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CHAMSYS MQ60
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Mega Systems Enlighten One
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Pathway Connectivitiy Cognito
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Strand Lighting 250 ML Control Console
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Lehigh Rendition Pro
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Lightronics SC810W
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Martin M2PC
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Jands StageCL
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Leprecon LPC-48V
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ETC EOS Titanium
In technology, products and options are always evolving, and lighting is no exception. With the LDI and WFX shows just around the corner, we contacted the main players in lighting consoles to see what they've introduced over the past year that would be of interest to the house of worship market. Not every manufacturer took the time to respond to our request for information, but here are the highlights from those who did.
This is just a quick tour of what manufacturers are saying about their newest products; we can't come close to hitting upon all the features and benefits of each. So make sure to visit the manufacturer's website for more information, or visit their booth at LDI or WFX this fall to get up-close and personal with these products.
ChamSys MQ60 | MSRP: $8,300
The MQ60 is designed for controlling theatrical fixtures, intelligent fixtures, and LED fixtures, as well as video. It supports 12 Universes of DMX, is quick and easy to program, has a full-featured cue system, offers advanced media server support, fixture morphing and cloning, LED pixel mapping, a built-in media engine, a powerful PC show editor, and a built-in uninterruptable power supply to keep your console up and running through power glitches.
http://www.chamsysusa.com
- (866) 261-6955
ETC Eos Titanium | MSRP: contact your local ETC dealer
For larger scale venues, like production-oriented churches, ETC recently introduced the Eos Titanium (Eos Ti) console and Eos v2.0 software. Ti is now the flagship of the Eos line, with new hardware and features to make designing and programming even easier. Ti has integrated, articulating, multi-touch displays and backlit keys. Ti includes a larger multi-touch encoder display and dedicated pan and tilt encoders, plus four pageable encoders. The desk features 20 user-definable buttons, motorized faders, and multiple USB and video ports. Ti uses the common-sense Eos programming syntax familiar to so many church lighting techs. The command line is fully integrated with direct selects and new “magic sheets,” allowing seamless work from the keypad and the touchscreen controls. Magic sheets allow users to define customized interactive live/blind displays.
http://www.etcconnect.com
- (800) 688-4116
Jands StageCL | MSRP: $1,995
The Jands StageCL was designed to control today's LED-based lighting systems. Listening carefully to the market, it was clear that many houses of worship utilize LED lighting fixtures, yet only get a fraction of the flexibility LEDs offer.
The StageCL is equally suitable for LEDs and conventional lights. Each of the 12 channels provides discrete HSI control with an encoder for Hue, and Saturation paired with an Intensity fader making it easy to achieve the exact color you want. As you turn the Hue and Saturation encoders, an LED on each channel displays the color you're creating. So intuitive, volunteers with no lighting experience grasp it quickly.
http://www.jands.com
- (416) 255-9494 (distributed in the United States by A.C. Lighting)
Lehigh Rendition Pro | MSRP: $7,999
The Rendition Pro console provides fully integrated control of conventional lights, LEDs and moving lights. With the addition of LCDs, four encoders, and direct selects, the Rendition Pro enhances the popular Rendition series consoles with increased hands-on control of moving lights. The console also features 24x10 pages of master faders with LCDs. Optional fader wings are available and can be combined to provide up to 240 master faders. Wings are available in either 2x12 or 2x24 configurations and connect via Ethernet for local or remote application.
http://www.lehighdim.com
- (610) 395-3386
Leprecon LPC-48V | MSRP: $5,480
Leprecon LPC-48V with encoders is an affordable lighting console designed for small- to medium-sized lighting systems. Using a VGA monitor or touchscreen, the console easily controls LED fixtures, moving light fixtures, and conventional dimmers using faders. The easy learning curve is intended for volunteers, students and professionals. The LPC-48VE features three front panel encoders for setting color, beam and position parameters in addition to many other functions, V3 software, and six “Quick Looks” for bringing up work lights or setting a look with the push of a button.
http://www.leprecon.com
- (810) 852-4300
Lightronics SC810W | MSRP: $999
For smaller churches with simpler lighting needs, this wall-mount station is a self-contained controller that can create and store up to eight scenes addressing all 512 DMX channels. Each scene has a separate programmable fade time of up to 99 seconds. The multi-purpose buttons are used to program and recall scenes. The multi-purpose faders are used to set DMX values when creating scenes and for manual adjustment of presets from 0-100%. A master fader allows all active presets to be controlled from 0-100%. The station uses LED indicators to identify which presets are active or status modes during programming.
http://www.lightronics.com
- (800) 472-8541
Martin M2PC | MSRP: $4,900
M2PC is the complementary control surface to Martin's M-PC V3 controller software. Featuring the same layout and portable size as the M2GO, the M2PC delivers a professional level of features directly from any PC. With an integrated programmer and playback sections, two DMX Universes (expandable), 1,000 cuelists with fader control and the ability to control 32,768 parameters, the Martin M2PC is one of the most powerful and affordable PC-based lighting controllers on the market.
http://www.martin.com
- (954) 858-1800
Mega Systems Enlighten One | MSRP: $6,299
The Enlighten One Console is an all-in-one control surface that combines the Enlighten Lighting Control Software and hardware. Looks can be programmed as buttons and grouped into faders, making for a visual and user-friendly method of lighting control for even volunteers and beginners. A free, limited version of the software is available for download at
http://www.mega-lite.com.
The Enlighten One comes with four universes and is ArtNet expandable. The board's components include eight sliders, one grand master, one manual crossfader, 11 jog wheels, eight bump buttons and 32 preset or assignable access buttons. It also features an integrated media server that allows users to crossfade lighting and video at the same time.
http://www.mega-lite.com
- (866) 460-6342 (distributed in the United States by PR Lighting)
Pathway Connectivity Cognito | MSRP: $3,500
The Cognito console provides an intuitive user interface with touch screen operation to deliver sophisticated control of color-changing LED fixtures, moving lights and traditional dimmers. Intended for small- to medium-sized houses of worship and similar venues, the Cognito console is ideally suited for those unaccustomed to new lighting technologies. Although simple to navigate, Cognito also includes features typically found in more expensive lighting consoles, including automatic and user-set groups of lights, unlimited playlists and cues, unlimited pages of preset “Memories,” and a continually updated fixture library, currently with over 1,600 fixture definitions.
Context-sensitive help for on-the-fly instruction is always available, and an extensive library of training videos is available at www.youtube.com/pathwayconnectivity.
http://www.pathwayconnect.com
- (403) 243-8110
Strand Lighting 250ML Control Console | MSRP: $2,500
This is the perfect desk to introduce church technical servants to the world of intelligent fixture control. Built for entry-level operation and small- to medium-sized houses of worship, the Strand Lighting 250ML console delivers a simple interface, great features and an even better price. It merges the world of conventional dimmer/channel control—using traditional command line operation with an easy-to-use interface for attributed fixtures, and using a color LCD screen that has soft keys and attribute encoders.
The 250ML console can control 250 channels for dimmers and 30 automated luminaires for moving lights and LEDs. Looks can be stored as either submasters for easy access or cues for traditional theatre playback.
http://www.strandlighting.com
- (214) 647-7880
