Fire Alarm Button

[azure]

A feature i thing would be useful would be a button (perhaps one of the F buttons?) that would put all fader outputs to about 80%.

 

The idea would be that it can be used in an emergancy situation. I don't know about other theatres but our policy for an emergency (fire or other hazard) is house lights and all stage lighting on, and at the moment this means pressing each fader to 80% individually.

 

The reason i say 80% is because our venue, for example, the dimmers are Z88 Betebacks and are 10A channels, but are supplied by 32A breakers so all channels on 100% would blow the breaker. Maybe the value could be changed in Super User.

 

I think i have made that clear enough. Just to summarise:

 

A button that fades all generic (and maybe fixture brightness) channels to a level defined in Super User, all at once. The button could be used in a fire alarm situation or similar to turn on all lighting as required by venue policys.

 

 

 

 

Nick

[sam.henderson]

Sorry but I couldn't think of a worse feature to put on a desk!! My reasons:

 

x You are putting a button on the desk that if lent on would turn every channel on!! How embarrasing in the middle of a show- flash buttons are bad enough - lol

 

x Imagine if there was a fire, mass panic spreads among cast and audiance- the worst thing ever would be to put glaring light up and blind people temorarily!

 

In a fire the most sensible thing to do is bring up the houselights (that if you read the ABTT guide should be on a non-dimmer channel controllable from a pannel or like where the DSM or LX Op. is, Put on the stage working lights and then fade the stage lighting. If possible dimmers should then be turned off (less chance of electrical fire) and everyone should evacuate!

 

Sam

[GLX]

Maglites to full and leg it, 9 times ouy of 10 it's the hazer that will set it off. A 32a BREAKER on the dimmers your just asking for trouble there, get it sorted out!.

[TomBrien]

Agreed in a fire you want smallest amount of current going around, and dazling people wont help.

[NZ]

If you had Chilli dimmers they can have an emergency set that allows you to bring channels up automatically if the alarm goes off.

[sp]

A feature i thing would be useful would be a button (perhaps one of the F buttons?) that would put all fader outputs to about 80%.

 

If you really wanted everything on at 80%, could you not just have a submaster with this on a page never used for anything else (e.g. page 20).

 

If you had Chilli dimmers they can have an emergency set that allows you to bring channels up automatically if the alarm goes off.

 

Is this standard Chilli dimmers? If so, how can this be achieved?

 

sp

[TomBrien]

On the same block as DMX (i think) there is as AL connection the alarm system is connected to this and the 0V connection, using less than 50m of cable etc etc etc

[chris_r]

If you really wanted everything on at 80%, could you not just have a submaster with this on a page never used for anything else (e.g. page 20).

 

Agreed. In our church when we hire in rigs for concerts I create a memory (#999 - its easy to get too and out the way) which will be the 'emergency scene'.

[GLX]

One thing to remember, when you program your last memory place a jump to memory one or you could trigger memory 999 and bring all up during your show! not so good.

[chris_r]

yeh, normally I use a preset at the start and end of the ahow, so I jump back to scene one.

This method wont work for everyone, but it works for me! I dont think an emergancy button would be that good.

[ice]

And once you've created that memory there's always a remote switch you could set for jumping too that one. Buy one of those cool big red buttons and there's your alarm-button!