Archie D

Hi @Oliver_74, Just to be absolutely sure, do you mean importing an entire patch consisting of (for example) dimming channels, and LED fixtures, or do you mean you want to import a custom fixture profile into your patch, replacing a previous profile or adding a new one? If you mean that you wish to import an entire patch into an existing show file, this is unfortunately not possible within ZerOS. The patch must be edited within the show file. It may be of use making the patch, then saving as a separate file onto the root of a USB stick, however if you build new cues in one file, they will not carry over to the other, resulting in both (or more if multiple) eventually becoming out of sync with each other.

Hi Oliver, Yes, when loading show files in any capacity, show data is removed from the console's memory and replaced with the contents of the requested file to load. I'm not sure of a way to import a patch into an existing show file without this happening, I don't think it is possible, unfortunately. An alternate method, however - you could note down each patch configuration in a spreadsheet, and when the time comes, edit the existing patch in the desk to align with your spreadsheet data. Additionally, if you're not already aware, you are able to edit show files using the PC emulator, Phantom ZerOS. This will allow you to load a show file into Phantom ZerOS, in your case - edit the patch, re-save onto USB and load back into the physical desk when you are at the venue. This can be a massive save on time for when you don't have access to the physical desk, helping with your swap-overs. Regards.

Hi @Oliver_74, You can import patches (without other show file data such as memories) via Setup -> Load -> Select File -> 'Setup Only' or 'Setup & Palettes', which will load the console's setup (including patch, defaults, settings etc.), and palettes if specified. Be aware that when loading files, it clears the previous show file on the desk, so make sure to create a backup. You could create some 'sample' patch files by setting the patch up, and saving that file. Then, once you load one of those files, you can start programming straight away with your patch loaded in from a 'sample' file you created. If you select 'Load Complete Show', it will load all data contained within that show file. If you mean that you want to import a specific part of the patch into another show file's patch, this is unfortunately not possible. Hope this helps.

Is it CSC you are thinking of? (https://www.ctrelectronics.co.uk/csc-show-control.php)

OSC is really useful from my perspective for when you just want to run your show off one main control centre, but not having lights + sound (and possibly projection) all programmed in on a singular machine. If that one machine goes down, you've lost all lights, all sound and all projection. Whereas, if you run lights separately with the computer controlling sound and projection, while a lighting console is controlling LX separately, if the main computer goes down then you still have light on stage and can control that independently. Something like this can be done with OSC via QLab (with Network Messages) however QLab does require a license for this, or using something like Multiplay (another sound + projection cue-based tool) as @Neil Macmillan has used, is another option that is free to use (but still very very good!). So, if you are looking for a cue-based solution and you use a Mac, QLab is probably the best option (you could have a "magic sheet" as @Davidmk has, using Cue Carts within QLab). These "cue carts" can fire Network Messages over OSC to trigger certain cues on the LX console, like a soundboard but for lights. However, if you use Windows, Multiplay is also a good option (not sure about cue carts on it though). If you're on a Mac and instead of using QLab, you want to use Multiplay, you could run it via Wine but this won't run natively on your Mac and I'm not sure if OSC would work with how Wine handles things, but it could be worth a try. Unfortunately QLab on Windows isn't an option as it is developed primarily on the Apple platform, and so relies on Apple infrastructure for features such as AppleScript integration. QLab Network Message Cues - https://qlab.app/docs/v5/networking/network-cues/ QLab Cue Carts - https://qlab.app/docs/v4/general/cue-carts/ If you do use Multiplay, I very much point you to Neil's video! (I used it myself when having a play with OSC over Multiplay to my Phantom ZerOS setup, so thank you very much Neil for making that video). Best of luck with what you want to do with OSC.

--Rewritten for clarity-- Thank you, I do look forward to the news of this, apologies that I was no use of advice. My issue, with the help of others, was thought to be a section of a ribbon cable had come partially disconnected or loose, not allowing data to come through fully to the LCDs.. if not at all while still being back-lit. Not sure if that is the case or not but we shall hopefully find out, I still have yet to open my Jester ML yet again to find the issue.. been a bit busy over the holidays! Issue hasn't happened in some time though, still keeping an eye out for it.

That is true.. I received a Juggler which had no PSU so I was stuck with the single one from the JesterML I have.

There was one on eBay a few weeks ago with a flight case, I think it has gone though. To get a genuine power supply, it could be a possibility to buy or search for a really really beaten up old desk, use that power supply and either grab spares from that desk/try to restore it?

Not sure what you could do with this or whether it's any help, but here is the original supplier and model of switching power supply that Zero 88 used for their desks. https://sinpro.com/en/product/show.aspx?num=441&find1=8 https://sinpro.com/en/product/pro_search_show.aspx?num=441&page=2&spcnum=4955

Is it possible that this was caused (even though you downgraded to a previous version than 8.0.0) by the show file being an 8.0.0 show file (e.g. you created the show file while on v8.0.0) instead of a show file of the version you downgraded to? I'm not entirely sure but could it possibly be the case?

Probably looks slightly different from when you saw it if the website had a partial redesign on the frontend after you saw it.

Thank you, I might have a go then. Best wishes, Archie

Thank you very much for your advice. At the moment, I don’t feel confident enough to do this by myself so I think I will leave it for now, try and get my confidence up and look about doing it when I’ve got a bit more experience or I can ask somebody to help me. Thank you for your advice, I really appreciate it. Kind regards, Archie

Don't worry, with the page you provided me with the 'common' subdomain, there are workarounds 😉 https://backstage.zero88.com/a-z Thank you very much.

Hi, an update. Not too successful, but partially. We lay the console down, unscrewed the six access screws holding the front panel on, (i also put the earthing wriststrap on before doing this), and upon opening the console there was no obvious disconnection of the ribbon cable but we pushed down the clips to make sure it was secure. One was solid, the other flexed a bit on pushing. We then closed the console up, securing one screw top and bottom in the middle of the set of screwholes and turned it on. All worked perfectly. So we turned it back over, put the four remaining corner screws in, turned it over, plugged it back in, the fault was back. Do you think I need to replace the clip that had some flex in it? Do you think that is the issue with the intermittent fault on the LCD displays?

Ordered yesterday, arrived today. I'll see if I can do anything tomorrow with the desk. Thank you again for the advice.

Thanks for your reply @kgallen, that's something great to go off if I take a look inside. Do you use an earthing wristband thingy when you open up your Fat Frog?

Just an update - I've turned on the desk again to see if the issue had gone (due to intermittence) and I am now presented with this on the bottom LCD: However, when tapping C, B or P buttons, the top LCD goes back to normal instead of the offset lines as shown below:

Hi all, I have an issue with my JesterML that seems intermittent. It appears to only have started having this issue since a few days ago. The issue is when I turn on and boot up the desk, the main LCD is blank (but still backlit), same with the wheel LCD. The top MFK lcd is showing content, but slightly malformed on the top row (see pics below). Bottom MFK lcd seems fine so far. This issue sometimes happens when I turn the desk on, and sometimes doesn't happen. DMX output still works fine, same with monitor VGA output from the back ports. Buttons all still work, so do the wheels, as the red LEDs in the buttons do change when I press them to the desired option I want to select. It's the LCDs that are the issue. Another thing to add is that on the top MFK lcd, when I select either Colour, Beamshape or Position, the four horizontal bars you see disappear and it just goes to how picture E shows. Picture A: Whole desk view Picture B: The MFK LCDs Picture C : Main LCD Picture D : Wheel LCD Picture E: four horizontal bars have now disappeared after selecting C, B or P Pictures are attached below. If anyone knows the problem here, I would be incredibly grateful if you could help me. Thank you. Perhaps it is a loose connection inside, but maybe something damaged? I'm not sure. I wanted to be careful and not open the desk just yet in case something goes wrong. Picture A Picture B Picture C Picture D Picture E

Hi all. The iOS apps are now back on the App Store in their original capacity and under the same links they were before. ZerOS Monitor -> https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/zeros-monitor/id1033159176 ZerOS Remote -> https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/zeros-remote/id367342433 (cc: @Charlie Newman @Philh @ATC Tech)

Perhaps the crashes within programming are related to something memory-wise within ZerOS 8.0? You may be right there. I don't have a FLX myself, but as @SimonH mentioned, the desks running 8.0 crashed especially when programming moving lights, which usually handle more parameters than regular LED stuff and of course dimmers. I'm not entirely sure, but could the issue be related to where as you are programming a LX state, the data for parameters are held in some sort of temporary memory system (aka you know where in the output window, all the intensity values are red when not recorded/saved anywhere yet), and once recorded it never gets cleared from that internal memory as it usually should (due to the fact there is no reason to hold what you are currently programming, as it has been recorded) leading to the desk overloading itself to the point where the memory becomes full and eventually resulting in a crash. Obviously, once a reboot is performed, that temporary memory is cleared and all is well until the memory builds up again. Just a thought and a theory.

Hi all, just an update regarding this. Things are looking hopeful! I got a reply from them two hours ago. I hope they won't mind me posting the email here for others to see: Good Afternoon Archie Thank you for your email. We have an IT issue with the Apple Store at the moment and the IT team are working in getting this resolved asap. We are hoping to get this back up and running by next week Kind regards

Bad luck then. By chance do you (or anyone else) happen to remember the URL to that page, or have it saved anywhere? We could always check https://web.archive.org/ on the wayback machine to see if anybody archived it.. Or do you mean this page? https://backstage.zero88.com/control (further down it has legacy products - they just give the same descriptions as on the Vari-Lite pages)

Hi @Tim Molyneux, I'm glad the above solution worked for you. Indeed. You can use 'User File' instead of selecting 'USB' on the MFKs, which allows you to recall fixture profiles from a file previously loading in to the console via USB. At any time if you wish to delete these files from the internal console memory, you can do so by navigating to the <Update Fixture Lib> menu within setup. From there, you can select <Delete User Files>. Use the arrow keys to navigate which file you would like to delete from the internal console memory. Hope this helps!

Strange, I did hear somewhere that the Jester did, although it just could be my head playing tricks on me. You are probably right in what you've presented here with the line-up of consoles, so I appreciate the confirmation. It also can store memories (or 'steps' as it calls them, each step being part of a 'sequence') as well as having the ability of being in 2 preset mode. I've had a play with mine at home and although rather simple in the operation of it, I admire its simplicity. Thank you for the information you have provided me regarding the data sheet and the manual dates, I think I can try and work on figuring out dates with the info provided. I will continue to do some more digging on the forums as you have advised. Thank you again and have a lovely day!