Computer Needs

Hey I'm a teacher at a high school in charge of computers. I was wondering if the good folk here could tell me here what computer type predominates in your industry- mac of PC? We would like to give our theatre students access to whatever you are using! Thanks for the help!

Why are you asking here? Theatre doesn't use a lot of PCs... unless you're actually asking in terms of lighting design and operation? If you're talking about new media or film, then perhaps a different site would be better. (Not trying to be rude: my dad runs the computer dept. at my school, so I understand the question more than the above sentences give away. Also, we get a lot of spam. So this is my gambit to see if the q is legit before pressing the spam button) Round head foam puppet pattern at Puppets in Melbourne

Not spam, just know nothing about theatre! Does the lighting/sound equipment interface with one system or the other in particular I guess would be a refinement of my question. Our Theatre teacher doesn't use much (any) computing with his productions, but would like to so I'm feeling around for what I should be looking for. Thanks for the reply-If you know of a better place I should look, then let me know!

Ok, just checking ;) I don't know much about the lighting design/computers, but I'm sure there's some info on the FAQ. You can also try a search, I'm sure we've discussed some stuff before. What happens is you need a lighting desk which works with a computer program. I recommend going to www.alia.com.au, which is the Aussie Lighting Industry Assoc. They have heaps of info about lighting design, computer programs, etc etc. They also have a forum there too, and they can answer some of your questions as well. This stuff is usually expensive, ($100 or more for the computer program, plus a computer, plus a lighting desk which can be a couple of grand). It's an investment, but it can be quite costly for a school. There are similar programs for sound; both operating it during the performance and for editing/creating it. Again, it can be expensive, but schools usually get a discounted price. I know Swinburne in Prahran uses special software, but I forget what it is. My best guess is to contact a school (I noticed on your profile you have a VIC postcode) which has a decent theatre set up. Any of the private schools for instance (Scotch comes to mind), as they also usually hire venue technicians who would have good knowledge of the school theatre set up and what they use. As for what types of computers they use, it would depend on a range of things. My guess is that the schools would use whatever provides the best resource across the board (ie. for use in classrooms in science, music, English, etc etc) and is cheap. I know from past experience with my own school Toshiba is used a lot, although many people are now turning more towards Macs than PCs because Macs offer better creative arts packages (I think Swinburne have a Mac actually). Hope that helps; someone else should come along and provide a more specific answer. Round head foam puppet pattern at Puppets in Melbourne

Thanks a heap. This gives me something to go on.

No worries :) Glad to help. Theatre production is tough to understand; you might also want to consider doing a short course or certificate in lighting and/or sound. Holmesglen runs some, and so does Showtech I believe. Julius Media also offers the occasional course in Melbourne. It would be a good investment, because of the safety issues involved with equipment. They'd also have their hands on the current equipment and software. Round head foam puppet pattern at Puppets in Melbourne

There are a couple of pieces of software that can turn your PC or Mac into a lighting desk. PC stage or Entec Light factory will operate dimmers and moving lights through a "black box" which converts computer output into DMX, the digital operating protocol. You can also get PC Hog but that is rather more a moving light system. Typically the software is free but the "black box" that makes the system work with digital dimming is what costs the money. The PC Stage box is about $1500, The Entec system is cheaper but also not quite as easy to use. Lighting design software comes in so many different types that I'm not going to try to give you a list. Some of them will interface with the above software programmes. Most of them are equally available to run on both PC and Mac. Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing. www.tonymoore.id.au

You need to give them access to both. There are free programs they can use. (Selecon and Light Factory ran a promo a while back that saw a lot of codes handed out for small channel versions.) Mac is the most reliable as one application can crash while everything else keeps going and you only have to reset the one dodgy application. Mac laptops used to be the preference for top end lighting designers. A lot of lighting desks are running Windows XP with all of the garbage stripped off it to make it reliable. There is a lot of systems now out including Hog PC, as there are more windows systems designers. There are free lighting programs such as Chamsys MagicQ that are provided to get you using their desk layouts so you will hopefully buy one of their desks. Some lighting programs such as Light Factory have a lot of features such as media servers included, these programs need a usb to dmx interface. The open usb costs about $90 and uses the pc to clock out the dmx so can have hickups. The professional interface costs about $300 as it has its own microcontroller for reliable dmx out. As has been said, go and have a look at ALIA http://www.alia.com.au and The Blue room forums http://www.blue-room.org.uk where there has been quite a few posts on computer software. If it is good, it is not going to be cheap.

Computing power for theatre is split three ways: Mac, PC/Windows and Proprietary System (including Linux, Wind River's Vx Works, Window's XP Emmbedded). Propriety System are the most reliable as they only carry the code for what is needed. Even XP embedded is quite stable as it is stripped of useless guff and locked so you can't muck up the settings. PC based systems are the most popular, as most people have access to PC systems. Unlike home computing system the difference in market share compared to Mac system is much smaller. Mac systems are available but not all applications are available in Mac format. Your best bet is to try and experience a bit of each. Cheers Pacman. >>>>Theatre doesn't use a lot of PCs... <<< May be true in small and amateur theatre, although even this is changing. In professional theatres computer systems are getting bigger and bigger. I have nine proprietary systems, three PC/Windows desktop systems, one PC/Windows laptop and one Windows PDA in my biobox alone. More across the whole theatre.

"May be true in small and amateur theatre, although even this is changing. In professional theatres computer systems are getting bigger and bigger. I have nine proprietary systems, three PC/Windows desktop systems, one PC/Windows laptop and one Windows PDA in my biobox alone. More across the whole theatre." I agree. But the question asked was for schools - most schools don't have the budget for lots of equipment. I went to a private school, and the equipment mainly consisted of old patterns, a couple of parcans, and a very basic lighting desk... no computers as far as I can recall. And this is a school in which computers are used in 99.9% of classrooms and all students above the age of 10 have their own laptop. So that's saying something. (Then again, it's been 10 years since being there, maybe they upgraded. My point though is still valid, in that for schools, theatre doesn't use a LOT of PCs) Round head foam puppet pattern at Puppets in Melbourne

(Then again, it's been 10 years since being there, maybe they upgraded. My point though is still valid, in that for schools, theatre doesn't use a LOT of PCs) --------------- Sort of, when I was at high school (20+ years ago) we had nothing except Patt series lamps. But the discription of my biobox is a private school based theatre. And I know the specs of a few of the other private school theatres are similar.

Well, evidently Perth schools have better equipment than those in Melbourne (that I know of anyway). I do know the uni's here are better equipped, but that almost goes without saying since they're used for theatre courses. Round head foam puppet pattern at Puppets in Melbourne

Thanks for all the info that you have all included so far. I think my next move will be to spend time this the theatre teacher and find out what equipment he already has, and what exactly he wants to do and then check back here and see if there is a preferred software/hardware for doing it. Again thanks for all the replies. I didn't really know where to start!