K-Nine

Yes You can patch each generic channel to up to a maximum of 10 different DMX channels. The nine additional DMX addresses are called duplicates. See Frog Series Operating Manual - Page 6-7 for details.

If by 'units' you mean moving light fixtures rather than generic dimmer channels, then you will need to set the desk up in partial mode. You then only tag the fixtures you want to run in the chase when programming it, and then transfer the chase memory onto the submaster.

The Frog Series Manual on the Zero 88 website is Issue 4. This covers all the functional updates up to and including Software version 7.5. Subsequent updates which mainly affect the Frog Box can be found in the release notes for version 8.1.

We have produced some fixture editing tools which allow you to create your own fixture types on a PC, copy them onto floppy disk and then load them onto a frog series desk. The tools can be found on the Zero 88 website. Alternatively if you can send me the DMX information for the fixture you require I could produce the fixture type data and post it on the Fixture File Exchange on this website

A philosophy professor stood before his class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks about 2" in diameter. He then asked the students if the jar was full and they agreed that it was. So the professor then picked up a box of small pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks. He then asked the students again if the jar was full and they agreed it was. The professor then picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. "Now, I want you to recognise that this is your life", said the professor. "The rocks are the important things - your family, your partner, your health, your children; things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else. The small stuff. If you put the sand into the jar first, there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that really matter. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal. Take care of the rocks first - the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand". But then ... A student took the jar which all the other students and the professor had agreed was full, and proceeded to pour in a glass of beer. Of course the beer filled the remaining spaces within the jar making the jar truly full. The moral of this tale is .... That no matter how full your life is, there is always room for BEER

Hmmm :? I have just tried programming and inserting memories on one of our desks here and it seems to work fine, as I described above. Which of the Frog desks were you using, and how many memories did you have programmed in the memory stack ? When you are getting low on memory space there should be a warning displayed in the top left hand corner of the memories screen on the main LCD. Only when this warning says OUT should it not be possible to program another memory. Is it possible to send me a copy of the show file ?

I think you've just saved me about 1000 key presses per show. Is this documented somewhere? It should be! 8) Frog Series Manual (Issue 5) - Page 4-3 Note on Selecting Memories

If you have programmed memory 8.5 then you should be able to insert memories 8.6, 8.7, 8.8 and 8.9. You will need to select memory 8.5 and then press the INSERT button. Memory 8.6 should then appear as the default in the Insert Memory screen on the LCD. Press the ENTER key. You should then have memory 8.6 as an unprogrammed memory on the memory screen.

For consistency of operation and to avoid possible confusion it was decided that the Next Memory will always be the one that is selected for editing; if you wish to edit the current memory, simply move the cursor onto the current memory. Because of the fundamental way that the LCD interface was originally designed around the four cursor keys, or up,down + and - as they are now labelled, the fade times are displayed as three separately editable fields (minutes, seconds and tenths). The up/down keys will move the cursor through the fields, and the +/- keys adjust the value in the selected field. If you wish to enter fade times as a single value followed by enter, use the external keyboard facility which was modified in Version 7 software to allow numeric entry. Pressing Enter to save changes may well be a possibility, I will need to check if there are any consequences of this proposed functionality. Press the Memories key to return the cursor to the memory number field.

The ability to output palettes with fade times has been mentioned before and is recorded in our database together with numerous other features to be reviewed for possible inclusion in future upgrades. Use of the Crossfade control on the front panel is certainly one possibility of determining the fade time for the palette Frog Reference No 5354 - Fade Times for Palettes.

If you don't mind your houselights being LTP channels (and hence appearing in one of the attribute groups rather than brightness) you don't have a problem... If the houselights are assigned as 'generic' fixture types they WILL be recorded since they contain Brightness channels only. Fixture tagging and partial recording of memory and submaster data only applies to LTP parameters (colour, beamshape and position). If you wanted house lights on fixtures which could be tagged when required, you would have to create your own fixture type with the appropriate number of channels defined as colour, beamshape or position parameters, as Tim mentioned in the previous post. For example if you had 8 channels of house lights you could create a user fixture type as follows: Manufacturer: K-NINE Type: Houselights Channel 1: House 1 Channel 2: House 2 Channel 3: House 3 Channel 4: House 4 Channel 5: House 5 Channel 6: House 6 Channel 7: House 7 Channel 8: House 8 If you made all the parameters Colour, you could select your fixture and Colour; wheel group 1 would contain House 1 -3; wheel group 2 would contain house 4 - 6 and wheel group 3 would contain house 7 and 8.

Frog Reference 5521 - PC Utility to export/import show data as a CSV file for use in a spreadsheet For the Illusion... http://support.zero88.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=3347

Maintenance Release 7.0 for the Illusion 120/240 has been released. Notes detailing the cntents of this release can be found below, and in pdf format on the Zero 88 website. The software can be downloaded from the main Zero 88 website, CLICK HERE. ------------------------------------------------- Release Notes.. (A properly formatted version of these notes can be found at the same page as the software download) ILLUSION SOFTWARE RELEASE NOTES 1. Introduction This document describes the new or improved functionality, user interface modifications and bug fixes which have been implemented in Illusion Software Release 7.0. 2. DMX Output and DMX Patch Screen Changes (# 4354) The colour coding has been improved on the DMX Output and DMX Patch screens to distinguish between increasing and decreasing output values as defined in the table below: Status of DMX Output Channel Background Colour Unpatched Grey Patched – Value Increasing Green Patched – Value Static Yellow Patched – Value Decreasing Red 3. Fade Status Bar – Playback X (# 4456) The current and next memory numbers in the Playback X section of the Fade Status Bar are now updated when the transition to the next memory is complete. 4. Changing Memory Type In Cueline Bug (# 4458) In the Cueline screen, change a programmed scene memory to a multi-part scene using the Edit popup window and save. Memory is now displayed as a multi-part scene on the Cueline screen. Right click on part 1 of the memory and edit live or blind the channel data and save the changes – the memory changes back to a scene. This bug has been fixed. 5. Fade Times Clearer (# 4478) Leading zeros have been removed from delay, fade and dwell times to make them clearer on the monitor screen (eg 3 seconds is now displayed as 3.0 rather than 00:03.0). This applies to the Memories screen, Submasters screen, Desk Setup – Desk Defaults screen and Transfer Window. 6. Memory X Go (# 4484) The MEMORY X GO command now works from the Setup, Submasters, DMX Outputs and DMX Patch screens as well as the Memories and Cueline screens. 7. Previewing Multi-Part Scenes (# 4489) When previewing a part of a multi-part scene memory, there are two new soft buttons in the CDW header labelled Previous Part (<) and Next Part (>). Clicking on these buttons lets you preview the previous or next part of the memory, without having to close the CDW. Unprogrammed parts of the memory are skipped over. The left and right cursor keys on the front panel and external keyboard are mapped to the Previous Part and Next Part soft buttons respectively. 8. Transfer Window (# 4496) Pressing TRANSFER or F8 also performs the Cancel operation and closes the Transfer Window. The Cancel button is now labelled Cancel (F8). For consistency of front panel operation the following changes have also been made: Copy Memory - Pressing COPY or F8 cancels the operation and closes the window. Copy Submaster - Pressing COPY or F8 cancels the operation and closes the window. Clear Memory - Pressing CLEAR or F8 cancels the operation and closes the window. Clear Submaster - Pressing CLEAR or F8 cancels the operation and closes the window. 9. Load A/B Windows (# 4497) Pressing LOAD A or F8 performs the Cancel operation from the Load Playback A Window. The Cancel button is now labelled Cancel (F8). Pressing LOAD B or F8 performs the Cancel operation from the Load Playback B Window. The Cancel button is now labelled Cancel (F8). If the Load Playback A window is open, pressing LOAD B swaps to the Load Playback B window and vice versa. 10. Transfer Window Mods (# 4501) The Current Memory Info field has been removed from the Transfer Window. The Current Memory field has been renamed Submaster Contents and now contains the text “Channel Data†or “Memory nn†depending on the contents of the submaster. 11. Desk Setup (# 4503) A new soft button labelled “Top of Page (F6)†is provided in the Desk Setup Window header. Clicking on this button or pressing F6 moves the cursor to the appropriate Desk Setup tab. 12. Cancelling Save Show (# 4533) If a Save Show operation is cancelled, the show file is deleted from the floppy disk. The F8 button also cancels this operation. The Cancel button is now labelled Cancel (F8). 13. Loading Default Setup (# 4537) This function now resets the Current and Next memories (Playback X) and the memory numbers loaded onto the A and B masters. The F8 button also cancels this operation. The Cancel button is now labelled Cancel (F8). When the default setup has loaded, a popup window is displayed as feedback. 14. Channel Info Window (# 4539) Unecessary punctuation has been removed and missing fields added to the Channel Info window. 15. Auxiliary Info Window (# 4540) Right clicking on an Auxiliary number in the Fade Status Bar generates a new Auxiliary Info window on the monitor screen, allowing the user to see auxiliary information without entering Desk Setup. 16. Max Number of Duplicates Bug (# 4552) The correct error message is now displayed if attempting to patch more than nine duplicates via the front panel or external keyboard. 17. Unpatching Channels Bug (# 4553) The CLEAR button now unpatches the channel correctly. 18. Cueline Screen - Scrolling Up/Down Memory Stack (# 4632) Stay Mode – When the user scrolls up or down the memory stack using the cursor keys, the Cueline screen now scrolls accordingly such that the selected memory (cue) is visible on the monitor screen. Follow Mode – When the user scrolls up or down the memory stack using the cursor keys, to select another cue (memory), the Cueline screen automatically switches to Stay Mode, and then behaves as described above. 19. Illusion Logo on Monitor Screen (# 4635) The Super User screen now indicates the desk type. 20. Transfer and Copy – Submaster Shortcuts (# 4653) The submaster PAGE UP, PAGE DOWN and flash buttons on the front panel can now be used as an alternative method of selecting a submaster when the cursor is in the Submaster No field in the Transfer Window and Copy Submaster window. 21. Pressing Go when Mid-Fade (# 4655) Pressing the GO button when mid-fade between memories now fades from the current output values rather than snapping to the end of the current fade and then fading to the next memory. 22. Chase Speed Field (# 4659) The Chase Speed field on the Memories and Submasters screens and the Transfer Window is now hidden when it is not applicable (ie when the Chase Drive is set to Bass or Manual). 23. Memories Screen in Follow Mode (# 4665) When the Memories screen is in Follow mode - the current and next memories are now displayed near the middle of the screen rather than the bottom, so that the memories coming up are visible as well as those which have just gone. 24. Excluded Channels (# 4669) Excluded channels are now excluded from the submaster solo operation as well as from output memories (ie if excluded channels are being output from channel data on a submaster and another submaster is soloed; the outputs of the excluded channels are not affected). 25. Colour Coding of Channels in Reports (# 4676) The colour coding of the attribute and scroller channels in the Reports section of Setup has been removed so that all channel numbers appear in black text on the monitor screen. F8 cancels the generation of a report; The Cancel button is now labelled Cancel (F8). 26. Group Report (# 4678) The Groups option has been removed from the Desk Setup Report and a new Report Type called Groups has been added to the list (after Submasters). The format and content of the Groups report remains unchanged. 27. Checking Product Code (# 4706) The desk software and operating system now only checks the first 5 digits of the 7 digit product code in order to determine the product's personality. This is so that the last 2 digits of the product code can be used for packing/customisation options which do not alter the base personality of the unit.

Yes, it is possible to assign a generic fixture if you wish. A generic fixture has a single brightness channel, and is controlled in the same way as a brightness parameter on any other fixture type. Out of interest why would you want to ? :evil: I can think of only two reasons: 1. You have used up all your generic channels on the preset faders. 2. You have a Mambo Frog which only has 'fixtures' At present you can only have one HTP channel per fixture. However, your comments have been noted. Until this matter is reviewed (along with all the other feature requests), it is not clear how simple or complicated this change would be, or what effect it could have on the general performance and speed of the desk.

It is not possible at the moment, but I will add it to the list of features to be reviewed for future software updates. Frog Reference 5440 - Go action from external keyboard.

I don't know a single place, I'm sure there is one... Have you tried asking Lee and Rosco directly ? They're both friendly enough and ought to give you some pointers.

Whenever you clear a palette, the desk software has to go through all the memories, submasters (and SX buttons on a Mambo Frog) and replace any references to the palette you are clearing with the absolute values for the fixture parameters programmed in that palette. This is so that the memories, submasters and SX buttons will output the same values. As this may involve changing a lot of internal data, the software then saves the show to flash memory on the desk.

You can do this by setting the speed for the 'reverse' fixtures to a negative number.... e.g. Set 1,3,5,7 to ellipse, speed 5 Set 2,4,6,8 to ellipse, speed -5 That will do what you need.

You can download the Elara manuals (Mk1 and Mk2) from HERE. All the super user functions are the same, except that the MK2 has a DMX patch.

Unfortunately, this function is not available on the desk at the moment. However, it has been mentioned a few times and has been added into our database. It is likely to be one of the functions included in our next features update package. It might be worth checking the fixture itself as some moving lights have various options or DIP switches which allow you you invert pan and tilt channels or swap the pan and tilt channels.

So presumably anyone associated with Abstract are also not allowed to vote My view is that if you already have the FatFrog and are using it for the other lighting you have, then you would be better off using it for the scans as well. If you use the Abstract controller, then you've got two things to worry about.

At present, the features I described earlier are only being developed for the moving light control on the Illusion 500. There will be a 'maintenance' release of the llusion software fairly shortly which has a few bug fixes and improvements to the general user interface to the desk .... this software will be released for the Illusion 120/240 and Illusion 500. We haven't ruled out feature upgrades to the Illusion 120/240, but at the moment, a significant amount of R & D effort is going into the development of the moving light functionality on the Illusion 500.

We are currently in the middle of developing the next version of Illusion 500 software with moving light control. One of the new features in the software will be partial programming - such that when you program data into a memory or onto a submaster only those fixtures and attributes (brightness, colour, beamshape, position) which are 'tagged' will be recorded. When you play back the memory or sub, only the 'tagged' fixtures will be output. With memories we will also be adding LTP transition times which will affect how the colour, beamshape and position parameters behave when fading from one memory to the next.

Currently, there is no reset information stored in the fixture personality data for the Frog series desks; they only define the fixture parameters (brightness, colour, gobo, pan, tilt etc.), which channel they are on and their default value (ie the value sent out by the desk when you 'home' the fixture). If it was simply a case of sending out a specific DMX value on a particular channel to reset a fixture, then this could be implemented relatively easily. However, it would appear that every manufacturer seems to have their own different way of 'resetting' their fixtures which may involve setting dipswitches on the fixture, setting several channels at different levels and/or holding levels for a period of time etc. This subject has cropped up on numerous occasions in the past but as yet we have no simple solution to the problem

Do you need to have the two shows on the desk at the same time ? Presumably you will be running a show on stage 1 OR on stage 2 ? Are the two shows going to be the same or is the second just based on the first ? Sorry for all the questions but it might help me think of some solutions