linking 2 fat frogs?

[djkev]

Hi all,

 

I have:

- 2 fat frogs

- 4 betapack 2's

- 4 martin 518's

- 4 madscans

- very full rig of parcans and fresnels

- custom made DMX splitter

- DMX smoke machine/fogger

- miles of DMX cables and convertors to go from anything to anything DMX

 

My idea/problem:

I would like to link the 2 fat frogs together if this is at all possible!?

I set up my dimmers, DMX channels 1 to 24, then I set up the martins on DMX 210, 220, 230, 240, the madscans on 110, 120, 130, 140, and the DMX smoke on 24 (as this was blank/empty on the dimmers)

Then i ran all this via the DMX splitter. The DMX splitter then runs to the 1 fat frog desk we currently have connected.

Trouble is, i want to link 2 fat frogs as I have alot of complicated chases AND programs running all at once, PLUS I have the 8 fixtures which, 4 are being used as spot lights, and the other 4 as effects, i need access to everything and having 2 people on the desk may get confusing, so i thought why not 2 fat frogs, i have 2 to hand.

So I connect up a second, the main, in universe A, then i linked to the other via a double ended DMX 5 pin male and connected into universe B, and guess what, the second desk did nothing, no dmx control at all, the first still works.

I then tried switching all the universes etc. nothing.

So in the end i gave up, and i disconnect my fixtures from the splitter, and linked them and ran a long DMX back to the second desk. So i had individual control of fixtures, and dimmers, and the programs i had, simple, I basically used to floppy disc to transfer them, then, i made a GO button that went to each desk, so 1 go button does 2 desks.

 

So i ask you, can i connect 2 fat frogs? OR will I have to continue on with my bodge?

 

I have another question or 2 also btw:

Can someone explain universe A and B? Theres no difference is there? why do you need 2 universes???

and..

What do each of the F1, F2, F3, and F4 buttons do!?!?!?!

and..

why is the scroll lock light on my keyboard turned on sometimes?

 

thanks!

 

Notes:

- the desk is 40 metres from the splitter and dimmers and 20 metres from the fixtures

 

THANKS ALL

[Laubfrosch]

Hi Kev,

 

there is no way two link Frog desks.

 

What about getting a MAMBO Frog? You should have a look at the MAMBO data sheet. Key features up to 96 Fixtures (Dim or Fixt.) 24 Subs x 20 Pages, 48 SX- Buttons, Playback X= 73 memory playbacks without page switching..... :wink:

 

I think the Mambo Frog does fit your wishes 8)

 

 

best regards

[Pearl]

You would probably be better to get a DMX merge unit to combine the output DMX signals from the 2 Frogs.

 

The 5 pin connectors provide 2 identical signal lines from a single 512 channel DMX output. Linking the two desks together with a male to male 5 pin XLR is more likely to damage the output stages of one or both of your desks.

 

Pearl

[GLX]

Keep the generics on one frog and the movers on the other, the word custom, is this a homemade buffer? post a photo

[Haytech]

Hi djkev,

basically DMX is a 'serial' data link and a fatfrog has two outputs of the same universe - it´s like a inbuild splitter. The universe A/B labels are useless on frog / fatfrog / leapfrog they have only one DMX 512 universe the bigger mambo and bullfrog desks of frog range have indeed 2 universes of DMX. As Pearl said never connect two desks together on one DMX line. One of the least things to happen is crash the desks DMX drivers.

 

F2 is naming submasters,presets,memories

F4 is the group button on the fatfrog

I lost what the F1 and F3 buttons do :oops: sorry

since ver. 9_8 the scroll lock indicates that the enter button will be recognized as a "go"

[KWR88]

The way round what you are attempting as has already been posted, could be to use two desk, one for the dimmers and the other for the moving lights. You could then use the remote and link a go button between the desk that would trigger both cue stack at the the same time.

 

F1 is used to lock the monitor to a specific screen ie subs, palets

F3 only works in version 9.0 and above and is used to enable you to select the chase that you want to adjust the speed of instead off instead of grabbing all of them.

 

Scroll lock has a function on the 9.8 version of the software it enables the use of the entre button as a go button.

 

For the AB bit on the back of the desk, as has been mentioned only the mambo and bullfrog has the two universes but the small desk all share a common bottom panel.

[Paul]

Scroll Lock on the external keyboard actually inhibits the Keyboard Go function. There is a bug in software versions up to and including 9.8 (CLICK HERE) where the scroll lock will sometimes come on of it's own accord, but you can easily turn it off again.

 

The external Go button linked to both desks sounds like a good idea, not a bodge at all. Infact it's come up before, but with a Frog and an Alcora (CLICK HERE). If you have a demux available and wanted to go one step further, you could use some of the demux outputs driven from the DMX on Desk 1 to close some relays to switch the remote inputs of Desk 2. Might be more flexible!

 

edit: fixed links

[GLX]

Keep it simple people, if something goes duck up twill be easy to locate the problom 8O . Run two snakes, one to dimmer world and the other to the movers and use memorys for the movers and chases while keeping the subs for statics. Sit down and find out what you want to do,make it simple to program and simple to run. Pointless wrecking your head when you dont have to. :wink:

[djkev]

thank you all!

 

most of the info you gave me has really helped, thanks!

 

im glad i finally get what all the Function buttons do! hehe

 

if i have any other questions i will certainly come here to ask all you frog geniuses!! 8)

 

thank you, djkev

[Haytech]

you are very welcome