lighting Control

The Pearl Tiger gives you control of up to 4 DMX universes of soft patched channel control that can be used for conventional dimmers. Using the Tiger to control dimmers is a simple as pushing up an fader and playback is very flexible using multiple pages (the roller) of 10 submaster faders. Channels also have the usual Flash and Solo buttons and lighting chases are easily recorded and played back on the Tiger’s submaster faders.

A theatre stack control and Go can be used to run your show, but most Avolites fans avoid using the desk in this way. Theatre Stack control misses the point of the Pearl Tiger, but is there for those that want it.

Moving Light Control

The Pearl Tiger can control up to 240 intelligent fixtures such as moving lights, LED colour mixing lights and even complex media servers for video projection. The best thing about an Avolites control is the “hands on” approach with faders and buttons that you can grab during your show and make changes as necessary. This is also pretty useful for plotting/programming during rehearsals.

Using groups and manipulating pallettes (the building block of intelligent lighting programming) is a easy using the many buttons on the Tiger, with contextual soft buttons whose functions change labeled on the micro screen. Keeping control of the many attributes of your moving lights is pretty simple and the desk has capabilities way beyond most of the shows it will ever need to do.

The ability to “busk” a whole show, having programmed a series of building blocks such as colours, gobos, moves and chases, is where the Pearl Tiger beats any desk of it’s size hands down.

The Shape Generator enables you to quickly build lighting effects using a great “quick and dirty” interface. Programming sweeps , circles and colour rainbows is pretty tiresome using “old fashioned” techniques and the generator makes it quick and easy. You can even playback these shapes, live, at different sizes and speeds depending on your submaster fader position.

The Roller

At the centre of the “Avolites Way” is the Roller. Nothing more than a moving surface that controls the playback pages, Avolites operators everywhere like nothing better than being able to draw descriptive icons on a piece of tape with a Sharpie marker to remind them what each fader does. Simplicity itself. And if you think the “tape and marker” technique is old fashioned in the age of the microchip, next time you are squinting at a dirty keyboard trying to work out what name to give that gobo look – think again.

Control Your Shows

The latest generation of Avolites desk’s have the ability to save and recall more than one show, either using the internal drive or a USB stick. If you have recurring rigs and shows this is much better than carrying a bag full of Floppy Disks, some of which got broken during the last get-out. All the available moving light personalities are stored on the desk – another bonus if you change shows more times than your underwear.

The Pearl Tiger show files are also compatible with the Pearl 2004/2008 and the Pearl Expert, making it easy to transfer to another hired in/borrowed Avo desk.

If you need to leave your show in the hands of script files, Midi or timecode playback, these are all supported if you feel the need to get the console to live your “Avolife” for you.

So, Then?

The Avolites Pearl Tiger is a professional moving light controller, disguised in a small box. It has the features, build quality and interface. It also has an army of ready-made fans, in the form of serial Pearl users, and even a decent instruction manual.

A large proportion of the stage lighting world would agree that you can’t get a more flexible lighting desk than an Avo and the “buskability” of the original Pearl is second to none. The Tiger is not a cheapy cheap lighting control but as a baby of “grown up” lighting control family, this cub is pretty hard to ignore.

You might also be interested in the our Stage Lighting Control section.

If this has helped you, consider buying me a beer and CLICK HERE to donate a few bucks to On Stage Lighting (why should I donate?). Thanks, - Rob

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