Paul

Can you confirm that in the 'About' dialog, it's showing the beta test version number, which will verify that you're running the correct patched version of PhantomJester? Can you also try turning off "High Quality Scaling" in the Settings, then restart PhantomJester to see if that helps. Also try turning off the "Show Monitor" setting and restart PhantomJester - to see if the Front Panel window then displays properly. If you still get a blank screen, there is a newer beta test version of the patch (file removed - CLICK HERE for later version), which includes a Stop button (JES-2217). The Stop button allows you to change the desk type and stop/start the Offline Editor more easily - which might provoke the Front Panel window into displaying properly. Some users initially experiencing the blank screen problem have reported that mysteriously after restarting PhantomFrog and changing the desk type etc, the problem fixes itself, so this might help. If it does start working, please try and remember what was the step that fixed it and let us know. Sorry we can't be any more precise about a solution at the moment, but we're still unable to reproduce this problem here for investigation. Thank you for your patience and assistance in helping to resolve this.

The problem with a tiered user interface style is that there could be advanced settings hidden in the tiers that are affecting the way the show plays, that a cursory glance at the basic top-layer would not reveal, and so you still end up with a desk that could confuse a new user. The idea with the Jester/JesterML is that everything is laid out plainly before you, we see one of the key selling points of the Jester/JesterML desks that they are easy to learn and use, and so in adding any new features we need to be cautious to not eat away at this by adding complex functionality that is not required by the majority of users. I wouldn't just look a Saturday night TV shows as representative of what everyone else is doing - have a read of THIS TOPIC on the Blue Room for some contrasting opinions. We have looked at wing options for desks, however the cost of a wing usually approaches that of an actual desk, hence we took the approach we did with the Jester and JesterML to allow them to work with each other, by using the Jester as a fader wing for the JesterML (using the DMX Input).

This issue (JES-2216) was first highlighted by some users on the Blue Room (CLICK HERE for topic) when we released Phantom Jester 1.0. We thought we'd fixed it in Phantom Jester 1.1, but some users still seem to have the problem, which unfortunately we aren't able to reproduce here to investigate conclusively. We have produced a patch for Phantom Jester that uses a different method to solve the blank screen problem (file removed - CLICK HERE for later version). Please let us know if this solves the problem for you.

If you saved a copy of the show that was in the desk, we could have a look at it to try and explain what was going on.

The hardware in the Frog desks uses a compander circuit and a low-pass filter to extract the level of the bass signal. This hardware is not present on a PC's sound card, and so even if we were to add this functionality, Phantom could only make a software approximation of the real hardware's response. There would still be some uncertainty as to how the same music would cause a real desk to respond. If you want to be absolutely certain what the real desk will do with a particular piece of music, program a chase at a high-numbered memory well out of the range of the show currently in the desk, and test with that. If you want a finely-tuned response to sound-to-light (rather than a rough-and-ready disco type effect) then try putting a graphic equaliser on the sound input, see also THIS TOPIC. In all honesty now that the original Frog Series is no longer in production, it is unlikely that this request will make it into Phantom Frog, sorry.

The easiest way to get everything going again is to go back to the default DMX patch on the Frog, which will give you 48 channels patched 1:1. Go to SUPER USER -> DESK SETUP -> PATCH FUNCTIONS -> SET DEFAULT PATCH to do this. Then set your Betapack2's to have the following DMX Addresses: Pack 1 (channels 1-6): DMX Address 1 Pack 2 (channels 7-12): DMX Address 7 Pack 3 (channels 13-18): DMX Address 13 Pack 4 (channels 19-24): DMX Address 19 You should then have control of all your channels again.

The default DMX patch for a Frog is 48 channels of 1:1. So set your Betapack2's to have the following DMX Addresses: Pack 1 (channels 1-6): DMX Address 1 Pack 2 (channels 7-12): DMX Address 7 Pack 3 (channels 13-18): DMX Address 13 Pack 4 (channels 19-24): DMX Address 19

We have released Illusion500 Beta Version 1.8 (CLICK HERE if you are a registered beta tester) to address a number of problems found in previous versions. We would appreciate any feedback from beta testers on this release before we make it generally available on the website. If you are not a registered beta tester and wish to help in testing this release, please PM me and I will add you to the beta testers group. Edit 12/08/2008: Release 1.8 is now generally available, CLICK HERE for details.

The wheel group loading issue has been addressed in Illusion500 Version 1.8.

This issue has been addressed in Illusion500 Version 1.8.

This issue has been addressed in Illusion500 Version 1.8.

This issue has been addressed in Illusion500 Beta Version 1.8 (CLICK HERE if you are a registered beta tester) - please can you verify that this solves the problem for you. If you are not a registered beta tester and wish to help in testing this release, please PM me and I will add you to the beta testers group.

The faders on the JesterML are always channels 1-24, so if you wanted a total of 48 channels, you'd have to use the XLS for channels 25-48. The XLS isn't an ideal choice for a desk to use with the JesterML series, since the XLS doesn't have a wide mode where the bottom bank of faders can control different DMX channels to the top bank. But you can get by, it's just that the fader layout will be a bit odd.

When you use the submaster flash button to select a submaster on the Jester, it outputs that submaster. So you need to make sure you pick the submaster you want to overwrite before you start making changes to the channel levels.

The fixture library that was on the website might (depending on how you unzipped it) have put the files in a subdirectory named Peter Kirkup\Fixture Libs. This isn't where you want the files, they need to be in the root directory on the floppy disk. I've removed the path information from the zip file on the website to avoid this happening for anyone downloading it from now on. Also the name of the library IFT file was too long for versions of desk software prior to 9.8 to recognise, so I've shortened it for better compatibility. Let us know if this solves your problem.

If you're having trouble getting the desk to see the fixture library on the floppy disk, try formatting the floppy disk in the Fat Frog first, and then copy the fixture library onto it on your PC. Instructions for upgrading the software can be found in THIS TOPIC.

Hi William, Thanks for the info - I'm sure Peter will be delighted to update the fixture profile for you! I've increased the forum maximum upload size from 500K to 2MB to make it easier to post this sort of info in the future. I've also attached the manual you scanned to Peter's post above, so you can remove it from your site now if you like. Thanks, Paul.

The XLS does not have any internal connection to Pin 7 on the analogue output DIN connectors - the information in the German manual is incorrect on this point. You only need to connect channels 1-6 and 0V to the dimmer. The correct information is given on the rear panel of the XLS:

Some things you can try to diagnose the problem... - Go to the menu Super User -> Desk Setup -> Remote Switches, and check the switches are enabled and configured how you want them. In the latest software you can simulate the effect of the 6 remote switches by plugging in a keyboard, holding CTRL and pressing F1-F6. - Boot the desk into test mode (hold F1 while the desk is booting). Use the channel flash buttons to select the Remote Switches test page on the LCD, then try closing your switches. You should see the mimic on the LCD which will tell you that the hardware is working OK. Let us know how you get on.

The method you describe using Copy in Run Mode, and then Paste in Program Mode, is the best way to build up a look from submasters on the Jester. Since the Copy button snapshots the current outputs, you can also add other channels in Run Mode using the top bank of faders.

An updated version of the Offline Editor for the Jester & JesterML desks - Phantom Jester - has been released. This can be downloaded from the Jester or JesterML support pages. Phantom Jester 1.1 includes desk software at the following versions: - Jester V3.1 - JesterML V2.0 Changes in this version: JES-2216 - Fixed problem where front panel would sometimes appear blank.

Hi Josh, If you upgrade the ML24 to Version 2.0 software then you will get 48 generic channels (generic channels which don't have physical faders on the desk can be controlled from the DMX Input), which can be recorded with fade times. The functionality has been significantly improved in this area - please read the release notes for details. Paul.

Channels from the DMX Input are treated in 3 ways according to the DMX patch: - Patched generic channels - HTP mixed with the brightness sources on the desk, and replayed with fade times. - Patched auxiliaries (Jester) or Patched fixture channels (JesterML) - not recorded or replayed. - Unpatched channels - passed through from DMX Input to DMX Output, and snapped onto the outputs when replaying (only when DMX Input is no longer present). If more than one DMX address is specified for a generic channel, then only the first address is used to get a level for that channel from the DMX Input.

We have now released Phantom Jester - the Offline Editor for the Jester and JesterML desks. CLICK HERE for details.

The Offline Editor for the Jester & JesterML desks - Phantom Jester - has been released. This can be downloaded from the Jester or JesterML support pages. Phantom Jester 1.0 includes desk software at the following versions: - Jester V3.1 - JesterML V2.0