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LIghting Review: ETC Element Lighting Control Console
I was introduced to ETC (Electronic Theatre Controls) products when I took a position as technical director at a large Illinois church. We had an ETC Express 72/144 lighting control console, and I quickly appreciated the power, flexibility, and reliability of this product. Since then, I'd estimate that at least 50% of the churches and small theaters I visited have ETC consoles installed.
Over the last couple of years, ETC has been revamping its product line, starting at the high end by introducing the ETC Eos, then introducing the mid-range ETC Ion, and this year, introducing a replacement for the venerable Express: the ETC Element. When I was offered the chance to get my hands on an Element and review it for Church Production Magazine, I leaped at the opportunity.
On first inspection, the Element gives the impression of a well-built piece of hardware. The console provides two video ports for external displays; while only one display is necessary (and indispensable), a second is greatly beneficial to de-clutter the main display.
The Element I received supports two universes of DMX; 250 channels; and 60 faders that can be configured through a rotary switch to be channels 1-40 plus 20 submasters; 41-80 plus 20 submasters; 81-120 plus 20 submasters; or submasters 1-60. Other configurations are available. Like the Express, a full keypad enables access to all channels and the console's command syntax, and a level wheel provides primarily intensity control for selected channels.
The Element uses a command syntax similar to the Express. As an Express user, I was able to sit down at the Element and immediately set channel levels, program cues, and do other tasks. Unlike the Express, Element includes fully integrated support of automated fixtures. To keep costs and complexity down, there are no physical controls on the control surface for automated-fixture manipulation—all moving light functionality is controlled through a mouse and virtual controls on the video display.
This works quite well for churches that use moving lights on a limited basis, and indeed, this is exactly the target market for Element. My first venue for testing the Element was Colonial Baptist Church in Cary, North Carolina—they currently have an Express console, fixtures with Wybron color scrollers, and several ellipsoidal fixtures with Rosco iCue moving mirrors.
Setting up the Element is easy—you can transfer an Express show file to an Element. The only thing we needed to do was to re-patch the fixtures with scrollers and iCues as intelligent fixtures. The Element knows that the fixtures have scrollers or iCues associated with them, and selecting those fixtures also brings up a pan/tilt control and color scroller control in the moving light panel on the display. With the mouse, you can simultaneously manipulate pan and tilt, or click on the specific color frame you desire. This greatly simplifies use of these accessories.
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Jim Kumorek is the owner of Spreading Flames Media, providing video/media production and writing services to the A/V/L, technology, architectural and hospitality industries. He has led audio, video and lighting teams in churches as both staff and a volunteer for over 10 years. He can be contacted at james@spreadingflamesmedia.com.
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