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[Dave Potter]

reading around about different controllers, I read one review which mentioned that the rate of change between scenes was variable, but only in auto mode. not in manual.  Since I will be using one for live music I don't imagine I would ever use auto, but I would want to change slowly.
I wondered; is this common?

[TJ (Tom) Cornish]

reading around about different controllers, I read one review which mentioned that the rate of change between scenes was variable, but only in auto mode. not in manual.  Since I will be using one for live music I don't imagine I would ever use auto, but I would want to change slowly.
I wondered; is this common?

Not sure what controllers you're talking about, but manual may mean "move the fader yourself".  Depending on your dexterity, you will be able to achieve a number of different fade times. 

[Dave Potter]

say I had a bunch of PARs as a colour wash.  on Scene 1 they are all set to blue. Scene 2 half red and half dark.  Scene 3, a mix of orange and yellow.
Now I might use the scenes many times each in a set but not always in the same order.  The band decides to change it's set order mid gig, so I can't use auto.  On on song I start with blue and later decide that I want to change to orange. However I don't want and instant colour change as soon as I hit the No3 button.  I want a gradual mix.  The reviewer said that his controller couldn't do that.
My question was is that normal?

[Scott Hofmann]

Obviously it was normal for his controller. With hundreds of "controller" models that have been and are being produced and priced from tens of dollars to thousands of dollars, no one has any kind of reference to what controller you are referring to, which may be why you are not getting the answer you want. Just saying that a lot more detail may be in order.

[Randall Hyde]

say I had a bunch of PARs as a colour wash.  on Scene 1 they are all set to blue. Scene 2 half red and half dark.  Scene 3, a mix of orange and yellow.
Now I might use the scenes many times each in a set but not always in the same order.  The band decides to change it's set order mid gig, so I can't use auto.  On on song I start with blue and later decide that I want to change to orange. However I don't want and instant colour change as soon as I hit the No3 button.  I want a gradual mix.  The reviewer said that his controller couldn't do that.
My question was is that normal?

Most controllers I've seen (software on a PC or physical controller) let you either:

1) set a fade time between cues, or
2) give you two faders that let you manually fade one scene out (one fader) while fading another scene in (second fader).

Bottom line is that you don't seem to have a controller yet. So why not simply purchase the controller that does what you need?

Don't know how much (little) you want to spend, but with a decent PC-based program you can set up cue lists (scenes) for each of your songs and simply select them as the band plays them.

Magic-Q PC is free to download. Works (one universe) with an Enttec DMX dongle. I really hate the user interface and the learning curve is steep, but for $150 (for the Dongle) plus a PC or laptop you can do just about anything you want.  (FWIW, I eventually settled on Light Factory -- been a really happy user of that software).
Cheers,
Randy Hyde

[James Feenstra]

I know about 8 different lighting consoles, all of them can do any fade time you want..from instant to well, infinite.

the cheaper the control system, the less options you have, for the most part.

[Dave Potter]

I know about 8 different lighting consoles, all of them can do any fade time you want..from instant to well, infinite.

the cheaper the control system, the less options you have, for the most part.

Thank you James.  That's, operated manually?

[Josh Daws]

Thank you James.  That's, operated manually?

a chauvet StageDesigner50 is the cheapest console that i know of that you can stack scenes and looks, and have fade times controlled by a fader. next step up is a ETC smartfade series (considerably better, but you are talking approx 2-3 times the $$$) where you can set fade in/hold/out for every scene/step. and way less confusing to use!

[James Feenstra]

Thank you James.  That's, operated manually?

could be...or preprogrammed

it's hard to do a 3 day long fade manually....the operator tends to loose interest

[Dave Potter]

I just want to press the scene 1 button and then, when I think the stage needs some scene 2, press the button to do it.  Somewhere there's a slider that controls how long it takes.  Never automatic.

[Chris Buford]

I just want to press the scene 1 button and then, when I think the stage needs some scene 2, press the button to do it.  Somewhere there's a slider that controls how long it takes.  Never automatic.

NSI N1616

Dont know exactly what your needs are but you can set 16 scenes  on the 16 buttons. There is a fade time slider. All the way off lets you is instant scene switch, turn it up and it'll do a fade.

Not my prefered console by any means but first thing that came to my head with fade control.

The Behringer LC2412 looks like it has a crossfade fader as well. Have only run into one of those once though.

[Josh Daws]

yeh the behringer console i hate...soooo cumbersome and a lot of unnecessary  button pressing juts to record...good luck remembering...lol i did not find it easy..

the chauvet stagedesigner50 is similar but less random button pressing, and 48 scenes with speed timing on a fader...and about $250 +/- $50...

[Dave Potter]

Thanks for the advice.  After looking around, the practical outcome was:- not in my footprint and simplicity range. 

The perameters that I failed to specify were:- the phisical size of another box I need to carry alonside my audio gear and instruments, and also the number of buttons I can work while playing.  Yes, you can buy a foot controller but that's just an on/off device rather than a selector - so not a solution.
Also the computer software idea is a nonstarter.  I can't be running a lappy from the stage.  I need single button operation.  There is also the robustness/transport issue.
So, I guess unless I need to OWN and run a large mobile operation it will have to wait for technology to catch up.

[James Feenstra]

computer based software with a simple midi controller sounds like it'd give you exactly what you want for a decent price point...sub $500 range provided you already own a laptop...

[Dave Potter]

computer based software with a simple midi controller sounds like it'd give you exactly what you want for a decent price point...sub $500 range provided you already own a laptop...

Also the computer software idea is a nonstarter.  I can't be running a lappy from the stage.  I need single button operation.  There is also the robustness/transport issue.

[James Feenstra]

a midi controller WILL give you one button operation. you don't even need to open the laptop, and it will give you the most control of what you're trying to do...

and realistically it won't take any more space than a hardware controller, not to mention costing less for more features...

[Scott Hofmann]

Here is an example of a foot controller with the ability to set a fade rate for each of the scenes: http://www.lightronics.com/pdfs/fc816m.pdf
Admittedly it operates on LMX protocol, but if you need DMX. converters are available from a number of sources.
Don't know if it is cost effective for you.

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