delicolor

I’m disappointed with your explanation, it sounds like it is excusing overly simplistic coding. Leapfrogs can’t have fixtures 49-100 so therefore the software will renumber all fixtures to 101 onwards in an order that bears no relationship to the original numbering unless it is a dimmer, even though the desk can support fixtures on 1-48 and they can be manually renumbered to that afterwards? I don’t think you are seeing this through the eyes of the customer. OK the Solution series is now legacy (but only just) and therefore low priority but this is a gotcha I wasn’t expecting. Ian

Hi guys, I’ve been merrily rationalising our leaprog config build to fit within the constraints of 48 fixtures 48 subs. The S24 is now our main desk and working OK. Our Leapfrog 48 is now demoted to backup desk. Both are running 7.9.9/2.0.1. However, despite having fixtures 1 -48 working previously on the preset faders, when I cleared the memory and loaded up the S24 save file, most of the fixtures were re-allocated onto MFFs 101 upwards, only three single channel fixtures survived on the preset faders. The three retained their fixture channel number but the reallocated fixtures had lost their channel number relationship (possibly reallocated by fixture type). The playbacks seem to be fine. Of course, if I save the Leapfrog file and load it into the S24, all of the fixtures 101 upwards are discarded. I can reassign the misnumbered fixtures back to their desired fixture numbers but it is time consuming and not desirable in a scenario where we need to use the backup desk! I can duplicate it on Phantom. Showfile on requist. Ian

I’ve worked out where the missing settings went, I had changed the tracking options from enabled to cue only in record and update settings. I had mixed it up with cue only tracking in record options. All fine now, thanks for the nudges in the right direction.

Ah, that old chestnut… It was indeed on smartTag for the default testing. For my actual showfile, I’m not seeing SmartTag in the record option page, nor tracking. Here is a quick screen grab to show. I’m not quite certain why it is doing this. This show file has been edited and moved between Leapfrog 48, phantom Solution, Phantom S24 and S24 numerous times so maybe it is time to recreate the show from a clean install…

Hi guys, I’m merrily migrating our rig from the Leapfrog to the S24, tidying up and consolidating where necessary. Wanting to minimise red entries in the fixture list, I have been matching up fixtures in the database. The issue is in relation to 4 channel RGBW tape which was fine with the original profile. I converted the fixtures to “Generic/ LED-RGBW/4 channel 8 bit” and it seemed to work fine but I noticed when I updated the default I0/R255/G255/B255/W0 to 0/255/255/255/255 with “record/home/default” the fixture went back to 0/255/255/255/0 when released, the white level was not saved, it is only recording four parameters. Led tape being what it is, we have default levels with a mix of the four colours as a starting point. Pressing home brought up intensity as expected but if I dialled up the white then saved with “record/home/home” that worked fine in subsequent selections and home presses, saving all five parameters. I can provide a showfile on request although it should be possible to replicate this very quickly from an empty showfile. This is software 7.9.9 and library 2.01. Not urgent as I have reverted back to the home grown fixture file. Regards, Ian

Thanks Edward.

I recently obtained a 2nd user FLX-S 24 to use as an unskilled user alternative to our aging Leapfrog 48. I upgraded it to 7.9.9 ok but noticed a couple of oddities with a show file so checked it out in test mode and found three of the faders were non-linear (one of which doesn’t go all the way down to zero which is a real pain in channel mode). I’ve deployed the compressed air but the behaviour is the same so I’m in discussions with the vendor for spare parts. (I see 45mm pots are an orderable item on the spares tab). Anyway, on trying out the “Other Test” RDM loopback and NVR tests don’t appear to do anything (other than save your show warning on NVR). Is this normal behaviour on a FLX S? I know the tests work fine on the Leapfrog and assume it is generic across the range build as there are other tests there not supported. One more item to mention- the upgrade tool on the website is offline, I took a look to see how much it would be. I expect we will upgrade in due course but can cope with 512 channels over 2 universes for now…

Cheers. for further details for case ZOS-7827 I attach a (unfortunately too short) video of a development showfile triggering and then getting stuck on one of the first five playbacks. It doesn't take too long to make all 24 MFFs get stuck. I can't reliably reproduce it on Dockhouse or Chateau but it does misbehave. Once stuck at full the flash button will flash on the MFF and remain like that until level matched. I find that if I delete a playback and re-record the state it works better for a while but will start to stick in due course. It definitely seems to be tied in to the speed & flash to full side of things. I have had to really reduce the quality and duration to get into the file size limit but include the .zos which has 1-24 triggers et to playbacks 1-24. It always goes wrong for me! Solution 7.9.9 using DMX IN lockup Clip.mp4 DMX IN bug.zos

I get the flash emulation idea, strange that it doesn’t work the other way snapping the level down to zero moving the fader though… I still asert that the DMX IN is unusable on both Leapfrog 48 and Phantom in Solution mode due to playbacks getting stuck at 100% and refusing to fade down, I will put together a little screen grab video to demonstrate this.

I thought that might have been the case. Congratulations, by the way!

I haven’t received the desk yet so can’t prove it works, but I expect it will do. the other part of the manual is probably just asserting the default state. Thanks for that.

Yes, we have been told that but I thought I would sanity check it as the FLX manual has a much more simplistic statement for FLX S models though on page 226:- DMX output Two female Neutrik XLR are provided. 1 x 5 pin connector, and 1 x 3pin connector. These both output Universe 1, unless the FLX S console has been upgraded to 2 universes.

Can I clarify whether on a 1 Universe FLX S you can use the 2nd output as universe 2 within the constraints of 512 active channels across the two universes as described for FLX and Solution? Ta, Ian

I can confirm the same thing happens on Dockhouse 2021 (which only has two playbacks defined). Opening up in Solution emulation, mapping DMX 1 & 2 to playbacks 1 & 2 and making up/down times 5 seconds gives the same snap to full symptom. I appreciate that the FLX series does not support DMX IN so it isn't going to be very urgent to sort out for legacy desks. A suggestion for avoiding the issue would be appreciated though.

I have had an annoying issue with using the 48 preset faders looped round to DMX IN in order to control playbacks. Basically sometimes a playback will get stuck and not match from the input, having to resort to scrolling to the actual playback page to match and pull down. I have tried to duplicate it with a clean basic config without success so far but have found a bug I can emulate on Phantom Zeros in Solution mode. (File attached). It is after a system clear, four MP75 fixtures created as 101-104, trigger DMX INs 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, three simple scenes using the MP75s and dimmers 1-4, saved to playbacks 1-3, intensity up and down times set to 5 seconds on the fader. All is well if I use playback faders 1-3 but if I use input panel faders 1-3, if I move the faders any faster than about 2 seconds the levels snap to full rather than respecting the 5 second up time. The up progress bar will frequently not complete if more than one DMX IN fader is moved at the same time, however the colour fade times run correctly and the fade down time is respected even if the fader is snapped down. As mentioned, this isn't the full issue causing the stuck faders but I'm sure it is part of the problem. bug example.zos

That’s certainly one way round it, that way the lanterns will stay set on wide until bringing up a tight focus state (although I’d have to remember to trigger it in advance if I don’t want a zoom move with intensity up). I get a bit paranoid with too many playbacks highlighted blue though…

…but the default still doesn’t apply to the release, the value snaps back to zero. Any ideas?

Answering my own question, I found the beamshape default timer undr settings/defaults so hopefully all is well.

I have a couple of motorised zoom fixtures that are a little intrusive sound wise if zoomed at normal speed but are effectively silent if zoomed over (say) thirty seconds as the mechanism inches the lead screw drive. I mostly use them spotted down (so that is the default) but may wish to widen the beams on occasions. Whilst I can allow for the slow movement in a cue stack, we mostly work from submasters as busking. If the lanterns are involved in a playback fader scene I can set the beam fade timer so that it will quietly zoom on trigger or fader move but when the fader reaches zero again afterwards they will quickly (and noisily) return to the default zero value. I can get round this by having another fader with a slow beam time returning the zoom position to default but it is a bit clumsy. Is there a better way round it or have I overlooked a default beam value? The desk is a Solution (Leapfrog) running 7.9.9. Thanks in anticipation (and looking forward to being allowed to let audiences back in again soon). Ian

I may have spoken too soon. I'll do some more testing and start a new thread.

Hi Edward, thanks for your reply. The DMX IN feed came from the THRU of a DMX splitter, the IN of which came from desk DMX OUT 2. One of the four splitter outputs is cabled off to a pair of DMX LED drivers and 120 ohm terminated. So I wouldn’t have expected to see any DMX signal but I suspect interference as one of the tapes is very flickery at low levels (a second one with identical components on the other side of the hall is fine) and it is an RDM capable splitter so pickup might be possible. As an aside, fixture 1 on DMX Universe 1 was flickering during the test (until I pulled the DMX IN) and it does use channels 1-7. It may have been freestyling & causing the rogue DMX, or more likely responding to pickup if in is patched to out 1:1 during test mode. Anyway, I’m happy the desk is functionally fine. I had tried using faders 1-48 to trigger scenes on playbacks and whilst it worked, I found that the LTP level matching was a bit unpredictable unless I removed all intensity fade times and even then sometimes a playback would not follow the fader. As it seems to work fine on phantom zeros I now wonder if interference on the DMX IN might have been making it misbehave and will look back again at getting scenes onto faders as some volunteers struggle with the concept of playback paging and where light is coming from.

I had a play with the test mode on my desk. I seemed to be getting continuous slow random press and release messages in between the genuine key presses but eventually noticed that there was some level movement on my DMX IN signal (I’m not certain what from though, the DMX 2 goes into an RDM splitter and on to a couple of led driver decoders with a termination. I’ll explore if there is some noise pickup offline). When I pulled out the DMX IN cable all keypress messages stopped (other than genuine ones). The faders and buttons seem to be well behaved, however I was puzzled as to what the four faders and six buttons at the bottom of the screen were there for? I expect it is something obvious with hindsight!

Thanks Edward. It didn’t occur to me that Preset mode would still work as I was thinking in terms of it being DMX channels 1 to 24 (or 48 in wide). Sad to see Solution has now been manufacture discontinued but I assume future Zeros releases will continue to recognise it.

As an aside, does the test mode apply to Leapfrog/Solution? I’m not back in front of the desk until Monday. I have the opposite problem that a few faders creep up to 1% which now that I have fixtures 1 - 48 defined means if the lights are off they highlight red and get inhibited. I assume the resolution is the same.