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View Full Version : Chauvet COLORrail IRC in depth demo and review



jlcpremier
04-12-2012, 05:50 PM
I recently picked up a couple Chauvet COLORrails. These things are pretty awesome. I've been using 4 LED par 64 lights and have been holding off on going to LED bars, mainly because the only light I thought that was out there besides the ADJ Mega Bar was the Chauvet Colorstrip. I thought the Colorstrip was too limiting but then I heard about the Colorrail. A few of the positives about this light

- 6 different DMX programming modes! (2, 3, 4, 7, 14 & 26 channel modes)
In 26 ch mode you can control the RGB of each section (8 in total) plus overall dimmer and strobe

- 22 built in auto programs
- Built in mic sensitivity adjustment
- Ability to customize foreground/background colors of chases
- Full RGB control to set static light color (not limited to pre-defined colors)
- remote control optional to set RGB, static color, control auto programs, fade settings, strobe settings, sound mode and sesitivity (all without needing to use DMX)

The one negative...no runway linking (chases run from fixture to another linked fixture end to end seen on the Colorstrip)

I made a pretty in depth review and demo video you can check out


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOnhdSoIMRk&list=UUdjQmY07_XU8Rk1N8uEEQbA&index=1&feature=plcp

In it, I give an overview of the light, The back connections, full walkthrough of the menu map, as well as all 22 auto programs, sound mode, and a look at the light running in DMX 7ch and 26ch mode, with basic programming in FreeStyler.

The video is 54 min, so if you don't feel like sitting through the whole thing (I don't blame you)...Here is the timing breakdown, so you can jump to whatever section interests you...

start - intro
2:41 - back panel connections
3:45 - menu map
10:10 - auto programs
22:22 - sound mode demo
26:36 - DMX 7ch
29:23 - DMX 26ch
33:35 - FreeStyler Programming

Why would I do all this?

Well I spent hours researching this light before deciding to buy it, so if you're like me and want to know as much about this light as possible, then I've done the work for you and compiled it all into this video.

Enjoy!

Synaxis
04-12-2012, 06:08 PM
Looks great! I thought about picking up a couple ColorRails myself.

I like how you went Very in depth, But 54 minutes? I'm sorry, but my attention span isn't that long :uhoh:

Capt. Kirk
04-12-2012, 06:11 PM
I will probably watch it sometime tonight or tomorrow but with a time of 54 minutes it sounds more like you wrote an entire new manual for it. :lol:

jlcpremier
04-12-2012, 06:21 PM
Haha yeah I was a bit shocked when I saw how long it ended up being too here's how the video breaks down if it helps

start - intro
2:41 - back panel connections
3:45 - menu map
10:10 - auto programs
22:22 - sound mode demo
26:36 - DMX 7ch
29:23 - DMX 26ch
33:35 - FreeStyler Programming

Capt. Kirk
04-12-2012, 06:56 PM
If you ever plan to do another review on a light try to keep it down to just 10-15 minutes max as that is normally the max of people's patience for thing like this. I don't think that a full programming section is needed for the DMX chls or freestyler. Just make that a quick overview of what the 7 and 26 ch functions allow. Same goes for auto programs, try to make them shorter, maybe not record all the way through the programs but just enough to give the viewer the idea.

jlcpremier
04-12-2012, 07:10 PM
Thanks for the advice. I never intended for it to be this long, but there is so much to this light, it ended up that way. I'll also post the time breakdowns in the main post, that way people can jump to whatever section interests them.

Synaxis
04-14-2012, 11:10 AM
Thanks for the advice. I never intended for it to be this long, but there is so much to this light, it ended up that way. I'll also post the time breakdowns in the main post, that way people can jump to whatever section interests them.


I watched a bit more of the video, and have a few questions.

How bright is the ColorRail? It would have been a good idea to maybe take it outside, or at least point the camera at the other direction to get an idea.

Also, how are the RGB shadows?

DJ Mizourah
04-16-2012, 10:59 PM
Would this be bright enough to double as wash lights while I'm building my set up? I have a Chauvet Circus and Chauvet Scorpion Storm RGX, so I really need to light up the dance floor a bit more. I know I should go with wash lighting, but the Chauvet 4Bar is so damn expensive

DYM
04-16-2012, 11:13 PM
Would this be bright enough to double as wash lights while I'm building my set up? I have a Chauvet Circus and Chauvet Scorpion Storm RGX, so I really need to light up the dance floor a bit more. I know I should go with wash lighting, but the Chauvet 4Bar is so damn expensive

This is a wash light.....

sss18734
04-16-2012, 11:18 PM
Would this be bright enough to double as wash lights while I'm building my set up? I have a Chauvet Circus and Chauvet Scorpion Storm RGX, so I really need to light up the dance floor a bit more. I know I should go with wash lighting, but the Chauvet 4Bar is so damn expensive

Yes, like mentioned this is a wash light. It's surprisingly bright.

jlcpremier
04-26-2012, 03:31 PM
I just used them for the first time at a gig last night. WOW are these things bright! I'm using 2 of them with (4) Martin SCX500, a Tri-phase, and Revo 3. I had to turn them down to 10%!!! to keep them from drowning out the scanners (time for new scanners : )) In the pic below they are at 100%