Ready… GO

Welcome to the MDG Atmosphere APS haze generator. This short video serves as an introduction to the product and shows how easy it is to change the CO2 canister. The MDG Atmosphere is used world wide in theatre, concert touring and in professional installations.

This time we’re talking about priority levels when you have multiple playbacks and how to determine which will win. There are two general rules that most consoles will follow: HTP (Highest Takes Precedence) and LTP (Latest Takes Precedence). We’re also having drunken gummi bears… which are always full of win.

In episode 4, we try to clear up some of the confusion about Parameter Calculation on the console. The grandMA console calculates DMX output by Parameters – NOT channels like most other consoles. This video explains the difference; how this affects your install; and why it’s so useful. This is consistently one of the more confusing aspects of the console – but we hope this video will help.

ACT Lighting’s VP of Sales, Brian Dowd, talks to Justin Lang (isquint.net) about the GrandMA 2. Brian discusses where the console is being used and where it’s going.

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ACT Lighting’s Director of Software Support and Development, Joe Cabrera, sits down with Justin Lang from iSquint.net to talk about what’s different with the grandMA 2 console hardware and software. This interview is part of a longer audio podcast which is forthcoming from iSquint.net. Once the full podcast is posted, I’ll be sure to add it to this blog.

Bob Bonniol presents a “highly detailed” tour of the ACT Lighting booth at LDI 2009.

ACT Lighting, along with MA Lighting, were proud sponsors of this year’s Live Design Projection Master Classes at LDI. Led by projection and lighting designer Bob Bonniol, the Master Class’s goal is to join video pioneers with creative thinkers in a two day seminar. I spoke with one of the attendess, LD Jon Griffin, to get his response on the sessions.

You may have already seen a couple of these videos floating around the internet, or perhaps you’ve heard about them on the LightNetwork or on our Facebook page. Beginning in October, ACT Lighting began sponsoring a new educational series called Console Cocktails. The series was inspired by the lighting and console related questions being asked on Twitter.

The hosts and producers of Console Cocktails are Joe Cabrera and Cat West. Joe is ACT Lighting’s Director of Software and Support, while Cat is a freelance programmer. Both Joe and Cat offer grandMA training classes at ACT Lighting. Console operators will probably also recognize their voices from years of technical support that they’ve both offered on various console platforms.

While trying to offer easy to understand answers to sometimes complex questions, Joe and Cat are usually seen drinking some sort of lighting inspired cocktail creation. They’re more than happy to share their recipes with you. Try the grandMAr2ni. You’ll like it.

This question and answer series only works if you get involved and ask something. Please send any of your lighting or programming related questions and there’s a really good chance that you’ll see a video answer! You can post a question as a comment to this Blog entry, or as a comment on any of the YouTube Console Cocktail videos that you can find on our Youtube page. Alternatively, you can also use this handy form.

Below is Episide #1 – it’s all about setting up a busking style showfile. Cheers!

Rene answers Bob Bonniol’s question about the place of video programming, and how it has affected the thinking of control in the MA series of consoles. This excerpt comes from a panel at LDI2009’s LIVE DESIGN Projection Master Class.

Oliver from MA Lighting takes us through the hardware differences between the grandMA Series 1 and Series 2 Consoles. This is a great introduction if you’re new to the Series 2 line.