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Author Topic: Who makes the most rugged digital consoles?  (Read 8818 times)

Samuel Rees

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Re: Who makes the most rugged digital consoles?
« Reply #10 on: August 24, 2014, 03:15:00 PM »

iLive IDR48 with no surface would get you that high input count with no surface / faders to get dusty. You can control on a laptop and/or an iPad.
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brian maddox

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Re: Who makes the most rugged digital consoles?
« Reply #11 on: August 25, 2014, 01:28:44 PM »

To speak to the original question...

I certainly haven't used a wide variety of digital desk in challenging locations, but i Have used a variety of yamaha consoles in pretty horrific conditions and been quite surprised at their ability to soldier through.  I used a pair of 01v96s on an outside venue tour in Ukraine in the middle of their worst winter in about 100 years.  Faders got a little jittery and sometimes the LCD was hard to read, but the suckers refused to quit.

I've also used M7s and 5Ds in some pretty nasty dust bowls and again, they just kept working.

I don't think you can have a physical surface that won't require fader replacement or some such after a summer of this kind of abuse.  But the Yammies will certainly keep working regardless.

It would be a good idea to use something that at least has some sort of remote control possibility though in the event that you completely toast a fader board mid show.  at least you can salvage the event by mixing without the actual surface.

sidenote:  i'm not sure how each manufacturer deals with remote control when the faders are toast.  I seem to remember you could disable the fader motors on some consoles, but not sure how others would handle a locked fader or two.
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John Roberts {JR}

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Re: Who makes the most rugged digital consoles?
« Reply #12 on: August 25, 2014, 02:21:39 PM »

A logical progression for digital consoles that support remote control, is for stand alone generic control surfaces to mimic a remote computing device and be able to talk to the console engine.

A ruggedized control surface, or disposable control surface that is cheap and easy to back up could be helpful.

We are not there yet, but it seems logical.

JR 
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Bob Leonard

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Re: Who makes the most rugged digital consoles?
« Reply #13 on: August 25, 2014, 03:09:55 PM »

John,
As much as digital touch screen control surfaces may make sense I don't think there will be a day when the need for a "physical desk" will end. I'm not sure it's even a good idea as touch screens, unless militarized, seldom last as long as many people think when used constantly. Even the best a prone to sensor issues, alignment issues, and failure. Working around a failed fader is one thing, working around a mis-aligned touch screen is another.
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John Roberts {JR}

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Re: Who makes the most rugged digital consoles?
« Reply #14 on: August 25, 2014, 03:18:35 PM »

Not for us, but for the kids coming up who won't miss faders.

JR
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Kevin Maxwell

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Re: Who makes the most rugged digital consoles?
« Reply #15 on: August 25, 2014, 03:24:45 PM »

I don’t know the answer to the following but which consoles fans pull the air in and which force the air out. I would think that the direction the fans work could have something to do with fine dust being sucked into the console and the faders. If the fans are blowing in then you could probably improve reliability if you could install filters that would catch the fine particles without restricting the air flow. If the fan is blowing out then it is probably sucking in all sorts of garbage right into the places that you don’t want it like the faders.
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Rob Spence

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Re: Who makes the most rugged digital consoles?
« Reply #16 on: August 25, 2014, 03:33:07 PM »

If you have a $100k budget for 2 consoles, perhaps buy three $20k desks (one is a spare) and budget for fader bank replacements each year? Charge accordingly.


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Tim McCulloch

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Re: Who makes the most rugged digital consoles?
« Reply #17 on: August 25, 2014, 04:54:43 PM »

If you have a $100k budget for 2 consoles, perhaps buy three $20k desks (one is a spare) and budget for fader bank replacements each year? Charge accordingly.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

At the $20k-30k pricing there are lots of options, and I like the idea of a pristine backup desk that could be rented for civilized indoor use.  Ultimate choice would depend on client/rider acceptance.

« Last Edit: August 25, 2014, 04:57:16 PM by Tim McCulloch »
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Jim McKeveny

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Re: Who makes the most rugged digital consoles?
« Reply #18 on: August 26, 2014, 08:18:06 AM »

While maybe not "pro" enough the first thing that comes to my mind would be a Midas 251 and a Behringer X32 core in a sealed ventilated rack and remote mixing.

Westhampton Beach PAC has had 2 X32s come through here for monitor use recently: Dave Mason's Traffic Jam and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. NGDB had iPad remotes. Both worked seamlessly, and were way more back-friendly than the XL4 Lyle Lovett brought in Sunday!

I am not a fan of touchpad faders, but in a corrosive environment they could be best/only choice.
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John Roberts {JR}

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Re: Who makes the most rugged digital consoles?
« Reply #19 on: August 26, 2014, 10:13:37 AM »

I don’t know the answer to the following but which consoles fans pull the air in and which force the air out. I would think that the direction the fans work could have something to do with fine dust being sucked into the console and the faders. If the fans are blowing in then you could probably improve reliability if you could install filters that would catch the fine particles without restricting the air flow. If the fan is blowing out then it is probably sucking in all sorts of garbage right into the places that you don’t want it like the faders.

Both approaches ultimately pull air and dirt in from the outside.

You can put a filter on the fan, so pulling air in with the fan and using a filter on it should reduce dirt accumulation inside, but in harsh environments you must keep the filter clean so it doesn't block the airflow. 

JR
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Re: Who makes the most rugged digital consoles?
« Reply #19 on: August 26, 2014, 10:13:37 AM »


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