SC-8 control system

Sounds odd - I have never heard of that happening. Are you using the wireless adaptor? Have you installed an additional signal cable (over 25 ft long)to make the distance between the sc-8 and the power pack longer?. I believe you can run a max of two power packs daisy chained together.

Elation Lighting, American DJ, and Global Truss are related companies. The product is the same with different names between ADJ & Elation. An easy way to compare Elation is more of a "fixed install" supplier, while ADJ is more "mobile". Elation is also starting to compete with higher end lighting suppliers.

As to never running your equipment outside, beware of large temperature differences: If you stuff is in you car and your heater is on, the lights reach that temperature. You then arrive at your gig and begin to setup, only to find the empty room hasn't had the heat on in days and is frigid inside. The ambient air has moisture in it that condenses when exposed to the cold suddenly. It's a stretch, and rarely happens, but it can happen.

The Co-pilot is a nice system, and everyone I talked to said it was very reliable and a great value for the money. I didn't want to keep buying controllers every time I expanded my system either, so I went DMX.

For my controller, I started with the Elation Scene Setter 8 package: the power packs (DP-415) not only function as a dimmer pack, but also as a switch pack, with two outlets per channel (5A Load Max per channel, 15A Max Load). It cost more that an analog controller, but it is expandable. It will also allowed me to run simple DMX lights, but it cost more initially.

My first setup ran two Vertigos, a Color Sweep, and a HyperBeam (pack 1) and 4 par56s (pack 2). I have since added two more packs (expandable!)to run an additional 4 par56s. The controller chases the pars (channels 1-8, programmable) and I have remote on/off control over the effect lights. It also controls my Fog machine. All by DMX - One XLR cable to run to/through the trussing.

By the way, I have since bought another controller (DMX Operator 192) to control my more complex intelligent lighting, so my logic didn't work as well as I originally thought, but I still use both controllers, running two separate DMX universes. One for the ambient lighting, and the other to run the effects.

If you want to buy one controller and be done with it, may I recommend either the Show Designer II or Show Designer III from Elation? They cost an arm and a leg, but do everything!

Oops, forgot to post when my partner got a reply from AMDJ tech support. They haven't heard of this problem either but they told him to send in any of our defective switchers and they'll check them out and/or repair them.

We've got one 25' cable going from the switcher to the first device and a shorter cable he ordered from AMDJ supposedly between the packs. We've used two of the original 25' cables before on these things and still had the same problem.

Nope, no wireless. I was under the impression the wireless was only for the Copilot series.

We already knew about that moisture thing. Back when we first started running sound/stage lighting in 1991, we had problems with the lights and some of the older tube amps because of the cold and moisture. Now we walk into the indoor venue, turn up the heat in the winter then start unloading. By the time we set up the trussing or position the speakers and lay out the lights, run extension cords, etc. they've all warmed up to room temp.

I guess we'll be giving the Copilot II the starting position for the next few months to determine if we like it or not. I won't be getting a DMX controller for the stage lighting rig as it's all Par 56's right now. When we buy some M*rtins or other intelli moving lights then I'll just use a small controller like the DMX Operator Pro. I really wanted to see someone come out with a multi-platform controller that had more than 8 par channels. We use on average 24 for the live bands, sometimes as many as 48.

Thanks for the input and again, sorry I didn't respond sooner. I sort of got busy and forgot I posted *shifty*