K-Nine

Hi there, It's not a problem with the desk, it's simply the mode it is set to operate in. Your desk is currently in 'Full' mode, which records everything on the outputs when you hit the program button. To allow programming of different fixtures onto different submasters, you need to set the desk to 'Partial' - this can be found in the desk setup menu. (programming mode)

We are looking into making the Illusion 500 more user configurable in Setup. Rather than displaying and processing all 512 control channels, the software could only display the channels which have been user-defined as 'active'. This should simplify the CDW and CDD displays and improve the processing speed.

Frog Reference No 5447 - Have separate FROG speeds for colour, beamshape and position - to be reviewed.

So you would like a separate FROG speed for colour and beamshape ? Would you have a single FROG speed for Position, or two separate speeds for Pan and Tilt, seeing as they already have separate actions and ranges ?

Illusion Reference No 4660 - Add more colour schemes - to be reviewed. See also the following topic in this forum: http://support.zero88.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3400

The Stage Data section of the User Fixture Editor is only applicable to fixture profile data which is used on the Sirius 250 and 500 lighting desks. The Frog Series of desks does not have stage sizing and therefore does not use this data. The facility to invert pan and tilt parameters, and to swap pan and tilt will be added in a future update. Some moving light fixtures have DIP switches or other user-selectable options on the fixture which allow you to swap the direction of pan and tilt or swap the pan and tilt channels.

Another way of viewing the fixture types in the fixture library file is to use the Common Fixture Type Editor (CFTE) as follows: Start the CFTE program. Click on OK to get rid of the 'getting started' popup window. Select Edit - Insert Select the fixture library file, eg gft9_03.ift. All the fixture types are then displayed in a separate window in manufacturer order.

You can control moving lights with a Frog but you would to have one preset fader for each DMX channel of the fixture, and they would all be mixed HTP (cf the Fat Frog etc, where moving light control is programmed separately from the generic/dimmer channels and the colour, beam and position parameters are LTP). As I mentioned earlier, the Frog has 48 control channels, so if you had for example an 8 channel moving light then this would use 8 of the preset faders leaving you with 40 channels for conventional dimming. Compare this to the Fat Frog which has 48 generic (dimmer) control channels plus 12 moving lights (up to a max of 288 control channels).

There are a number of options here depending on what you want to record onto the submaster, and also what you want to be output when you raise the submaster fader ... In Desk Setup - Desk Defaults there are a number of items which determine submaster behaviour (Sub Data, LTP trigger, LTP trig Lev). If you wish to include moving light parameters in your submaster data you need to set the Sub Data to Generics + Fixtures, which I think is the default anyway. If you wish to trigger the fixure LTP parameters (colour, beamshape, position) .. Set the LTP trigger to on .. again I think this is the default. If you want to be able to record for example colour only, position only data for selected fixtures onto a submaster, you will need to ensure that the program mode is set to Partial (Desk Setup - Program Mode). When recording channel data directly onto a submaster you can then select which fixtures and which attributes are recorded (eg fixtures 1-4, colour) ... see manual chapter 5 for further details. If you have any further questions, please drop me an email or private message.

The specification for the Frog desk is 48 generic (dimmer) channels. Each generic channel may be patched to several DMX addresses (duplicates) but the maximum number of control channels on the Frog is 48. Submasters can only be loaded directly with channel data or transferred memories. If you wish to control moving lights easily and sensibly (ie using HTP for brightness and LTP for the colour, gobo, pan/tilt etc.) then you really need a Fat Frog or one of the larger desks in the Frog series.

Investigation has been carried out in Cwmbran and the problem appears to be related to clicking outside the Save As.. popup window, when saving edits from the Channel Data Window. Illusion Reference No 4720 - Desk crashes or unable to close the CDW after editing - to be fixed in version ML1.4.

Illusion Reference No 4124 - Inhibit function on Submasters - to be reviewed.

If you want to program movement only chases (ie without recording or affecting any of the other LTP parameters on your fixtures, colours, gobos etc.) first ensure that your desk is set up in Partial program Mode - Desk Setup - Program mode. You then program a chase memory as required and then transfer the memory onto a submaster. If you want a movement effect (rather than plotting each step by hand) this can be programmed directly onto a submaster.

It is possible to program channel data directly onto a submaster. For example: [Channel 1] [Thru] [10] [On] [save As ...] [submaster] [1.1] [Enter] Is this the function you were looking for :?:

The comments from Mr Phillips and Spencer are perfectly valid and reflect the way that they think the desk should operate. However, we have to be very careful if we decide to change one of the fundamental ways that the Memories Screen and CDW interact with regards to the current, next and selected memory identification, disaplay and editing modes etc. This is one of the areas where having a single mode of operation (cf older desks which had separate program and run modes) can cause confusion - especially if you make assumptions and don't read the manual :evil: I think that we need to review how the current, next and selected memories are displayed and interact on the Memories screen. Spencer's comment re the yellow bar indicating both the Next memory and selected memory could well be the important factor for discussion here. As far as the playback is concerned, it was decided early on in the design process that the current and next memories needed to be displayed on the Memories screen. Similarly, when selecting a memory to program, edit, copy, transfer, delete etc., the selected memory needs to be highlighted. The decision to make the 'selected' and 'next' memories the same was made very early on, but this has caused some confusion :? Having the 'selected' memory follow the 'current' memory rather than the 'next'memory as at present, would obviously suit Mr Phillips, but presumably a user would also require the ability to select any memory for programming, editing, transferring etc. In this case the 'selected' and 'current' memory numbers would be different. Do they remain different and how do we then decide what say Edit Live or Edit Blind operate on ? This sort of functionality is never as straighforward as it might first appear, but hopefully with your help we will get it working the way the majority of users want or expect, as you can never please all of the people all of the time

OK, so hypothetically ..... We make the CLEAR key clear the complete command line, as requested We change @CLEAR to @ENTER for unprogramming channels. as suggested What keystroke(s) do we now use to deselect all the currently selected channels in the CDW :?:

You could always buy a stack of our new T-shirts and give them away to all your friends at PLASA

A small point !! :shock: hehehe... In all seriousness, thanks for your feedback Richard. As you know, we try to be as open as possible to development ideas from our user-base, that's what these forums are all about. The Illusion continues to evolve and will for some time to come, so keep the ideas and comments coming.

While helping my master sort out a problem with some nasty green slime and giant maggots in a disused coal mine in South Wales, I came across this story in a local paper ... EARTHQUAKE IN MERTHYR . . . . . A MAJOR EARTHQUAKE MEASURING 4.8 ON THE RICHTER SCALE, HIT IN THE EARLY HOURS OF WEDNESDAY 19th FEBRUARY 2003 WITH THE EPICENTRE ON MERTHYR, SOUTH WALES. Victims can be seen wandering aimlessly muttering: 'How be?", "Tidy" and "Can't fault it Butt". The earthquake decimated the area, causing approximately £34 worth of damage. Several priceless collections of mementoes from the Balearics and Spanish Costas were damaged. Three areas of historic and scientifically significant burnt out cars were disturbed. Many people were woken up well before their giro arrived. Thousands were confused and bewildered, trying to come to terms with the fact that something interesting had happened in the valleys. One local resident, Sara-Angharad Davies, a 15 year old mother-of-five said, "It was such a shock, little Chardonnay-Mercedes came running into my bedroom crying. My youngest two, Tyler-Morgan and Megan-Storm slept through it. I was still shaking when I was watching Kilroy the next morning." Apparently though, looting, muggings and car crime did carry on as normal. The British Red Cross have so far managed to ship 4000 crates of Sunny Delight to the area to help the stricken masses. Rescue workers are still searching through the rubble and have found large quantities of personal belongings including benefit books, jewellery from Elizabeth Duke at Argos and bone china from Everything's a Pound. HOW CAN YOU HELP? This appeal is to raise clothing and food parcels for those unfortunate enough to be caught up in it. Clothing is most sought after . . . Fila, Baseball Caps, Kappa Tracksuit tops (His and Hers), Shell Suits (Female), White Sports Socks, Nike Air Basketball Boots and any other items usually sold in TK Maxx. Food parcels may be harder to put together but necessary all the same. Required foodstuffs include microwave meals, tins of baked beans, ice cream and cans of Colt 45 or Special Brew. A donation of £2 buys chips, scraps and blue pop for a family of four. For only £10 we can take a family to Port Talbot for the day, where children can play on a radioactive beach in front of the national collection of Steelworks. A mere £1.68 will pay for a return bus ticket to the countryside where they can pick magic mushrooms to feed the family. Just 22p buys a biro for filling in a compensation claim. Please do not send tents for shelter, as the sight of "posh" housing is unfair on the population of the neighbouring areas of Aberdare, Blaina and Rhymney.

I have to beg to differ on this one The timings on the submasters were designed and implemented quite a while before the 'GO' function was added to the flash buttons. The 'GO' function just happens to use the existing fade up/down times of the submaster to make life less complicated, the submasters screen equally so The timings allow for a smooth fade up/down of the channel data or transferred memory data on a submaster simply by quickly moving the submaster fader from 0-full or vice versa, rather than having to attempt to physically move the fader it's full length of travel over a period of time.

Because some people like to be able to select an unprogrammed memory and edit it (live or blind); others prefer to open the CDW, set up the channel data and then save the data to a specified memory. The All Memories mode allows the user to see both the programmed and unprogrammed memories. If you only want to see the programmed memories in the memory stack - simply press F7 or click on the soft button in the top right hand corner of the CDW, and hey presto all the unprogrammed memories disappear 8) The intention is that you show all memories when you are programming the show and then switch to show programmed memories only when running through the memory stack. This mode also has the advantage that the current/next memories remain on view in the middle(ish) of the monitor screen as you progress through the memory stack using the Go button. Point Cues (or Insert memories as I think we prefer to call them) are under review at the moment as there have been similar comments about the unwanted ones which are permanently displayed and cannot be deleted. We intend to make the memory inserts function similar to the Frog method, eg if you insert a memory between 2 and 3, say 2.5 you only get (and see) 2.5 and not 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 ..... 2.9 as you do on the Illusion at present.

Hmm ... I've noticed that as well while testing the Illusion 500. I'm not sure why it does it either Illusion Reference No 4711 - Saving Groups - to be investigated. One for our software guru to look at. As with the saving groups case I don't have the in-depth knowledge of the software to explain why it does it ... that's one for Simon

The scientists at Roll Royce built a special gun to launch dead chickens at the windshields of airliners and military jets, all traveling at maximum velocity. The idea was to simulate the frequent incidents of collisions with airborne fowl to test the strength of the windshields. Some American engineers heard about this gun and were eager to test it on the windshields of their new high speed trains. Arrangements were made, and a gun was sent to the American engineers. When the gun was fired, the engineers stood shocked as the chicken hurled out of the barrel, crashed into the shatterproof shield, smashed it to smithereens, blasted through the control console, snapped the engineer's back-rest in two and embedded itself in the back wall of the cabin, like an arrow shot from a bow !! The horrified Americans sent Rolls Royce the disastrous results of the experiment, along with the designs of the windshield and begged the British scientists for suggestions. Rolls Royce responded with a one-line memo: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Defrost the chicken

We don't normally provide 'Boot Disks' just the latest software upgrade disks, on our website. Incidentally what would you expect a boot disk to provide :?:

You can contact Keith at technical support ... krogers@zero88.com or if you let me know the full serial no of your desk I can send you the unique code to unlock it :wink: