# New Light Board from ETC



## zac850 (Sep 23, 2004)

At least I think its new, I've never noticed it on the ETC website before.

It is called the SmartFade. It seems to be a 2 scene preset board that can also also have recorded cues.

It has features that will be good for both experienced and beginners. One of the beginner features is that it has what ETC calls a "Magic". It will start and build a scene of lights and will only stop when told to. This would allow the beginner designer to wait to see something that (s)he likes. 

It seems ideal for small school set-ups, and as a backup counsel for a larger area.

It offers "snapshot" which will save a scene, allowing something to be saved without being recorded. 

It has DMX in and Out, as well as MIDI In and Out.

It also seems to have a USB thing and a SD card slot.

http://www.etcconnect.com/products/products.asp?239
http://www.etcconnect.com/news/default.asp?239


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## 12yearoldlightingdesigner (Sep 23, 2004)

*Nice!*

I work with the ETC express board 125 at our church, nothing fancy, but I like it and am learning on it.  One question: I heard of some software from ETC that you can use with a laptop or other PC to control the board via ETCnet. Is this compatible with the Express 125 and how much does it cost? Furthurmore, where do you get it? :?


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## The_Guest (Sep 24, 2004)

It's called WYSWIG (WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET), which is a lighting CAD program.

ETC actually offers a system callled Emphasis, which consists of a dell computer (desigining), three screens, and an expression style board. Many ETC console can be upgraded to emphasis (Express, Expression, Obsession, etc). Check with the contractor or who ever you bought your express from, I'm sure they'll have information about it.


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## ship (Sep 24, 2004)

I'm out of my field here but I had thought Wisiwig was for the programming of the show, Emphisis was for the control of the moving light image projectors during the production.

What I do know is that the Emphisis computer was not large enough to handle the tours using it as pre-programmed on WisiWig and a larger computer or memory space for it had to be installed into the racks for the tours.


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## digitaltec (Sep 24, 2004)

WYSIWYG is more of a visulizer for ETC. It acually is a CAD program.


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## Radman (Sep 27, 2004)

Wysiwyg=cad
Wysiwyg preform=cad and show control
Emphasis= fancy fusion between ETC board as control surface and Wysiwyg preform


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## 12yearoldlightingdesigner (Sep 27, 2004)

*Thanks Everyone!*

All I need is something reasonably priced that I can use to control an ETC express board 125 live and perhaps remotly over a wireless network or ofline, and that I can install on a computer, PC or Mac , not come with one


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## producer (Sep 28, 2004)

i could be drastically wrong, but sounds like you need Wysiwyg perform.


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## dvsDave (Sep 28, 2004)

the most reasonably priced solution I can think of would be to get a RFU (a Remote Focus Unit) to use onstage or from an auxilary position.


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## 12yearoldlightingdesigner (Sep 28, 2004)

D....I mean "producer" HAVE YIU GONE NUTS?! Perform? You know what it costs! 

P.S. That word hasn't been added to my vocabulary yet...Remote focuse Unit...Definition please? :? Is it software based?


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## zac850 (Sep 28, 2004)

A remote focus unit is basically a smaller version of the light board. It has the keypad that the light board does. You can put this back stage, so you can, say, have light cue .3 go, which would warm up all the lights. Or you could use it to bring up a light without needing to go up to the booth.

There is also a wireless remote focus unit, from ETC. This would be the coolest thing in the world. It would be the same thing as a remote focus unit, but wireless. So you could take it up in the genie lift and turn the light on and off from right next to the instrument. Or you could be sitting in the audience and running the show by pushing the 'go' button. I don't know quite why you would want to do that, but it would be cool.


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## dj_illusions (Sep 28, 2004)

a focus remote is like a handheld controller for your lighting desk, they either plug into the end of your dmx chain or you run a line from a special port on the back of the desk, not sure with etc. they look like a phone keypad with a little screen, and you just type in what you want eg. ch 1- 14 @ 100 and it turns on channels 1-14 they can also run cues.

you can now use a pda or palm pilot with a wireless card in teh top, and the other end in the back of the desk and use that to control the desk, the pda option is great however very expensive, but you can now get generic rfu's which are only around 100-200bucks. however the desk manufactuer will charge an arm and a leg for one!

i know with strands, if you plug it into an existing computer network in the building, it will give you its IP address and you can go to any compuer on the network, run strand offline and punch in the ip and u can contorl ur desk! not sure if etc works the same, but worth looking into


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## 12yearoldlightingdesigner (Sep 28, 2004)

Thanks for that bit of information! Sounds cool!  But what I'm really looking for is somthing that can intagrate to the Express board with ETC net or serial and control it live or ofline. It would be neat to have somthing like this, but right now, I am just interested to see if there is such a product, not how much it costs. Thanks Everyone! I really enjoy other peoples opinion and learning about new cool stuff. You've been a great refrence!


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## dj_illusions (Sep 28, 2004)

dont know much about etc desks as we dont really have them here, u might stumble across one every now and then however it might be good to email their tech department and ask them what they would recommend for what you are trying to do. they probably have prefered programs and can point you in the right direction.


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## 12yearoldlightingdesigner (Sep 28, 2004)

Yes, A RFU would be a handy thing...and I will look in to them out of curiosity with ETC..keep me posted on the software control though! Thanks!


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## 12yearoldlightingdesigner (Sep 28, 2004)

Thaks - will try!


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## dj_illusions (Sep 28, 2004)

i know a guy that made his own rfu, looked pretty good too. he just got the metal case made up by whatever they call epople that make metal stuff and then just programmed a board and it just looked like a generic one really...


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## dvsDave (Sep 28, 2004)

that sound's cool, see if you can't get some digital pictures of it!


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## dj_illusions (Sep 28, 2004)

next time im in the venue that it is at ill take along my camera... he doesnt believe in buying stuff, he figures if someone else can make it so can he lol but i must say, some stuff turns out pretty dodgy!


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## 12yearoldlightingdesigner (Oct 3, 2004)

*Wow!*

Yes, if or when you get those photos...could you send me some via PM as well? Thanks!


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## nik (Oct 4, 2004)

the etc offline software is available from the website if u have the serial number of the desk and costs nothing, the hardware however isn't all that cheap


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## zac850 (Oct 4, 2004)

I saw that on the website. Where would I find the serial number of the desk? I haven't been able to find it, and I want to be able to update the software if/when needed (also, where would I find see the software version of the desk)? Its an Express 125 board.


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## avkid (Oct 4, 2004)

almost completely off topic, almost!! does anyone know if i could still get a remote for the colortran scenemaster series, if so where?

anyone?????


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## 12yearoldlightingdesigner (Oct 4, 2004)

What kind of ofline software can you get for free on the ETC site? I'm interested!


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## nik (Oct 4, 2004)

the etc site has "expression offline" which is an offline editor for most desks in the etc range, the serial number can probably be found on the back or bottom of the desk, or just slightly alter the example they give on the site to get in, it has worked for friends of mine before!


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## propmonkey (Oct 4, 2004)

this is off topic but does anyone know if i could add a generic network card(form like walmart for $15) in a strand 300 and newtwork it? we have a focus remote very handy when your the only one working on thie lights and you dont have the chance to run back to the booth. i wish i could get strand ole to work in xp.


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## Radman (Oct 9, 2004)

producer said:


> i could be drastically wrong, but sounds like you need Wysiwyg perform.



Could would probably be an understatement there :wink:


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