Advantages and Disadvantages of 4 Kinds of Lighting Consoles

Which stage lighting console is popular now? Which lighting console is the future trend? How stable is it? Will it crash? Is it good to learn? There are many questions for some stage lighting designers.
Here I talk about my personal views and please forgive me for any shortcomings.

1. Tiger touch console

Advantage of Tiger touch console
• The new digital control console inherits the advantages of the pearl series control console and adds many powerful features;
• Small, light and flexible, the first choice for mobile performances;
• The stand-alone DMX512 port can be expanded by 64, and low-cost can be expanded by 12, which is currently one of the consoles with the largest number of low-cost expansion output;
• The cost is relatively low, and after its localization, it is more popularized;
• The touch screen operation is very intuitive, concise and efficient;
• The official built-in multi-language, original Chinese menu, is more conducive to novices;
• Simple button-type library window, very flexible, convenient and easy to use;
• Mainstream professional lighting network protocols Art-Net, sACN, eDMX are fully supported!
• Unparalleled handwriting graffiti drawing board function, let you mark the program extremely convenient and fast!
• Pusher-type page-turning actuators, fixed actuators, and button actuators are indeed very convenient and reduce the chance of pushing errors;
• It has most of the functions of the global professional lighting console, MIDI, SMTPE, Winamp music synchronization, built-in graphics library, CITP protocol, pixel mapper, mobile phone WI-FI control, built-in 3D software, channel attribute editor, palette, Network backup, software upgrades...and even browse the Internet, watch movies, play games

Disadvantages of Tiger touch console
• Extend a 15.4 touch screen on the left side of the console, and then expand 10-15 page-turning faders, and set 8 DMX ports on the console itself, which is great! (Personal thought, haha)
• If the simulator software can open two ports without sending random garbled characters, it will be even better! Will accelerate the popularity of this system;
• The time code can only record Cuelist type programs, it is more convenient if Cue and Chase are added;
• The lamp library cannot be read in real-time. If the lamp library is placed, the software needs to be restarted to read;
• The USB port is mainly concentrated on the back of the console, but not on the front or side, which is inconvenient to use;
• The storage buttons in the work area seem to be a little bit less, but 12 are almost enough.

2. Pearl console

Advantage of Pearl console
• One of the earliest professional stage lighting control consoles that entered China, and the lighting control console that is currently the most used in China, is also the world's largest sales console series of Avnet.
• The operation is simple and the function is powerful, and most people will use it in China, making it a target for some domestic manufacturers to imitate.
• The lamphouse has the most abundant resources, and the people who can make pearl lamp houses are the most.
• A fixed operation mode, there will be one model, other models of the same series will be too!
• The cost is relatively low. After the localization, it has promoted its popularity and has basically become the standard in the performance industry.
• Good stability can meet the test of various professional performances.
• The ability to make such a powerful lighting control console with the old single-chip program is indispensable! Pay tribute to Avolites here!

Disadvantages of Pearl console
• Because it is an analog console, the DMX output port is not expandable, and only the standard 2048 channel can be used.
• The operation interface is not intuitive enough to identify the operation status by the status of the LED indicator.
• A single language model is not conducive to novice learning.
• The saved program does not have a move function, and the program cannot be inserted between the Cue of the putter.
• The MIDI function is defective, and the input time code signal is often not found, as is the imported console.

3. Grand MA2 console

Advantage of Grand MA2 console

• The console of the German MA company is well promoted in the world, and its popularity is very high.
• It can be said that it is the most powerful and powerful console in the world.
• Considering more for large-scale or super-large performances, multi-user operation, and networking, the timely backup function is very powerful.
• A lot of DMX output expansion capabilities, a maximum of 256 DMX lines.
• Linux operating system, software stability is better.
• The flexibility of the system is very strong, most operations can be customized according to their own habits.
• According to different needs, different models are available.
• After localization, the relative cost is much lower.
• There are more professional lighting network protocols supported, and the official software upgrades faster.
• Free use of independent line style and real 3D software.
• Automatic creation, import, and export, divergence function, MA skills, pool window, layout window, setting window, backup window, etc. are easier to use.
• The brand-new operation mode and use method are more convenient to use in the future.

Disadvantages of Grand MA2 console
• Powerful, but some operations are too complicated, the software interface is not friendly enough, giving people a dense feeling.
• Lighting designers who are accustomed to Avolites console, the transition to MA2 may take a long time to adapt to this system.
• The setting and naming of the program are not intuitive enough, the setting is cumbersome, and a few characters cannot be displayed. It is better to open the actuator data table during the performance.
• There is only one language system, which is not conducive to novice entry, and there are a lot of abbreviations of words, brothers with bad English have a headache.
• A large number of grammars, instructions, operation sequences, macros, professional terminology, English abbreviations, etc. need to be learned, understood, memorized, and it is a bit difficult to master it.
• The official online help document is very nonsense, which is convenient for you to write, but it makes the novices who learn MA around the world scold the mother. The same function is written in different places. It is simply messy and there are many wrong words. It is very difficult to learn.
• All the parameter settings in the table must be edited or right-clicked. The selection and adjustment of the lamp attribute parameters must always be clicked, dragged, clicked, the arrangement of the wheel parameters, the way to close some windows... etc. People feel that the simplicity of operation needs to be improved, and they should really learn from the flying pig or tiger touch console.
• The display of the attributes of the lamps and lanterns is incomplete. The default is shorthand for words. The intuitiveness is very poor. If you want to display it completely, you need to change the lamp library.
• The editing of the light library is very cumbersome, you need to repeatedly enter and exit the menu to set, and constantly press the edit button or right button.
• Different types of consoles have different DMX output limits. For example, Light limits 8 DMX outputs. If you want to expand more, the cost is higher.
• If you want to make good use of MA, you have to learn to plan in advance and proceed step by step, which requires high quality of people.

4. High-End Systems Hog4 console

Advantages of Hog4 console.
• There are many considerations for new digital lamps such as computer lamps, multi-channel lamps, and media servers, which are very convenient to control.
• The most convenient console for global operation, very convenient to adjust the properties of lamps and lanterns and set parameters.
• A lot of DMX output expansion capabilities, a maximum of 256 DMX lines.
• Different types of operating systems are different, Windows/Linux system, software stability is better.
• The software interface is friendly, intuitive, and concise, at a glance.
• The difference between different models is very small, there will be one, the whole system can be handled.
• After localization, the relative cost is much lower.
• Support a variety of network protocols, the official software upgrade faster.
 • Efficient operation interface, multi-touch, color picker, and graphics engine are the highlights.
• Brand new operation mode and use method used to be very efficient in the future.

Disadvantages of Hog4 console.
• The size of various library window buttons cannot be adjusted. The 4th generation has been improved and can be adjusted in three levels.
• Without some special functions, such as pixel mapping function and line-type 3D visual stage, etc., the 4th generation is expected to increase.
• There is only one language system, which is not conducive to novice entry.
• Different types of control consoles have different DMX output limits. If you want to expand more, the cost is higher.
• The third-generation light library is inconvenient to manufacture and import and needs to be merged. The fourth-generation light library has been improved.