When I started in this industry nearly
10 years ago I cut my teeth in the teen club market. I was
hired as a DJ's apprentice and was responsible for keeping the play
list, taking requests and working the light show. Back then
each of the clubs many lighting fixtures were controlled with a
simple switch. It was my responsibility to turn a variety of
light switches on and off to the beat of the music. We had a
pretty spectacular light show then but it was a lot of work to
remember which switch went to which effect and operate each in
rhythmic manner.
When I decided to start my mobile DJ
company I was hoping to find a lighting system that could provide a
dazzling show with minimal effort and control simplicity. I
decided that the versatility of the Martin MX-4 would serve me well
as the foundation of my lighting system.
Although the MX Series can run in a
stand-alone mode I decided to take advantage of it's DMX capability
and began the search for the perfect controller. At the time of
my purchase the MX-4 was available in a package that included four
MX-4's and one of Martin's rack mountable controllers. The
controller seemed adequate but I wasn't interested in lugging around
a rack. I was determined to find a nonrackmountable DMX
controller and I did in the Martin MC-1 controller.
The MC-1 met all of my required
specifications. It can control numerous fixtures at the same
time. It is very small (fits in my coffin) and allows me to
select slow, medium, fast, strobe, blackout, music trigger, and
manual trigger functions. The unit will also control several
other Martin fixtures like the Acrobat, CX color changers, Synchrozap
to name a few. For the mobile jock this controller couldn't be
beat, or could it?
Just when I thought the MC-1 couldn't
get any better, it did. Utilizing the same footprint as the
MC-1, Martin introduced the MC Showtime. The Showtime works
with all of the same Martin fixtures as its' predecessor and brings
with it several new features.
The new controller is loaded with 30
built-in programs. The programs are separated into three
different categories. Category one (programs 1-10) uses slower
color and gobo scene transitions to tantalize dancers. Category
two (programs 11-20) are considered medium. And category three
(21-30) will captivate any raver. The current scene is
displayed on the units LED screen. Although each program falls
into the category of slow, medium, or fast, this does not mean that
the mirror movement is slow, medium or fast. The user can
manually adjust the mirror movement by tapping the "manual"
button or simply press the "music" button and the built-in
microphone will keep up with the beat automatically. Each scene
can also be modified to transition from "slow",
"medium", or "fast" by changing the scene
transition rate using the LED display. The "strobbing"
and "black out" effects were carried over from the MC-1
and an aiming tool added. This new feature is very useful
during the set-up process. It is an invaluable way to make sure
your fixtures are properly spaced and helps you to maximize your
rooms' potential.
The unit can be set to run the same
program throughout your event or run through all 30 programs
consecutively if you like. Each program is different from the
other so you are sure to find the right mood for any tune.
In summary, the MC-Showtime is easy to
use (I was up and running in less than five minutes), extremely
versatile (will work with the MX-4 and the Synchrozap, Acrobat, and
the CX Color Changers, or the MX-1 and the Synchrozap, Acrobat, and
the CX Color Changers), very small (same footprint as the MC-1), and
with the new aiming tool it is much easier to "fill up a
room" by properly spacing and aiming your fixtures.
If you like the MC-1 you will love the
MC Showtime.
The only way I see Martin improving on
this design is by adding even more built-in programs or a joystick
feature to allow for "follow spot" control.
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