Kirkup_xp

It does sound as if the DMX generation had failed, which is worrying. Can you confirm for me the software version and co-processor firmware you are running. Also please, the LCD firmware version. And if it does it again, have a look at the green LEDs by the DMX output sockets, see if they're still flickering. Thanks

Hi Hutch I've not seen this behaviour in the software. What dimmers are you connected to? Are they set to fade or hold on DMX fail? Peter

Hi Dogsbody The fixtures you mention are not included in our fixture library. If you send me the DMX profile information for the fixtures, I will create a fixture file for you and add them to the library. Peter

We have a meeting tomorrow to determine timescales for Frog 2 releases. I'll let you know when we have decided. Peter

I managed to locate a manual for the fixture, and have created a basic fixture profile for it. The manual is not very detailed, so if you could let me know if the names in the profile (Effect, Spin, Micro) are apprpriate to the functionality that would be good. Hope this helps Peter

There are several ways to assign individual fixtures to a UDF. It depends whether you want your UDF to work through the program window, or not. If you want the UDF to affect the program window, you should define a single parameter UDF. Do to this, select the fixture in question (either using the fixture number or group, then number). Now hold down SHIFT and press on the touchscreen where the DIMMER attribute is displayed. Now press RECORD, then the UDF flash button. If you want the UDF to work outside of the program window, you should define channel data to the UDF. Select the fixture and press FULL. Now set the FADE attribute to 0s for the dimmer. Next press RECORD, then the UDF flash button. I hope this helps. Peter

UDFs are User Definable Faders. You have to define what you want on them - groups, individual fixtures, channel data (submasters), override and time faders, inhibits, parameter faders, etc. Generally the syntax is <item> RECORD <UDF flash button> eg: GROUP n RECORD <UDF> - will create a Group UDF GROUP n FULL, wheel edit pan, wheel edit tilt, RECORD <UDF> - will create a channel data UDF. etc. Hope this helps Peter

Hi Ryan I've created a fixture file for the fixture, which is attached to this post. I trust this is of use. Peter

Hi Christopher I've just tested this out in version 3.0.0 and the effect seems to fade in properly (tested with Circle). If possible, can you email me a show file with the erroneous effects to pkirkup@zero88.com and i'll take a look at it. Peter Kirkup

Approximate equivalents: Yes, at any cost Yes, if it costs less than €300 Yes, if it costs less than €150 Yes, if it costs less than €75 No, not at all

Have you patched the fixtures after assigning them? To do this, go into Super User, Desk Setup, Patch Functions, Manual Patch. Press the fixture select button and enter the DMX address of the fixture. If you have done this, check the cabling. Its possible that the fixtures require a phase-reversed DMX signal. One quick way to check whether its a desk problem or a fixture problem is to re-address the fixture to DMX1, then use the manual faders to control the fixture. If this fails to work, the problem is likely to be between the desk and the fixture (cabling, settings on the fixture, etc). Hope this helps you get it sorted. If you're still having problems, let me know and I'll post some more advice. Peter

Hi Chris At present the remote input on the back of the Frog 2 is not implemented in software. It is something we are looking at adding in the near future though, so keep an eye on this forum. Have you considered our Chilli dimming system to work alongside your desk, which enables you to recall upto 12 memories stored within the dimmers from remote panels.

There is no FROG mode as such. The inbuilt effects generator takes two seperate guises. The first is the Auto Palettes function, which is enabled in Setup, Auto Menus. This will automatically generate for you 31 effects palettes, with things such as figure 8, circle, triangle, as well as rainbow, iris, dimmer and other effects. The second part of the effects system is utilised via the Effects Window. Press the Effects Window button on the touchscreen to view it. You can then assign mathematical waves (sine, cosine, sawtooth, etc) to any parameter of a fixture. The sizes, offset and speed can be adjusted on a per-parameter basis. Size, Speed, Offset and Rotation can also be controlled by the wheels, when the Effects attribute is selected. HTH

Hi Sam The first thing you need to do is program another stack with the chase you want the minimacs to do. In this example i'll use stack number two. Program each step of the chase as a cue in the stack. Then enter the command STACK 2 SETUP. The stack setup window will appear on the touchscreen. Press the Chase button, followed by "Turn into Chase". You can then set the modifiers as required. Next you need to program a 'dummy' cue into the original (generic) cue stack. The easiest way to do this is to CLEAR the program window (press CLEAR twice) then press RECORD 1/4 ENTER. This will record a blank cue into Cue 4 on the stack. Now load the Cue Stack window (button on the touchscreen) and navigate across to the macro column. Press SET, and enter "G2" (this is a 'go' command for stack number 2). Do the same for the cue where you wish to 'release' the chase, except that the macro should be "R2". Move In Dark pre-sets your moving heads in their next position/colour/beam, meaning that you don't have to program dummy cues to move the fixtures into position before fading up. With MiniMacs this will be hard to see, as the fixtures do not have a dimmer. The way it works is the desk detects when the fixture is 'dark', and then looks forward in the cue stack to the next available memory. It will then set the fixture to the parameter values for that memory, in prepration for the fade up. If you do not want a particular cue to move whilst dark (for example, if you want to force a colour change whilst intensity fades up), there are macro commands which can be entered in the macro column to disable move whilst dark for a particular cue. I hope this helps. Let me know if you need any more help or have any further questions. Peter

Hi Rob We are always happy to come and train end users at their venues. We do ask a charge, to cover our costs. Drop me an email pkirkup@zero88.com and i'll be happy to sort this out for you. Peter Kirkup

Yeah no reason why you couldn't copy the show file across onto a flashdrive.

You could always buy yourself a nice widescreen monitor... my 1680x1024 monitor fits both windows on one screen. Clicking between windows is not that much of a hassle, but I suppose it depends on your preferences.

You can transfer any Frog show file onto your PC for safe storage using a standard windows PC. Of course, as you pointed out, you won't be able to load the show into the desk without using a floppy disk, but any sort of storage media should accept the show file. As for whether a second floppy disk is worthwhile, I would say yes. Floppy Disks use magnetics to store the data, and are susceptable to problems with reliability. Hope this helps Peter

Hi Matt This is the intended functionality for the Shape generator. You need to program either a palette or submaster with the shape parameters tagged at '0 / No Effect'. The reason your position palettes aren't stopping the shape is that when you programmed the palettes you hadn't tagged the shape parameters for programming. To alter the tag status of elements of a fixture, hold down WHEEL GROUP and nudge the wheel for the parameter you wish to exclude from programming (the LCD will change to - - -). Hope this helps Peter

You simply use 5-pin DMX cable to link everything together. Jester --5pin DMX--> First Rack 6 --5pin DMX--> Second Rack 6 --5pin DMX--> Third Rack 6.... -->Last Rack 6 If you're making up your own DMX cables, you should use a cable with appropriate ratings for the DMX standard. Microphone cable is NOT acceptable. More info here. Each rack 6 is then assigned to a seperate DMX start address - 1, 7, 13, 19, 25 would be sensible start addresses for yours. The last item in the DMX chain should have a DMX terminator fitted. A terminator is simply a 120R resistor fitted between pins 2+3 of a 5pin male XLR. The RJ12 connectors on the Rack6 are for Chillinet, ignore them if you're only using DMX. Hope this helps Peter

Attached is the fixture profile for the iColor 3000. Both modes are included. The 3 channel mode will add a 'virtual brightness' channel when used on the Frog 2. Hope this is of use. Peter Zero88 Product Support

Hi Ryan There are lots of ways to record a cue stack, however the simplest is to use the syntax RECORD <stack number> / <cue number> ENTER. Another option is to click the SELECT button above the playbacks, then just use RECORD ENTER to append a cue to the end of the current stack (if no cues are programmed, cue one is created when you perform RECORD ENTER). Hope this helps

Hi Ryan I'm not quite sure what you mean by Program the Manual Playbacks Like Submasters. Can you try and clarify this a little. The User Defined Faders (the top bank) can be programmed with Channel Data, in which case they will act similarly to submasters. The bottom bank of faders (Playbacks) are individual cue stacks and as such are more akin to the Playback X area of the Frog range.

From the Alphapack1 Manual:

Hi Gatso Sorry for the problems with the upload - i'll look into it. If you could email the file to me (pkirkup@zero88.com) then i'll take a look at it. Peter