Emphasis: Can I still buy and is it worth it.

tomtpl said:

I have an Expression 3 board and I am looking for better ways to control moving lights. Will Emphasis help me, and does the visualization work well? Can I still buy one? Why did etc stop making it? Really new to the business and would love any input.

Emphasis was discontinued by ETC a few years ago and is no longer available as a new product.  It was a separate PC server that took over the console, which became essentially a button/fader box, or what ETC called a facepanel.  It used a version of Cast Software's WYSIWYG to provide additional visualization and functionality to the Express/ion OS.  It was not specifically designed to control moving lights, but was better then the more basic functions allowed by the basic console OS. 

The agreement ETC had with Cast expired 4 - 5 years ago ?, freezing the ability to run more recent versions of WYSIWYG beyond version 17, I believe.   As such, you would have no ability to update to more recent fixture profiles, which might well be an overwhelming issue. Gearsource has a used Emphasis server system available for $3,300 for an unknown channel version.  Not worth it in my mind

Having gone from an Express with Emphasis system, to an Ion system, I can state that the newer Eos/Ion OS is far, far superior as a control for ML's then Emphasis and would be money better spent.

Steve B.

Thank you very much that answers my question. I think I will leave the emphasis alone.

Tom

Thank you very much that answers my question. I think I will leave the emphasis alone.

Tom