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    mikeg7
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Express 48/96 console/computer

I am the lighting designer for a local non-profit theater group here in Corona, CA.

We are currently using the Express 48/96 lighting board for our shows.

We rent the use of the theater and equipment from the city of Corona. We have been using the lighting board and SmartPack dimmers for about 7 years now.

The city really doesn't keep up on the maintenance of the equipment, or software upgrades. One of the power cubes in the dimmer pack is going out, and a couple others are not far behind.

The booth is located high up in the back of the theater, and I can't see all that goes on, on the stage. The city won't let me move the board to the house to program the show cues.

At home and on my laptop I have installed and use the Expression Offline 3.11 software for the 48/96.

Is there any way to purchase a dongle or other hardware piece to allow me to connect my computer to the dimmers.  I would like to be able to use my computer in the house of the theater for programming purposes, then transfer the show file using the floppy disc to the 48/96 board to run the shows.

Or....

Does ETC make a computer based lighting control system I could use?

Thanks for any help you could give.

  • Hello there,

    Unfortunately there is not any PC based lighting control that ETC can offer you to program the Express / Expression line of control desks nor is there any option of connecting you PC to the Express in the booth.

    You say the city will not let you move the board. Will they let you bring in another board to use in the house? I'm thinking that maybe you can do a very short term rental of an Express to do the 'tweaks' that you need after putting a lot of the show into the off-line program. You can also try to get a 'board op' and then you can sit in the house to do the cueing.  

    I have run into similar situations in the past but have always been able to negotiate with the local TD who is often a teaching at the high school which the city uses as a PAC. I do understand that one is often stopped from doing it the right way by people who have little understanding of what is being done.

    Best of luck to you

    Mike Meskill

    European Service Manager, ETC

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