i just thougth i bring the topic back to top, so the discussion will go on... it's interesting to witness the birth of a new desk (which might or might not yet exist)...
as a theatre lighty: it needs a keypad, the mentioned user-definable faders need to be able to limit htp outputs, reduction as avo calls it, or topset as u used to call it on older desks.
the user-definable buttons need to be able to execute makros. the makro-language should be able to change the content of the userdefinable faders, so if in the first part of a performance i need 10 different faders, than in the 2nd part, i will press one of those user-defined button to execute makro F5 or whatever and the 10 submasters will be cleared and the new content is set up.
and what about a wheel for the brightness parameter? a wheel or a ribbon fader (like maxxyz), just something fast-responding and infinite, where moving up means increase, and down decrease. in connection with a keypad, it's a very powerful instrument.
yeah, i know theatre light is an own world, but working there for some time with in my eyes the most powerful lighting desks (transtechnik), u don't want to miss those features....
then i guess, i don't have to mention, that ltp-programming down to the deepest level is an absolute must. naming the dmx-levels (like gobo1) in the library would help.
when u think about those userdefinable faders, where we could control a single dmx-channel, e.g. the colour wheel, i think it would be a nice option to limit the dmx-values to some range. fader to 0% means dmx 52 and fader to 100% equals dmx 223, so the values from dmx 0-51 and 224-255 could not be given out by this fader. maybe there is a strobe function in this regions, which i don't want to trigger by mistake...
and when u talk about touchscreens, that makes me think of the OS. if u think about a micro$oft solution, or anything else, that needs minutes to start, what about an USV? just 10mins of power, for the case of powerloss, or a curcuit breaker doin it's job... because 3 mins of darkness on stage, while the desk is starting up, is too much ;-)
i realize i keep jumping around in different subjects, but i have a creative moment right now, so i wont stop now *g*
i don't know if you plan to release in the new frog series just one type of desk or different sizes or different functions (where shakespeare frog would be the theatre type, and another fancy name for the live version). ever thought of a modular system? a central unit, maybe 19", a cube or whatever with all outputs like vga, dmx, ethernet, keyboard, mouse, whatever. and inputs for different "user intefaces". a playback wing, a theatre wing, a programmer part etc. i tihnk u get the idea...
now, let me think if i should add something else to my monster post.
oh yes. i know it's prolly a problem of processor capacity, but what about a powerful dmx in? it could have various functions: signal input to record scenes from a different desk, triggering the desk (like a powerful remote), or even signal merging...
so, now i think it's enough, this should keep marketing and R+D busy for some time.
i'm curious, what u guys think about that...
greetz from switzerland
felix