28 Nov
2005
28 Nov
'05
7:43 a.m.
Jacob wrote:
DMX512 is just a serial protocol, where a vector of
512 8-bit values is
send periodically over the wire (this 512 block is AKA universe). At the
sender side you'll need a PC interface (an old ISA card would probably
be the cheapest ;) and at the receiver side you'll need your light
source (dimmer pack or scanner or ...).
I've seen some 100 € DMX controller on the parallel port (IMG Stageline DMX-60).
The 400 EUR limit seems to be a problem. Either you
are really lucky and
get a used set of lamps, dimmer packs, cables, ... or you'll have to do
some not-so-simple hardware/programming stuff on your own.
An important influence on the money you have to spent has the power
consumption of the light sources: e.g. if you want 16 PAR64 with 1kW
each you'll spent much more than if you used PAR56/300W.
Power consumption is not included in this price. I want to play in some Parisian
clubs: electric power is their problem, not mine.
The DMX approach is IMO the more professional way, you
can extend your
equipment easily, you can rent or borrow some special equipment for an
event. You can connect your computer to any professional light
installation and you have less worries about the audience's security.
If I had a project like yours and able to get all of the above for
600 EUR, if would definitely take it.
Audience security... I forgot that one. Okay, DMX is the way to go.
Renting is ok for me. But say that I simply use the lighting installation of the
club I play in : would I just bring my laptop and DMX controller ? If the club's
lighting installation isn't "DMX compatible", would a set of dimmers do the
trick ? Can I expect to find such "DMX compatible" lighting installations (like
dimmers I just plug my controller into) in most of clubs/discos/concert halls ?
(I suppose that I should just ask places I know...)
I'm very new to lighting, sorry if some of these are silly questions.
On the other hand, if you really want to spent a lot
of time with
soldering, hacking and (kernel) programming, you might use the following
approach for the electronics (no, I don't have schematics). This is
probably more fun but you won't be able to connect any light device to
it that ist more 'intelligent' than a simple light bulb. AFAICT this is
the cheapest approach if you look at the bill of material only:
<snip>
The blinkenlight guys had done something like that for the arcade
project in Paris some years ago and it worked:
http://www.blinkenlights.de/arcade/backstage.en.html
Wow.. Amazing. But well, these guys are real hackers I can't compare with. As I
said DIY is ok for me, but to a certain extent only. This is too complex, and
would take too long to build, not to mention audience security.
Thanks a lot !
--
og