Fat frog needs more fixtures.

[John_Schlick]

When using this desk on things like Trackspots that only use 7 dmx channels, it's conceivable that I could run 50 or so off of one DMX universe. While this might seem extreme, this desk is low cost so you can expect people that buy it to have low cost fixtures...

 

Can we "bank select" the fixtures (maybe via the unused F3 button) to go from 12 fixtures to 24. This would make a big difference in the usability of this desk for club takeovers. (I had 11 peices of automation, and couldn't take over anything when on my last tour with this desk. That meant that I had to run this desk as well as a house desk... ick.)

[K-Nine]

This is why we developed the Leap Frog (24 fixtures) and the Mambo Frog (96 fixtures) desks in the series

 

Both of these desks are the same physical size as the fat frog but are designed to handle more moving light fixtures.

[John_Schlick]

the band I work for owns a fat frog. and they have maxed out the number of fixtures...

 

By saying that you have developed new desks, ae you telling me that the processor inside can't handle additional fixtures? I can't beleive this, as the DMX protocol needs to get spit out for every channel, so it's got to be fast enough for that. are you telling me that the update for automated fixtures would slow down by processing those additional fixtures? I can't beleive that either as you already process 12 fixtures some of which can take as many as 24 dmx channels, so at that point you are handeling 260 channels of automation in your update cycle...

 

Are you saying that if you upgrade this board that we won't buy a new one? thats probably true. And, as business, that is a statement that would make sense. So add this functionality to your software codebase, and charge for that upgrade. make it less than what we have to spend to sell this desk and buy the bigger one. In fact, I'd take the bet that there are those out there that have maxed the board, and want this. I'll make you a deal. I'll write the software for you for the upgrade, and you share profits on any sale of that version with me. (I'm assuming that you have a common codebase for your desks here, and that you use a programming language that allows you to enable and disable features at compile time via compilation directives. This way, we write it into the same source code and it just lives there thru all the other edits.) (In fact, if you have a common codebase, I'll bet that a few minor tweaks and a new compilation would give you this functionality on the fat frog.)

 

Besides, in this day and age, with everyone buying as many fixtures as possible, you may want to allow for expansion of the OTHER desks as well...

[Haytech]

Sorry to interfere I like the desks as they are - disregarding some little points zero is working on so it is not recommended of many of its users that a desk it is made for using 12 fixtures enables you to use i.e. 48 fixtures by putting another software on it - I think there is a little less infrastucture in it.

Try to mirror your DMX addresses then you can use more than 12 fixtures

i.e. first one gets 1 next one gets 8 next one gets 1 next one 8 and so on.

 

regards Sebastian

[NZ]

Hi John

 

Thank you for the many posts suggesting new features. I will go through most of them but as a first statement of fact I would like to remind everyone that the desk is made and sold for a budget. That means that it has limited features. Some of the features that you are asking us to implement on this product are not found on desks that cost considerably more and are aimed at a much higher end user base.

 

As to adding more fixtures... the desk has a fixed number of buttons. The Fat Frog is designed to run 12 movers. It is not really relevant if the processor can handle more or not. The spec of the desk is clear, 48 faders and 12 fixtures. We make other consoles with different specs. I hate to be pedantic but we are in business to make money, simply making the software adaptable so you can put 48 fixtures on a Fat Frog is not a good business decision. Secondly simply adding fixtures will never be enough. It quickly leads to requests for other features that will mean the range will no longer adhere to the philosophy behind it.

 

As to selling software upgrades, this is always difficult. We have prided ourselves on giving away software. If we sell upgrades we run an aweful risk of having consoles in the market that are running different versions which can be confusing to Designers and operators running rental products. I do not favour this as a path.

 

Finally there is a way to get more fixtures out of a Fat Frog it is not ideal but does work. Write a fixture, for instance a Trackspot, that is actually 2 units. You have to page through color and beam and position but it does work. You would also need to patch them properly.

[Laubfrosch]

Hi John,

 

hmm.....your statement sounds a little bit weird to me. The Frog range is designed for different uses. All types are working with the same software. The only limitations are on the hardware. If the band you are working with has decided to purchase a FAT even knowing the other Frog desks..... Sorry! Otherwise try a deal with the store the desk was bought.

 

Please, never forget relationships between features and money!!!!

You won´t tune a trumpet to a guitar, will ya?!!!

 

 

regards

 

Sven