WMX1 control of the Chauvet Gigbar Move+ ILS discussion

[Tarekith]

Aha, that's the missing piece of the puzzle, you're using the EU version and I'm using the US version! Whew, I was banging my head against the desk the last two days trying to figure out how you were assigning three lighting controls to one channel I already have my lights set up with direct color access on channel 32, so it sounds like that's about as good as I can do for now.

Thanks again for all your help, really appreciate your time and willingness to help!

[Deacon1]

Hi Tarekith, sorry to jump in on your post but I’ve been searching high and low all over the internet for someone who is kind of in the same boat as myself. I’m new to the lighting world and so I didn’t do too much homework before I ended up buying two Move + ILS and an ILS command a couple months back. I DJ for fun at home and was looking to add a lightshow to the mix.

After a few weeks of learning the ropes with the ILS setup, I felt that it seemed to be lacking when it comes to what I can do with a lightshow. I seemed to have maxed out the effects within an hour and it kind of got repetitive so I started looking at options and saw that the WMX1 might be something I would like to try next. Now I’ve tried SoundSwitch also but had issues there as well.

Can you let me know if the WMX1 is worth replacing the ILS command?

Is there more variety when using the effects for the moving heads? The 7 built in movement programs on the ILS seems kind of limiting and from what little I saw with the WMX1, there seemed to be more patterns that looked better then what is found on the ILS.

Please let me know what your thoughts are and if you feel that switching to the WMX1 along with the time put in to setup and configure it to work with the Move + ILS (US) is worth it.

Thank you.

[Tarekith]

I’m still on the fence about the WMX1 to be honest, here’s a few reasons why:

Tempo synced movements and beam effects work great for my electronic music shows, it feels more like a tailored light show specific to my music. Downside is that tempo sync relies on tap tempo, which can sometimes drift off the beat over time since it’s impossible to dial in a specific BPM on the WMX1. Shame you can’t use note divisions for the effects while in audio input mode.

While there’s a lot of cool light movements on the WMX1, but with only two moving heads on my Gigbar a lot of them can feel a little samey and you miss out on some of the visual patterns you see with more moving heads. Not a knock on the WMX1, but more something to be aware of with this combo of lights and controller.

Dialing in specific colors is a little easier on the ILS Command for say the pars. The live colors on the WMX1 limit you to only 10 colors instead of the 30 you get on the ILS. You can set up custom colors on the WMX1, but you’re still largely limited to a max of 10. Not a huge issue, but something to know. Sort of the same deal when it comes to the laser, you can access maybe 5-6 color options from WMx1 (i forget the exact number and am traveling so I can’t check) where as you you can select all the color options and combos from the ILS.

A major downside for me having the US version of the Gigbar is that you only get one laser pattern when using the WMX1, and the laser is one of the main reasons I wanted the Gigbar move +. This is a chauvet issue since they don’t open this up in the DMX spec on the us version, but it’s still a major bummer for one of the most striking fixtures on the Gigbar. Also no laser speed or rotate control on the US version with the WMX1.

A major upside of the WMX1 is that you get a LOT more presets for making your own light shows, and better control over how they automatically switch from one preset to the next. But this leads me to my biggest issue with the WMX1 so far, in that sometimes some of the Gigbar fixtures don’t correct switch to the correct color or movement when changing presets. I have to manually trigger the preset a couple times on the WMX1 before everything switches properly. I’ve tried a couple DMX cables to make sure it’s not a cable fault, but I still need to trouble shoot this some more. FWIW it seems to get worse the longer the WMX1 is cycling through my presets, works fine for the first 10-15 minutes. Not the kind of thing I want to manage on stage when I’m trying to focus on my music.

Overall I’d say you get more programmability with the WMX1, but you also give up some functionality compared to the ILS Command. Honestly if the ILS Command had more than 6 presets I would likely switch back to that. Right now the WMX1 has a slight edge just because I can create so many more custom presets, provided I can sort out my issue with the presets not always recalling correctly.

Hope that helps!

[Deacon1]

Tarekith,

Thank you for the detailed response. It was exactly the type of answer I was looking for with the pros and cons.

I might have to consider another option now as I really want to keep my interaction to a minimum though I was willing to do so with the variety of effects that the WMX1 has compared to the ILS Command. It sounds like there are still some kinks to iron out so that is something that I do not want to deal with since the music comes first for me.

It sounds like I might need to take a look at my next option on the list which is the A.I. Light Show box to see if it can help unlock the potential of these Move + ILS fixtures and not give me a repetitive show before I even finish mixing a set.

I really appreciate your time and input.

[Tarekith]

No problem. I still think the WMX1 is a really well done and fun to use controller, just want to make that clear. I just don’t think something like the Gigbar is its ideal fixture setup. Most of my frustrations are with the combo of these two devices, versus any inherent issues with the WMX1 itself. If I was playing out more, I’d definitely be looking into other lighting fixture options so I could make better use of what the WMX1 can do.

[axell]

It is true what you say. Wolfmix was originally designed to give "dump" DMX lightings some effect capabilities. What we try to do however, is to attach "complex" (multi) Effect fixtures to (another) Effect Controller.

Following is an excerpt of a text I did quite some time ago about this sort of setup:

Not all DMX fixtures (lightings) are the same. We have basically 3 categories:

1. Normal RGB PARs and RGB LEDs Bars or similar. Beside other channels they have 3 or more channels for Color control, i.e. Red, Green, Blue (RGB) but can also provide dedicated channels for White, Amber and UV (WAU). Lights with many LEDs (lenses) like LED Bars can also have a multiple of RGB segments, which means you can control every individual LED with an individual Color mix from RGB.
In addition to this you have standard Moving Heads with at least one Color Channel to select the Color Wheel with, to select the color filter for RED, GREEN, Magenta, Purple, etc,…just all Colors the Wheel is providing. Here you have a different way for Colors. A „big“ white (powerful) white light and a ColorWheel rotation before that with colored plastic areas to filter the white light and give the desired color by stopping the wheel at a defined position (Preset). In addition they offer Gobo figures you may can let it rotate and of corse the Pan/Tilt movements.
For THOSE sort of Lightings the Wolfmix was originally designed and is also providing the required controls for, i.e. different Color Buttons and Movements and Gobos and its controls for it.

2. The more difficult category is the EFFECT FIXTURES. They are designed to NOT have an Effect Controller like Wolfmix in mind, but more as a standalone device, and you select one of the many „built-in“ Auto-run programs and have a „great effect“. This category is attracting lots of people, as they are „BLOWN AWAY“ what the fixture can do and what great effects it provides - so they buy it. NOW they want to attach it on the great Wolfmix controller to do the same thing by the push of the button…BUT… it will not be the same (Frustration rate goes up!). WHY IS THAT? well, you have seen the pre-programmed built-in demo programs of the fixture but you forget that you control the fixture from another external DMX Controller which has his VERY OWN EFFCT section built-in, ….and that is NOT the same as in the one of the fixture. The Fixture programs are VERY much „tailored“ to the capabilities the fixture is offering. But Wolfmix, when designed the effect sections, don't know what 10.000s of pre-programmed Demo effects of the 20.000+ fixtures in the worldwide market is available and what fixture you will eventually connect to it. So Wolfmix have to stay „basic“ and „solid“ and „universal“ with their effect offerings. Sometimes this can be OK with the Effect fixture, sometimes that can also have some limitations and it does not even make sense to connect to the Wolfmix. There are many rules involved like too many control mechanism required (we do not have that many dialer/slider/encoder/individual programmed buttons to use for a useful control (Rotation mirror, Barrel movements, etc..), and IF we do, we have to „steal“ from other functions which then can not be used originally).

3. Fixture with VERY SPECIAL requirements, still having DMX capabilities (Laser, Matrix fixtures, Strobe Only Fixtures etc), but are very hard to implement into an Automation device like the Wolfmix/WMX1. I will skip this section

fixtures.jpeg (95.39 KiB) Viewed 6580 times

There are sometimes debates going on whether the Wolfmix/WMX1 is „easy to use“ or a complicated device. The truth is: it can be both

As a normal controller for DMX fixtures the Wolfmix/WMX1 is „dead-simple" to operate (once you have "inhaled" the basics). The problem is when you try to attach non standard fixtures vs. standard fixtures! Standard fixtures are plain vanilla RGB PARs, or LED Bars, or regular Moving Heads without too many „bells & whistles" (features). When it comes to special fixtures or even (multi) effect fixtures in particular, the Wolfmix/WMX1 is able to handle it because it is an „open platform", but it needs to be setup to „understand“ the specialility of the fixtures and THIS has to be brought in with the Profile. And here it can become a bit difficult for the most of the user base (= complicated)

Gigbars (and similar Multi-Bar Fixtures like eurolite KLS etc) can be quite complex fixtures you may want to attach to the WMX1, as they are designed for being „dead-simple“. The goal of that kind of „Multi-Bar“ fixtures is to have an „eazy“ Transport, „eazy“ Installaltion and „eazy“ operation (by using a small remote control). Therefor EVERYTHING is built in ONE SINGLE BIG PACKAGE with multiple fixtures. The Control of this Multi-Fixture is (sort of) „hard-wired“ to the Remote control and for that internally there are built-in effect programs for execution. Press any button on the Remote Control and it will „play“ any of the built-in effects. Voilá ...

WMX1 is designed to „take over“ any effect control, by apply HIS VERY OWN effect programs to the attached fixture. Now you connect 2 effect devices (WMX1 and GigBar) together who are „fighting" for their "effect highness“.

You CAN do this, but it leads to some „limitations“ and may reduce some „expectations“. The Wolfmix/WMX1 is NOT programmed to mimic the GigBar effects, and the GigBar fixture don’t (easily) allow external DMX control to „access“ their internal effect(/demo) programs, just the standard DMX control. So…
You end up controlling most of the fixtures (Derby, PARs or Spots) with regular DMX Effect commands like Color, Movements or Strobe.
But it is important to know that LASERS are not the preferred DMX fixture for being controlled by the Wolfmix/WMX1. Wolfmix/WMX1 simply don’t provide enough „controllers“ to do that. So you have to find „alternate“ ways to „make it move“ somehow.
But at the end you will then not be able to re-create the same internal effects of the GigBar when using the WMX1 as the (effect)Controller. Simply because the WMX1 does NOT have the same effect engine, but is using his very own.

[Deacon1]

Thank you both Tarekith & Axell for the clarification. I understand much more now. Being new to lighting I was captivated by the Gigbar’s ease of use and the minimal amount of effort required to get a lightshow going. This was my intent as I just wanted to add some flair as I’m mixing a set to de-stress from the work week lol. Once I realized that the ILS system was good but not the type of awesome output I was looking for, I started to look for new options to try to expand and unlock some extra mileage from the Gigbars that I now have.

If what I have for light fixtures were more in line with what the WMX1 was tailored for then it definitely would have been a great solution that I would love to add to the mix. It still may be something I might want so I’ll have to think on it. I realized that the pars, derby’s and laser are not my top priority since they are okay but what I really love are the moving heads and the WMX1 seems to give a little bit more in that aspect.

Tarekith, can you tell me the pros and cons of the strobes? Are you able to get more or less patterns similar to the auto programs on the ILS?

[Tarekith]

The strobe functionality is WAY better with the WMX1 than with the ILS Command, it's not even close on that front. You can dim just the strobes so they aren't so annoying, plus apply all the beam effects. And since there's 4 of the strobes, you can really see the different unique patterns the wolf mix can do. It can look better than I expected. I went from swearing I'd never use the strobes when I had the ILS, to actually using them in a few of my patterns on the WMX1.

Plus, when you press the Blinder button on the WMX1, it will turn on the strobes even if you have them off in your current preset. I was always surprised the ILS Command didn't work that way, seems an obvious way to do it. So again, it went from being something I never felt a need for, to now being able to incorporate it into my sets here and there.

[Deacon1]

That’s great to hear. I placed an order for one so I appreciate the help!

[Tarekith]

No problem, happy to help. Not that easy to find info on this kind of stuff in the lighting world I'm finding, music making gear is much easier in that regard!