[SML] Console/dimmer replacement estimates

[smashwolf at gmail.com]

This got longer than I thought, but here goes:

The organization of the business entity your theater is run under will
have something to do with capitalization and budgets.  For profit and
not for profit/nonprofits operate differently due to tax laws. For profit
business entities can benefit from capital depreciation.  and often have
shorter 3-5 year technology lifecycles.

Non profits dont really benefit.  So this affects their purchasing lifecycle
and often makes it much longer, even to the point of only replacing things
as they fail..

Theatrical technology itself is usually built to last.  But, do 
consider, as the
convergence of the Information Technology (IT) world into the arts ,
entertainment, and theater world, many manufacturers are driving
shorter and shorter life cycles as technology changes at a greater rate
every year.  Many IT technologies, such as the conversion of many
interconnects to IP (Internet Protocol) are causing some products to
be life cycled not by the business life cycle , but by a technology
cycle that is sometimes shorter than a 3-5 year depreciation schedule.
Just look at where network speeds and display resolutions have gone
in the last 3,5, and 10 years, and you will see this trend.

I'd suggest formulating a road map that defines an educated guess on
where your organization's technology should be in 3-5 years or longer,
and request your budgets based on that.  Whether you are non profit,
or for profit may make a difference on how the book keeping is done
on the back end, and may change whether you make periodic small
technology bumps, or do it in large overhauls every many-years.
In either case, having a road-map of wher eyou think things may go
will help you determine what budgets make sense for what your
organization can spend at any given point in that road map.  A for profit
might have a quarterly capital improvements budget , for instance,
because that makes the most tax sense for them.  But a non profit
may be more likely to install one really comprehensive package , and
not upgrade it for many years when the tech is too out-dated, and
un-maintainable.

Also consider in your road-map that some technologies have a
cost of ownership in that they may be maintainable for a limited
number of years.  Look at your manufacturers, and see hoe long on
average they run from new product introduction to end of life/support
on a product.  This may determine products that are a wise choice for
a longer-term deployment VS a short term deployment.  Especially
with newer technologies that seem to have shorter and shorter
manufacturer support terms.

-Bryan Manternach

On 10/4/16 1:41 PM, Andrew Vance via Stagecraft wrote:
> I'm working on replacement budgets for larger capital items for my
> theatre: dimmer modules, dimmer racks, and consoles.  I've never
> actually worked in a theatre that had a replacement plan for these
> kinds of items, or had to replace these large ticket items.
>
> In my 8 years here, we haven't had to replace any dimmer modules or
> racks, and those date from either 2001 [smaller theatre] or 2005
> [larger theatre].  We replaced our mainstage console in 2008 with an
> EOS, and upgraded the smaller theatre's board this season with an EOS.
>
> In general, what's the span of life we should consider for dimmers and
> consoles? I know I'm not going to get the money to replace all my
> dimmers every X years, nor am I going to be able to replace both
> consoles and RPUs every X years.  [The larger theatre will receive the
> newer console and the smaller theatre will inherit the larger
> theatre's old board.]
>
> Thanks!
>