New Pearls

Questions or discussions about the Titan and classic consoles and software.

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niclights
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Postby niclights » 14 Aug 2006, 19:24

I will answer to the best of my knowledge. I appologise if wrong!

2008 on Borris 2 - yes so no different version required.

USB upgrade - no idea though I would have thought this is not that simple.

20 PB's into 15 - hmmm. I do have an answer but I'm not sure is 100% definite so I will leave for official response.

I would be surprised if the new software is being shipped. My understanding is it is still in testing.
CoenCo
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Postby CoenCo » 14 Aug 2006, 19:43

hmm.. I reread some articles and you are right indeed. It says v1.4 is in testing instead of in delivery. I must've misread, because it was in the middle of an article talking about a large shipment of new 2004 desks.

Now I just need a way to become a beta tester.
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Postby Nick » 16 Aug 2006, 08:05

Great!!!! Finally, a "powerfull" desk with faders...

Only few questions:
-Why Only two encoders wheels? :cry:

-A Preset fader can be a memory?

-Can we have more DMX universe output via Ethernet?

- Is Pearl Expert RDM ready?


Here my suggestions on New Pearl Expert:

- Tactile Touch screen

-Matrix for LED's

-Built in personality editor

-Built in shape editor

- Overlap function

- Cue list function ( when you press memory then an allready recorded memory in a playback, a new option in soft button C: "Rec as next step")

- Multi timing function (Fade and delay for each parameters)

- Recall Groups in grey palette button

- Create macros

- Auto Groups ( All, Odd, Even)

- Change the fade curve
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niclights
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Postby niclights » 16 Aug 2006, 09:45

Just quick comments:

Regarding hardware I would assume all this is already defined and in manufacture ready for Plasa.

All the other software related things are obviously possible in the future since there are potentially very few restrictions here. I would imagine there has to be a limit of some sort to define between D4 and Expert.
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Postby Phil » 16 Aug 2006, 09:48

Nick wrote:Great!!!! Finally, a "powerfull" desk with faders...

Only few questions:
-Why Only two encoders wheels? :cry:


Er... maybe one of the people involved in the design can answer that. I've not been involved enough to know!

Nick wrote:-A Preset fader can be a memory?


Not at the moment. It may be possible in future software releases.

Nick wrote:-Can we have more DMX universe output via Ethernet?


You can output via Ethernet, but at present you're limited to the four existing universes. There is the facility to add more, but only if we're satisfied that the hardware is powerful enough to fade and output all universes. Since we've started from a base of emulating the Pearl 2004 software it actually takes up more CPU time than you'd expect.

Nick wrote:- Is Pearl Expert RDM ready?


Nope.

Nick wrote:Here my suggestions on New Pearl Expert:

- Tactile Touch screen
-Matrix for LED's
-Built in personality editor
-Built in shape editor
- Overlap function
- Cue list function ( when you press memory then an allready recorded memory in a playback, a new option in soft button C: "Rec as next step")
- Multi timing function (Fade and delay for each parameters)
- Recall Groups in grey palette button
- Create macros
- Auto Groups ( All, Odd, Even)
- Change the fade curve


I can certainly see some of these making it into the Expert in time. The least likely at the moment are probably the Touch screen (maybe possible as a future USB device, but not part of the current hardware) and the built in editors since even the Diamond 4 isn't supplied with them. I'll endevour to make sure it all gets put onto the wish list for you though.
Tawnyn
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Postby Tawnyn » 16 Aug 2006, 09:51

Nick wrote:Great!!!! Finally, a "powerfull" desk with faders...

Only few questions:
-Why Only two encoders wheels? :cry:

-A Preset fader can be a memory?

-Can we have more DMX universe output via Ethernet?

- Is Pearl Expert RDM ready?


Here my suggestions on New Pearl Expert:

- Tactile Touch screen

-Matrix for LED's

-Built in personality editor

-Built in shape editor

- Overlap function

- Cue list function ( when you press memory then an allready recorded memory in a playback, a new option in soft button C: "Rec as next step")

- Multi timing function (Fade and delay for each parameters)

- Recall Groups in grey palette button

- Create macros

- Auto Groups ( All, Odd, Even)

- Change the fade curve


would you buy a D4 if the Expert would be able to do almost the same ? :wink:
Nick
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Postby Nick » 16 Aug 2006, 13:33

Thanks for the answer...

- For the Touch screen, i was thinking about an external one... :wink:

- For the Fixture editor, if the Pearl is "windows based", we can open files with note-pad...

-I know that the pearl expert can't be as powerfull as the D4, but it should have the same performance as concurrent ( MA ultra light and Vector Orange).

And no, if the Pearl have the same performance as the D4, i prefear the Pearl because of the size of the desk, because of the price, and also because everyone know how work a pearl, so change old pearl with an expert is not so difficult.

In France, LD's are looking for a Whole hog II style desk but with many many faders... ( the Pearl should be an answer... :wink: ).
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niclights
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Postby niclights » 16 Aug 2006, 22:59

I agree most things like fixture editing should be possible in the future. I also assume by 'change fade curve' you also meant editor.

Size, familiarity, faders and buskability have always been the most important aspects for me. With the Expert solving the speed hurdle I think things look peachy for Avo. However, prefering the Pearl/Expert because it is cheaper is rather obviously also the reason why it probably can't be allowed to do everything the D4 does!
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Postby neil » 16 Aug 2006, 23:31

Ok, as most of you know, I am not an expert Avo programmer.

However as far as my heated dicussions go about the MA, I like most people run a Pearl for some of my shows. I have (despite my comments on other posts :)) always been impressed with the access on the Pearl.

So definatly this could be an upgrade for me, I therefore have a few questions, appoligies if these have been asked before....

1) Will (without quoting figures, or you can if you want) the Expert be in the same price range as current Pearl.

1.2) Will it be more than the Saphire or other current desks?

2) Will the Pearl eventually be phased out in favor of this desk. I won't as the enivitable spares question, as I seem to still be getting spares for the FD racks from you!

3) How much wider will this desk be than the current pearl. As the one at the moment fits nicely into my car!

4) Will there be a tour edition with this desk. OR will the current tour addition items be compatable with this desk. And will there be a riggers remote available?

5) Is this still a 30/30 per page desk, or will the desk have a wider range of generic/moving light access bits.

6) Will the new desk still have 2048 channels, or will it have more???

Cheers

Neil
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niclights
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Postby niclights » 16 Aug 2006, 23:55

I can answer some:

2) 2004 is rebadged as 2008 and commitment to this console remains.

4) Wasn't the tour edition just the tablet? This is no longer available.

6) I think this has already been answered elsewhere - for now still 4 universes but I believe with option for more in the future.
Tawnyn
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Postby Tawnyn » 17 Aug 2006, 07:28

niclights wrote:Size, familiarity, faders and buskability have always been the most important aspects for me. With the Expert solving the speed hurdle I think things look peachy for Avo. However, prefering the Pearl/Expert because it is cheaper is rather obviously also the reason why it probably can't be allowed to do everything the D4 does!


totaly agree with you on this :twisted:

for me the Expert would solve the problem were you have (had) to choose between a Pearl or a Diamond III to do a rave and if you would like me run your shows life (minimal on memories and max. pallettes)
even tho its fairly easy to use 30 pallettes for each attribute on the Pearl i mostly would go for the DIII for the easy and looks ( :P ) so with the new top buttons the Expert fills in that gap i think. but still i do miss the majestic looks of the good old DII/III (dont you hate the sound guy using a 6 foot desk to operate 48 channels while u standing next to him with a pearl operating 2048 channels :twisted: )
Phil
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Postby Phil » 17 Aug 2006, 09:33

neil wrote:1) Will (without quoting figures, or you can if you want) the Expert be in the same price range as current Pearl.
1.2) Will it be more than the Saphire or other current desks?


I'm in the wrong department to be able to answer those unfortunately :) If you give sales a call they might have an answer for you, but I'm not sure if we've actually finalised pricing or not anyway.

neil wrote:2) Will the Pearl eventually be phased out in favor of this desk. I won't as the enivitable spares question, as I seem to still be getting spares for the FD racks from you!


As Nick says, we'll be continuing the existing Pearl range with the 2008. Very similar hardware to the 2004.

neil wrote:3) How much wider will this desk be than the current pearl. As the one at the moment fits nicely into my car!


It's very similar in size footprintwise. Although I don't have the figures to hand, it might even fit in an existing Pearl flightcase. You certainly wouldn't notice the difference in size to look at, so you're only talking about milimetres.

neil wrote:4) Will there be a tour edition with this desk. OR will the current tour addition items be compatable with this desk. And will there be a riggers remote available?


I don't believe the graphics tablet or existing "riggers remote" will be supported at least in the short term. If there's demand for support then that might chage, but we don't sell either product any further and we're not aware of wide usage (the tablet gets more than the remote). A different remote or tablet feature could potentially be an option in the future.

neil wrote:5) Is this still a 30/30 per page desk, or will the desk have a wider range of generic/moving light access bits.


Still 60 presets per page and a maximum of 240 in total, but as add/swop/fixture select buttons are now provided for the top 30 presets, programming 60 moving lights on a single page will be easier (no more shift+swop for selection). Obviously, you have an extra 5 playbacks you can use as well - 600 in total instead of the 450 on the standard Pearl.

neil wrote:6) Will the new desk still have 2048 channels, or will it have more???


As Nick stated. 4 wired universes, but it may be possible in the future to output more via ArtNet, eDMX or other protocols in the future.
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Postby neil » 17 Aug 2006, 12:53

Thanks Phil,

it sounds a lot of very good improvements.

Can I order 6?
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Postby Olie » 17 Aug 2006, 17:36

You may or may not know that I am one of the developers for the new Pearl Expert. It has been very interesting to read some of your comments and suggestions. I am also encouraged by your enthusiasm for the new console. I know that we certainly want to give you a product that has allot of capability now and for the future.

I just wanted to answer a couple of questions but for other answers you are going to have to wait.

Does the Expert have a key switch?
Yes and it was correctly spotted in the top left.

Is the Pearl Expert RDM ready?
The DMX ports fully support RDM and this will be implemented in the software at some point in the future. "RDM Ready"

Is the new console any bigger?
Yes the footprint is approx 2inchs wider.

We have had allot of fun developing the Pearl Expert console. If you want to find out more or try out the new desk then I look forward to meeting you at PLASA.

Olie
Avolites Software Team
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Pearl Expert comments

Postby JB Toby » 23 Aug 2006, 13:42

As Olie did , I like to add some comments to this thread

We started on the concept just before Plasa 05, the project was called XP and got its final direction in October 2005. By early November the majority of the hardware of the console was decided.
At any one stage a team of ten people at Avolites and a further 15 on other sites (subcontractors and fabricators) have been slogging away at this project.
Although the Expert looks like a Pearl it shares about 4 major parts with its sibling.

The Main design criteria for the Expert was that is should look and feel like a Pearl., Therefore adding a wheel (which was tried) would force us in many ways to depart from this criteria,
this was both in form (size of the console) and function. On top of that all the personalities would have to be adjusted. As a result the idea was dropped.
the end the console ended up with the following dimensions. 762mm (w) x 585mm (d) x 158mm (h) and it ways in at about 24.75Kg


The Expert hardware platform evolution from he D4 hardware, and we will be using this concept in future products.
One key aspect of this platform is the ease of adding functionality like touch screens and other standard Input devices.

All DMX inlets and outputs designed after 2004 are "RDM ready" this as we where part of the original group defining RDM.
thus the D4, Expert, A2K-S ART-DC and M-dimmer are all bi-directional


Peripheral compatibility, Both the Riggers Remote and the Graphics Tablet where modified to run on our consoles, as a result they are not directly compatible with the
PC platform in the Expert. Further the original serial port GT has been discontinued.
We are aware of the popularity of the GT and are looking for solutions.
The Riggers Remote is also under review as in the current days a wired remote is not acceptable anymore.


J.B.Toby

Product Designer
Avolites Ltd
J.B.Toby
Technical Director
Avolites limited
184 Park Avenue Park Royal
London NW10 7XL UK
Tel +44(0)20 8965 8522
Tel +44(0)20 8965 0290
email: jb "insert AT sign here" avolites.com

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