K-Nine

That's correct - The Snap (S) or Fade (F) columns refer to the action of the Colour ©, beamshape ( and Position (P) fixture parameters which are programmed into the memory, when the memory is triggered. If you want any of them to fade to their programmed values on pressing the GO button, you need to set the LTP fade time to the required value and the attribute (colour, beam, position) to fade. On submasters, the snap or fade for the LTP parameters (colour, beam and position) refers to how the outputs will change once the LTP trigger level has been reached.

Peter, Is the above post a suggestion for the current frog desks, or something to be considered for the next generation of desks which is what this topic was originally about ? Just asking so I can split into a separate topic if appropriate

Maybe it is translated correctly, but I still don't inderstand :?

That's kind of one of the problems - do you regard the 'end' of the cue as being the end of the fade up, fade down, end of the HTP (brightness) cross fade (whichever is the longer of the two), the end of the LTP fade, if longer than the HTP fade, or at the end of the dwell time ? Some people would regard the end of the fade (HTP or LTP) when the outputs have reached their programmed state as the end of the fade or cue, and the dwell time as irrelevant 8O The dwell time is only really applicable if the next cue is automatic and represents the time that the current cue remains at it's outputs levels before the next cue is triggred ... as I have discovered recently while working on a new specification/design, this is sometimes known as the 'wait' time of the next cue 8O Either way, the resultant outputs are the same - it's just that the time is associated with a different cue. I gather this is one of the reasons why some users have been confused by dwell times 8O

The 'Cut' feature sounds like a good idea and shouldn't (?) be too difficult to implement. Frog Reference 5486 - 'Cut' Function - providing the ability to Go to the Next memory ignoring all timings, ie snap to programmed levels. As to the fade indicator, this has been mentioned before, CLICK HERE. Frog Reference 5433 - Indicate the time remaining or % through a memory on the memory stack (Playback X) on the monitor screen. The question is, with fade up, fade down, LTP fade and dwell times making up the total duration of the memory - what do you take as 'the fade time' in order to determine the % of how far through you are ?

Generic channels (on the preset faders) and fixtures cannot be patched to the same DMX address. Even if a fixture has channels which are not used or not defined, when the fixture is patched it will 'use' all the DMX channels between the first and last channel for the fixture. So Haytech is right (he usually is) :idea: I'm not sure in what circumstances you require faders to control your fixture brightness (ie programming/plotting or live playback), but if you have a spare page of submasters, you could always program each submaster to contain just the brightness channel of each of the fixtures in turn. You would need to have the desk in partial mode, so that only the brightness parameter of the fixture was recorded. Select a submaster page (eg page 20). Press the submasters key to display the submasters page. Select submaster 1. Select fixture 1 Select brightness. Set the brightness of fixture 1 to full using the wheel Ensure that no other generic fader or fixture brightness is being output. Press Record. Bring the brightness of fixture 1 back to zero with the wheel. Repeat above procedure for fixtures 2 - 12 (24 for Leap frog/Bull Frog) You can then control the brightness of each individual fixture by using the corresponding submaster faders on page 20

Is the desk running in full mode or partial mode ? Are you running from the playback X (memory stack) or from submasters ?

I'm not quite sure I follow what you are asking for here as the fixture type does not appear to have a pan/tilt or movement speed parameter. Are you perhaps referring to the fade time for the position parameters (Pan/tilt) when you trigger the memory from the playback X ? If so, you need to set the Position action to fade and the LTP fade time for the time that you want - then when the memory is triggered, the fixture will move from it's current position to the programmed position in the LTP fade time.

The answer to your question is yes, a riggers remote could be developed for the Illusion 500 and/or the Frog series of desks, but the big issue is whether it is commercially viable to do so at this time. There are numerous enhancements that have been suggested for the Illusion and other desks we produce, but as well as supporting and improving current desks, we also have to look at developing new products. It is up to the management and the Sales and Marketing chaps to decide on what we do in R and D :wink:

The Illusion 500 does not currently have an automove function, but the same effect can be achieved in a number of ways .. see the topic in the Frog Forum for a discussion of this subject ... CLICK HERE

An interesting suggestion ... but I would have no idea on how it would be implemented or displayed using the current front panel controls and user interfaces 8O

For further information on the Frog Screen, CLICK HERE

Moderation: Desk Startup 'funny' split into new topic. CLICK HERE

Moderation: Above post moved to end of this topic to avoid duplication Assuming that the specified smoke machine is a single channel DMX device, it can be patched to one of the generic/preset faders or you can assign one of the 12 fixtures on the Fat Frog to a simple 'conventional' fixture type (which has a single brightness channel), or you can create you own fixture type with a single channel which can be classified as whatever attribute you wish (brightness, colour, beam or position). It depends whther you wish to control the smoke machine as a HTP channel like normal generic/dimmer channels, a single channel fixture (HTP) or a single channel fixture (LTP). As to the physical connection/wiring I would suggest you refer to the manual for the smoke machine and the responses in the above posts.

The HTP channels, whether they are the generic channels/preset faders or fixture brightness parameters are ALWAYS recorded when you record a memory or submaster. If you don't want them to appear in the memory or submaster, ensure they are lowered before pressing the PROGRAM button.

I'm not quite sure what you are asking here but .... A generic/desk channel, which is controlled by a preset fader and a fixture controlled by the fixture selection buttons, attribute buttons and control wheels cannot both be patched to the same DMX output address. If you have assigned and patched 'generic' fixtures to the fixture buttons then the brightness parameter is recorded automatically when you record memories or submasters, so you should be able to control the 'generic' fixtures on submasters in the same way as generic/desk channels or fixture brightnesses.

After every flight, pilots complete a gripe sheet which conveys to the mechanics any problems encountered with the aircraft during the flight that need repair or correction. The form is a piece of paper that the pilot completes, and then the mechanics read and correct the problem. They then respond in writing on the lower half of the form what remedial action was taken and the pilot reviews the gripe sheets before the next flight. Never let it be said that ground crews and engineers lack a sense of humour. Here are some actual logged maintenance complaints and problems, as submitted by QANTAS pilots, and the solution recorded by maintenance engineers. P = The problem logged by the pilot. S = The solution and action taken by the engineers. P: Left inside main tyre almost needs replacement. S: Almost replaced left inside main tyre. P: Test flight OK, except autoland very rough. S: Autoland not installed on this aircraft. P: Something loose in cockpit. S: Something tightened in cockpit. P: Dead bugs on windshield. S: Live bugs on back-order. P: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200 fpm descent. S: Cannot reproduce problem on ground. P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear. S: Evidence removed. P: DME volume unbelievably loud. S: DME volume set to more believable level. P: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick. S: That's what they're there for. P: IFF inoperative. S: IFF always inoperative in OFF mode. P: Suspected crack in windshield. S: Suspect you're right. P: Number 3 engine missing. S: Number 3 engine found on right wing after a brief search. P: Aircraft handles funny. S: Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly straight, and be serious. P: Target radar hums. S: Reprogrammed target radar with the correct words. P: Mouse in cockpit. S: Cat installed.

To assign a 'generic' fixture type to one of the fixtures on the desk you will need to insert a floppy disk containing the Zero 88 Fixture Library into the disk drive, and choose the "Assign from Disk" option. The single channel brightness 'generic' lights are listed in the fixture library under the manufacturer name of <CONVENTIONALS>. The fixture types available are Ellipsoidal, Flood, Fresnel, Generic Lamp, Parcan, Pebble Convex, Profile, Softlight. It doesn't actually matter which of the fixture types you choose as they have identical personalities (ie one brightness channel). (Note - In the current software it is not possible to patch FIXTURES to more than one DMX address, cf with generic channels which can be patched to up to 10 different DMX addresses - this has been mentioned before CLICK HERE and is an item to be reviewed. )

It may be a problem with downloading the file from the Zero 88 website - email Keith Rogers and he will be able to send you a file directly that you can try.

This is because the naming function and numerical entry of data via external keyboard were written and implemented at different times 8O The naming function was originally written based on the somewhat clunky method of using the cursor keys and +/- keys and then extended to include the external keyboard. Unfortunately, the backspace functionality was omitted :oops: There is an outstanding FR No relating to text entry and the use of backspace etc. and this will be reviewed if, and when we decide to do another feature update. See also: THIS TOPIC

You obviously missed the thinly veiled sarcasm/irony of my last post We are well aware of the restrictions relating to navigating around the two dimensional tables on the monitor screens (eg memories screen) using the cursor keys on an external keyboard or those on the front panel. Frog Reference 5419 - Modify the action of the cursor keys (and other keys as necessary) on the external keyboard to relate to the monitor screen rather than simply mimic the front panel cursor keys - to be reviewed. We know that this feature would improve the user interface particularly for those which use external keyboards and monitors, but it is not a trivial change to design or implement. The external keyboard cursor key definition would have to be specified for every single monitor screen, popup window, dialogue box etc. There are also the consequences of being able to move freely around the two dimensional tables to consider. This would need to be investigated as the user could move between elements of the tables that currently are not possible, as the navigation of screens, such as the Memories screen was originally based around the main LCD screen. I'm sure NZ will correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe that the frog series of desks was targeted at the large scale pro-theatre markets, but was designed more for the live, rather than pre-programmed, simply press the Go button type of show. The Illusion on the other hand is a different style of desk and is more geared to the theatre style of operation. Incidently, because of the way the main user interface was designed on the Illusion, around the monitor screens, the navigation that you would like on the frogs is possible on the Ilusion desks

The alphanumeric keys are used for entering text (memory names etc) The numeric keys are used for entering numeric data, and must be terminated by ENTER. The cursor keys (arrow keys) mimic the up/down arrow keys and +/- keys on the front panel. The function keys F1-F4 mimic those on the front panel.

There are no print options as such on the frog desks. What type of information would you require to be printed out ? The frog show file contains a lot of setup data, fixture personality data, as well as all the information on the programmed memories, submasters, palettes, sx buttons etc. Depending on exactly what information you required, it may be possible to print corresponding screens from the Phantom Frog as suggested above. This is not ideal I agree, but better than nothing

It is possible to scroll up/down the memories/submasters screen using the cursor keys ... providing you are in the memory/submaster number column and you use the + and - keys to go up and down 8O

The additional Beat Drive modifier for chases was added in Software version 9.0. You set the 'speed' of the chase by tapping the corresponding Step button twice on the desk. For further information: CLICK HERE