Chase Effect for Large Quantity of Fixtures

[scottydog75]

Hi all,

I've got a show coming up next week where we will be fixing 300 RGB LED 'pixels' as decoration on the prosceinum arch. I am specifically trying to create an effect of a single pixel or a few pixels chasing up the SL leg, across the arch, and down the SR leg.

We got all the LEDs and FLX out for a test at home this past weekend and had a good play! 

The only negative of having so many fixtures is when the Chaser 1/8 effect is applied, this will illuminate quite a tens of fixtures at any one time. Ideally I guess I need something like a Chaser 1/16 or 1/32! Does anyone have any clever ideas to reduce the 'tail' on this effect, other than creating a custom 300 step chase (not really feasible..!)

Thanks,

Alex

[kgallen]

If you have the full FLX (which I think you do) then I think you have to look to the Waveform editor rather than the built-in effects.

However, having said that, I'm not confident you will get the level of granularity you need for such a large number (300) of "fixtures" - in part probably because even on my small stage, I find that each "click" of value on each parameter has a big effect, particularly the "speed" parameter where I find "1 click" can easily take you from "too fast" to "too slow".

So if you haven't yet, I'd take a look at the Waveform tab within Effects... and then await Edward who will know what he's talking about!

[Edward Z88]

Hi Alex,

Hope you're well.

3 hours ago, scottydog75 said:

I've got a show coming up next week where we will be fixing 300 RGB LED 'pixels' as decoration on the prosceinum arch. I am specifically trying to create an effect of a single pixel or a few pixels chasing up the SL leg, across the arch, and down the SR leg.

We got all the LEDs and FLX out for a test at home this past weekend and had a good play! 

Sounds like a lot of fun!

Firstly, how do you plan to patch this? Are you likely to want to regularly control the proscenium arch in groups of pixels? If so, it would be worth patching a generic "LED - RGB Multicell" fixture that works for the way you want to group the pixels. For example, you could just patch a pair of 150-cell fixtures, meaning you use just two fixtures on your console to control all 300 pixels. Or, you could patch 10, 30-cell fixtures. Doing this, means you can select the 10 fixtures, and run the effects across the fixtures rather than cells, to very easily run effects across groups of 30 pixels.

3 hours ago, scottydog75 said:

The only negative of having so many fixtures is when the Chaser 1/8 effect is applied, this will illuminate quite a tens of fixtures at any one time. Ideally I guess I need something like a Chaser 1/16 or 1/32! Does anyone have any clever ideas to reduce the 'tail' on this effect, other than creating a custom 300 step chase (not really feasible..!)

3 hours ago, kgallen said:

If you have the full FLX (which I think you do) then I think you have to look to the Waveform editor rather than the built-in effects.

Like usual, I am agreeing with Kevin on this one. For this, I think I'd be tempted to have a play with adding a Waveform to the pixel's intensity. Try adding a "Uni blink" Function, and give it a speed of 10 to keep things slow whilst you work it out. Set Size to 100, and then hold SHIFT, and keep dialling Offset, until you start to see what you're after. If you keep dialling Offset with SHIFT held, you will end up with the effect "wrapping", where you can see the effect begin again, before the previous pixels have finished. So it'll be a case of playing around to see what works. Even with a "Uni Blink" function, you will not be able to achieve individual pixels flashing on and off when running across this number of fixtures.

Once you've got an effect you're happy with, record it as a custom effect palette.

3 hours ago, scottydog75 said:

other than creating a custom 300 step chase (not really feasible..!)

In all seriousness, it might be worth playing with creating yourself a macro, that turns off the current pixel, selects the next pixel, and records it as a cue in a chase. You could then run this macro multiple times, so the console builds your chase for you.

So, record the following to a macro: "@ ., Next, @@, RECORD ENTER". Then to use it, type "1.1 @@ RECORD ENTER" to record your first step. From there run the macro to record the remaining 299 cues. As this example uses RECORD ENTER, you'll need to be viewing your chase playback you would like the cues to be recorded into.

To keep the macro looping, record two empty cues to an empty playback, turn this playback into a chase, and add the macro to one of the cues. Run the chase at a speed the console can keep up with, and then make a cup of tea and let the console do the work!

Edward

[scottydog75]

Thanks both for very good ideas as usual!

I'm planning to get the desk patched for the show later this week, so I will consider using LED Multicell fixtures (hand't even thought of this as an option..!) and will have a play with the waveform editior.

Great idea about getting a macro to do all of the work for me. Even if I dont go down that route on this occasion, I will need to try that another time and see how that works.

Thanks again

Alex

[scottydog75]

Hi gents,

As usual programming time was very very short so I didnt end up getting exactly what I was looking for and the Chaser 1/8 sufficied in the end!

I attempted using the Uni Blink effect but struggled to get it to perform as needed, im sure with a bit more fiddiling I probably would've got there.

Either way, they still looked great! Pic attached for interest.

[Edward Z88]

Hi Alex,

12 hours ago, scottydog75 said:

Either way, they still looked great! Pic attached for interest.

Nice! Thanks very much for sharing.

Edward

[scottydog75]

Resurrecting this thread as I have a similar query for a similar set up this year.

I will have a large number of pixels once again, different venue but similar idea. I've pre-patched these as mutli-cell fixtures (10 'cells' in each fixture). I've tried to record an effect where the cells of each fixture chase 1 thru 10 (I.E.  1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1, etc chase through to 1.10, 2.10, 3.10, 4.10) 

When in the programmer, this acts as expected, the cells chase through intensities 0-100%, I then record this as a custom effect palette, however when re-calling palette this the intensity is only 0-50% and displays the figures in yellow within the Output Window.

Any direction as to what I have done wrong in the process? A bit rusty on the controls since the last show in June..!

Snip as an example:

[Edward Z88]

Hi @scottydog75

18 hours ago, scottydog75 said:

I then record this as a custom effect palette, however when re-calling palette this the intensity is only 0-50% and displays the figures in yellow within the Output Window.

When you record an effect palette, by default only effect information will be included. This means the base intensity value that the effect is running above and below, is not included. In your example, you are therefore applying the intensity effect whilst the fixtures are @ 0. The effect is therefore running from -50% to +50%. If you select the fixtures, and @ 50 ENTER them, you should see the effect then runs as intended (0% to 100%).

To include all information including intensity into an effect palette, hold SHIFT and tap RECORD, and then tap the effect palette to store to.

Hope this helps.

[kgallen]

If you’re wanting to record an Effects palette that includes other attributes, you might want to refer to the recipe I documented here:

 

(don’t torture yourself with the whole thread, I’m still in therapy!)

 

[scottydog75]

Thanks again both. Will keep that guide to hand on the tech Kevin!