does ne body use laptops for dmx use with the lighting, if you do how much is the program and hardware, i would use it for big gigs, and lighting for stage, theatrical shows, is there alot of difference with quality with what you spend on the program

It can be done, but on a stand alone laptop, I did look into a few years ago, but decided to keep my lighting on stand alone (although DMX), in fact I brought a DMX controller and never used it

martin litejockey is the best in my opinion bt theres lots of very good bits of software out there, the funny thing is ud think they would be alot cheaper than a moving light desk but strangely not

no wonder so many people are pirating in our industry when everything is soo expensive !

Martin thing is very expensive, PARTYCHRIS uses something nice and cheap, works very well. I will find out....

Theres a DMX (via PC) lighting control company interested in attending DJU MAX on Feb 6th.... (hint hint )

'DJ Dicky' is attending DJU MAX this year and will be demonstrating their range of DMX Controllers which are controlled by PC / Laptop. May be worth a visit to see what is available.

DMX For Mobile work is not really a good option. If you but a light down the bac of the room, then a cable has to be run to it and from it. Sound activated scanners in my opinion do a better job with mobile work, that using a controller.

Linking them so they work together looks good. But to program a specific show for a venue is not something u can walk in to the venue and just throw up with the audio gear and expect to work and look good.

I have tried and failled many times, the lights end up being bunched up together and the programing not as good as sound activated, because I ran out of time to program them, with trying to fix up the sound gear.

But for Laptops and DMX, don't muckaround with older laptops or interfaces. Go straight for USB and a fast laptop, with good battery and touch pad (make sure you buy a mouse for programing, alot easyer).

As for software/hardware, I wouldn't buy Martin LightJockey, yes it is what everyone uses, but it doesn't mean its the best for you or the cheapest. I would look at http://www.freestylerdmx.be for starters, free and has the features of LightJockey and more.

And a dongle for the software is up to you, but the sunlite USB dongle works great and fine, even an old LPT one works, but you do have a second lag.

What ever way you jump, its only going to be as good as your understanding of the software, how DMX and the fixtures work and your creative thinking.

If you are just going to copy the moves from a soundactivated scene, then whats the point. Buy a laser instead.....


Sorry for the long post and more than likely spelling mistakes.

Adrian

I'd agree that programming an entire DMX sequence upon arrival at a new venue would consume more time than most of us have.

Although if you had a program which, for example moved each scanner from the centre of the dancefloor to the rooms corners, you could edit an existing program .

On the sound activation front, some DMX controllers will allow their programs to run in sync with a sound signal. EG: The Behringer, and others.

PLASA had at least one supplier showing a wireless DMX transmitter/receiver solution for running remote DMX lighting without running long DMX control cables. It might be a cost Vs usefulness solution however...but then, isnt it always

Hey

We are currently looking into linking our MP3 system in with a DMX system, we current have both running, MP3's off a 19" rack pc and a laptop and the DMX running through a laptop using a piece of homemade code in ADA. I have recently discovered that I can use a network connection to send the name of the MP3 being played, this can then be read by the DMX and adjust the lighting accordingly without any work needed!

Obviously, this is probably classed as 'extreme' and 'un-needed' but I remember when I was a roady that people used to look at anything more than lightboxes and fuzz lights as being 'extreme' and 'uneeded'. All it would take is slowly building up a 'light' display for a song, heck you could do one display type for particular 'genre' of songs.

All sounds extreme, but the thing Ive found with DMX is the fact that it remembers patterns, shows etc so once youve done a program once you can save it and use again and again, its also dead easy to mix n match bits from all the shows to combine and produce new ones.

Personally this isnt really suited for the smaller average family DJ's but for someone like me who aims at 18-30 year olds with the intent to recreate nightclub like feels this is a revolution in the mobile industry and as prices keep coming down then I can only see it becomming more popular.


Cyas
Mike

In a way it's not a particularly good idea for a mobile dj.

You don't need a laptop with high spec or good battery. A penitum 3 will do the job fine with Freestyler. I would definitely look at the Enttec Open USB Dmx if you want to run your lights off the pc- type it in in google and I'm sure you will get to their site where you can buy the usb dmx interface for 50 with worldwide postage.

I suppose you can give that wow factor. I don't understand what you mean about difficult for each venue. Using a pc makes a lot easier to do stuff on the fly as you can quickly select gobos and easily map the pan and tilt.

It would be best to have a seperate operator to sort the lights out however after a while one can store loads of programs to suit many different venues.

If you just want to stop moonflowers or colour changers strobing or going to fastl during slow songs it's best to use a standard dmx controller, as you don't need to worry about pan and tilt and can just program lots of different speeds and colours/gobos to suit different songs, all accesible at the touch of a button.

I totaley agree with you Chris DMX controller out the window sound to light and link others slave master .I also use a little 4ch switch controler with timer,and this will change lights every 5 - 30 mins .apon sett up

Well happy new year to all.

Mr Mole passed this link onto me and asked for my input, so here goes.(sorry its a little long)

I have been running a program called Daslight for about 3 years now, it is a PC based program ,you can download the program for free from their site but to make it run with your DMX lighting you need to buy the dongle. There are 2 versions of the dongle (if im correct) one just lets you connect your lighting direct to your pc and take control and the newer and more expensive model you can do the same but with the added function of storing (i think) 10 programs into the dongle so on smaller shows when you DONT want to take out the pc you can run stright from the dongle !!! ( dont think Light jocky can do this !!!). The first model is about £350 not sure how much the programable version is..

I am impressed with Daslight and have had no problems running it even on a cheap laptop( a better one is required if using the 3D visual), its a very reliable program. A friend of mine paid for light jocky and never really used it even after being on all the courses, he saw me using daslight and sold his light jocky,now runs daslight !! he says its a lot better and easier to program and understand and is more reliable than light jocky !

A few other nice points with Daslight, if you dont have much time to set it all up you can just tell it what lights your using it will then tell you the DMX settings for each light then you can use the pre programed scenes in daslight and off you go, it took me 10 mins to have about 40 programs from scratch when i was doing a gig in december with new and extra lighting, this is a real bonus when you dont have much time.
Also aother plus point is there are too many lighting effects that have pre programed shows in them that are STROBE shows ! and clients dont like this, i have been asked a few times in the past year NOT to use strobes or strobe lighting! with daslight i can do this with ease.

Maybe its just me but i love to have control over my lights, and clients DO notice especially when i light a room at the beginning of the night, not just let my lights go mad all night long.I know there will be people saying they prefere to run sound to light, good for you as i say each to their own ! if anyone wants more info then please PM me or if your near me and want to see it working then fine by me.

Chris.

*Also aother plus point is there are too many lighting effects that have pre programed shows in them that are STROBE shows ! and clients dont like this, i have been asked a few times in the past year NOT to use strobes or strobe lighting! with daslight i can do this with ease.**



Its Easy to turn off a strobe, unplug it..... One thing I found cheeper that DMX was running lights threw a switch, which is at the dj booth. Don't want a light, flick the switch....

DMX is great if you have the time, having pre-programed scenes can and carn't work. Its really the same as sound activated. But each to his own. I do DMX lighting for a club (2 levels around 350 channels), so I'm not aganist it.

One another post titled 'Most Unsual Thing You Carry'. I would put:

- A Spare DJ, cause it normally takes me an extra 30mins past the start time, to get a mobile DMX rig running.

And as someone else said, its hard to remember to flick the lights when your beatmixing, thats why clubs have a lightjockey.....


Hope Every One Had A Good New Year,
I am, Just brought myself a set of CDJ1000MK2's, DJM600 and roadcase, not bad buy for a 17 year old, heh.....

Ajay

Forgot One Thing, Wireless DMX uses IP Protocal and isn't as easy as it looks to setup, you need wireless routers, etc......

But if u can afford it then why do mobile djing, you could start your own club for that kind of money....

Ajay

I would not recomend using wireless DMX control systems that are based on computer wireless network equipment. They are too prone to interference and are difficult to set up.
Computer networks are not designed for real time control

We will shortly be launching a wireless DMX system designed specifically for DMX control and at a lower cost than most (if not all) current wireless DMX control systems.

See you at DJ M.A.X. in FEB

Dicky

Hey

Have to tottaly disagree with DJ Ajay, isnt it easier to flick a BUTTON on a DMX controller than to hunt for the plug in the dark for a lighting effect? then you also need to go find the plug again and replug in and then WAIT for it to run through its precheck cycle which a lot of lights have now (scanners, moonflowers).

Also, you cant just unplug a strobe effect from a light as you suggested, almost all sound to light effects have some form of strobe, so you would just unplug all your lights? sure!


Cyas
Mike

I know its been said but i wouldnt advise it, i woulg get seperate systems if i were you!

blackmagic

what we were going to do for dmx, is programme different scene's for different events, i would programme them all in my own time, for example,

scene 1, a ruby/red colour for small ruby wedings

scene 2, a slow moving lighting show for slowies

scene 3, sound to light

and so on through different colours, i would also like it for stage events, as i do lighting for a local operatic society,

Thanks for the help


Dave

Spot On Gary....

I have come across lights, where different Dip switch settings, give different pre-programed shows. I find with 10-15 DMX scanners running at different points in the pre-programed scene, when one hits a strobe, the its not enought to cause a big problem.

But I'm sure everyone has had the trick client who doesn't want any form of strobe.....

With the switchs and stuff, I was refering to time more than everthing, when you plug the lights to power, putting them thru a switch board isn't much more effort. But rigging DMX is and having to put the lights in the same order, etc, etc....

DMX would work well if you had on of those dj booths with the lighting bar over the top of you, but I think you need to put lights down the back, or it make the show look at the front of the room and people down the bac aren't in the disco...

But thats just me.....

Ajay