Now more than ever, there’s a lot more to choose from when it comes to intermediate consoles.
As an intermediate lighting console, the LightShark is a step up from the basic console category and is designed to offer more creative control over your lighting. On the other side of the spectrum, an intermediate console is not able to do everything that a professional console can do, but that’s not always a bad thing.
In this post and the first video, let’s walk through some of the capabilities that the LightShark has to offer as well as some of the favorite features that comes with the software.
LS1 and LS Core
There’s two different types of consoles being offered with LightShark. You have the LS1 which has the actual console with the faders, buttons, and etc.
Then, you have the LS Core which is the same computer but it’s a simple box with a screen on the front and an antenna on the back.
Both of these consoles offer the same hardware and software. These come with 8 DMX ports, 2 ports are onboarding and the other 6 ports are sACN.
The LightShark consoles are stand alone consoles and in order to use them you can control your lights with your phone, tablet, or a computer. Basically any piece that can open a web browser can control the software.
Is the LightShark Right for Me?
So how do you know if the LightShark is a good fit for you? Most people that choose to work with a LightShark console is because they need more than a basic lighting console but a professional console would be more than what they needed.
Related: Why Should I Choose an Intermediate Console?
Stand-Alone Hardware Console
One of the reasons people have chosen to work with LightShark is because it’s a stand-alone console that you can control the software through a tablet or computer.
Since this is a stand-alone unit, you can set this up anywhere like the church, a venue, and so on. This also means that you don’t have to be concerned with other apps or programs being installed on your console. So, there’s no software updates from Mac or Windows to interrupt the hardware or the software.
Ease of Setup
Another favorite is the ease of setting up the LightShark console. You can just go in to set up and all you need to do is plug in the power, plug in the DMX, turn on the power, and connect to the software with a tablet.
Compared to a PC setup, working with the LightShark is so much easier to get going with.
Stability
Since the LightShark consoles are a stand alone unit this leads to less issues with the software having to clash with Windows or Mac updates. Techwise it is a very stable software that has so far very few issues being reported.
Why Go with a LightShark Console?
For most, the cost of the console is very important. You want to have the right console but at a good price and within your budget.
Affordabilitly
With the LightShark consoles being an intermediate console, the costs of the consoles and what you are able to do lighting wise was always very impressive to myself personally.
The LS1 normally goes for $1700 and the LS Core is normally $700. This is an all in one package.
Testing the Software
Currently, LightShark does not have a way to test the software offline. But if you want to see what the programming looks like you can either check the tutorial videos on LightShark or even check with a local dealer to see if they have one they’re willing to show you.
Available Features
As for working with the LightShark software, it’s a great software to learn how to use. Getting started you can select your lights, set the attributes for selected lights or even individual lights, and even set up effects.
Like other consoles, you can set different pallets and with the faders, you’re able to control color, light positions, effects, and speed. This gives you a great range of control and programming abilities without breaking the bank.
LightShark vs Other Consoles
Compared to similar intermediate consoles, the LightShark in my opinion is a very high quality and fairly priced console for what it is capable of. There are other intermediate consoles that are in the same price range however they do seem to lack the functionality of control and programming lights like the LightShark does.
If you’re looking for an intermediate console that is easy to set up, able to work on the fly with lighting, and have a simple to program lights but still be able to put on great lighting show for your audience. Then, the LightShark will most likely be a good fit for you.
