ZerOS 7.14.3 Released and ZerOS 7.15 Coming Soon!

[Jon Hole]

Hi all,

ZerOS 7.14.3 is now available and includes a couple of bug fixes found solely on the most recently built FLX S consoles.

We will soon start Beta Testing ZerOS 7.15. Aligning with this release, there are a few product updates to let you know about.

FLX S24 & FLX S48

ZerOS 7.15 will upgrade all FLX S24 & FLX S48 consoles to 2048 channels (four universes) and 96 & 192 fixtures respectively free-of-charge. Available Playbacks, Groups and Palettes will all also be doubled.

Full size FLX & ZerOS Server

Due to component issues restricting production of the full size FLX & ZerOS Server for the foreseeable future, we are announcing their obsolescence.

ZerOS software development will continue to support the full size FLX & ZerOS Server. ZerOS 7.15 will upgrade them to 4096 channels (eight universes) free-of-charge. Later in the year, ZerOS 8 will bring several new features to the full size FLX & ZerOS Server. We’re planning many further releases after that, too.

• FLX was released 9 years ago at Prolight & Sound in Frankfurt.

Leap Frog 48 & 96, ORB, ORB XF, SCD Server & SCD Server Pro, Solution & Solution XL

ZerOS 7.15 will be the last ZerOS software update for these consoles, as we are unable to bring the new features planned for ZerOS 8 to this hardware platform.

We’ll continue to release ZerOS Library updates for these consoles and support our customers in any other way we can.

• Leap Frog 48 & 96 was released 17 years ago at Prolight & Sound in Frankfurt
• ORB was released 15 years ago at Prolight & Sound in Frankfurt
• ORB XF was released 13 years ago at PLASA in London
• Solution was released 12 years ago at PLASA in London

Jon

[kgallen]

Thank you for the updates and roadmap.

The FLX S fixture and universe upgrades are interesting and welcome. I’m working on my local hall moving to FLX S.

However I can’t help but feel a little scared for my own FLX. I hope you are genuinely able to keep supporting and developing for this platform as there is a lot a capability under the hood. 

Are you developing a replacement high-end console to supersede FLX or is the Neo-X now that offering? I’ve never seen Neo mentioned outside of Vari-lite - no one on any of the forums I contribute on ever mentions or recommends the product (and neither do I as I know nothing about it). FLX and FLX S do, despite their undoubted reduced market share compared to the ETC offerings.

Thanks,

Kevin

[iank99]

58 minutes ago, kgallen said:

However I can’t help but fell a little scared for my own FLX. I hope you are genuinely able to keep supporting and developing for this platform as there is a lot a capability under the hood. 

@kgallen - I understand the trepidation but it's worth reflecting that although the OS is frozen - it will continue to work & perform as it does today, the only issue with FLX being discontinued is ongoing maintenance but from experience it seems to be mostly faders that fail not the mainboard and I have seen only a couple of faulty internal displays.

I haven't spoke to Jon lately but I suspect availability of the FLX Processor or the touch panel might be the factors that are creating the situation - I know at one point last year Zero didn't receive the order of processors they expected & the cost per unit had skyrocketed. The re-engineering of the FLX to step around this is (I suspect) the FLX S range which is based around Raspberry Pi - there might need to be some redesign later as the Pi evolves or the lower end Pi's go obsolete but that will be planned in.

I suspect it more than likely that users will continue with the desks as long as they want (as they always have & their budgets will allow) - I'm servicing a Lightmaster XLS & Sirius from 1994 next week - I have another new customer wants BetaPack Mk 1's repairing, folks still ask me for Fat Frogs to buy and I've just bought a used LeapFrog 48 to repair for resale...

There were similar concerns when Sirius 500 arrived then slowly died a death - to be replaced by the Frog range (we never got the keyswitch back though!) but the hardware is sturdy & unless really abused will carry on doing it's job long after I put my soldering iron down

[mikeb]

Hi Jon

With your announcement of changes to the FLXs, are there any plans to provide the FLXs with more functionality in the form of editing of effects? I look forward to reading ZerOS 7.15 release notes to see what new features the consoles will then have...

Is the Solution really 12 years old Unlike most modern electronic devices, the Solution XL I use is still going strong

[Sven76]

🥲

[Jon Hole]

20 hours ago, kgallen said:

I hope you are genuinely able to keep supporting and developing for this platform

That's certainly our plan - we have a lot of plans on the table which we're working through.

19 hours ago, iank99 said:

although the OS is frozen - it will continue to work & perform as it does today

To be clear, the OS is not "frozen" for FLX... there will continue to be ongoing software updates for FLX & FLX S. After ZerOS 7.15, we are "freezing" the OS for Leap Frog 48 & 96, ORB, ORB XF and Solution.

19 hours ago, iank99 said:

I suspect availability of the FLX Processor ... might be the factors that are creating the situation

Bingo!

15 hours ago, mikeb said:

Is the Solution really 12 years old

Yes, that was when we "relaunched" the Leap Frog 48 & 96 console as Solution. 

15 hours ago, mikeb said:

are there any plans to provide the FLXs with more functionality in the form of editing of effects

Not as part of ZerOS 7.15, but potentially in the future (after tweaking it!).

[iank99]

2 hours ago, Jon Hole said:

 

To be clear, the OS is not "frozen" for FLX... there will continue to be ongoing software updates for FLX & FLX S. After ZerOS 7.15, we are "freezing" the OS for Leap Frog 48 & 96, ORB, ORB XF and Solution.

 

@Jon Hole I plead old age & having just eaten and needing a "nana nap" when I compose my post  

[Amy Worrall]

It does seem a bit ominous, deprecating the 'high end' (really, lower mid range in theatre console terms) product without a replacement announced. However I'll try to give the benefit of the doubt!

I suppose you can't talk about future products -- I'd love to know if/when there'll be another syntax-based ZerOS console released…

[drscoop]

I’m very pleased to hear of the upgrades to FLX S in 7.15 but interested how it’ll translate in practice.  

For our FLX S24, am I right in thinking both outputs will be enabled to generate a universe per output (as I understood the paid upgrade worked) or will this need some form of LAN breakout? I assume this would have to be the case to get all four universes?

Similarly with the playbacks, I wondered how this will implement with only 48 physical playbacks available? Regardless, the increased groups and palettes will be very helpful!

[Edward Z88]

1 hour ago, drscoop said:

For our FLX S24, am I right in thinking both outputs will be enabled to generate a universe per output

That is correct - although this is possible now, even if you have a 1-universe FLX S24. Please see the link below for more information…

https://www.zero88.com/manuals/zeros/patching/available-channels
 

1 hour ago, drscoop said:

Similarly with the playbacks, I wondered how this will implement with only 48 physical playbacks available?

You’ll have 4 pages of Channels/Playbacks rather than 2.

[drscoop]

Thanks, Edward - so with no extra hardware it’s effectively a free upgrade to a 1024 channel desk? Most helpful!

will the playback and channel button LEDs effectively work in binary to show the page (0,0; 0,1; 1,0; 1,1?) vs the current 1-24; 25-48 LED?

[Edward Z88]

15 hours ago, drscoop said:

Thanks, Edward - so with no extra hardware it’s effectively a free upgrade to a 1024 channel desk? Most helpful!

All FLX S consoles will be upgraded to 2048 DMX channels through the software update.

15 hours ago, drscoop said:

will the playback and channel button LEDs effectively work in binary to show the page (0,0; 0,1; 1,0; 1,1?) vs the current 1-24; 25-48 LED?

On page 3, the first page LED will flash. On page 4, the second page LED will flash. There will therefore be no change to how page 1 & 2 are indicated.

[delicolor]

Mostly good news! This will make our S24 1U backup for the FLX 2U mostly seamless and open up the possibilities for pixel mapping. (We have to forego fixtures 49+ at the moment).

[Vince]

Bonjour,

J’ai entendu plusieurs rumeurs concernant la Version 7.15  

1) la FLX S24 va avoir le 2 Univers débloqué?    

2) il y aura plus 2 pages play-back/Chanel mais 4 pages?    
 

Est-ce que ces rumeurs que j’ai entendu dire vont être vrai, et si oui quand c’est que la Version 7.15 va sortir?

Merci

Vincent

—-Google Traduction—-

Good morning,

I have heard several rumors regarding Version 7.15

1) the FLX S24 will have the 2 Universe unlocked?

2) there will no longer be 2 playback/Chanel pages but 4 pages?

Are these rumors I've been hearing going to be true, and if so when will Version 7.15 be released?

THANKS

Vincent

[Davidmk]

On 3/14/2024 at 1:52 PM, Jon Hole said:

ZerOS 7.15 will upgrade all FLX S24 & FLX S48 consoles to 2048 channels (four universes) and 96 & 192 fixtures respectively free-of-charge. Available Playbacks, Groups and Palettes will all also be doubled.

 

ZerOS 7.15 mettra à niveau toutes les consoles FLX S24 et FLX S48 vers 2048 canaux (quatre univers) et 96 et 192 appareils respectivement gratuitement. Les lectures, groupes et palettes disponibles seront également doublés.

[PhilSpeck]

Well, if the new product that is to replace the FLX is of the same award winning design - I look forward to hearing about it!

[Flabbe]

Sorry but i'm a little bit "scared" too... i own a FLX S 48 2U since 2022. I work in a theatre.

The upgrades are interesting but since i bought it, I've had three breakdowns in two years (1 MFF, 2 screen problems).
It has been repaired each time but I have less confidence now.

I was thinking about buying a FLX to replace my FLX-S, but it seems FLX is nearing the end of its life...
The brand has even disappeared from the Axente's website, which until today was the distributor in France.

Seriously, I don't want to start a pointless controversy. Until today I was confident with the brand and its products, but I am starting to have serious doubts about my next model of lightning desk.

[iank99]

42 minutes ago, Flabbe said:

Sorry but i'm a little bit "scared" too... i own a FLX S 48 2U since 2022. I work in a theatre.

The upgrades are interesting but since i bought it, I've had three breakdowns in two years (1 MFF, 2 screen problems).
It has been repaired each time but I have less confidence now.

@Flabbe - yeah - FLX S does seem to have more than it's fair share of issues with screens but they mostly seem to be manufacturing faults of the Pi panel which are very difficult to discover in a test environment before a desk is delivered. However, Pi panel's can be bought 'cheaply' (compared to Zero88 list) from other sources online & needs no work doing other than transfer the PCB spacers over from the Zero88 fitted panel - it can also be a nice way of bypassing the supply chain delays that Zero88 seem to experience with Pi panels.

Don't give up on the FLX S yet - the most faults I've seen (and repaired) have been Pi Panels and so far - only one fader. I think that in 4-5 years, it might have the same reputation for going on "forever" like Sirius & Alcora have now

[Flabbe]

@iank99 the console is still under warranty, so I can't do anything myself. The last problem comes from the fact that the screen turns off by itself and the intensities suddenly go to zero, and then it restarts by itself... of course during a show ^^ that's life, i'm not blaming the brand for that.

[iank99]

9 hours ago, Flabbe said:

The last problem comes from the fact that the screen turns off by itself and the intensities suddenly go to zero, and then it restarts by itself... of course during a show ^^ that's life, i'm not blaming the brand for that.

It shouldn't be doing that nor should it be accepted as 'normal' - it would suggest that there's either an issue with the power connections between the mainboard & the Raspberry Pi, possibly even a faulty micro SD card or simply a faulty PSU (the desk pulls a lot of current so the PSU - if not the original - needs to put out at least 5a).

I'll tag @KWR88 & @Edward Z88 - they might have a better idea of where the issue could be.

I'd be having a gentle nag at the dealer you bought it from for them to either look at it or get it to someone who can honour the warranty to have a look at it for you.

[Flabbe]

Thanks.

The PSU is the original one.
The desk never leave the control room, it has never fall or something.

It has been returned to the dealer of course, we are on good terms.
But has a said, the brand has disappeared from Axente's, which was the main distributor in France... that’s what I’m worried about.
Normally they are the ones who take care of the repairs.

[Edward Z88]

6 hours ago, Flabbe said:

The PSU is the original one.
The desk never leave the control room, it has never fall or something.

It has been returned to the dealer of course, we are on good terms.
But has a said, the brand has disappeared from Axente's, which was the main distributor in France... that’s what I’m worried about.
Normally they are the ones who take care of the repairs.

Please send us an email to support@zero88.com, with a photo of the console's serial number, and we will be able to help.

[Flabbe]

@Edward Z88 thanks, i'll send it asap. I have to contact my dealer first, the console has been return to their warehouse. It was originally purchased from Axente.

[Muller Light]

Disappointed to hear that the Solution will no longer get software updates, but I can understand why, given the age of the product.  
Will the final version of software for the Solution enable any extra features, like you are on the FLX desks?  Maybe more universes (over ethernet), more fixtures, use of faders 1-48 for fixtures, etc?  

On another subject, how about making PhantomZerOS be able to output, say 1 universe, to a cheap DMX dongle like the Chamsys MagicQ software does?  Chamsys are clearly using this to try and introduce people to their products so they will then be more likely to buy the hardware, so maybe Varilite also should.
 

[Edward Z88]

1 hour ago, Muller Light said:

Will the final version of software for the Solution enable any extra features, like you are on the FLX desks?  Maybe more universes (over ethernet), more fixtures, use of faders 1-48 for fixtures, etc?  

The Solution processing power is at capacity, so no new features will be added in ZerOS 7.15.

Fixtures can already be patched onto the channel faders, in the same way they can be patched to the MFKs.