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Thread: DZ Splitter owners.....

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    Bradfo69's Avatar
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    Default DZ Splitter owners.....

    Anyone with an original DZ splitter.... this one:

    Click image for larger version. 

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    who has an interest in the Advanced Laser Router but perhaps not the coin, please contact me or... if you are in need of holiday cash and have one you'd consider selling, (yeah, I know... fat chance) please contact me as well. I need what this picture shows.

    The Bugatti Veyron of laser gear so I know this is a slim plea.
    PM Sent...

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    If you don't mind me asking, Brad - Why do you want another very nice DZ splitter instead of the EK/DZ ALR? Furthermore, I'd be curious to know what the plans are for said splitter as you own 3 (+?) older DZ splitters and 2 EK/DZ ALRs.

    If you only need an extra one short term I could let you borrow mine as it only gets used two or three times per year. My new shiny ALR however, is being set up now and is expected to get regular use in my environment.

    -David
    "Help, help, I'm being repressed!"

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    Quote Originally Posted by dkumpula View Post
    If you don't mind me asking, Brad - Why do you want another very nice DZ splitter instead of the EK/DZ ALR? Furthermore, I'd be curious to know what the plans are for said splitter as you own 3 (+?) older DZ splitters and 2 EK/DZ ALRs.

    If you only need an extra one short term I could let you borrow mine as it only gets used two or three times per year. My new shiny ALR however, is being set up now and is expected to get regular use in my environment.

    -David
    I was wondering the same thing. The thought also came to mind "Do I need to contact Brad to see something amazing about to happen." Having that many splitters must mean he is trying to make laser soup.
    Watching Lasers Since 1981

  4. #4
    Bradfo69's Avatar
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    Ok, the inventory is really two of the original 4 port splitters and two of the new Advanced Routers. When DZ discontinued the original 4 port splitter, I pushed and pushed for just one more run. What I hoped for was a rack mount splitter, same features with more than 4 ports. I'd like to think that was partially to blame for the birth idea of the EK/DZ ALR.
    .
    The only reason I bought two of those was in an effort to help hit the minimum 10 that needed to be ordered to start the project. I didn't want to see it fall flat and not happen, as I know it can do some amazing stuff.
    .
    I finally am just getting around to trying one out for the first time this week to get ready for a wedding on Friday and, it truly pains me to say I'm not really in love with it. Now... to be fair, one of mine is the one the rest of you got with the newer features but, one is the original design with the pots, which was my preference over the trimmers. I've only used the one with pots so far. I wasn't going to publicly share my opinions yet but here are my issues. And please keep in mind, I've worked with it for maybe an hour and... it's also different strokes for different folks. It's entirely possible once I figure out the DMX part and can control it with the iPad I bought to go with it, this may change but, the first thing that struck me was the "feel" of the pots. They are not as robust as what was in the original splitter. The original had maybe 1/4" metal shafts and a good size hard plastic knob. These feel like the shaft is the diameter of a toothpick and are smaller with a bit of a flimsy feel. I'm sure they're fine but, they don't "feel" like they're super durable. The desire to squeeze into a 1U case has a lot to do with that I know.
    .
    The next issue is, the top row of pots across the router are regular smooth rotating pots from about the 7 o'clock position to the 5 o'clock position much like the original splitter. The bottom row however, has a detent at about the 12 o'clock position and if in sizing your zones you have the knob really close to that 12 o'clock position, it wants to naturally "jump" or slip into the detent spot. That may not be an issue for some but, for my ballroom and the height of my projectors on top of the totems, that means that the bottom edge of the orientation test pattern or, the zone pattern is right at the very point in the travel of the knob where the slightest movement will cause it to jump to the detent and put the bottom edge below what is deemed "safe" and at head height, if I move that line up higher but going to the other side of the detent, it puts it higher than the spot I usually use as my reference point. Now, I can compensate for that by making the x gain smaller and collapsing the overall zone but, that can also take away from the look of the show by making the x height smaller than what might be desirable.
    .
    The other thing is, it took a while to figure out how to use it in basic splitter mode but, that's just me not being sophisticated. I fought for a long time trying to get any output and trying to test if the DMX was working and so forth but, the router came in "One Input" mode and me, being a dumbass thought, "That's what I'm doing! One input!" Well... I didn't realize how to switch it between the four different modes. Once I figured that out after a half hour of fighting and finally looking through the web site, I got output and that you don't need DMX in Basic Splitter mode. Then I had the issue of how in the heck to I invert X and Y? Got that figured out too after a bit of working with it but, it's a long process to go in and set each channel. It's not difficult once you figure it out but, it takes considerably more time to set up a show with the ALR that the original splitter. Part of that is, you don't see the result of the change until exiting out of the menu for each channel and seeing if you did it right.
    .
    So... and the qualifying statement is.... used as a basic splitter.... the original DZ ILDA Splitter is far superior product. And worth their weight in gold for what I do. I almost overpaid for one eBay a while back and am kicking myself because when the bidding got to $600 on a $495 product, I dropped out. There have been a couple times this week where, in frustration, I was more than ready to do a even trade of the $1500 (now $1750) ALR for a $495 splitter if someone offered it. There is another issue that I've heard about but not experienced yet regarding settings staying in memory once power is cut to the splitter.
    .
    I still really want to give this a fighting chance though and remember, I've only used the one with pots - not trimmers so far. Plus, it may end up being much easier and faster than the original splitter using the iPad and OSC once I figure out how to use that. It absolutely pains me more than you can imagine to not (presently) be overjoyed with a DZ device. Especially when I know how much time and effort has gone into this. But I am saying "presently".
    .
    BUT... I'm also willing to pay outright for one more original splitter or work some kind of deal for someone who has an original and wanted the ALR but maybe didn't have enough cash to afford one. I hate to take the loss but, honestly, the DZ ILDA Splitter is one of the greatest pieces of laser gear ever devised and I'm really hoping to get a third one for those times when you're running a large number of projectors and particularly multiple DAC's even if it means giving up an ALR.
    PM Sent...

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    If no one else volunteers one for sale, Brad, let's PM and we can work out something whether that be an extended-borrow, barter or buy deal.

    Cheers!

    -David
    "Help, help, I'm being repressed!"

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    Lol... I'll trade ya Brad

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    And it won't even leave the family...

  8. #8
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    That may very well be do-able. The fact that you live 15 minutes away and are here regularly kinda makes sense in that regard.
    PM Sent...

  9. #9
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    Cool New toys...

  10. #10
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    I prefer the same older DZ analog splitter too,
    just wish it had a center detent position for the offset pots and rackmountable chassis..
    RGB laser projectors
    Pangolin Beyond .NET
    APC40 Midi controllers
    Pangolin FB3 controllers
    DZ splitter
    LS MegaWatt Green Machine

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