[SML] (Long Post) Compute Stick? and Lighting control

Wed Dec 28 22:36:12 UTC 2016

Hi All...
Does anyone have any experience with the Intel Compute Stick?
http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/compute-stick/intel-computestick-introduction-video.html
or
http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/compute-stick/intel-compute-stick.html

It comes with either Windows 10, or Unbutu 14.04 LTS installed.
64GB of solid state storage....

I'm looking for a small, solid state computer to run some lighting control software (see below).

Now for the longer portion of the post...  this is mostly about the pros and cons of various computer based lighting systems...

In my spare time (Grin), I've been asked to help a friend with updating control in a small theatre space that has a bunch of our fixtures in it.

They asked about a computer based system (for budgetary reasons).  They currently have (and have been generally happy with) a Hog2 with a wing for their shows, 2 Preset 10s for houselights (different DMX network), and switched fluorescent and halogen worklights.  They want to merge it all together, so that the console can control the house and work lights, and the architectural panels can access some of the stage lights (for rehearsals).
The Hog is 2 generations old, hard to get serviced, and they want to network in their architectural wall plates (integrating their LED Houselights, and Relays for worklights), they DON'T want to have to cob together multiple control solutions from multiple vendors (Read this as, "When I have a problem, I want to call one person to help me.  I don't want multiple people telling me that it's the other guy's equipment that is the problem.")
They are looking for something scalable, so that when they can afford a new console (maybe as soon as October), they can plug it right in, and have no knowledge gap (for their programmers and Ops), and to top it all off, they plan on adding in Video over the next 2-3 seasons, so when they upgrade their console, they want a built-in basic Media Server.

In brief, they want something that is easy to use, inexpensive, integrates with their Lighting console, is good with their Movers, as well as their LED wash lights, handles networking protocols (Artnet and sACN), and they are planning on adding video in the next couple of years... did I mention inexpensive?

HA!

Since we don't have a good professional control solution at Chauvet (Yet), I was looking at computer based systems that can tie into the same manufacturer's Hardware solutions (one programming syntax, one phone-call for support, etc.) and settled on either Jands, Avo, or Chamsys.
I looked at a variety of different control options, and picked these 3 for good reason.  ETC is great...but too expensive for these guys... especially when they add in the need for a console that handles movers well, and the architectural system, and the programming syntax on their consoles that do moving heads well are a bit of a departure (but not too bad) from the HOG2.  The new HOG 4 on PC would be OK, except that they don't handle TCP/IP based protocols well, don't have wallplates, and it is still relatively expensive, especially compared to Avo and Chamsys.
GrandMa (a serious contender for the movers) has no wall plates, and the DOT is not the same OS as MAonPC... weird.  Syntax is the same, but shows are not transferrable in both directions... they really aren't targeting the bottom of the market.
The Other 3 appear to have a common syntax across their product lines, are somewhat scalable (Jands and Chamsys more than AVO), and have good solid support.

All three have solutions with great feature sets.
Avo and Chamsys seem to have the most robust back-ends, almost as nice as Grand-Ma's (insert racy comments here). But Jands is not far behind.
Chamsys' integration of TCP/IP protocols like sACN is the best I've seen (from a lighting fixture manufacturer's standpoint). But again, Jands is right behind them.
Avo has the TitanONE<http://www.avolites.com/products/lighting/titan-one>, which gives you the whole OS, or the Titan Mobile<http://www.avolites.com/products/lighting/titan-mobile#Vtab16> wing... but  aren't really as scalable as the others, and recommend a separate server for Video (which is awesome, but more than these guys will ever need).  They do offer the Quartz<http://www.avolites.com/products/lighting/quartz>, which could replace their Hog2... and I can probably get them one for under $5,000.
Chamsys has their new Media Player<https://secure.chamsys.co.uk/magichd_software> and visualizer<https://secure.chamsys.co.uk/magicvis>, included for free with the software... It looks like the software is completely unlocked, if you purchase a wing, or you can have up to 2 universes via a Dongle.
Jands has a pretty good reputation as easy to use, but I haven't actually ever worked with them, and their offerings are entirely PC based until you get up to the I3<http://jands.com/vista/vista-i3-console/>, which looks kind of ganky... except for the Stage CL, which does not handle their movers well.  And, their PC stuff is a little pricey.
On the Training side, Jands and Chamsys have great training videos.  I'm friends with Jim and Brad from Avo, but investing in learning the Avo Syntax takes some serious commitment, especially for a casual user who already knows HOG.
I don't know anyone at Jands, but their OS is very intuitive...
I've met the Chamsys folks, but don't personally know anyone in the US who has their controllers installed in a theater.  The Chamsys GUI is extremely similar to the HOG 2 (I think they shared at least one software engineer).
And, of the three, Chamsys is the only one with architectural wallplates built-in... so, there's that.

I'm leaning towards recommending the Chamsys MagicQ<https://secure.chamsys.co.uk/magicq> software with a couple of Scene Setters<https://secure.chamsys.co.uk/scenesetter> (one at the SM booth, and one FOH) for wall plates, all run off of either this Compute Stick, or some other small solid state (no fans) little computer.  They have a couple of Mac Minis, but those are long in the tooth, and I'm not sure that they're up to constant operation.
I was considering suggesting the MagicQ 40N<https://secure.chamsys.co.uk/mq40>  or MQ80<https://secure.chamsys.co.uk/mq80> (to replace the HOG, and eliminate the computer), but their budget may not allow a new console until their next Fiscal year (October 2017)... even one in that (low) price range.  The MSRP (in the UK) of the 40n is £2,900.00... about $3500.  That is a little less than the Avo Quartz, and the functionality looks a little better... but they'd have to leave it on all the time.  Chamsys and Jands both have Rack Mounted computer options, which could run in a closet someplace, but the idea of a remote computer scares me.  That's why I'm thinking of a little, solid state computer for this.

If they go with a setup like the Chamsys, then they can program whatever they want into their wall plates (including Pre-show looks, Houselights, and Worklights), running through a DMX merger with their existing Hog until they can afford a new Console...
Or, (in a pinch, if their Hog dies) they can run the whole system on MagicQ (on the computer) and not use the Merger.  But, I am fairly certain that they want a tactile interface (at least for playback), so they could use either the Extra Wing<https://secure.chamsys.co.uk/extrawingcompact> Compact, or the PC Wing Compact...<https://secure.chamsys.co.uk/pcwingcompact>

I guess my biggest concern is having a computer run 24/7.
Even if it is a dedicated machine, with no internet access, that only runs this software, and only for their Architectural system (if they don't merge them now)... is it safe to leave it running all the time?

Anybody care to opine??

Ford Sellers
Senior Product Development Manager
Chauvet Professional Lighting & Iluminarc
5200 NW 108th ave
Sunrise, FL 33351
Phone: 800-762-1084
Fax: 800-544-4898

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