JesterML - move-on-dark and auto-triggers/dwell times

[joolsclinn]

Hi, I have just been playing around with the JesterML V2.0 for a few days.

 

When using moving lights, is there a way to 'auto move when dark' (I am a usual Strand genius programmer!)

If not, could this be included in future software releases? Its really time consuming to have to put in extra cues to set up the moving lights prior to fading them up. Also, is there a way to automatically trigger the next cue after a time delay? All these things do without the need to keep hitting the go button between main show cues?

[Kirkup_xp]

Hi Jools

 

These features really belong in our higher end desks (the Leap Frog 48 + 96, Frog 2, etc) and already exist. We have discussed adding them to the Jester range at some point, however the problem is keeping the User Interface clean and simple whilst still offering these high end features. Unfortunately you do have to manually program the 'auto move' cues at this stage.

 

JES-2220 - Auto Triggers and Dwell Times

[joolsclinn]

I thought you might say that! I take your point about keeping the user interface clean and simple, and also there needs to be boundarys where one product ends and another starts.

 

I know the education market very well, and Zero is very well reputed there. Where do you see JesterML's place in the market? Now you have discontinued the Fat frog, the option is Jester, or Leap frog (more money) Jester fits well into Junior schools, or secondary school drama studios, but one problem is Jester's physical size. When specifying a desk for a Secondary school hall, or a college / uni, they expect something with a bigger foot print for the money?

 

When keeping the user interface simple, maybe a tiered aproach is needed, the deeper you dig, the more you find? If you are new to moving lights, they can be very daunting. They can do so much, but you can hardly make them do anything useful to start with. I alway tell people to watch saturday night TV tallent shows to pick up on what everyone else is doing! By the time you come to your 3rd or 4th show, you are hunting around the desk for all the bell and whistles to build a professional show, hence the features we are talking about. Its a much more professional show when lights for a scene build up at different rates etc.

 

Have you thought of designing a scalable desk that starts off as a Jester 12/24, but you can buy extra fader panels, ML wings, add multiple monitors, enable extra channels etc. as your uses grow? Strand offered this with the 300 series. There is definalty still a market for this?

[Paul]

The problem with a tiered user interface style is that there could be advanced settings hidden in the tiers that are affecting the way the show plays, that a cursory glance at the basic top-layer would not reveal, and so you still end up with a desk that could confuse a new user. The idea with the Jester/JesterML is that everything is laid out plainly before you, we see one of the key selling points of the Jester/JesterML desks that they are easy to learn and use, and so in adding any new features we need to be cautious to not eat away at this by adding complex functionality that is not required by the majority of users.

 

I wouldn't just look a Saturday night TV shows as representative of what everyone else is doing - have a read of THIS TOPIC on the Blue Room for some contrasting opinions.

 

We have looked at wing options for desks, however the cost of a wing usually approaches that of an actual desk, hence we took the approach we did with the Jester and JesterML to allow them to work with each other, by using the Jester as a fader wing for the JesterML (using the DMX Input).

[joolsclinn]

that a cursory glance at the basic top-layer would not reveal, and so you still end up with a desk that could confuse a new user.

 

True, but the new user wouldn't need the advance features, as he wouldn't be at the level in his learning curve, to even know of their existance?

 

Ref the saturday night tv, I meant, 'what could I do with 4 250w heads and an ML now i have got them'. The guys on the BR sure got their backs up about the top moving light programmers! Its not all about your programming skills either, you need the creativity first, and thats the hardest thing.

 

Many years ago, before the invention of the moving head as we know it, a guy who was overwhelmed by the technical directions his production was moving in, said to me 'at 7:30 a sound & lighting demonstration will be taking place, and some acting will be going on underneath'!!!!!

 

Says it all really!

 

J

[sirrus]

Shame though, I mean just think HOW much more usable and pleasant the desk would be to program and use with auto cue timing... It could be like an option you could turn on / off then if you wheel back past 00.00.00 it snaps to AUTO?

 

I suppose LTP and HTP might come into it then but... Please Mr Kirkup?

 

 

Just a thought

 

 

I still don't regret a JesterML48 over a SmartFadeML

[smalljoshua]

It cant be that hard to do a similar thing to how its done on a Fat Frog? Add an extra column for trigger and dwell and all is dandy. Could this also be done on the normal Jesters too? Please?

 

Josh

[joe bleasdale]

I know this will probably have been discussed before... but...

 

Links and follow cues on the Jester ML series would be cool. I think they are great desks for thier price point and this feature would make them even stronger. +1 for these features. Is there any news about when/if they will be released?

 

Thanks,

[Kirkup_xp]

Hi Joe

 

Thanks for your thoughts - we're collating ideas for the next Jester release and dwell times / auto triggers is scoring high. Watch this space.

 

 

Peter

[joe bleasdale]

Thanks Peter.

[Kirkup_xp]

Hi Joe

 

Just a note to let you know that Auto Triggers and Dwell times made it into release 2.4 for the Jester MLs - available now.

 

I hope this feature helps you out

 

 

Peter