Author Topic: 8 channel express?  (Read 7182 times)

Offline Blackbeard

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8 channel express?
« on: October 30, 2009, »
RJ,
It's kinda off the wall thinking, but do you think you might ever design an 8 channel LE board. I'm sure I could just use a 16 channel LE, but what a waste of the other 8 channels. The price might not be that much different from the normal LE either. And the way you've designed the wireless, I think I could use about anybody's 8 channel DMX, but I'd kinda like to stay with the same family.

I'm pretty certain you have all sorts of free time, especially at this time of year! ;)

Just wondering - it's no big deal.

Offline tbone321

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Re: 8 channel express?
« Reply #1 on: October 30, 2009, »
I was about to suggest the same thing.  I can think of quite a few areas where I need 6 to eight channels.  I was also wondering if there is a possibility of a high output SSR4.  Perhaps this 8 channel express could also be designed as a high output unit.
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Offline ThaiWay

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Re: 8 channel express?
« Reply #2 on: October 30, 2009, »
I can't imagine ever "wasting" eight channels LOL!

John
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John

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Offline RJ

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Re: 8 channel express?
« Reply #3 on: October 30, 2009, »
Would it be worth just a $10 or so savings to drop to a 8 channel unit? all the other stuff would still be needed.

RJ
Innovation beats imitation - and it's more satisfying

Offline tbone321

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Re: 8 channel express?
« Reply #4 on: October 31, 2009, »
I can't speak for others but for me it's more a matter of holes in my channels.  If I have to use 5 express units in these situations where I'm only using half of the channels on each unit then I have 5 eight channel holes in my sequence and in that case it would also cost me $50 for nothing. 
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Offline Blackbeard

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Re: 8 channel express?
« Reply #5 on: October 31, 2009, »
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I can't speak for others but for me it's more a matter of holes in my channels.  If I have to use 5 express units in these situations where I'm only using half of the channels on each unit then I have 5 eight channel holes in my sequence and in that case it would also cost me $50 for nothing. 

That's kinda what I was thinking but just couldn't put into words. I'm so glad you expressed it in terms I never seemed to be able to do so myself.

On the other hand, I'll never have 512 channels that I'm using, so holes don't really matter that much to me.

I realized that the price difference would be small for a populated board, but perhaps a smaller enclosure, less power cords, and maybe some things else I hadn't thought about might actually push the savings closer to $20. To use the extra channels on the normal LE might require longer power cables to reach the place where the lights are located, so there's another savings. The cost per channel would be greater with smaller controllers, but the cost of using all channels on all boards may make the cost even out a little.

It's no big deal one way or another, but I'd like to hang an 8 channel controller on the frame of my 5 to 8 channel medium size tree, and that's what brought this all to mind.

Thanks for any thought you might have put into this, and, like I said, I'm OK with it if it never comes to fruition for whatever reasons.

steve


Offline RJ

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Re: 8 channel express?
« Reply #6 on: October 31, 2009, »
Well it is worth thinking about. I can say for sure it would not happen this year. We have been talking about a 32 channel Express so just heading the other way in this case.

RJ
Innovation beats imitation - and it's more satisfying

Offline knguyen916

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Re: 8 channel express?
« Reply #7 on: October 31, 2009, »
fyi - you can rename your channels as well as reorganize your channels in vixen. Therefore, you wouldn't really have holes if you organized the channels in vixen and moved hte empty ones to the bottom of your sequence.

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I can't speak for others but for me it's more a matter of holes in my channels.  If I have to use 5 express units in these situations where I'm only using half of the channels on each unit then I have 5 eight channel holes in my sequence and in that case it would also cost me $50 for nothing. 

Offline Kwajtony

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Re: 8 channel express?
« Reply #8 on: October 31, 2009, »
Just curious, but how many channels do you normally use on your arches, about 5?   An arch with 8 segments, I'm liking the idea.
R,
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Offline jnealand

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Re: 8 channel express?
« Reply #9 on: October 31, 2009, »
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Just curious, but how many channels do you normally use on your arches, about 5?   An arch with 8 segments, I'm liking the idea.

But two arches adjacent to each other with 8 segments each makes a 16 channel unit right at the junction of the arches work really great.
Jim Nealand
Kennesaw, GA

Offline kylec

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Re: 8 channel express?
« Reply #10 on: October 31, 2009, »
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fyi - you can rename your channels as well as reorganize your channels in vixen. Therefore, you wouldn't really have holes if you organized the channels in vixen and moved hte empty ones to the bottom of your sequence.

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I can't speak for others but for me it's more a matter of holes in my channels.  If I have to use 5 express units in these situations where I'm only using half of the channels on each unit then I have 5 eight channel holes in my sequence and in that case it would also cost me $50 for nothing. 

Since we are using DMX, the controllers can be overlapped too.  Just because the first LE is set to channel 1 doesn't mean that LE #2 has to be set to channel 17, it could be set to channel 9.
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Offline wbbb1

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Re: 8 channel express?
« Reply #11 on: October 31, 2009, »
What about a wireless 16 channel Express with additional 16 channels of SSR's for a total of 32 channels? Then you get the best of both worlds. The question RJ or thw two of them compatable with each other or would that just drive up the cost. Thanks, just me 2 bits worth!

Offline RJ

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Re: 8 channel express?
« Reply #12 on: October 31, 2009, »
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What about a wireless 16 channel Express with additional 16 channels of SSR's for a total of 32 channels? Then you get the best of both worlds. The question RJ or thw two of them compatable with each other or would that just drive up the cost. Thanks, just me 2 bits worth!

I guess I am not sure what you are asking for? can you explain a little more.

RJ
Innovation beats imitation - and it's more satisfying

Offline Blackbeard

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Re: 8 channel express?
« Reply #13 on: October 31, 2009, »
Since I haven't put up my first display yet, and probably won't get it done this year, I'd have to defer to the people who have experience with all of this, but I'm sure almost all cases are different. I can see using a 16 channel controller between two 8 channel arches, but if they aren't real close, you start getting into long power cords. I like the 32 channel controller for a mega tree although I can't imagine what type of enclosure it would use. Those holes for the power cords on the CG-1500 are pretty tight already.

RJ, you have one of the best designs around. I like having curves for differing types of lights. I'd really like have the same piece of software to configure and test all 3 (getting ahead of myself here) capacity controllers. And I like the wireless concept. I'd just like to have them all under one umbrella, so to speak.

Keep up the great work.

steve

Offline golights

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Re: 8 channel express?
« Reply #14 on: November 02, 2009, »
I like the idea of a 32 channel express.  Finer control of my displays.  I would like to be able to control each bulb in some of the smaller displays I am putting together.  Also instead of just one color I could run multiple colors.  This would also keep the cost down.  It wouldn't need to have as high a current rating per channel as the 16 channel express.  Now if you could build a 128 channel mr16 that would be the bomb.