Posts Tagged ‘Lighting Controls’

ETC’s Ion Lighting Controller

// September 14th, 2009 // No Comments » // Stage Design, Thoughts

ETC's Ion
I know I know, if consistency is the key to keeping a successful blog then I fail.  It’s ok though, even though it may be a helpful thing to some, it falls behind my daily responsibilities here at Blue Ridge Community Church.  I have at least 3 big things to write about, including 2 new stage designs but today I’ll be writing about ETC’s Ion console.

For several years now we’ve been facing challenges within our lighting team.  Volunteer programmers would have trouble performing certain tasks with our old Leprecon LPX-48x controller. Basic tasks such as editing a cue live or moving cues around within the cue list were cumbersome for volunteers.  As I began moving towards these issues I realized that it wasn’t a people problem as much as it was a hardware problem.  Enter the ETC Ion.  It has replaced our Leprecon LPX48.  The Leprecon controller wasn’t a horrible controller and it does have it’s place in the industry, but it did use syntax and workflow that didn’t make it as easy for the weekend warrior volunteers who serve at Blue Ridge.  Simple changes of service became a big issue, no one could make a blind edit with confidence, and not to mention a mysterious problem with our house lights where we would lose control and have to manually reset the dimmers.

The Ion solved many problems for us.  Here’s a list:

1. Undo – my oh my, the simple pleasures.  One tiny mistake while editing can cost a programmer but this great feature has proven it’s worth.  It also keeps a history log of commands entered.  This is helpful from a directors stand point when a programmer says, “The console isn’t doing what it’s supposed to do!”  So, “Let’s see what we told it to do.”

2. On Board Learning – forgot what a command key does or how to use it?  The console will tell you!

3. Networkable – I can save tens of hours every stage change, hundreds of hours every year by controlling the console from my laptop from stage wirelessly.  It came with the network dongle allowing my laptop to become a Primary controller.  I still have a few issues to resolve with this feature…looks like Macs don’t play as friendly with ETC but I haven’t explored the latest firmware and editor updates…we’ll see!

4. iPhone – yes, you can control it via iPhone – iTunes App

5. Expandable – add multiple fader wings for up to 240 programmable faders.

I don’t know if the ‘perfect’ lighting console exists (some say it was the MicrovisionFX) but I can say with utter confidence that going with the Ion was a giant leap in the right direction for us.  Even our beginner volunteer programmer has picked it up and can edit with a level on confidence that comes more quickly than it ever has before!