MIDI Controled Controller?

[Phantasm]

Is there a DMX lighting controller that is fairly inexpensive that will let you program scenes, then change the scenes with a midi controller or some sort of footswitch?

 

I've seen some that let you do it but they seem to start around $500. It doesn't have to be midi, just some way that we could control it by foot on stage for the shows... since we wont always have a lighting tech. These will be smaller club shows.

 

Thanks,

 

Danny

[Rimmer]

Originally posted by Phantasm Is there a DMX lighting controller that is fairly inexpensive that will let you program scenes, then change the scenes with a midi controller or some sort of footswitch? I've seen some that let you do it but they seem to start around $500. It doesn't have to be midi, just some way that we could control it by foot on stage for the shows... since we wont always have a lighting tech. These will be smaller club shows. Thanks, Danny

 

BillESC is probably one of the best people to guide you towards a specific bit of kit that will do what you want.

 

From my experience, midi controlling of lights is rarely used as a replacement for a lighting engineer. I'm not saying that it's not possible to fill their boots on a basic level but, even the most expensive desks I have used don't have great midi implementation. Certainly not to the stage where they offer a dedicated controller for the lighting controller that can replace a human being's visual idea of the music. Maybe there is something or i'm missing a business opportunity...

 

Most punters are happy with a couple of static states on stage if makes the band look right.. It's much easier to statically light a scene than to program a whole show, competently...

[Zeromus-X]

Behringer's LC2412 (?)... whatever the hell the model is for their DMX light controller ... accepts 1/4" footswitches and MIDI in/out/through. I've never used the MIDI implementation, but I have a Boss FS-01 (?) footswitch that just plugs right into the Behringer board and allows you to step through each step in a scene. At the end of the scene, you've got to manually (at the board) advance to the next one, though. 99 steps are allowed per scene, so if you use under 99, you can have the whole show in the first scene. I set mine up so that each scene was a song, and between songs I'd just advance the board. Not a problem. I played bass and the footswitch thing was a bit inconvenient at times (if you've got to hit a pedal, or if you're on the other side of the stage)... but you can get used to it pretty easily.

[Phantasm]

Thanks for the suggestion. The price is right, i'm just worried about the big B.... especially considering that the Behringer crossover that I was using died without warning at a show after only 2 years.

 

Have you had any problems with your light controller? How old is it?

[Zeromus-X]

I had to return mine due to a small problem and a battery issue. No problems since.

[ctardi]

 

Originally posted by Phantasm Thanks for the suggestion. The price is right, i'm just worried about the big B.... especially considering that the Behringer crossover that I was using died without warning at a show after only 2 years. Have you had any problems with your light controller? How old is it?

 

 

Behringer isn't as bad as people make it to be. I've had nothing but good, durable stuff from them.

[Rimmer]

 

Originally posted by ctardi Behringer isn't as bad as people make it to be. I've had nothing but good, durable stuff from them.

 

 

They are good for some things in my opinion. I own one of their headphone distribution amps and it's pretty good for the money. The old mixing desk (audio) that I sold on worked fine for around three years but started freaking out a little (shutting down) just after I sold it to a friend. Seems to be working okay now though.

 

They kit is a mixture of okay to poorly made. Cheap though, which suits a lot of people that don't demand something that is required to work reliably for years...