Using generics on wheels

[sp]

Is it possible to use the wheels to control the output of generic lights?

I've never seen it mentioned anywhere so i presume it's not.

 

sp

[Kirkup_xp]

If you patch the generic lights as a fixture with only one attribute (brightness, obviously) then you can use the whels just as you would use the faders. Effectively this turns the Fat Frog into a 60 channel desk.

 

P

[sp]

Ok, sorry but im a bit confused as to how i would do this. :?

Do i need to connect the generic lamp into another dmx signal or something or does it just plug in a normal socket on my rig??

 

Thanks very much for that very quick response Kirkup_xp.

a little step-by-step guide on running a generic on a wheel would be appreciated though - do i some how need to patch the generic channel to a fixture??

 

sp

[Kirkup_xp]

Okay assuming you've got a lantern plugged into a dimmer (say number 6, for example), and the dimmer plugged into the desk via DMX cable.

 

Go into super user

Desk Setup

Assign Fixtures

 

In the assign fixtures screen, select "Generic Parcan" or an appropriate fixture file. These fixtures contain just one attribute - Brightness.

 

Then go to:

Patch Functions

Manual Patch

 

In the Manual Patch screen, make sure that dimmer 6 isnt patched to anything already (if you've started with a desk at defaults, it'll be patched to channel 6 on the desk. Select the channel and press Clear)

 

Press the fixture button for the fixture you patched, and type in/select the DMX address of the dimmer (006). Then [Finish] and Exit super user.

 

Now you should be able to select the fixture by pressing the fixture button and then wheeling up the brightness.

 

I hope this makes sense.

 

 

Peter

[sp]

Yes makes perfect sense - but it appears that our first finger wheel isn't working! We've had a look in Test Mode - which confirms this.

 

I've found a post on here to try and rectify the problem (open up check connections etc.) - will try this as soon as possible.

 

Thanks for your help.

 

sp

[K-Nine]

To assign a 'generic' fixture type to one of the fixtures on the desk you will need to insert a floppy disk containing the Zero 88 Fixture Library into the disk drive, and choose the "Assign from Disk" option.

 

The single channel brightness 'generic' lights are listed in the fixture library under the manufacturer name of <CONVENTIONALS>. The fixture types available are Ellipsoidal, Flood, Fresnel, Generic Lamp, Parcan, Pebble Convex, Profile, Softlight.

 

It doesn't actually matter which of the fixture types you choose as they have identical personalities (ie one brightness channel).

 

(Note - In the current software it is not possible to patch FIXTURES to more than one DMX address, cf with generic channels which can be patched to up to 10 different DMX addresses - this has been mentioned before CLICK HERE and is an item to be reviewed. )

[sp]

Ok fixed the wheel (ended up 'tapping' the board) and got it running the generics so thanks for that.

 

Slight inderance though, is there any way of still being able to use the generics on their channels as well?

The problem we appear to have is that we can use them on the wheels, but then not on the subs at the same time (as we had to unpatch them to use them as 'fixtures').

 

Is this the problem you describe? Is there any solution?

 

sp

[K-Nine]

I'm not quite sure what you are asking here but ....

 

A generic/desk channel, which is controlled by a preset fader and a fixture controlled by the fixture selection buttons, attribute buttons and control wheels cannot both be patched to the same DMX output address.

 

If you have assigned and patched 'generic' fixtures to the fixture buttons then the brightness parameter is recorded automatically when you record memories or submasters, so you should be able to control the 'generic' fixtures on submasters in the same way as generic/desk channels or fixture brightnesses.

[sp]

OK, so basically your saying that when programming the generic lights designated as 'fixtures,' just use their brightness attribute and the wheels to set them up, and forget about the preset faders.

So submasters will be programmed with fixture brightnesses, and not generic levels.

 

Thanks,

 

sp

[K-Nine]

The HTP channels, whether they are the generic channels/preset faders or fixture brightness parameters are ALWAYS recorded when you record a memory or submaster.

 

If you don't want them to appear in the memory or submaster, ensure they are lowered before pressing the PROGRAM button.