x

DMX software vs DMX hardware… or a bit of both?

Home 2023 › Forums › Digital DJ Gear › DMX software vs DMX hardware… or a bit of both?

Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • March 12, 2014 at 6:11 pm #2010322
    Terry_42
    Keymaster

    Well most folk do software now and many mobile DJs I know swear by it.
    However if you get a DMX mixer it does help your understanding of what is happening and that is very nice.

    If you are not really that interested I also would look into lights with good sound to light modes such as ADJ, Futurelight and Chauvet. If you pick a brand (like ADJ) some of them are actually remote controllable by proprietary IR remote and you only have to control one master light and simply daisy chain the others to it…

    So the possibilities are endless here and we cannot make the purchase for you. You need to check out some lights and go with what works for you.
    As for DMX software also there are tons out there, get some demo versions and just play around a bit.

    March 17, 2014 at 12:12 pm #2011336
    DJ Vintage
    Moderator

    We checked out the soon to be released iPad app from Visual Productions at the Prolight+Sound show in Frankfurt. It’s iPad-based, but comes with seperate hardware so your light will keep going when you use your iPad for other stuff too. It will feature an iPhone remote, so you can trigger stuff once you have set it up with your iPad app.

    Total cost of hard- and software expected to stay below 200 euro.

    If you are not in a hurry, you might look into it. I believe they expect availability in about 3 months.

    Greetinx.

    March 18, 2014 at 12:32 am #2011628
    P D
    Participant

    Thank you for the tips. I have had a really close look at mydmx2.0 from ADJ and a number of dmx controllers as well.
    For the software the big plus I could see is the visual representation of what you are building/programming. I downloaded the software (you can play with it for free, but need the hardware adaptor to output anything)and it is cool. The big drawback is the live operation or what I believe it would be. It is a little like using Serato with your laptop and no controller… And it competes for screen space with Serato.
    So I looked at lots of different hardware as well and took a hard look at what I will ‘really’ use it for. I want to fade my mega tri par cans so they don’t look so harsh when changing colours, build some simple scenes and chases (see I am learning the vocabulary !! :-)) and control my scanners so they don’t go all over the place and so I can choose the best features they have to offer rather than be dependent on the sound to light programmes all the time. So I went for simple with the ADJ wifly 8 ch controller + I also ordered a wireless transceiver so I could have some lights at the other end of a venue without the dmx cable spaghetti and reduce set-up. I am entering a new phase with this level of control over lights that I never had before. It is a little like going laptop + controller a few years ago. Will tell you how I get on. Exciting! Thank you for sharing your thoughts Terry and DJ Vintage!!

    March 18, 2014 at 9:20 am #2011737
    Terry_42
    Keymaster

    We will try to get a Demo Unit of Visual Productions as soon as they are finished with the software. It should be a good product I took a look at Musikmesse and was really impressed.

    March 20, 2014 at 2:24 am #2012666
    Isaiah Furrow
    Participant

    I’m just getting into DMX and will likely get an Obey40 or similar controller soon, since it looks like the wireless one isn’t happening…. I may go for software later, once the light show gets more complicated, and I have more lighting, but for just over $100 I think it will be a decent start. Still looking into controllers in the $200 and under range, possibly with wireless transmit feature. Just my personal outlook at the moment. Let us know what you end up starting with…

    March 20, 2014 at 7:40 am #2012743
    DJ Vintage
    Moderator

    http://www.bax-shop.nl/dmx-lichtsturingen/american-dj-wifly-rgbw8c-draadloze-dmx-controller/product-details.html?gclid=CP3Iq_O_oL0CFagKwwodLEgAyA

    99 euro (about 135 dollar, but possibly cheaper since gear seems to be cheaper stateside). It’s a controller with wireless built-in.

    If you don’t buy Wifly fixtures with it, be aware that to get the other “half”, the wireless dmx transceiver that you stick into your truss or wherever, is gonna costs you another 100 euro or so.

    Just my 2 cents.

    Greetinx.

    March 20, 2014 at 11:10 am #2012821
    Isaiah Furrow
    Participant

    http://www.pssl.com/DMX-Lighting-Controllers/American-DJ-WiFly-WLC-16-Channel-DMX-Controller

    I would be more interested in this one, if the Obey40 Wireless doesn’t pan out I may save a little more and get this one… the wifly lights from ADJ look nice to go with it….

    March 20, 2014 at 5:04 pm #2013012
    DJ Vintage
    Moderator

    Thought you wanted something small, simple and portable LOL.

    March 21, 2014 at 5:42 am #2013326
    Isaiah Furrow
    Participant

    I have an Obey3 that came with my starter uplighting set… but I would say that the larger DMX controllers like the one I linked and the Obey40 are in fact small, simple, and portable… the ones meant for uplighting and stuff aren’t going to do what I need, and the big rack mounted desk ones are less portable, more expensive, and more involved than I need or want to be when it comes to lighting… I think something that can handle a dozen or so fixture addresses and let me set up a show with some custom scenes and chases will do nicely with the kind of lighting that I have planned… For now, due to cost and current lighting setup, I may add the Obey 40 next, with a couple more par lights and go from there, adding wireless later on…

  • Author
    Posts
Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)
  • The forum ‘Digital DJ Gear’ is closed to new topics and replies.