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keredyelesob

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Posts posted by keredyelesob

  1. Hi the new functionality to name the fixtures (setup,edit fixtures) is great but would it be possible to show the onscreen keyboard when naming them, currently the only way i have found is to use an external keyboard although the onscreen keyboard would save the clutter.

    cheers

     

  2. Hi

    This isn't a big thing but is a shame the functionality has gone in the latest release, is there a chance it will come back?

     

    "To manually tag or untag a parameter, just tap it’s box on the touchscreen above the encoder wheel"

     

    since the central encoder button displays the parameter options (really good function :) ) the old tag untag functionality has gone, both touch screen and encoder buttons are linked to the same function.

     

    Can this be separated so that the touch screen controls tagging of parameters, and encoder button shows the perimeter options?

     

    I know you can use the clear whilst moving the encoder wheel option but the other method was so much nicer.

     

    like i say not a 'high important' request but a nice to have.

     

    Cheers

  3. How do you trouble shoot problems in the chain if you don't know what the desk should be outputting?

    How do you work in blind mode if you need to set an exact parameter that has no pallet recorded, (your example 32-63 is strobe effect, I want my strobe to be 2 thirds fast, how do I get it if I can’t see the value)?

    using % on encoders that control 16bit parameters is making them so sensitive that you can’t physical make a 1 bit step this can make the difference between lighting into the wings or an actor. You can’t effectively even make a 2-6bit step, yes it may be possible eventually, but I would spend more time messing with encoders than just getting the job done. I expect this is partly the problem jw-lighting is having however I don't want to speak on their behalf.


    Your computer analogy is a little farfetched but for clarity I am a computer programmer and i do use bindery on a daily basis working with bitwise. I use binary because I work with computers, likewise if you have trained to be a lighting engineer you would work with, and know about DMX.


    Moving on now, your argument is getting a little silly and is muddying the original question/request. It is irrelevant as to why someone would use DMX over %, a good lighting desk should be able to cater for both. i think it should be left there and let other people comment allowing Zero 88 to make a decision on whether to show DMX values (as they have done on their other desks) or not.
  4. Hi I am not sure is this helps but if you add the scroller fron the standard fixtures library and select the segments your scroller has, when you run the auto pallets it will create a colour palette for each segment. Although it will just name them as frame 1,frame 2.... you can rename them or just jot them down on a cheat sheet.

     

    Hope this helps

  5. Furthermore, the encoder wheels are often not precise enough to catch a single DMX value (if neccessary, for example see the Virtual color wheel of Robin 300 LEDWash) and the resolution could be better.

     

    If you take a look at the latest Zeros beta release for the FLX they have added a wheel behavior that allows for 'course' and 'fine' this is a lot more accurate than 'proportional' (the current method). Holding down setup and pressing one of the attribute keys will take you to these new options.

     

     

    As for DMX values, in all my years of plotting, I've never had the need to see the DMX values! I don't really understand why you'd want to... I don't care what the DMX value is, I only care about the end result. I wouldn't have anything against it being added if it's what other users want, but I have to say it would be waaaay down on my list of priorities!

     

     

    DMX values are fundamental to every modern lighting setup. % is fine for conventional fixtures on a dimmer, you do not need the accuracy for intensity. When you move to the world of intelligent lighting (moving lights, colour changers etc) then i am afraid DMX value is key. To put in laymen terms % will give you a resolution of 100 steps, using DMX values will give you 8bit resolution (255 steps), or in the case of most intelligent lights 16bit resolution (65,535 steps). When working with a large stage then the tiniest moment of a light can have a massive effect on stage, so to suddenly loose 65,435 steps is a big thing.

     

    In addition if you cant see what value your desk should be outputting how do you trouble shoot DMX problems in the chain?

     

    I would find working in blind mode even harder if i had to second guess what DMX signal the desk is about to send out to my lamps.

     

    most (if not all) modern lighting desks have options to show DMX value including the other Zeros desks, % is just something left over from the analogue days.

  6. Hi is there a way to show parameters as the dmx value. Currently it only shows % for things like pan and tilt this is no good for me.

     

    Also is there a way to show value instead of details for parameters with details.for instance I have a fixtue with a shutter parameter. The details show closed,open,strobe s>f,random strobe s>f. The encoder and fixtue output show the detail so i have no idea how fast i have set the strobe.

     

    Is there an option to change desplay info dmx,% or detail?

  7. Hi since version v7.8.3.2 you have made the intensity available (through the setup) on the first encoder wheel, i really like this,

    I have however noticed that the fourth encoder wheel does not get assigned parameters very often, in past releases i thought it was just the way my custom fixtures where setup but now i am unsure.


    The problem

    if I set the intensity to always show on the first encoder,

    select a fixture

    Select effects pallets

    select an effect

    the encoders show [intensity, speed,size and nothing].

    If i press the effects button again (used to show more parameters) then the fourth encoder shows offset.


    This also happens with position,

    default i get [intensity,pan,tilt, nothing]

    pressing the position button a second time i get [intensity ,pan,tilt,motor speed].



    The following problem may be my custom fixtures.

    If i don't have the intensity set to always show.

    I have a custom red,green,blue,white LED fixture,

    if i select colour i only see [Red,Green, Blue nothing] across the encoders.

    if i select colour again i get [white, nothing nothing,nothing] across the encoders.

    is it possible for all four of the encoders to populate without making an new fixture?

    I have the same problem with beam shape and position.

  8. Hi I have never had this happen to me but can i ask

    what version of the software are you running?

    is it entire cues or parts of cues?

    have the cues gone completely are are the positions still in the stack? (1,2,3,4..... or is it more 1,3,4....)

    what mode are you running in (tracking, none tracking. smart tag, no smart tag)?

    last question, may be a silly one but did you run any of the cues after you finished to see if they recorded correctly? did the cues mess up after turning the console off?

  9. No i don't work for zero88 i am a software developer for the government so i understand criticism from new software. Especially when a lot of the criticism comes from a users lack of knowledge. (again this may be due to a missing manual).

     

    What i am trying to say is that if you do find a problem like your original coment about needing an external screen to operate the desk then maybe explain what the actual problem is, this is how the software will progress and become more intuitive.

     

    The technical support number for zero88 is +44 (0)1633 833101 maybe you should use it.

  10. I would have expected an operating system that has been around for a while now to be a little more advanced.

     

    I am sure that you already know (from you other post) that although the FLX runs on ZEROS it has actually been re written for the FLX desk, this was only released a few months ago, I would say that you should be a little more tolerable with the desk especially given that a lot of the problems you are having are due to user misunderstanding. yes maybe Zero88 should release the manual sooner rather than later, but in your case it may be worth looking at the manuals for the likes of the solution or orb (running on the established ZOROS OS) you will probably find a lot of your answers there.

     

    I think rather than presenting a lot of negative feedback on the problems you are experiencing maybe working with Zero 88 to give possible solutions for instance

     

    Zero forgot to mention that you can do hardly anything withut an external monotor.

     

    what can't you do without an external monitor, if you tell Zero88 they can at least address the problem.

  11. Zero88 desks dont have a shutdown option they save the show as you work. All you need to do is simply turn it off. I think it would be awaste of time adding a shut down option that does nothing other then telling the user they can turn off the desk. I think this is just something you would have to get used to.

     

    If you dont have a touchscreen to collaborate why select that option? I do see your point but in my experience most users using lighting desks, zero88 or other manufacturers (supporting pointing devices) would almost certainly have a mouse or touchscreen attached, if only for spead of programming. I dont see this as a bug. Maybe an inconvenience, turning the desk off and on will not do it any harm, what method would you use to exit out of this screen?

     

    What are you not able to do without an external screen?

  12. It is true. The FLX console is missing some windows like DMX output and blind mode. Jon has commented in another thread about this, confirming blind mode will be getting put into Zeros for the FLX but has not confirmed about DMX output (zeros on FLX is quite a bit different to Zeros found on their other desks ). I to agree this is a good feature and is a step back to remove such views. The post about views is here.

    http://zero88.com/forum/topic/7132-where-is-it-in-the-product-line/#entry27894

  13. the leapfrog desks dont transmit midi they will only receive it.do you want to fire the go button with midi, or have the go button transmit midi?

    Also i am not sure midi is transmitted/received over the network, i am sure someone else can confirm this though.

  14. Ideally, there shouldn't be a need to have to - once we've got the calibration of your touchscreen, linked to it's unique ID, it shouldn't matter if it's plugged into a different port, or unplugged and plugged back in. I'll ask our software team to look try and make this a bit easier. You should only have to recalibrate when you reset the console or update the console (which resets it anyway).

    OK, i will check on my desk again, it could well be me resetting the desk causing the desk to forget my screen, Generally if i am changing USB port or turning the desk on without a touch screen I am in a different venue. and at this point i do normally reset the desk (it is quicker as the rig and setup are different). i will check later on and feed back.

     

    Edit: i have just tried swapping the usb port and i did lose the touchscreen and needed to colabirate the screen in order for it to work.

  15.  

    It's definitely not with *all* touch screens - but it might be multi-touch screens or something like that. We'll let the software team look into it.

     

    Don't know if it would be of any help but I have an iiyama Prolight T2252MTS, this is a 2 point multi-touch screen and I have no problems with the screen disconnecting,
    And I only ever have to recalibrate when I change the usb port the monitor is plugged into, or run the desk without the touch screen connected then return back to using a touch screen,(both of these scenarios I would expect the screen to need calibrating).
  16. Is "Load"ing the specific Memory (into the programer?) = applying it with parameters tagged?

    Is there any reasonable explanation why, on Cleared console, with Memory 1 applied, 4 of the movers, which are supposed to change position on Memory 2, are already in that position on Memory 1? And, at the same time, when on memory 1, if this same memory Loads into the programer, those movers jump to the position they're supposed to be in the first place...? And they jump back when clearing...? It's like some "leak" or something.... Could you please check that?

     

    From what i understand when you load a specific memory into the programmer the desk will only load what values the memory has stored (not tracked values).

    It sounds like the behaviour with the position of your lights is because you have 'move on dark' enabled and the position values are not stored in the memory you are loading. If you are running the memories back then the desk will move the fixtures to their next stored position (if smart tag was used then this will be the next position when the fixture intensity was >0, otherwise it will be the next 'tagged' position) when loading the memory into the programmer it is just loading the tagged parameters,

    To try and see how tracking works i would make a quick queue stack then export the show to excel, this will show you in a grid form what memories are storing what perimeters and will allow you so see how the desk jumps to the next position, colour, beam shape when move on dark is enabled. from what i see the behaviour you describe is not a leak just functionality in how tracking lighting desks work.

     

    - It would be useful to be able to have DMX In used for something else, at least to work with 1ch Scroller (I was able to patch it, but didn't work.). The way it is now, that Inputs can only control intensities, its not possible to have anything "Blackout" resistent. In a theatre, this is a must-have, as there are house lights that needs to be on at all times, and since they're in the same universe as half of their dimmers, there's a trouble.

     

    If you using Scrollers would it not be best to us it as a fixture, where the lamp the scroller is attached to would be controlled with the intensity parameter and the scroller was controlled by the colour parameter, this way basic functionality like MOD would work in your favour. (Zero88 have already put a scroller fixture in the standard fixtures list)

    Regarding house lights i generally work on the preciple never to program house lights into your lighting console, if you have to i would do this at the end of the programming session to avoid tainting the show, at that point put them onto a sub master so the HTP rule will take effect. Another method i have used in theaters that insist on putting house lights onto the production network is to use a DMX merger that uses HTP and have a cheap 6 channel console control them, never patching them into the main show console. if anything it may be nice to have DMX in operate like a DMX merger (so DMX in has no effect over the console just merges the signal with ether HTP of LTP) but i don't really think this is an necessary change control, that is unless other users need it.

    If you would like to load your show file that is causing LCD's to slow down onto the forum, i can try and run it on one of my desks to see if i can replicate it. I had never really used DMX in on later version of Zeros so thought this may be causing a problem, but last week I was working on a show for ITV and they needed a method to control some effect side stage so thought i would use the DMX in, conscious of the LCD problem reported further up i kept an eye on the desks behaviour but never had any problem, i am now thinking it may be the fixture type that your using, or like you mention the length of text in the LCDs. ether way i can test if you would like.

  17. You can set the chase speed within the sub master setup screen. (hold sown shift then press the flash button of the sub) this will set the speed on an individual bases.

     

    If you want to set the speed on the fly (using beat or manual) then this will effect all of the subs as you use the step button and this effects all sub masters. I don't know of another way to set the speed on the fly.

  18. I have had this happen once or twice. It normally happens the first time i load the software after installing it. Have you tried rebooting your pc then tried running the phantom again?

     

    If this doesn't work try the other phantom consoles (leapfrog or orb) if the problem persists i would uninstall the software, reboot your pc,then try installing again.

     

    Out of interest what version of windows are you running? Although I know from experience phantom does run happily on windows xp,7,8,8.1 and windows 10.

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