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View Full Version : Some questions about prices and quality



perez
August 29th, 2010, 05:54 PM
Hi,
what do you guys think of this: http://www.thomann.de/pt/stairville_led_par_56_alu_schwarz.htm
I've seen some reviews and for the price i think its pretty OK for a starter, don't you think?

other question:
i have been searching and i found that an usb-dmx interface happens to be as expansive as a dmx controller table, not a big one but good enough for a starter.
so, am i looking wrong and there are pretty cheap usb-dmx interfaces, or a controller table is better?

perez
September 1st, 2010, 12:45 PM
no one cares about lightning?

Eric
September 1st, 2010, 12:55 PM
Sorry -- I just know nothing about it.

MAXIFUNK
September 1st, 2010, 02:34 PM
what little I do know about lighting is pro grade Vari-lite stuff.
So, I can not be of Help.

BigJD
September 11th, 2010, 01:15 PM
Hi,
what do you guys think of this: http://www.thomann.de/pt/stairville_led_par_56_alu_schwarz.htm
I've seen some reviews and for the price i think its pretty OK for a starter, don't you think?

other question:
i have been searching and i found that an usb-dmx interface happens to be as expansive as a dmx controller table, not a big one but good enough for a starter.
so, am i looking wrong and there are pretty cheap usb-dmx interfaces, or a controller table is better?
I think thats probably a good LED PAR, What i didn't see was what size the LEDS are that are in it. Makes a big difference in output.
Since going to mostly LED's I have been able to get alot of better looking stage effects going with much less power draw.
Our set-up now is completly amp-less for guitars which opened the door for a roomier stage felling and better lighting effects.
I use a PC controlled DMX system called Freestyler that I can control with a midi foot controller. I've been using a FCB1010 midi controller that I installed the Uno chip in. And if you go this route I highly reccomend getting a editor program to set-up your FCB1010. I use one called Ripwerx and it is great for getting your pedal set the way you want it.
With this set-up I have control of washes,scans strobes moving heads and haze all from stage.
I use a interface from Enttec I use the open one and I won it off eBay for 40.00. My laptop is a old throw-away I got for free, my midi controller was left over from my old guitar rack.
So for less than 100.00 bucks I have way more versatility than a regular style board.
And complete control of my lights.

Spudman
September 11th, 2010, 01:28 PM
no one cares about lightning?
Lightning is scary stuff. :poke

I can't see a benefit to having the grille over the front of the lamp. I haven't seen any other companies do that with their LED PARs. Otherwise it's probably a fine lamp, but have you compared prices to American DJ or Chauvet?

perez
September 11th, 2010, 03:42 PM
Lightning is scary stuff. :poke

I can't see a benefit to having the grille over the front of the lamp. I haven't seen any other companies do that with their LED PARs. Otherwise it's probably a fine lamp, but have you compared prices to American DJ or Chauvet?

you can remove that grille.
this one is cheaper than other brands, don't know if its as good as the ADJ or Chauvet, but since i just want to start on the 'business' i think its really good. About the software, i have one from ADJ that is called onDMX (its really a good SW). I prefer SW because i think that the PC gives me more possibilities about channels and that, but the problem is really how to pass the signal to the cans, because the interface is too expansive, some even more than a DMX table with 8 faders. :thwap

BigJD
September 11th, 2010, 04:44 PM
you can remove that grille.
this one is cheaper than other brands, don't know if its as good as the ADJ or Chauvet, but since i just want to start on the 'business' i think its really good. About the software, i have one from ADJ that is called onDMX (its really a good SW). I prefer SW because i think that the PC gives me more possibilities about channels and that, but the problem is really how to pass the signal to the cans, because the interface is too expansive, some even more than a DMX table with 8 faders. :thwap
I don't get what your saying?
I know you can download various softwares from different manufactures but the interface/dongle is where they get you for the big money.
So if you want to use a software based system then you either have to buy the interface/dongle from Martin, AmDJ, Chauvet, ect.....
Or you can use an enttec interface that will support some of the freeware that is out there.
I use Freestyler,there are others. I don't know how much you wanna do with your lighting set-up.But I want to be able to run my lighting while still playing and have some syncing abilities while doing so from stage thats why I use that particular freeware.
Heres a picture of a stage I'm doing for a buddys band at the end of this month.

BigJD
September 11th, 2010, 04:49 PM
I have to resize the pic to fit. I'll get it on here in a while!

perez
September 11th, 2010, 07:56 PM
I don't get what your saying?
I know you can download various softwares from different manufactures but the interface/dongle is where they get you for the big money.
So if you want to use a software based system then you either have to buy the interface/dongle from Martin, AmDJ, Chauvet, ect.....
Or you can use an enttec interface that will support some of the freeware that is out there.
I use Freestyler,there are others. I don't know how much you wanna do with your lighting set-up.But I want to be able to run my lighting while still playing and have some syncing abilities while doing so from stage thats why I use that particular freeware.
Heres a picture of a stage I'm doing for a buddys band at the end of this month.


so, i have the same SW that the guy in this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1KMq4Gl43Y), that means that only that specific interface will work, other like that enttec open dmx usb won't?
now i'm confused too

BigJD
September 11th, 2010, 08:28 PM
so, i have the same SW that the guy in this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1KMq4Gl43Y), that means that only that specific interface will work, other like that enttec open dmx usb won't?
now i'm confused too
Yup you got it. Unless you buy their interface (AMDJ) nothing else will work. So if you want to do it on the inexpensive side you'll need to use a freeware like Freestyler and an enttec interface.
I've been using an enttec open interface for 5 years now without any problems.

perez
September 12th, 2010, 04:47 AM
Yup you got it. Unless you buy their interface (AMDJ) nothing else will work. So if you want to do it on the inexpensive side you'll need to use a freeware like Freestyler and an enttec interface.
I've been using an enttec open interface for 5 years now without any problems.

now i get it.
so, is that Freestyler that you use is good and works with that enttec open dmx usb interface?

BigJD
September 12th, 2010, 07:49 AM
now i get it.
so, is that Freestyler that you use is good and works with that enttec open dmx usb interface?
Yes,and it's well supported.
http://www.freestylersupport.com/fsforum/

perez
September 12th, 2010, 09:14 AM
Yes,and it's well supported.
http://www.freestylersupport.com/fsforum/


i downloaded it and seems pretty basic but good at the same time, but does it have a 3D visualizer, if yes i cant find it :/

BigJD
September 12th, 2010, 12:09 PM
i downloaded it and seems pretty basic but good at the same time, but does it have a 3D visualizer, if yes i cant find it :/
Yes it does it's a seperate download.
http://www.freestylerdmx.be/.
It's here somewhere. Called Sunlite Magic 3D.
I always find the visualizers to be abit clunky to get around on,but they work good for learning basic programing stuff.
Be sure to watch the videos on the freestyler pages to get the idea of programing.

perez
September 12th, 2010, 03:02 PM
Yes it does it's a seperate download.
http://www.freestylerdmx.be/.
It's here somewhere. Called Sunlite Magic 3D.
I always find the visualizers to be abit clunky to get around on,but they work good for learning basic programing stuff.
Be sure to watch the videos on the freestyler pages to get the idea of programing.


thanks a lot for your help

BigJD
September 12th, 2010, 07:53 PM
thanks a lot for your help
Anytime!