The front changers are DMX, but they are not hooked up on the controller or even together - just on the slowest auto-fade from one color to the next through something like 20 preset colors. They'll do something like 16K colors, but they'd require something like 4 DMX channels just for themselves. Since they don't use wheels or gobos to change (they do 1-255 RGB dimming 3 separate lamps in each fixture for colors), the color change is very smooth and subtle. Not linking them together adds a little more depth to the coloring of us at the front of the stage. Amber on one side of our faces, blue on the other before they slowly fade to other colors, for an example.
Even though I play in some real 'interesting places' with sometimes pretty dodgy wiring, I have never popped a breaker anywhere with this setup. Since the big guns (the 900w changers out front) are never wide open on auto scroll, I'm sure that's why they never really draw full power. Good thing too, they'd be blinding if they were both turned full on. They scroll using 3 dichronic filters over 3 separate 300W lamps. If they're not using DMX to be controlled but doing it themselves, they put out less light (still plenty) but only do 20 colors instead of the full 16K they'll do if DMX'ed. I hope that makes sense - it does in my head.
The setup I'm using takes an additional 15 minutes to setup & tear down. Not bad considering my drummer is the dumbest guy you've ever seen and we rarely let him touch anything since he's broken more stuff than I can remember.
Oh yeah - I have not only 200A service in my 50 year old home, I have 120A in the garage on a separate feed. I probably have twice the power at home than half the places I play. Of course, I don't take my Lincoln Arc or MIG welders or 220v air compressors to gigs.
Cheers,
- JJ