Best budget DMX Controllers?

[Jason Hollar]

Hey all you lighting cats. DMX noob here.

I need a cool "centerpiece" LED dance light and want full control over all its colors, speeds, strobe, audio sync, blackout, etc., on a compact light board -- no software.

The rig has to be compact and affordable (under $500).

My question is about compatibility -- I understand that DMX is supposed to be universal but do these typical products actually work well together on the gig? Once programmed, do the boards keep the settings intact?

American DJ Revo series or Dekker style, etc., with Elation DMX Controller?

- or -

Chauvet Vue series / or Kinta X style, etc. with Obey 8 or 10?


Every light seems to advertise a different feature set including DMX channels & functions -- so I'm a little confused.

Thanks so much, any advice from the field is greatly appreciated.

J

[Rickett Customs]

Elation, Not a bad "bang for the buck" either:

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com...ELAID=26049972

[Jason Hollar]

I'm thinking maybe a Chauvet Obey 10? Anybody use one of these?

[Jason Hollar]

Just bumpin' this to find out what people are using 'round here.

Best budget DMX controller with LED "centerpiece" style lights...thanks.

[jive1]

You can get a USB to DMX adapter and then use free software like Freestyler to program and control the lights.

[Jason Hollar]

Hey thanks -- that software looks really cool. I realize software is the way to go for serious lighting applications -- but I don't want to spend a coupla hundred bux on a decent DMX-USB interface -- and several hundred more on a second computer.

I'm really trying to find out if anybody here has experience using the readily availble (and cheap!) light boards from Chauvet or Elation, etc.

It would be great to know if these relatively inexpensive boards work well on the gig or if they are pieces of junk not to be trusted.

I just want to have control over a few centerpiece lights and a coupla LED wash lights for some of the events we do.

[Jason Hollar]

Hey - wanted to follow up in case anybody was interested...

Bought the Obey 10 in July. Initial gig results good.

Using it with a Chauvet Vue 6.1 - six channel DMX fixture.

Plan to add some slim par led wash lights soon.

[Fireflydj]

You should check out the Chauvet Colorstrip and the Chauvet Color palette, they work as washes or as effect lighting, as well as strobe effects. Cheap but useful lights with a lot of light!