DMX Interface or Options for Running Lights

[cgrafx]

Hi,

This question may be more pointed towards Bob, but I'll take answers from all parties.

I am about to make the switch from an analog system to SAC for our band PA system.

We have recently added some DMX lights to our act and I'd like to be able to control lighting changes from saved Scenes.

Is it possible to do this (I'm assuming yes), and what method are people using to physically connect the SAC computer system to the lights?

thanks for any and all insights...

[Bob L]

At the moment, scenes do not send external events to stage gear... SAWStudio's Control Track (Basic, Lite and Full) does however, so lights and other stage equipment can be controlled by running SAWStudio in the background.

In upcoming SAC updates, when the Sequence View is finished, this will allow midi and possibly RS232 data to be sent directly from SAC.

Bob L

[cgrafx]

So presuming I'm running SAW in the background, what interface is used to connect to the lighting?

I couldn't find anything listed as a MIDI to DMX controller... so wasn't sure how that control would be handled.

[jkasko]

Usually you would either have a DMX controller or DMX lighting software. You would have SAW send out a midi control change or a midi note to the DMX controller or software and that will usually change the scene.

[Butch Bos]

Checkout PC Stage it can run on the same computer as SAC/SAW and it will take midi in to trigger scenes. it also has global hotkeys which seem to work good with SAC/SAW.

PM me if you want more info I am the US distributer for it

Butch

[cgrafx]

Checkout PC Stage it can run on the same computer as SAC/SAW and it will take midi in to trigger scenes. it also has global hotkeys which seem to work good with SAC/SAW.

PM me if you want more info I am the US distributer for it

Butch

Hi Butch,

I'll take a look and thanks for the offer.

I'm still getting our SAC/SAW live rig configured so won't be doing anything specific with the lights just yet, but I definitely want to be able to do so in the future.

I've got a buddy of mine that runs a pretty good sized production company and am hoping to get him on board with SAC/SAW as well. Among other things, they do a lot of large corporate events with full computerized lighting rigs and it would be cool to add SAC/SAW to the mix instead of the analog audio boards they are running now.

Actually kevin started doing sound 30+ years ago and then added lights later. They still do sound, but most of the focus has moved to lighting and video.

He's very interested, although skeptical about the whole mixing on-screen/control surface aspect. I'm pretty sure I can convert him though. The increased control possibilities are just to huge to pass up.

pg

[Guitarkeys.com]

Many of the (even low budget) units will allow you to control the hardware lighting dmx units via midi. Might be a great way to play with things without having to go all in.

I tried the software the software approach last year and found it great for complex light settings, but not so great for par cans. Please note I was using this for live music shows where things can change quite rapidly and so sets, tempos, etc., are not always the same. So I am back to a hardware controller at this point.

For a theater show, or a well rehearsed concert or stage show, software controll is the way to go hands down as you can organize, sync, the changes for some impressive effects.

Jamie

[RBIngraham]

Hi,

This question may be more pointed towards Bob, but I'll take answers from all parties.

I am about to make the switch from an analog system to SAC for our band PA system.

We have recently added some DMX lights to our act and I'd like to be able to control lighting changes from saved Scenes.

Is it possible to do this (I'm assuming yes), and what method are people using to physically connect the SAC computer system to the lights?

thanks for any and all insights...

You'll want to do some research on lighting control software. The only one I'm familiar with is Light Factory, which is pretty nice but it's a serious lighting control console in software. It's not for those that want to have 2 or 3 colors of stage wash and blink a few lights in time with the music. Although it can certainly do that.

Most of the better software products could then be linked to SAW/SAC via MIDI and/or Timecode.

[Butch Bos]

I use PC Stage for small live band shows all the time
Just use an audio in from the snare or such to trigger chases it works great then just change the chase from time to time when the band stops so do the lights and you dont have to do anything. Very simple.

Butch

[cgrafx]

I use PC Stage for small live band shows all the time
Just use an audio in from the snare or such to trigger chases it works great then just change the chase from time to time when the band stops so do the lights and you dont have to do anything. Very simple.

Butch

Is there an official developer site link for PC Stage. I found a lot of references, but wasn't sure specifically where I should be looking.

Thanks for everybody's input on this.

pg