[SML] [EXTERNAL] Re: Software for theatrical lighting

Fri Sep 24 02:14:02 UTC 2021

Yes! I have done movers on an Express 48/96. That was funback in the 90’s. Still did it in the early 2000’s cause we didn’t have the money for a newer board. Though I am sorry to say I don’t have an answer to the software question.
Sorry.

Jeffrey Kanyuck
Technical Director
Harford Community College
401 Thomas Run Road
Bel Air, MD  21085
Cellphone 410-322-5905<tel:410-322-5905>

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From: Stagecraft <stagecraft-bounces at theatrical.net> on behalf of Steven Haworth via Stagecraft <stagecraft at theatrical.net>
Sent: Thursday, September 23, 2021 7:13 PM
To: Stagecraft Mailing List <stagecraft at theatrical.net>
Cc: Steven Haworth <haworth7 at gmail.com>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: [SML] Software for theatrical lighting

Please use caution: This email was generated outside of HCC.

Hobbit, you bring some memories for me.  Years ago now I did a quite complex theatre show on an Express using 8 StudioColors and a pile of conventionals, and actually it worked just fine.
The saving grace was learning to edit cues in spreadsheet mode - so I could set colors & position during move-in-black moments. But all those had to be thought out manually, and carefully edited.
And giving each mover it's own submaster page.  Sigh... memories. :-)

On Sat, Sep 18, 2021 at 6:49 AM Bill Conner via Stagecraft <stagecraft at theatrical.net<mailto:stagecraft at theatrical.net>> wrote:
Jumping from 2 scene preset to EOS is not going to be easy. I started with AutoCAD in 1982 and was stretched at each upgrade. Were I to try to move from drafting board to AutoCAD today, no way.

On Fri, Sep 17, 2021, 4:06 PM Kristi R-C via Stagecraft <stagecraft at theatrical.net<mailto:stagecraft at theatrical.net>> wrote:
I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how happy I’ve been with the Chauvet MagicQ software and dongle. Costs about $25 and does one universe. I got it for troubleshooting in the field and have used it many, many times - great for set-it-and-forget-it installs, too.

The Nomad/Gadget combo is great for backup, programming offline or student use, but yes - unless you know it’s the EOS language you wouldn’t find it easily on the ETC web site, and unless you have a touch-screen, I find mousing and click to be SLOW with a laptop.

That said, I’ve had excellent results from using the ETC training videos and booklet with students ranging from MS through adult. If you can bring in Ellen White or another ETC trainer to do their two day-long gig on site (if they are??) that’s a great way to train a bunch of folks at one time.

Kristi

-----Original Message-----
From: Joe via Stagecraft <stagecraft at theatrical.net<mailto:stagecraft at theatrical.net>>
To: stagecraft at theatrical.net<mailto:stagecraft at theatrical.net> <stagecraft at theatrical.net<mailto:stagecraft at theatrical.net>>
Cc: Joe <jdunfee12 at yahoo.com<mailto:jdunfee12 at yahoo.com>>
Sent: Fri, Sep 17, 2021 7:49 am
Subject: [SML] Software for theatrical lighting

Upon a friend's recommendation, I recently purchase the ETC Nomad software, and their USB-to-DMX interface.

My understanding of lighting control came from the late 1980's. And has pretty much stayed at that level. So I am quite of date.  But, getting started with this Nomad system has been an unnecessarily frustrating experience.  It took help from the manufacturer on their forum to find the user manual.  Mostly because the word "Nomad" is not part of the help file name.  I took another two weeks to find out that the reason I can't find video tutorials to get started, is because the software (when you choose the EOS mode of operation) is truly behaving like and has the same virtual buttons as a physical console. And that the console is getting the same user screens as I was seeing on the software. So, I should have been watching videos about the EOS consoles, not hunting for "Nomad".

After the difficulty of finding documentation or tutorials, the first time you start the software, the inexperienced user is faced with a problem... how do you exit the program, without using Cntl-Alt-Delete? And that is just the start of the difficulties.

I come from an AutoCAD background starting with version 10 on DOS. Having learned all the keyboard commands, I was always must faster at the program that those that used the pre-Windows features of printed out menu choices on the digitizing tablets. And when a Windows version came out, it became easier. In fact, you could get started with most programs without being lost.

For any complex program,the user interface is, necessarily complex.  But, there has to be an on-ramp somewhere. My friends opinion is that ETCs EOS system is easier than others, without sacrificing capability. But, as he continued to tutor me, we kept running into things that required special user instruction or steps that you had to be told about by your trainer.  But the biggest issue is that the tutorials seem to be written for people who are already familiar with lighting consoles designed for robotic lights.

I have to ask if things are really that bad for a novice?  Perhaps the time is ripe for another party to really come up with a better solution, or better on-ramp to get started. But, also allow for all the complex features that these programs need.

Is there yet a software solution out there that has risen to the top, and greatly improved the on-ramp experience for the novice?

-Joe
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