Newsgroups: rec.arts.theatre.stagecraft
Subject: Re: PC based lighting... Re. Diagnosis of Dead Desk
References: <[email protected]>
"Ben"  writes:

> The thread 'Diagnosis of Dead Desk...' threw up the following
> suggestion:
> Just wondering what the latest thoughts are on this... computer with
> DMX dongle for 'occasional' moving light use... or even simply because
> it will be cheaper than a similarly specified conventional console?


I have not tried the commercial control software personally 
(just seen some other people using some software on some events). 
I have played with the free software I have found. 

> What software are people using specifically, and which makes of dongle?

For own testing purposes I have played with two free DMX-512 
light control software:

DMX-control
http://www.dmxcontrol.de/
Freestyler
http://users.telenet.be/freestylerdmx/

Then I built a simple 64 channel DMX Dongle by Kristof Nys
http://users.skynet.be/kristofnys/

I have played a little bit with those. 
Seem to be some way useable... I have not tried those to 
run any real show. Both of those software run on Windows system. 
There exist also Linux based control software.

Some more links on this topics:
http://www.epanorama.net/links/lights.html#dmx512

> Are they 'all the same'? 

No. 

> Do you need a well specified up-to-date PC,
> and what is it like coping with a limited screen area? 

I have played with modern PC and on older PC. 
For example DMX-control with not too many light channels 
and the Kristof Nys adapter runs nicely even on an old 
PC that has 166 MHz Pentium CPU and Windows 98 OS. 

> Is it possible
> to link a real console to the DMX in or a MIDI input so you have some
> 'real' faders to play with as well?

I have not tested that. 
DMX Control claims to have some MIDI support. From documentation:
"DMXControl provides the ability to control a light show either
 partly or completely via a MIDI interface, e.g."

I don't know if Freestyler supports that. 

> I'm interested in looking into this option so any advice is much
> appreciated. Are there any good freeware packages out there... 

I mentioned two already. Links to some more can be found at 
http://www.epanorama.net/links/lights.html#dmx512
(there is software section).

> with it
> being un-known to me, I'm reluctant to spend a lot initially? I'm not
> afraid of linux based systems if there are any... I suspect the
> stability could be better than windoze?

There are also Linux based systems. Check links at 
http://www.epanorama.net/links/lights.html#dmx512

I have not tested them yeat because I don't have suitable
DMX-512 outptu adapter supported by them yet. 

> I typically have between 18 and 32 channels of dimming, with a few
> moving lights (Martin Mac250, etc) on occasions, to give a general
> guide to the planned useage, but of course room for expansion is always
> a consideration.
> 
> Any comments on this are welcomed!

Hopefully my comments were ueful to you.

-- 
Tomi Engdahl (http://www.iki.fi/then/)
Take a look at my electronics web links and documents at 
http://www.epanorama.net/