I am posting this in JV to again remind all users of digital consoles how important a good uninterruptable power supply is for your digital devices. EVERY software related glitch or gremlin I have ever had with any digital device has been caused by a power spike or brownout. Since I began using a UPS many years ago I have never had any software or operating system related problems since. I even use one at FOH on my analog systems to send stable power to my digital effects and processing. Never a single problem in the last 10 years related to power. It is a cheap insurance policy. You don't need a very powerful unit, just enough to keep the voltage fluctuations from reaching your gear.
Hey digital console users don't forget your UPS
- Thread starter Eric Cagle
- Start date
Re: Hey digital console users don't forget your UPS
Well, I am sure this has been talked about to death in other threads, but this looks like an appropriate place to ask.
What would be the top suggestions for an affordable UPS that will still get the job done right?
Thanks,
Phil
Well, I am sure this has been talked about to death in other threads, but this looks like an appropriate place to ask.
What would be the top suggestions for an affordable UPS that will still get the job done right?
Thanks,
Phil
Re: Hey digital console users don't forget your UPS
Depends upon what console you are running. My LS9-16 runs on nothing more than a small APC from the local office supply house. However, I only use this on utility power, as I have had the occasional problem with it on generators. For my M7CL and for situations with known questionable power I have a rackmount Furman UPS/voltage regulator.
By the way, people will tell you that you HAVE to have a UPS with sine wave output. I don't agree.
Depends upon what console you are running. My LS9-16 runs on nothing more than a small APC from the local office supply house. However, I only use this on utility power, as I have had the occasional problem with it on generators. For my M7CL and for situations with known questionable power I have a rackmount Furman UPS/voltage regulator.
By the way, people will tell you that you HAVE to have a UPS with sine wave output. I don't agree.
Silas Pradetto
Graduate Student
I have a Powerware 5115 1500VA unit I got for $9 on Ebay. It weighs over 50 pounds and cost 5 times the purchase price to ship. It's pretty legit.
Sent from my DROID RAZR
Re: Hey digital console users don't forget your UPS
I have units from PFPower (Furman) and APC. Both brands have worked and are still working flawlessly. Mine are all rackmount 1500 watt units which are very heavy and extreme overkill. I did not realize that I did not need so much power at the time or I would have most likely bought smaller units. I did get them new "scratch and dent" on eBay in the $250-$300 range as they became available so it was not as expensive as it could have been. Hopefully some more guys will chime with units they have had success with.
I have units from PFPower (Furman) and APC. Both brands have worked and are still working flawlessly. Mine are all rackmount 1500 watt units which are very heavy and extreme overkill. I did not realize that I did not need so much power at the time or I would have most likely bought smaller units. I did get them new "scratch and dent" on eBay in the $250-$300 range as they became available so it was not as expensive as it could have been. Hopefully some more guys will chime with units they have had success with.
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Re: Hey digital console users don't forget your UPS
This would be just for a X32. I definitely don't want to cheap out on something that I may have issues with, but also don't want to get something super heavy and overkill in the power output.
This would be just for a X32. I definitely don't want to cheap out on something that I may have issues with, but also don't want to get something super heavy and overkill in the power output.
Re: Hey digital console users don't forget your UPS
So what is everyone doing now that we have consoles and stage boxes to contend with? One big UPS at the stage that feeds the stage box and run a line from the UPS to FOH, or one smaller UPS at each location?
So what is everyone doing now that we have consoles and stage boxes to contend with? One big UPS at the stage that feeds the stage box and run a line from the UPS to FOH, or one smaller UPS at each location?
Re: Hey digital console users don't forget your UPS
I haven't really looked too close at specific units for the X32 yet, but given the 120w requirement and the likely need for time before shutdown, I'm inclined to go for something really small (like the Eaton 3S) that hopefully will fit in the flightcase.
I haven't really looked too close at specific units for the X32 yet, but given the 120w requirement and the likely need for time before shutdown, I'm inclined to go for something really small (like the Eaton 3S) that hopefully will fit in the flightcase.
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Re: Hey digital console users don't forget your UPS
Hi Phil,
I like these, they are pretty cheap and will handle brownouts etc whereas some of the cheaper APC units will not. They also don't freak out on generators (at least in my experience) like the cheaper APC ones will.
Tripp Lite Smart LCD 1000VA Tower Line-Interactive 120V UPS with LCD display and USB port (SMART1000LCD)
or
Tripp Lite Omni LCD 650VA Tower Line-Interactive 120V UPS with LCD display and USB port (OMNI650LCD)
Hope that helps
Jeff
Hi Phil,
I like these, they are pretty cheap and will handle brownouts etc whereas some of the cheaper APC units will not. They also don't freak out on generators (at least in my experience) like the cheaper APC ones will.
Tripp Lite Smart LCD 1000VA Tower Line-Interactive 120V UPS with LCD display and USB port (SMART1000LCD)
or
Tripp Lite Omni LCD 650VA Tower Line-Interactive 120V UPS with LCD display and USB port (OMNI650LCD)
Hope that helps
Jeff
Re: Hey digital console users don't forget your UPS
I use a basic APC unit for my FOH gear, and have for years.
BUT is anyone using a UPS with voltage regulation for power amps?
I use a basic APC unit for my FOH gear, and have for years.
BUT is anyone using a UPS with voltage regulation for power amps?
Re: Hey digital console users don't forget your UPS
NO. Power amps would need a hefty UPS, easily many times the size of your FOH UPS. Power amps also handle voltage variations much more gracefully than other types of electronic equipment, and many of the newer amps now have universal power supplies that will accept 90-250v, 50-60Hz. Amps also do not have a "reboot" time (analog) or it's very short like I-Techs... and much shorter than an console.
NO. Power amps would need a hefty UPS, easily many times the size of your FOH UPS. Power amps also handle voltage variations much more gracefully than other types of electronic equipment, and many of the newer amps now have universal power supplies that will accept 90-250v, 50-60Hz. Amps also do not have a "reboot" time (analog) or it's very short like I-Techs... and much shorter than an console.
Re: Hey digital console users don't forget your UPS
Thanks for all the input. I was looking for something that was rack-mountable but also wasn't a massive server UPS that I was finding from some. I ended up finding this APC Smart-ups 750VA LCDRM2U 120V for a good price that was a new open box special.
APC Smart-ups 750VA LCD RM 2U 120V
Phil
Thanks for all the input. I was looking for something that was rack-mountable but also wasn't a massive server UPS that I was finding from some. I ended up finding this APC Smart-ups 750VA LCDRM2U 120V for a good price that was a new open box special.
APC Smart-ups 750VA LCD RM 2U 120V
Phil
Re: Hey digital console users don't forget your UPS
My UPS of choice for a few years now has been the TrippLite SMART1000RM1U ... I originally looked at it simply because it's a single rack-space unit, but it turned out to meet all of my UPS needs for running a Yamaha Digital console along with a Mac Mini Qlab Rig. Little bit more money then the other units they make, but it really works for me.
Steve
Tripp Lite SmartPro 1kVA Line Interactive Sine Wave UPS, SNMPWEBCARD option, 1U Rackmount, USB, Serial, EPO, 120V (SMART1000RM1U)
My UPS of choice for a few years now has been the TrippLite SMART1000RM1U ... I originally looked at it simply because it's a single rack-space unit, but it turned out to meet all of my UPS needs for running a Yamaha Digital console along with a Mac Mini Qlab Rig. Little bit more money then the other units they make, but it really works for me.
Steve
Tripp Lite SmartPro 1kVA Line Interactive Sine Wave UPS, SNMPWEBCARD option, 1U Rackmount, USB, Serial, EPO, 120V (SMART1000RM1U)
Re: Hey digital console users don't forget your UPS
We use APC 1500VA of various models for all of our digital sound and lighting consoles. We have pretty stable power coming in after our $650,000 switch gear retro fit several years ago. If we lose power, the show is coming down. The goal is to keep the consoles and computers up long enough to back up the show and shut them down gracefully. Critical infrastructure systems are on generator back up.
We use APC 1500VA of various models for all of our digital sound and lighting consoles. We have pretty stable power coming in after our $650,000 switch gear retro fit several years ago. If we lose power, the show is coming down. The goal is to keep the consoles and computers up long enough to back up the show and shut them down gracefully. Critical infrastructure systems are on generator back up.
Re: Hey digital console users don't forget your UPS
That is a good question. I have not bought any of the S16's yet but I suppose I will use a seperate unit on stage when the time comes. My UPS's are currently mounted in my front of house and recording racks. The other nice thing about having one for stage is having regulated power for monitor consoles, in ears, etc. Also there is the option to pull some power for keyboards, computers, sequencers, MIDI devices and other things that could benifit from a UPS if you have a little extra juice.
That is a good question. I have not bought any of the S16's yet but I suppose I will use a seperate unit on stage when the time comes. My UPS's are currently mounted in my front of house and recording racks. The other nice thing about having one for stage is having regulated power for monitor consoles, in ears, etc. Also there is the option to pull some power for keyboards, computers, sequencers, MIDI devices and other things that could benifit from a UPS if you have a little extra juice.
Re: Hey digital console users don't forget your UPS
I like the UPS to be with the device. Depending on how you package your items, the form factor of the UPS may make a significant difference and limit your run time. I'd like a stage i/o box to run as long as the FOH console. I don't want to the desk to come back thinking the i/o box shouldn't be there....
As Justice Bigler points out up-thread, a UPS at the console is there primarily to make it possible to have a graceful shutdown in the event the power goes down. The other reason, and less of a issue in his facility, is keeping the console up in the face of small "power events" that interrupt the AC just long enough for the desk to go off.... and.................. reboot. You never realize how long 45 to 90 seconds is until your audience is waiting for audio. Trust me.
I like the UPS to be with the device. Depending on how you package your items, the form factor of the UPS may make a significant difference and limit your run time. I'd like a stage i/o box to run as long as the FOH console. I don't want to the desk to come back thinking the i/o box shouldn't be there....
As Justice Bigler points out up-thread, a UPS at the console is there primarily to make it possible to have a graceful shutdown in the event the power goes down. The other reason, and less of a issue in his facility, is keeping the console up in the face of small "power events" that interrupt the AC just long enough for the desk to go off.... and.................. reboot. You never realize how long 45 to 90 seconds is until your audience is waiting for audio. Trust me.
Re: Hey digital console users don't forget your UPS
Wouldn't you just move the UPS to the snake head ( s16) position, and run a long a/c from that out to FOH ? - that's what I plan to do anyway...
Wouldn't you just move the UPS to the snake head ( s16) position, and run a long a/c from that out to FOH ? - that's what I plan to do anyway...
Re: Hey digital console users don't forget your UPS
Either way would work. I didn't think about Tim's point that you would not want the console to come back on without the stage box. I think I would prefer the UPS at FOH and a long cord back to the stage box for power monitoring purposes. It is hard to hear the "power running on batteries" alarm during a show so I always tie in a light over the console pre UPS so that I know when there is an AC issue. I once ran almost a half hour on battery power alone before I happened to notice the meters on my UPS which is at the bottom of the rack. The alarm was completely inaudible being buried under 100+ db of sound at FOH.
Either way would work. I didn't think about Tim's point that you would not want the console to come back on without the stage box. I think I would prefer the UPS at FOH and a long cord back to the stage box for power monitoring purposes. It is hard to hear the "power running on batteries" alarm during a show so I always tie in a light over the console pre UPS so that I know when there is an AC issue. I once ran almost a half hour on battery power alone before I happened to notice the meters on my UPS which is at the bottom of the rack. The alarm was completely inaudible being buried under 100+ db of sound at FOH.
Re: Hey digital console users don't forget your UPS
CyberPower PFC sinewave series. Reasonably-priced and reasonable weight. I have one on FOH and replaced my home computer APC Smart-UPS unit with one after the second round of battery replacement on the APC.
PFC Sinewave Series
CyberPower PFC sinewave series. Reasonably-priced and reasonable weight. I have one on FOH and replaced my home computer APC Smart-UPS unit with one after the second round of battery replacement on the APC.
PFC Sinewave Series