stevep@galadriel.bt.co.uk (Steve Paine) (08/09/89)
I'VE GOT AN AMIGA 500! WOW! AMAZING! AAAAH! OK cut the cr*p, lets get down to it. I'm interested in using it as part of a mobile disco set-up, and i've got a few questions: - What sort of life expectancy can I expect from my Amiga if I subject it to a life of rough and tumble, and what can I do to increase it. (Apart from 'wrapping it in cotton wool'.) - Whats this I hear about a MIDI lighting standard. Does anyone have any info/ contacts that might help me? - Is there any soft/hardware produced specifically for Amiga/disco applications? (What about Video (titling etc), database applications, lighting, sampling.) - Are there any BPM thingies out there? (Something that will measure the beats/ min of a piece of music.) I know there's quite a lot to cover there, but at least it might stir a few discussions up. The MIDI lighting interests me a lot, it seems such a simple thing to implement, and with talk (re. a magazine i read last year) about MIDI info being put on CD's, it could be a real winner. Food for thought anyway! Thank in advance for any info. - Steve 'no signature' Paine.
dutchman@wpi.wpi.edu (the flying) (08/11/89)
In article <314@galadriel.bt.co.uk> stevep@galadriel.bt.co.uk (Steve Paine) writes: >I'VE GOT AN AMIGA 500! WOW! AMAZING! AAAAH! congratulations. they're good machines. >I'm interested in using it as part of a mobile disco set-up, and i've got a few questions: >Whats this I hear about a MIDI lighting standard. Does anyone have any info/ contacts that might help me? i don't know much about a MIDI lighting standard, but it seems that the boards use standard MIDI note on/note offs to control the lights. if anyone does have hard info, i'm interested as well. >Is there any soft/hardware produced specifically for Amiga/disco applications? i know of a couple sound programs that run on MIDI to control channels, levels, and equalization, but other than that i don't know. >Are there any BPM thingies out there? (Something that will measure the beats/ min of a piece of music.) yup. most take the bass beat (simple tunable pickup) and translate that into a BPM signal that can be sent out a variety of ways to control the lights. i'd suggest the magazine "Lighting Dimensions" to you to learn more about lighting. they do a lot of coverage of disco and rock lighting, and have lots of advertisers you can get info from. on kind of the same note, it appears to me that most MIDI boards use the standard transmission protocol. so it seems like any decent sequencing program could be used to control the lights, as well as the music, if the performer is using a sequencer. can anyone tell me yea or nay on this? jon jonathantdrummeyhimomdutchman@wpi.wpi.edu7979760box375fnordwpiworcester,ma01609
mgm@mercury.sybase.com (Michal G. McKenna) (08/12/89)
In article <314@galadriel.bt.co.uk> stevep@galadriel.bt.co.uk (Steve Paine) writes: > >- Whats this I hear about a MIDI lighting standard. Does anyone have > any info/contacts that might help me? > I'm heavily involved in multi-image (multiple projector shows synched to live or canned performances) and the only thing I'v seen is a MIDI to SMPTE converter where I can only use the clock pulses. It would be nice to have dissolve commands assigned to one channel on a MIDI line. So, I echo Steve's request for information about MIDI lighting interfaces. Thanx in advance! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Michael G. McKenna ** My opinions are always my own ** S/W Development, Sybase Inc. {mtxinu,sun,pyramid,pacbell,lll-tis}!sybase!mgm mgm@sybase.com
mark@xrtll.UUCP (Mark Vange) (08/18/89)
In article <314@galadriel.bt.co.uk>, stevep@galadriel.bt.co.uk (Steve Paine) writes: > - What sort of life expectancy can I expect from my Amiga if I subject it to a > life of rough and tumble, and what can I do to increase it. (Apart from 'wrapping it in cotton wool'.) Not very great, unfortunately. The best you can do is to get a 'road case' for the thing, and keep it nicely ventilated. However, on the road there is the inevitable cigarette smoke and spilled pop/beer, and that can kill. There is a company here in Toronto which makes custom road cases, and I can get you in touch with them, or find another like it somewhere else, but do get something. Make sure it's strong, on wheels, and large enough to hold everything you need (including monitor, so it's all nicely self contained!) > - Whats this I hear about a MIDI lighting standard. Does anyone have any info/ contacts that might help me? I have not heard about the lighting standard, however, there is a company called SUN (whose address I can track down if you're interested, but I haven't got it under hand right now) that manufacture a MIDI controlled lighting console. What these guys do is treat Note On commands as lighting instructions, and you can run your light show quite easily just like playing a keyboard! > > - Is there any soft/hardware produced specifically for Amiga/disco applications? > (What about Video (titling etc), database applications, lighting, sampling.) No 'Lighting' software is available right now as far as I know, though there is a Laser Display program. Databases and Video Titling are available at your local Amiga dealer with programs like Superbase (DB) and TV*TEXT for titling. If 8 bits of resolution are good enough for you, there are a number of samplers out there like Perfect Sound (the one I use) and good software to run it (AudioMaster) -- Mark Vange Phone Death Threats to: PAS Systems - "Plain and Simple" (416) 730-1352 mark@xrtll 8 Everingham Ct. North York "Every absurdity has a champion Ont, Canada M2M 2J5 to defend it." - Oliver Goldsmith
swan@jolnet.ORPK.IL.US (Joel Swan) (08/21/89)
>In article <314@galadriel.bt.co.uk>, stevep@galadriel.bt.co.uk (Steve Paine) writes: > - What sort of life expectancy can I expect from my Amiga if I subject it to a > life of rough and tumble, and what can I do to increase it. (Apart from 'wrapping it in cotton wool'.) . I think there is a company called RGB Video that makes (or retro-fits to be more precise) A2000's to be rack mountable. They add rack ears and put Amy on a metal sliding tray with the usual rack handles on the front of her. I imagine this configuration mounted inside a sturdy Star Case may last for a while if it didn't get beat around too much. Still, knowing how audio gear gets bashed around, I wouldn't count on it if the gig was more than 1 block away :-(. Personal computers and audio/lighting racks weren't made to be treated the same. Still, you could carry the amiga around in a big guitar or chello case. It might get handled more gently that way ;-). -- - Joel E. Swan [ swan@jolnet.UUCP <> PLINK ID: Amiga*joel ] [ "Amigas.... for the rest of us." <> CI$ : 74746,3240 ] [ "...peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 5:8 ]
dts@quad.uucp (David T. Sandberg) (08/23/89)
In article <3510@wpi.wpi.edu> dutchman@wpi.wpi.edu (the flying) writes: >In article <314@galadriel.bt.co.uk> stevep@galadriel.bt.co.uk (Steve Paine) writes: >>I'm interested in using it as part of a mobile disco set-up, and i've got a few questions: >>Whats this I hear about a MIDI lighting standard. Does anyone have any info/ contacts that might help me? I'd ask my roommate to post some specifics on this kind of thing, since he's very knowledgeable about this, but right now he's on tour, doing lights for The Jets. Maybe when he gets back for a few days this next week I'll be able to convince him to post some data. >i don't know much about a MIDI lighting standard, but it seems that >the boards use standard MIDI note on/note offs to control the lights. And quite often they use velocity information to control the faders, as well, I'm told. >if anyone does have hard info, i'm interested as well. >>Is there any soft/hardware produced specifically for Amiga/disco applications? >i know of a couple sound programs that run on MIDI to control >channels, levels, and equalization, but other than that i don't know. I don't think that you need worry about Amiga-specific hardware for your lighting application. You've got the MIDI out already... any decent Amiga sequencer will do (don't ask me which are decent, I don't have an Amiga). What you need is some kind of MIDI-compatible lighting board. >>Are there any BPM thingies out there? (Something that will measure the beats/ min of a piece of music.) > >yup. most take the bass beat (simple tunable pickup) and translate >that into a BPM signal that can be sent out a variety of ways to >control the lights. "Human clocks" are notorious for their inaccuracies, though. Perhaps a few years down the line the technology will be mastered, but not yet. If you have the wherewithal to do so, you're better off using a multiple track tape playback with MIDI or SMPTE time code laid down alongside the music, and slave your lighting sequencer off of that. >i'd suggest the magazine "Lighting Dimensions" to you to learn more >about lighting. they do a lot of coverage of disco and rock lighting, >and have lots of advertisers you can get info from. I second that suggestion... it's a good source of information. Also, it won't hurt to talk to companies which manufacture and sell lighting equipment... most of them should be able to provide you with specifics about any MIDI equipment they sell. >on kind of the same note, it appears to me that most MIDI boards use >the standard transmission protocol. so it seems like any decent >sequencing program could be used to control the lights, as well as the >music, if the performer is using a sequencer. can anyone tell me yea >or nay on this? Generally, yes. If the lighting board is delivered MIDI-capable, it's really a very simple manner, by everything I've seen about it. The main thing to consider is that your sequencer has the tracks available to separate your lighting data in a sensible fashion. -- David Sandberg - Quadric Systems "Strike Hard, Strike Sure" PSEUDO: dts@quad.uucp Bomber Command, R.A.F. ACTUAL: ..uunet!rosevax!sialis!quad!dts
mwallace@zaphod.axion.bt.co.uk (Malcolm Wallace) (08/25/89)
From article <240@quad.uucp>, by dts@quad.uucp (David T. Sandberg): > In article <3510@wpi.wpi.edu> dutchman@wpi.wpi.edu (the flying) writes: >>In article <314@galadriel.bt.co.uk> stevep@galadriel.bt.co.uk (Steve Paine) writes: >>>I'm interested in using it as part of a mobile disco set-up, and i've got a few questions: >>>Whats this I hear about a MIDI lighting standard. Does anyone have any info/ contacts that might help me? > >>i don't know much about a MIDI lighting standard, but it seems that >>the boards use standard MIDI note on/note offs to control the lights. > >>if anyone does have hard info, i'm interested as well. > I came across an advert for just this kind of application. The product is called `MIDI LITE'. Quote: Trigger lights under MIDI control from a spare sequencer channel or MIDI keyboard. 8/16 channels at 390Watts per channel. Variable `ON' time and sequenced patterns under MIDI clock or note control. From: Groove Electronics Unit 30A Barnack Industrial Centre Kingsway Trading Estate Wilton Wiltshire SP2 6AW United Kingdom + 44 722 743712 Disclaimer: I have no connection with Groove electronics, and nor does the company I work for. Hope this information is some help. -Malc. ///-- Malcolm Wallace \\\\\\ ///^ ^\\\ RT3121 British Telecom Research > \\\\\\ /// L \\ Martlesham Heath, IPSWICH IP5 7RE C U\\\\ /// \_~_/ ||\ (0473) 642690 "= " \|||| ||| "|||" ||| """ //\\\ /// " \\\ mwallace@uk.co.bt.axion ||\\\\
bear@bucsb.UUCP (Blair M. Burtan) (08/28/89)
If you have access to a projection TV, you may want to get the Visual Aurals Mindlight 7. This is a k-scope type device that does things on the screen to audio inputs. It's quite complex in the amount of features, one of which is MIDI imbedded software. It's expensive but people like it. I've used it in a fashion show and people were impressed. - Bear -- ----------- Signature Version 0.5 (aka Fine, be that way. )----------------- bear@bucsb.bu.edu bear@bucsf.bu.edu bear@buengf.bu.edu bear@bu-pub.bu.edu enge05c@buacca.bu.edu (Short enough for you?)