2010 Aurora Status / DMX beta

It really sounds like there's more at play here than any of us know.  I've dabbled in the past, messing around with the protocol - it wasn't that hard to understand.  For Aurora to outright drop support for that protocol going forward... it sounds like there's quite a bit more to it - maybe a game of cat and mouse going on with the protocol.  Michael's smart, so I don't take the decision to go this direction lightly, nor do I think he had an easy time making that decision. 

As I see it, the problem is that anyone can change the protocol - it's not a standard.  D-Light introduces shimmer and twinkle ramps - LOR can choose to incorporate those, ignore them, or go a completely different direction. 

LOR is the bigger dog in the fight. What do you do if you're D-Light?  You either try to keep in step with them or you're at the mercy of each software vendor to incorporate your specific protocol implementation.  I'm not familiar with S2 at all, but I'm betting that they're not going to implement D-Light-specific commands (please correct me if I'm wrong).  S2 users would either live without the D-Light commands or be compelled to only buy LOR controllers.  Ladies and gentlemen, vendor lock-in.  Steve Jobs would be proud.

So Aurora (and D-Light, for that matter) have a choice to make - keep updating to follow a protocol that sees changes every year and still has problems, or go DMX.  No more vendor-specific protocols.  No more instability.  Aurora can send out a stream of data to any controller - if the controller does the wrong thing, the problem is the controller, not Aurora.

Tony, I agree.  It kinda sucks.  I have a dozen or so D-Light controllers and another dozen Lynx.  I've been running a 2-network show the past 2 years - one network on D-Light, one on DMX.  What I have is not broke.  But it just seems that using DMX going forward is going to simplify things. 

I think there may be still more things to shake out of all this.  One thing I wonder about is if we can use a future release of the editor with the current version of the scheduler..???  If the sequence data is compatible, then we might only be looking at converting controllers to DMX, not a new adapter.  Or...(!!!) there might even be a way to make new sequences work without making any changes to your existing infrastructure.

Regardless, we still have some time.  And I think users not wanting to upgrade are not necessarily dead in the water.


Edited by deweycooter - 13 Jul 2011 at 7:12am

Originally posted by BigDPS I'd be curious to see who could/would afford to start this hobby tomorrow with DMX protocol versus the "old" one. I'd like to see how much money it would cost to have the same comparable effect.

Honestly, its not bad, depending on who you go with.

LOR controller will give you out of the box assembled DMX capability for $120

D-light  controller will give you out of the box assembled DMX capability for $95

Lynx Express will give you a unassembled DMX capability for around $60-65

JS1 DR4 in Aluminum case  $145 (recommended)
JS1 DR4 w/ no case    $125

So lets play newbie who buys 3 DMX controllers:
(assuming shipping/plugs/enclosure/ect all the same price)

LOR scenario:  3 controllers ($360) and 1 DR4 ($145)  Total $505

D-light scenario:  3 controllers ($285) and 1 DR4 ($145) Total $430

Lynx scenario: 3 controllers ($195) and 1 DR4 (145)  Total $340




Edited by ChrisL1976 - 13 Jul 2011 at 7:40am

Originally posted by tonyjmartin No one has raised this issue.  Don't ask such a question, assume an answer, and then insert it into the debate as if it supports anyone's position.  And to make a comparison to a CADD program that costs thousands of dollars to show us how well off we are is absurd.

Seriously, I can insert what ever I wish into this conversation since development and support cost are always an issue. It is that difficult to see that  no money equals no support or any development. We all know this economy is making everyone cut cost and look at whats going to bring in money. 


Now whether the software costs are $100 or $10,000, its makes no difference, its all comparable. Its companies like Autodesk are producing products yearly. Updating old versions to new ones. Do you seriously think they could do that without the subscription program. Money for development and support has to come from somewhere. ESPECIALLY in a niche market like this. In a competitive niche market, new users are not going to cut it.  Companies like LOR can use hardware sales to support their software R & D.   Unfortunately, Aurora has no product line to help with the this.   I'm not going to get into LSP's method.



    

Christmas Lighting of this nature is definitely a niche' market. Don't know about anyone else but I've been asked so many times I can't remember by folks looking and wanting to get involved what I recommend in both hardware and software.. I've always highly recommended Aurora..

A brief history. I am a pre order customer. I, like many was a little “frustrated” (I’m being nice here) with Spectrum. We all remember our shows not working as they should. I discovered the Aurora site and bought it on the spot. Although I was still using LOR to get through that season, we planned to use Aurora in 09. All I could say was WOW, how simple it was going to be to program the new RGB stuff we had planned. This was a very nice program, simple, basic and easy use. Then, we discovered the “freak strobe like effects” bug when hooked up to a DCx16 (or 3). I reported this “bug” and though a couple of people did try to help, (you know who you are) the “big guy” was absent and this problem was never resolved. Doing some testing I also discovered importing  channels from an existing sequence didn’t work very well. All of the “f...fly” channels import flawlessly, the other RGB channels did not! This had to be remedied manually. It doesn’t really take that much time to do but it is hassle and this should have been addressed… it was not addressed. It was barely even acknowledged. We decided to use Aurora despite its “little bugs”. Although we were (2) songs short in 09 because of the DCx16 thing we still had a good season, I wont say it was flawless but all in all it was good. The scheduler has its “bugs”. Aurora likes to entertain the good folks from the bar 2 blocks away staring @midnight. That was pretty funny when I shut it down @1:30am and heard cars starting and leaving. I saw others were experiencing the same “bug” with no results. Now, I no longer trust this program to run my shows. I’ve become convinced the powers that be have absolutely no interest in addressing my issues or anyone else’s for that matter. Updates, fixes and deadlines too numerous to count were promised and none have come to pass. Then, right after a very good friend of mine purchased one of last licenses, he decides to make Aurora “Freeware”. He is still not too happy about that. (sorry Danny) So my credibility takes a hit. I won’t elaborate further on credibility. Then Aurora is back in business, all is well. More promises are made, deadlines and guarantees and goodwill flows again. Then, he announces on “Facebook” (not here of coarse) that it will be DMX only! Are you kidding me? REALLY ? It isn’t our fault that you cannot or will not keep up on firmware updates coming from D-Light or LOR and adapt Aurora to stay current. It must be a lot easier from Aurora’s standpoint to take the DMX route. The competition does it all, if you haven’t noticed. Maybe, just maybe if there was some kind of consistency coming from Aurora sales might have been higher. Don’t you think? Do you think there is a reason “beta testers” don’t have the same problems we do is because they are using a “newer version” that isn’t available to the rest of us? I will purchase LSP for this year and relegate Aurora to be a backup program just in case LSP hasn’t fixed anything either. He seems to know who is buttering the bread over there and actually DOES try to fix things. So I guess instead of paying to upgrade my Aurora license (which I was fully prepared to do) Ill spend it on LSP instead and we’ll see what happens…

 

John