Express to Emphasis 'conversion'

Emphasis was essentially a server add-on to the Express, Insight II/III and Expression II/II series consoles, that added ton's of additional channels, better control of moving lights, added some functionality to the submasters and assorted other capabilities, and - if you can get it, some older WYSIWYG software for pre-viz capability, as well as the Emphasis off-line editor that would replace, or compliment the Expresion OLE.  When sold as new from the factory, you got a basic Report WYSIWYG software package bundled with Remote Virtual Facepanel for Emphasis, which allowed a PC/laptop to serve as a console remote. 

In operation, you connected the console the the sever via the consoles Cat5 connection and booted the console (in your case the Express 24/96) as a "Facepanel" to the Emphasis server, which essentially meant that the console processing was taken over by the Emphasis computer.  NOT everything was taken over, however, as the console primary display was still out of the back of the console, so you still only had the basic Express display, plus an additional display of the Emphasis WYSIWYG data on a 2nd monitor.  There were also things like the RFU still connecting via the RFU port on the console, etc... 

As ETC no longer manufactures the Emphasis system, you can search for a used system.  I recently saw 2 such Emphasis systems on usedlighting.com.  The big question is what of the accessories that came as new are being sold with the used system, and how functional is any of this too you ?.  One major stumbling block would be getting the WYSWIG section to function as the license between CAST Software (makers of WYSIWYG) and ETC expired about 4 years ago.  Emphasis could support up to WYG 17, but can you get it ?.

The question I ask, is what does Emphasis add that is critical to your needs ?.

Steve B.

Brooklyn College

Thank you for the reply, Steve.  None of this is _critical_, but what we are looking for is for some method of remote control of the studio lighting via a computer.  An ethernet attached DMX encoder and some sort of computer control software would work as well, but it would be beneficial to be able to make subs and/or cues on the machine that can easily be ported to the console that controls the studio.

Thank you,

Eric

Thank you for the reply, Steve.  None of this is _critical_, but what we are looking for is for some method of remote control of the studio lighting via a computer.  An ethernet attached DMX encoder and some sort of computer control software would work as well, but it would be beneficial to be able to make subs and/or cues on the machine that can easily be ported to the console that controls the studio.

Thank you,

Eric

A laptop connected via Cat5 to the Emphasis server, with Remote Virtual Facepanel on the laptop would work, as you essentially get the Emphasis Off-Line software Live and can thus record and call up subs, groups, cues, etc... from the laptop.  You can get fancy and do it via WiFi, but that might take some help from ETC Tech Support to get configured.  You also have to really, really know all the parts you need to get this working, including the WYSIWYG dongle, the assorted correct WYSIWYG software, Emphasis Off-Line, the boot to facepanel floppy disk, etc...  some of which may or may not be problematic to get in a used purchase.

And not for 'nuthin, but by the time you go the Emphasis route, and sit a laptop out on the deck, why not just make a rolling cart for the Express and get a long DMX cable and roll it around the studio ?.  Or maybe use an RC4 or City Theatrical DMX Wireless system to get DMX back to the dimmers ?.  Just asking.

Steve B.