Paul

The 'Browse' button in the Windowsy bit of Phantom Frog is used to select a folder where your .isf show files are kept. You can only select this folder while the Froggy bit is not running. The 'Open With' trick doesn't work with Phantom Frog, since the Windowsy bit wants a folder, not a file. All file operations are handled by the SuperUser menus in the Froggy bit.

What version of software was the show originally created with? Release 9.0 added the 'fade times on submasters' function. It might be that if you load a show created on a previous version of software, which didn't have this feature, that the submaster fade times pick up some odd values. Check the submaster fade times, and set them to zero if you want the fader to respond instantly.

See also the following topics for discussion on fade up/down times: http://support.zero88.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=162 http://support.zero88.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=163 edit: fixed links

We'll sell you some that do.

You can usually set the law on your dimmer or demux to be "switch" to achieve this. This is the safest way of doing it, since if anyone comes in and loads another show on your desk, they won't kill your undimmable equipment. For further discussion on the possibility of implementing dimmer type features (preheat, topset, laws) on the frog series, CLICK HERE. Frog Reference 5418 - Dimmer Laws

The Phantom Frog does not support formatting of disks, since on a PC this can easily be achieved using the PCs operating system tools. Also if you set the floppy path in Phantom Frog to C:Temp or something, what would you want it to format ...???!!! There is nothing special about the format of the floppy disk. The posts which suggest formatting the disk in the desk (usually prior to making an upgrade disk) are to help in cases where the desk does not recognise the disk. It's been found that formatting it in the desk sometimes helps here. Removes a whole load of worries about drive tolerances and things...

Not sure what software version you've really got (there hasn't been a 9.11 yet!), but I think there was a problem with 9.0 with the Yes & No being swapped round somewhere. This was fixed in 9.2. Anyhow, the latest is 9.6 so try downloading that and see if it fixes your problem.

Have a look at THIS TOPIC for a little Frog History.

Think of it more as a nostalgic look back at the 80s and 90s...

In days of old, the DMX output did stop temporarily during floppy access (load/save show, assign fixture from floppy etc.). However this was fixed in release 9.0, so that the DMX output from the desk is now continuous. You might find though that loading a new show causes the values sent on the DMX to go a bit odd for a while as the desk gets it's head around the new show. See also the following thread: http://support.zero88.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20

The Fat Frog doesn't have a group button, since with just 12 fixtures, you don't really need groups. When along came the Bullfrog with 24 fixtures, a group button was added. To stop Fat Frog users getting too jealous, we made the F4 button on the Fat Frog act as the group button. The bogus group button floating in the Phantom Frog (Fat Frog) shouldn't really be there and is on the list to be disappeared in a future update.

Fixture brightnesses are mixed HTP (Highest Takes Precedence) on the Frog series desks. Therefore if a fixtures brightness is being output from a submaster, it can't be overridden with the wheels, since the 'virtual presets' controlled by the brightness wheel are mixed HTP with the Submasters and Playback X. A 'topset' function to achieve the same result has been discussed elsewhere on the forum, and is on the list for review in future software updates. Use the search tool to look for topset if you want to see these discussions. One option might be to edit the fixture personality (offline tools available for download on the main Zero88 website) to define the fixture brightness as an LTP mixed channel. You'd then be able to take control of it at any time on the wheels to bring the level down.

There is another setting you need to check, this time in 'Desk Defaults'. Make sure the 'Remote Switches' setting is set to 'Enabled'.

Keyboard related, we already have: Frog Reference 5369 Remote switches via external keyboard. Frog Reference 5400 Allow additional characters in naming of objects; Backspace and Delete keys to work in text editing using external keyboard. Frog Reference 5419 Modify the action of the cursor keys, and others where necessary on the external keyboard to relate to the monitor screen rather than simply mimic the front panel cursor keys. Frog Reference 5424 Provide the facility to enter Super User from the external keyboard. Frog Reference 5440 Simulate a GO button press from the external keyboard. Frog Reference 5448 The function keys F1 - F4 on the external keyboard should mimic those on the front panel of the desks. Worth considering the above while bagging all the keys for your favourite functions.

The fatfrog can control anything with DMX if you write a fixture personality for it. However as Yves suggests, for things like lasers you might find it easier to use a dedicated controller, which will have pre-programmed effects specific to the device. Yes we do know how many fatfrog desks there are in the world

Does anything else apart from the qwerty keys work on the keyboard - cursor keys, numeric entry etc.? Do the Num Lock, Caps Lock & Scroll Lock LEDs toggle on and off in response to the appropriate keys? Have you got a different keyboard you can try?

If you've got the desk in wide mode, then also check the 'Shift' button, as this will determine which set of channels the flash buttons correspond to.

Check the 'Flash Mode' - 3 options are Off/Flash/Solo. Also, since release 9.0, if you lock the monitor screen on palettes, then the flash buttons also lock to become palette selection rather than channel flash buttons.

There's quite an extensive discussion on controlling LTP parameters with submasters in THIS TOPIC. You're not the first to suggest a submaster naming feature! See THIS TOPIC. Worry not about pages 10-20, there is a 2nd 7-segment display there which has been fitted and tested on all Frog series desks since day one. We thought that one day 9 pages might not be enough!

Are you using software version 9.2? If so, do you have the Pan/Tilt inverted or swapped? I'm wondering if this is where the problem lies. EDIT: I just tried some 99 minute fades with 16 bit fixtures on the Phantom Frog, with various combinations of Pan/Tilt invert and swap, and the numbers on the DMX output screen (course and fine) look good.

Trouble is, PC keyboards are made by the gazillion, and people expect to pay £5-£20 for one. The number we'd likely sell for Frogs would put a price tag (finger in the air, big guess, erm...) of maybe upwards of £200 on it. Would you pay that? The volume of products sold has a much greater impact on end selling price than the raw material cost. We're not going to get the massive economies of scale of the consumer PC market. Still, if you want us to make you a special keyboard and the price is right, we're a business after all!

By default, the desk is set up to work in Full Mode, where everything is recorded when you hit the red button. If you are using fixtures and submasters, you'll soon find this isn't very flexible. You'll need to go into Super User, and change the programming mode to Partial Mode. This will allow you to record submasters which for example have only your Parcans in, without the scanners. Have a look in the manual, or search this forum for "Partial Mode" for further information. I hope I understood your question correctly. Regards, Paul.

If the movement effect comes directly from a Memory / Submaster / SX, then the wheel display shows the output of the effect (Pan, Tilt values changing). If you change any of Pan, Tilt, Effect, SizeX, SizeY, Offset, Rotation or Speed, the desk assumes you want to seize control of the selected fixture(s), so it stops the movement effect on them. If you want to change any of the above parameters from their programmed values without stopping the effect, then you have to use the EDIT function on the relevant Memory / Submaster / SX. If the movement effect is coming from a position palette, then the wheel display shows the palette number (e.g. P05). In this case, individual parameters CAN be adjusted with the wheels without stopping the effect. This difference in behaviour might be a consequence of the adding of movement effects to palettes in release 9.0, or it might be by design for a reason that escapes me now! I'm sure K-Nine will fill us in. If there's a strong consensus as to which way you all want it to work, then it might go on the list for review in future software updates!

The fuseholders used in the Alphapack are made by Schurter, part number FEF 0031-1081. See: http://www.schurter.ch/products/fusehold.asp Our Service Department can always supply spares - give Keith a call!

To connect the Frog Screen to a desk, you need the SMPTE/MIDI/CAN board fitted in the desk. This board is fitted as standard in the Frog Box, and is available as an upgrade for the Leapfrog, Bullfrog and Mambo Frog. It is NOT available for Frog and Fat Frog.