25 and 250 Lighting control system Version 3.1 Copyright © 2001 Electronic Theatre Controls, Inc. All Rights reserved. Product information and specifications subject to change.
Contents Chapter 1 Introduction .............................................. 1 Using this manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Setting up the console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 New users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Keyboard Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Text conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Setting default sneak time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Enable / disable Blackout key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Enable / disable Flexichannel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Set grandmaster type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Set channels / submasters 1-to-1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Record lockout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Setting channel levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Trackpad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Full . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Level key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Flash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sneak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Recording cues with Link and Follow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Follow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Create playback loops with Link and Follow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Linking a macro to a cue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Recording a cue using Solo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 11 Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Recording a group in Stage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Recording a group from a look on stage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Recording a group using Solo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Working with groups in Blind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Group mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Modifying submasters in Blind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Modifying submasters in Stage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Re-recording submasters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Updating submasters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Live control of a submaster’s rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Controlling submaster fades manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Labeling submasters . . . . .
Chapter 16 Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blind Effects display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Effects in Stage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating an effect in Blind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Notes on working with steps in Blind . . . .
Playing macros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Canceling a macro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Powerup macro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Modifying macros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Clearing macros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Copying macros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Record Loads procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Load Check procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Clear Loads procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Setting and unsetting dimmers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Setting a dimmer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Unsetting a dimmer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Understanding ETCNet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Installing interface devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Network wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Preparing interface devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Connecting dimmers to console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Configuring the DMX512 ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Appendix G Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Appendix H Declaration of Conformity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Appendix I Limited Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Express 125/250 User Manual, v.3.
xiv Contents
Chapter 1 Introduction This manual covers the installation and operation of lighting systems containing ETC’s Express 125 and 250 control consoles operating with version 3.1 system software. The differences between these consoles is shown under Appendix G Specifications, page 343. Throughout the manual, both consoles are referred to as Express unless a distinction is necessary. Chapter one includes information to orient you to the console and the manual.
Using this manual This manual provides instructions for using the console’s features and optional accessories. Setting up the console If you are setting up the system for the first time, see Appendix A Installation, page 307, and Chapter 3 System settings, page 21, for information about setting up your system. If the system is already in place, you may not need to refer to these chapters.
Navigation and visual feedback Move through console menus and displays in the ways that work best for you. The console offers alternative navigational techniques and visual feedback that confirms your choices all along the way. Note how navigation and feedback information is collected in the table below. Tables like this are used throughout this User Manual to help you use console displays.
Output level conventions The console uses both a highest level, or pile-on, convention and a last action convention to determine levels for channels affected by more than one control. Channels may be defined to operate with either convention. HTP channels The behavior of a pile-on channel is defined by the Highest Takes Precedence (HTP) rule. The console reads all output levels it receives for an HTP channel and sets that channel to the highest of them.
Enabling LTP You can set a channel’s status to LTP or HTP as long as the channel is not used in Fixture Patch. If the channel is patched to a fixture, the personality controls the HTP/LTP status. All attributes (channels) are set to LTP by a personality except the intensity attribute. All channels not patched to a fixture default to HTP (considered “normal”). Set channels to HTP or LTP, either singly or in ranges, in the Channel Attributes display using the following procedures. Keystrokes: Action: 1.
Effects LTP channels may be used to preserve an effect in certain channels regardless of levels in the effect. Also, multiple effects can run simultaneously, and other looks can be provided concurrently with effects. These features are available in the console when you use LTP channels. When an effect cue is sandwiched between two other cues, LTP channel levels in the effect cue are ignored when determining which control takes precedence.
Moving light concepts and terms Fixtures Conventional lights, sometimes called fixtures, are single attribute devices whose intensity can be controlled by a console connected to a dimmer. In this User Manual, however, the term fixture is often used to refer to multi-attribute devices such as moving lights to distinguish them from conventional lights. The programming methods in this manual apply to any multi-attribute device controlled by DMX512 as to moving lights.
The Only command Only is a particularly powerful console command. Use Only to restrict a selection while programming or creating a look on stage. When working with fixtures Use Only to restrict the selection of fixture attributes by category, such as when you are creating or modifying a cue, submaster, group or focus point. For example, press [S8], Fixture, [8] [S4], Only, [Position] to place the pan and tilt attributes on the trackpad.
Using the trackpad Use the Express trackpad to set rates and levels. The trackpad operates in three modes, single mode, double mode, and XY mode, described below. You can also set the trackpad’s sensitivity. Single mode Double mode XY mode Most of the time the trackpad is in single mode. If the console prompts you for a rate or a level, moving your finger up on the trackpad increases the rate or level. Moving it down decreases the rate or level.
Electronic backup maintenance Information in console memory is preserved by an electronic backup system for approximately 28 days. Within the limits of this system, if power should fail or if you shut down and then re-power, all programmed elements should be the same as they were. For additional security, ETC recommends that you routinely save to diskette as you go along and before shutting down. CAUTION: The electronic backup maintenance system must be recharged periodically to function as intended.
Help from ETC Technical Services If you are having difficulties, your most convenient resources are the references given in the index of this manual and the console Help system, which is explained under Keyboard Help, page 2. To search more widely, try the ETC website at www.etcconnect.com. If none of these resources are sufficient, contact ETC Techncial Services directly at one of the offices identified below.
12 Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 Monitor displays Express operates with one color video monitor. This monitor provides information regarding your show, including a cue list, the current status of the console’s two fader pairs and a variety of user selectable displays. These displays allow you to create and run shows and to configure your console and your lighting system. If your system includes ETCNet, additional monitors may be installed at other locations, such as backstage or in the sound booth.
Colors in displays The colors in which channel numbers and output levels are displayed on screen provide information about the channels. The following list shows the meaning of colors in Stage and Blind displays. Channel numbers/Standard patch Gray........................Unselected channel. White......................Channel not selected by Only function. Yellow ....................Selected channel. Controlled by the level (Y) wheel. Channel numbers/Fixture patch Gray bar .................
Display features Three of the console displays—Stage, Blind and Patch—share many features, such as a channel display area, command line and softkeys. This chapter’s illustrations of these displays are all labeled with these common features, and the explanations are given directly below. If some common features differ slightly for a particular illustration, such as the profile assignment in Patch, that information and other unique information for the display is given with the illustration.
Stage The Stage display shows you the current levels of all active channels. Up to 100 channels appear on the display at a time. Display name Keypad corner Global settings Channel area Prompt area Fader Status Cue / Time Code List Attribute bar Softkeys Global settings Current settings for Grandmaster, Blackout and submaster page. Fader Status Shows current status of both fader pairs, including which cues are running, their fade times, percentage of completion and follow time.
Fader Express has a special Fader display that allows you to isolate channels in the display according to whether they come from the A/B or C/D fader pairs. You may also separately display channels in background faders. Enter the Fader display from the Stage display as follows: 1. Press [S7], More Softkeys, until Fader appears at softkey S4. 2. Press [S4], Fader. Upon entering the Fader display, you are prompted to select a display from the four options listed below.
Flexichannel When you enable Flexichannel,5 only channels used somewhere in the show will appear on the display screens, subject to the following rules: • Flexichannel displays channels whose levels are set, whether recorded somewhere in the show or not. • Flexichannel does not display channels whose attributes are changed unless their levels are also set. • Flexichannel shows the channels for all fixtures patched in the show. • Flexichannel shows all channels on link lists.
Patch The Patch display allows you to create and modify your patch. Patch moving lights in Fixture Patch, covered under Patching one fixture or a fixture range, page 69. Display name Keypad corner Patch area Level assigned Profile assigned Prompt area Softkeys Patch area Lists channels in the first column, dimmers patched to channels in the second and subsequent columns, and the levels and/or profiles assigned to those dimmers. In Flexichannel mode, channels that are used are highlighted.
20 Chapter 2 Monitor displays
Chapter 3 System settings System settings allow you to customize the console for the number of dimmers and channels in your system, set system modes and screen formats, and choose default settings for a variety of console functions. The following illustration shows default settings.
Setting the number of dimmers Your console is set by default to provide 1,024 DMX512 outputs from its 2 DMX512 ports, where each port provides up to 512 DMX512 outputs. All DMX512 outputs are represented in the Patch display as dimmers. You may reduce the dimmer count to save clutter in the Patch display, but many prefer to leave the dimmer count at the default setting.
Setting the number of channels You may find that in some circumstances you don’t need all the channels available in your console. The system default is the maximum number of channels the console can address. By reducing the channel count below this maximum, you can significantly reduce processing time and free console memory for other purposes.
Setting default fade times The console assumes default values for upfade and downfade times, but you can change them. Change all fade times at once by changing the default values, as explained below. You can also change fade times individually as explained under Recording a cue with a single fade time, page 85, and also under Recording a cue with split fade times, page 86.6 Fade times may be programmed from 0.1 seconds to 99:59 minutes. The number may be entered in normal time format or in decimal format.
Setting default Level key The console allows you to assign a value to the [Level] key. The default value is 100 percent. You may assign [Level] any value between zero and 100. Follow these steps to assign a value to [Level]: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Setup]. Selects Setup display 2. Select [1], System Settings, and press [Enter]. Selects System Settings menu 3. Select [4], Default Level, and press [Enter]. Prompt reads: Enter default level (Press FULL button for 100%) 4.
Setting default sneak time The sneak function allows you to fade or restore channel levels on stage in a specified time. The console allows you to assign a default Sneak time.8 For more information about the Sneak function, see page 58. Follow these steps to set a new Sneak time: 8. 26 Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Setup]. Selects Setup display 2. Select [1], System Settings, and press [Enter]. Selects System Settings menu 3. Select [6], Default Sneak Time, and press [Enter].
Enable / disable Blackout key The console’s [Blackout] key may be enabled or disabled. The default condition is enabled. Follow these steps to enable or disable [Blackout]: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Setup]. Selects Setup display 2. Select [1], System Settings, and press [Enter]. Selects System Settings menu 3. Select [8], Blackout Key, and press [Enter]. Prompt reads: Enable/disable blackout key (1 = Enable, 0 = Disable) 4. Press [1] or [0]. Corner reads: Black 1 Or... Black 0 5.
Set grandmaster type You may set the Master slider to one of three control options. • Disabled Master slider does nothing. • Grandmaster Master slider controls all levels on stage except parked channels and independent channels. • Sub Grandmaster Master slider controls all levels on stage set by submasters. To configure your Grandmaster, follow these steps: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Setup]. Displays Setup menu 2. Press [1], System Settings, [Enter]. Displays System Settings menu 3.
Record lockout You may set the console to disable the Record function. This protects a finished show from inadvertent changes.9 To disable the Record function in your system, follow these steps: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Setup]. Selects Setup display 2. Press [1], System Settings, [Enter]. Selects System Settings menu. Menu indicates current status of Record Lockout 3. Press [1][3], Record Lockout, [Enter]. Prompt reads: Enable/Disable record lockout (1 = Enable, 0 = Disable) 4.
Setting the clock The console clock is called a real time clock because it is set with respect to the true time for your location, not a relative time such as would exist for a time code signal. The console’s real time clock also functions as an astronomical clock, which means that you can set it for the latitude, longitude and time zone at your location and thereby control real time programs with respect to sunrise or sunset.
Daylight Savings Time Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [1] [Enter]. Prompt reads: Select Daylight Savings Time (1 = daylight time, 0 = standard time) 2. Press [1] [Enter]. Enables Daylight Savings Time.a a. The clock does not automatically adjust for changes between daylight and standard times. These must be re-set manually. Set time/date In the following procedure, press [Enter] to scroll through the fields on the screen. Keystrokes: Action: Press [2] [Enter].
Latitude, longitude, time zone Choose the latitude, longitude and time reference data from Appendix E for the city closest to you.The example below is for Middleton, Wisconsin at 43° 04´ N latitude, 89° 23´ W longitude and 6 time zones west of Greenwich, England. Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [4] [Enter]. Prompt reads: Enter latitude in degrees, then press + for North, or press – for South 2. Press [4][3][+] [Enter].a Enters 43 degrees North Prompt reads: Enter minutes of latitude 3.
About Show About Show provides you with information about the currently loaded show. It tells you how many channels and dimmers your show is configured for and your utilization of recordable entities such as cues, submasters, groups, focus points, macros and time code events. This is important because not enough memory is available to store the maximum number of all recordable entities at the same time. Use About Show to monitor your memory usage as the complexity of your show increases.
34 Chapter 3 System settings
Chapter 4 Patching channels Before you begin creating cues for a show you should first create your patch. The patch assigns individual dimmers to control channel numbers. The console’s Patch display allows you to assign any of the dimmers available to any of the control channels your console can address. You can use the console's default one-to-one patch, or you may create a custom patch.
Selecting one-to-one patch The one-to-one patch assigns dimmer 1 to channel 1, dimmer 2 to channel 2 and so on. If there are more dimmers than channels, the one-to-one patch assigns the first extra dimmer to channel 1, the second extra dimmer to channel 2, and so on. NOTE: Selecting the one-to-one patch unpatches all moving light fixtures. Follow these steps to select the console's default one-to-one patch. Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Setup] to display the Setup menu. Selects Setup display 2.
Creating a custom patch The console's custom patching capability allows you to create virtually any dimmer to channel configuration you like. (Groups of dimmers may be assigned to single channels, but only one channel may be patched to a dimmer.) Hint: If you use the same patch for several shows, create the patch, and record it on a disk before you record any cues. Label the disk Standard patch.
Proportional patching Normally, dimmers output with a linear profile at 100 percent unless you scale them to a lower level.11 The console allows you to proportionally scale the output of an individual dimmer in the Patch display.12 For example, if you enter a dimmer proportional level of 60 in Patch and set that channel to full in a cue or submaster, the dimmer will output at 60 percent. Follow these steps to assign a proportional dimmer output level:13 Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Patch].
Unpatching individual dimmers When you unpatch dimmers, they are assigned to channel zero. Channel zero functions as a holding area in which you may store dimmers not included in your patch. It is not an actual control channel. Before you begin creating a custom patch, you may find it helpful to assign all dimmers to channel zero. Then when you begin patching, you can select dimmers from channel zero and patch them to channels as you like.
Dimmer profiles A dimmer profile is a variable level sent to a dimmer during a fade that is related in some way to the percentage of fade completion. By varying the dimmer profile, you can compensate for nonlinear characteristics or other time-dependent variations in lighting instruments as well as warm filaments more slowly to increase lamp life. Dimmer profiles are not available for 16-bit channels, only for 8-bit channels.
Assigning a profile to a dimmer You may assign one of the 32 alternative profiles to a dimmer. If you assign none, the console sets the dimmer to default profile 0, the uneditable linear profile. Following is the procedure for assigning a profile to a dimmer.17 Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Patch].a Prompt reads: Select dimmer numbers, then press [Enter] to assign to a channel, or press [At] to assign a proportion, or press Profile to assign a profile 2.
Also, the Profiles display contains the following information: • • • The profile’s number and name (if labeled - see Labeling Profiles below). For each fade point, the percent of the fade complete at that point. Each fade point contributes 5% to the total fade. For each fade point, the intensity at that point.
Clear All For a selected profile, Clear All changes the intensity of all fade points to undefined.18 Clear to End For a selected profile, the Clear to End command sets as undefined the intensity of all those fade points above the selected one.18 Fill Between When intensities in a profile are undefined, such as when you use Clear All or Clear To End, you can use Fill Between to have them automatically filled in with a linear profile.
Captured channels in Patch The console lets you select and capture channels without returning to Stage mode. This allows you to bring channels up on stage to view the proportional settings of dimmers assigned to a channel while you set them. To select channels from the patch screen, follow these steps: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Patch]. Selects Patch display 2. Press [Channel]. Prompt reads: Select channel numbers 3.
Dimmer check The console’s dimmer check allows you to raise unparked dimmers to a specified level on stage, one at a time.20 Select the starting dimmer, set it at a level and then use [+] to check consecutive dimmers. You may do a dimmer check in any display except Patch and Park. Perform a dimmer check with the following procedure. Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [Dim]. Prompt reads: Enter dimmer number(s), then press AT to select level 2. Press [1] to start dimmer check with dimmer 1.
About Dimmer The About Dimmer display tells you about the characteristics, patch and use of individual dimmers. For the contents of the About Dimmer display when using ETCLink, see About Dimmer with ETCLink, page 47. For similar information about channels, see About Channel, page 60. Go to the About Dimmer display as follows.21 46 Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [About] [Dim]. Prompt reads: About: Select dimmer number, then press ENTER 2. Press [3]. Keypad corner reads: Dim 3 3. Press [Enter].
About Dimmer with ETCLink If your console uses ETCLink to monitor dimmers in an ETC Sensor dimming system, the About Dimmer window displays additional dimmer monitoring information. The following expanded About Dimmer window appears if dimmer monitoring is enabled. • Label: The dimmer’s label, if any.22 • Channel: The channel to which the dimmer is assigned. • Proportion: The dimmer’s assigned proportional level. • Profile: The dimmer profile’s number and name, if assigned.
Setting dimmers to Dimmer Doubling ETC’s Dimmer Doubling technology can increase the controllable circuits of a 115 volt, 60 Hz dimming system.23 Dimmer Doubling converts the output of a single ETC Sensor or L86 dimmer into two separate signals. Both signals then provide discrete levels for two ETC Source Four lights.24 You must configure the console by setting the mode of the dimmer and the dimmer’s port before the dimmer will function in Dimmer Doubling mode. Each dimmer and port is set individually.
Patching to a Strand CD80 dimmer rack Strand CD80 dimmer racks have 48 dimmer slots. Each dimmer slot holds either two 2.4kW dimmers or one 6kW or 12kW dimmer. The console requires that you include all 96 possible dimmer numbers per rack in the patch. Refer to the charts below to determine dimmer numbers for each slot on each rack. When patching 6kW or 12kW dimmers, enter the slot’s odd dimmer number under the desired channel number. Enter the slot’s even dimmer number under channel zero.
50 Chapter 4 Patching channels
Chapter 5 Setting channel levels Setting channel levels is the first step in recording cues, submasters and groups. Setting channel levels in Stage mode brings light levels up on stage. Setting channel levels in Blind mode does not affect stage lights. This chapter includes the following sections: • Channel modes • Channel attributes • Selecting channels • Setting channel levels • Channel check • About Channel Express 125/250 User Manual, v.3.
Channel modes The color and behavior of channels depends upon their modes. Selected channels Selected channels are channels over which you have immediate control with the keypad or level wheel. Their channel numbers are displayed in yellow and their levels displayed in red. You can select channels in all display modes. Press [Rel] once to release selected channels.
Channel Attributes display The Channel Attribute display shows the following settings for every console channel. • Independent Designates whether a channel is dependent upon or independent of Grandmaster, Flash, Release, Solo, and Blackout control. Independent channels have a “y” in the Ind field, while all others have no entry in the Ind field. You must press [Rel] twice, or in some cases, three times to release independent channels. • Flip Means that the channel’s output is reversed.
Editing in the Channel Attributes display Channels not patched to fixtures may be fully edited in the Channel Attributes display.26 Use [Thru], [And] and [Except] if you wish to select multiple channels. Independent channels A channel is normally controlled by the Grandmaster, Flash, Release, Solo, and Blackout functions but can be made independent of them.27 Use the procedure below to make one channel or a range of channels independent. Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Setup]. Selects Setup menu 2.
Channel data type Channels normally contain 8-bit data but may be enabled to contain 16-bit data. Enabling for 16-bit data always involves the next channel in order as well. The enabled channel is called the “HI” channel because it holds the high-order bits of the 16-bit data. The subsequent channel is called the “LO” channel because it holds the low-order bits. Either may be reassigned to 8-bit data, but when you do that, both channels of a 16-bit pair are reassigned at once.
Selecting channels Using the keypad to set channel levels involves two steps: selecting the channels whose levels you want to modify, then entering output levels. • • • • • • • To select a single channel, enter the channel number preceded by [Channel] if the [Channel] LED is not lit. For example, [Channel] [1] selects channel 1 or just entering 1 will do it if the [Channel] LED is lit.
Setting channel levels You assign output levels to channels using the basic format [Channel] [#] [At] [#] where the first number is the channel and the second is the level. For example, [Channel] [4] [At] [7][5] sets channel 4 at 75 percent. If you enter a single digit for the level, the console multiplies it by ten and you must follow it with [Enter]. In other words, [Channel] [4] [At] [1] [Enter] sets channel 4 to 10 percent. To set channel 4 to 1 percent, enter [Channel] [4] [At] [0][1].
Sneak Sneak is a softkey that you can use to fade channels on stage to a level you choose in a specific time or to restore channels to the last level at which they were set with a fader or submaster. For example, if you bring up a cue, then change the look, you can use sneak to go back to the look created by the original cue. You can use Sneak with groups, submasters and focus points as well as with cues. If you do not indicate a time, the sneak occurs in the default sneak time, set in System Settings.
Channel check Use a Channel Check to check which channel controls which light. The console allows you to check channels by selecting a single channel and flashing it to a level.31 Once you have selected a channel you can then advance sequentially through the channels, checking one at a time. You may start a channel check with any channel. Follow these steps to run a channel check: Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [Stage]. Selects Stage display Prompt reads: Select channel numbers 2. Press [Channel] [1].
About Channel The About Channel display gives you information about the characteristics, patch and use of individual channels. It can be displayed while in any other display. For similar information about dimmers, see About Dimmer, page 46. Go to the About Channel display as follows. Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [About] [Channel]. Prompt reads: About: Select channel number, then press ENTER 2. Press [6]. Keypad corner reads: Chan 6 3. Press [Enter]. About Channel window is displayed.a a.
• Attributes Channel characteristics, such as: ▼ Ind The channel is independent.32 ▼ 16b Hi The channel controls the high bits portion of 16-bit data.32 ▼ 16b Lo The channel controls the low bits portion of 16-bit data.32 ▼ Flip The channel’s output has been reversed.33 ▼ LTP The channel’s convention is LTP. 32 • Source Identifies how the channel is being controlled, e.g. cue number, background cue number, captured, fader pair, submaster number.
62 Chapter 5 Setting channel levels
Chapter 6 Adding moving lights to the show The first step in working with moving lights is to add them to your show. Then, when your console has information about what types of fixtures, personalities and fixture attributes you are using, you are ready to customize your console to work most efficiently with them. Both steps are initiated from the Moving Light Functions menu.
Moving Light Functions menu Go to the Moving Lights Functions menu by pressing [Setup] [1][5] [Enter]. 34. 64 1. Personality Setup - The console comes with default personalities already included in its system software code. These may not be sufficient for your purposes, however, and you may need to add additional ones. Work directly with personalities here. 2. Fixture Patch - Once you have the personalities in the console that you need, begin the task of patching fixtures with those personalities.
Personality Setup You may find that the default personalities embedded in console software are sufficient for your needs. If not, you may be able to get the personality you need from ETC or create it yourself. See Personalities, page 7, to learn about these options. All personalities can be included in your show or deleted from it to save console memory. You may also inspect a personality in your show. Go to the Personality Setup display 1.
Loading personalities into the console You may load additional personalities to your show if you find that the default personalities are not sufficient for your needs. Any personalities loaded to your show are saved with your show. Load personalities to your show from a diskette. If you obtained the extra personalities from ETC’s internet website, store them first on your hard drive, preferably in the Shows directory set up by Expression Off-Line.
Viewing a personality 1. From the Personality Setup display, type the number of the personality you want to view. 2. Press [S3], View Personality and the view display appears. To view another personality, scroll with the [+] or [–] keys. 3. Press [S8], Return, to return to the Personality Setup display. Deleting personalities You may delete personalities from the show either one at a time or in groups using the [+], [–], [And] or [Thru] keys. 1.
Patching moving lights Fixtures are installed in the Fixture Patch display in numerical order, either singly or in ranges. Go to the Fixture Patch display There are two ways to get to the Fixture Patch display. Either select option 2 from the Moving Light Functions menu or press [S8], Fixture Patch, in the Patch display.35 Navigation and Feedback - Fixture Patch display [S] Select a fixture X Select a feature Make a change 35.
Patching one fixture or a fixture range The following procedure makes use of the automatic cursor movement from field to field for efficient data entry. When patching a range, all range members receive the same assignments except as noted below. Alternatively, you can use softkeys at any time to make entries in specific fields, such as to individualize labels when fixtures are patched as a range. 1. Fixture Number: Enter the fixture number or range. Fixtures are entered in order, starting with “1”.
Editing the fixture list You may edit or delete fixtures individually or in groups in the Fixture Patch display.39 Editing a fixture 1. From the Fixture Patch display, enter the fixture number(s). 2. Use the left/right arrow keys to move to the field where you want to make a change. Enter a numeric value or scroll with the [+] or [–] keys to make the change. Press [Enter]. Deleting a fixture or a range of fixtures: 1. From the Fixture Patch display, press [S6], Delete Fixture.
Attribute Setup Personalities may have as many as 64 attributes. Most of the 64 attributes have names that describe the function to which they are assigned, such as pan, tilt, gobo or strobe. The rest have either User or Reserved designations and are unassigned. The system software assigns each attribute to one of five categories by default, but you can change these assignments. The category assignments affect all fixtures in the show alike.
Go to the Attribute Setup display The Attribute Setup display lists all attributes and identifies their category assignments. You can change the categories to which an attribute is assigned by adding or removing them in this display. Every attribute must be assigned to at least one category. Multiple category assignments are allowed except when an attribute is assigned to the None category. 1. Press [Setup] [1][5] [Enter] to display the Moving Light Functions menu. 2.
Encoder Setup Encoders are rotating level setting devices that are either installed in some consoles or available as an attachment. Express consoles do not use encoders but can make use of encoder pages to provide easier access to a number of fixture attributes. The encoder Setup display allows you to change the assignment of fixture attributes among your level-setting devices and pages.
Changing assignments Encoders and other level setting devices are assigned to 44 of the 64 available attributes by default. You may change the default settings to suit your individual needs, such as to reassign attributes that you most commonly select to suit your individual setup or preferences. You may not, however, assign an attribute to more than one location on a page. There are three ways to change assignments in the Encoder Setup display: individually, automatically and back to defaults.
Working with moving lights Moving lights displays Moving lights and conventional lights use the same Blind and Stage displays. Each moving light, however, is distinguished in these displays by a gray bar surrounding the numbers of all channels in the fixture. Also, channels that carry the low order bits of 16-bit attributes have dimmed channel numbers. Levels are set for the channels of moving light fixtures in a Fixture Box window that pops up in Blind and Stage displays when a fixture is selected.
Working with fixtures Following are some principles to keep in mind when setting fixture attribute levels. 76 • If a fixture has a strobe attribute, that attribute must be set above zero so that the light can be seen. • The intensity attribute is selected by default unless you select an attribute. Use this as a shortcut method to set fixture intensities. For example, set the intensity of three moving lights on stage by pressing [Stage] [S8], Fixture, [1] [thru] [3] [Full].
Setting levels in the Fixture Box Use the procedure below this Navigation and Feedback table to set attribute levels in the fixture box. Navigation and Feedback - Fixture Box display ± Select fixture Select page Select attribute X X X X Page highlighted white Fixture attributes exist on page Page highlighted yellow Selected page Attribute gold Attribute of selected fixture Attribute highlighted yellow Selected attribute 1.
Fixture focus with Solo Solo provides a convenient way to point or otherwise adjust a selected moving light without the interference of others. Even better, you can increment through fixtures one at a time, adjusting as you go, with a single execution of the solo function. There is no reason to use solo in Blind because the Fixture Box has a similar incrementing feature. If you do use it in Blind, however, be aware that solo leaves the levels for the selected fixture set and all the rest at zero.
Chapter 7 Cues The console allows you to save up to 600 cues per show.43 Cues consist of channel levels and cue attributes. Multiple attributes can be applied to one cue. This chapter shows you how to create and modify cues as well as copy and delete them. Play back a recorded cue using the procedures given in Chapter 10 Playing back cues, page 119. The examples in this chapter assume there are no cues stored in the console. To clear all cues in memory, press [Setup] [4] [Enter] [2] [Enter] [Enter].
Cue types [Type] displays all but one of the fade type options described below. The subroutine option is discussed under Chapter 17 Subroutines, page 219. To select a cue fade type in Stage, Blind or Fader modes, press [Type], and enter the type number given in the prompt. If you change a cue’s fade type, you must re-record the cue. For example, [Cue] [2] [Type] [2] [Record] [Enter] records cue 2 with an allfade. Cues default to crossfade when you do not enter a fade type.
Recording functions The console has two record functions: Record and Track. Record saves all channels as they appear on the screen (what you see is what you get) in the cue, group or submaster you specify. When you use Record to record a cue, levels are recorded in only one cue. Track is a record function that works only with cues. It allows you to build a new cue from the previous cue’s channel settings. Tracked channels are channels whose levels do not change from one cue to the next.
The oversized show If your show requires more than 600 cues, you can still run it by creating the show in segments, with each segment having less than 600 cues. Follow the procedures below to create and play back an oversized show as a series of separate show segments. Creating the oversized show Let’s assume that you want to create a show containing 800 cues. Create the intended show as two, separate shows using the following procedure: 1.
Working with cues in Stage When recording in Stage, such as to record a cue, group or submaster, you will commonly want to start without any live channels. For instance, you may want to create a new cue without using any of the lights placed on stage from a previous fade or channel selection. To clear lighting from the stage, use one or all of the following procedures: • If the lights are from a cue in a fader, press the fader’s [Clear] key one or more times.
Working with cues in Blind Blind mode allows you to create, preview or modify cues without affecting the current look on stage. If you prefer to work with live looks, you should work in Stage mode. Recording a cue in Blind Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Blind]. Selects Blind display mode Prompt reads: Select cue number To select cue type, press TYPE 2. Press [2]. Selects cue 2 3. Press [Channel] [1][3] [And] [1][5]. Selects channels 13 and 15 Prompt reads: Select channel numbers 4. Press [Full].
Recording a cue with a single fade time Unless you tell it otherwise, the console assigns default fade times to any cue you record. If you prefer, you may record cues with custom fade times instead. Fade times can be zero seconds to 99:59 minutes long. They may be expressed in minutes and seconds, or as fractions of seconds (in decimal format). Acceptable time values include: 0.2 (.2 seconds), 00:12 (12 seconds), 5.5 (5.5 seconds), or 5:30 (five minutes, 30 seconds).
Recording a cue with split fade times The console allows you to record cues with different upfade and downfade times. These cues are said to have split fade times. On the console’s display, the time to the left of the “/” refers to the upfade time; the number to the right refers to the downfade time. Follow these steps to record a cue with split upfade and downfade times: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Stage] or [Blind]. Selects display mode 2. Press [Cue].
Recording a cue with a wait time Wait time is the time that elapses between when you press [Go] and when the actual fade begins. You can record cues with a wait time of up to 99:59 minutes. Wait time may be entered in normal time format or in decimal format. When entered with a decimal point, the number must be less than one minute (0.1 to 59.9 seconds) to be accepted.
Recording cues with Link and Follow When you record a cue, it automatically becomes part of the Cue List. The Cue List is a list of all cues, organized in numeric sequence. Normally, when you press [Go] to execute cues, the console plays them back in the sequence in which they appear in the Cue List. [Link] allows you to modify the sequence in which cues play back. [Follow] allows you to play back multiple cues automatically.
Follow [Follow] allows you to play a series of cues automatically. The [Follow] time indicates how long the console waits after the cue starts before the next cue runs. [Follow] plays back the next cue on the Cue List unless you use [Link] to specify a different sequence. Follow times may be expressed in minutes and seconds, or as fractions of seconds, up to 99:59 minutes. Follow these steps to record a cue with [Follow]. Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Stage] or [Blind]. Selects display mode 2.
Create playback loops with Link and Follow You can use Link and Follow to create cue playback loops in which a group of cues play back automatically and repeat.47 Stop a loop that was created by Link and Follow by pressing GO after the loop has played through at least one time. If you press GO before the loop plays through, you will only advance to the next cue in the loop sequence.
Linking a macro to a cue [Link] allows you to automatically run a macro when a cue runs. If you link macro 6 to cue 1, then macro 6 runs when you play cue 1. If you want the macro to delay before running, one way is to start the macro with a Macro Wait of the desired length.48 You can also delay the macro by assigning a follow time to the cue.49 Follow these steps to link a macro to a cue: Action: Keystrokes: 1. Press [Stage] or [Blind]. Selects display mode 2. [Cue] [1]. Selects cue 1 3. Press [Link].
Recording a cue using Solo Solo is useful for setting existing channels to zero temporarily while you view or record selected channels. You can use Solo in Blind or Stage. When used in Stage, you can use solo to cut all lights except those selected, thus using it to identify specific lights. Or, you can use Solo a different way to cut all channels except those selected, which is a way of filtering channels for recording. Both procedures are given below.
Labeling cues If you have Expression Off-Line, you may assign labels to your cues.50 Labels can consist of any combination of letters, numbers and symbols and may be up to 16 characters long. Follow these steps to label a cue: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Stage] or [Blind]. Selects display mode 2. Press [Cue] [1][2] [Label].a Selects Cue 12 Prompt reads: Type cue label (F6 = clear to end, F7 = last cue label, F8 = next cue label) 3.
Modifying a recorded cue live Previous examples in this chapter illustrated how to record new cues. If you want to modify channels in a recorded cue, you can play back the cue in Stage, make the changes, and then re-record the cue.51 The modifications immediately affect the look on stage. You can also record the live look you created to another cue. Modifying channels in a cue Add new channels or modify channel levels with the procedure given below.
Modifying cue attributes If all you want to do is modify a cue attribute, such as cue timing, you can do that in Stage without first playing back the cue. Use the procedure below to modify cue attributes. Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Stage] or [Blind]. Selects display mode 2. Press [Cue] then enter the Selects the desired cue number of the desired cue. 3. Press the key that corresponds to the attribute you want to modify. Options include: Type, Time, Wait, Link Follow. 4.
Updating cues Update allows you to modify previously recorded cues, groups, submasters or focus points in Stage. Update takes levels from all captured and selected channels, and those selected may be restricted with the Only command. 52 Updating an active cue The following procedure illustrates how to update a cue that has been played back. Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Stage]. Selects Stage display mode 2. Press [Cue], enter cue number and press [Go].
Updating a recorded cue You need not play back the cue to update it. The following procedure illustrates how to update any recorded cue. Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Stage]. Selects Stage display mode 2. Press [S8], Fixture, [1] [Thru] [8], [Full]. Selects fixtures 1 through 8 and sets their intensities to full 3. Set the pan and tilt levels.a Sets the levels of the position attributes for all selected fixtures 4. Press [S2], Update, [3].
Using Update to modify fade rate You may also use the Update function to record manually modified fade rates into cues. Follow these steps to update a rate for a cue running in a fader: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Rate] key for the fader in which the cue is running. Activates rate control 2. Move rate wheel to adjust fade rate. Fades are placed under control of the rate wheel. The Fader Status window shows the current rate 3. Press [S2], Update.
Copying cues You may want to use a cue’s channel levels as the foundation for a new cue, group or submaster.53 Use the following procedure to perform a copy operation. This copy may be performed either in Blind or in Stage. To copy a cue to another cue in Stage, follow the procedure below. If copying in Blind rather than in Stage, omit step 3 from this procedure. Actions: Keystrokes: 1. Press [Stage]. Selects the Stage display 2. Press [Cue] [1].
Inserting cues You may want to insert a cue between recorded cues. For example, you may want to modify cue 1 slightly and insert it between cues 1 and 2. You can number cues with a one-digit decimal. Therefore, you can insert up to nine cues between 1 and 2 (1.1, 1.2, etc.). Follow these steps to insert a cue between existing cues: Action: Keystrokes: 100 1. Press [Blind] or [Stage]. Selects display mode 2. Press [Cue] and enter the number of the cue to modify, then press [Enter].
Chapter 8 Track Track record function Track record is a way of recording new cues or modifying existing ones when you want certain channels or channel levels to continue unchanged in playback from cue to cue. Levels recorded into a tracked cue continue unchanged in subsequent cues until a new level is encountered. Track record gives you the power to modify a range of cues automatically by changing just the first in the sequence.
Track record When you record a series of cues, you typically record the first cue, then build the second cue from the first. Some of the channels change, but many remain the same. The third cue is built from the second and so on. This procedure results in many channels being set to a level in one cue and staying at that level for several cues. A channel whose level does not change through a series of consecutive cues is said to “track” from cue to cue.
Recording modified cues The difference between Record and Track is apparent when you modify a cue or insert a new cue between two existing cues. Record and Track produce different results. Using Record The following keys were pressed to release captured channels and play back cue 1. Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [Stage] [Rel] [Rel]. Releases captured channels Prompt reads: Select channel numbers 2. Press [Cue] [1] [Go]. Plays back cue 1 3. Press [1] [At] [5][0]. Modifies channel 1 4.
Using Track If you have tracked channels (all with the same level), you can make them track at a different level. Also, you can track channels at a focus point, but you cannot track through a channel set at a focus point. To illustrate, suppose you have tracked channels as shown in the example under Using record to create tracks, page 102. In that example, channel 1 is tracked at full through cues 1-3.
Inserting cues If you insert a cue in this sequence, Record and Track produce different results. Record saves changes only in the cue you insert while Track saves the changes you make and tracks them through the following cues. The example given below is in Stage. You can get the same results in Blind but with the additional advantage that you can pull channels from the immediately previous cue.
Using Track When you insert a cue with Track, new channels track through the following cues until the console encounters a cue with a level previously recorded for that channel. The following procedure illustrates this use of Track, and the following illustration shows what results. Note that the channel in the new cue is tracked into subsequent cues until a pre-recorded level stops it. Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [Stage] [Rel] [Rel]. Releases captured channels Prompt reads: Select channel numbers 2.
Pulling channels in Blind If you insert in Blind using [Track], you can get a start on a new cue by using levels already defined in the previous cue. You can then add channels or modify levels in the new cue. From that point on, you can use either [Record] or [Track] analogously to the procedures explained above, depending upon whether or not you want the channels in the inserted cue to track into subsequent cues. Press the following keys to insert cue 2.5 in Blind by pulling in levels from previous cue 2.
Blackout cues and tracking Sometimes you may add a channel to a sequence of cues that have not used that channel yet. For example, you may want to add a channel to all cues in a scene. To do this, add the channel to the first cue in the sequence and use Track to track the change through the remaining cues. However, the last cue in sequence may be a blackout cue. When you track the channel, the new channel tracks until it runs into a different recorded level.
If cue 5 is an allfade, the console records all unused channels at 00 percent. In the example below, an allfade enters 00 in channel 5, cue 5. When you track channel 5 through the sequence, it won’t track through the blackout cue. To select the allfade type for cue 5, enter these keystrokes: [Blind] [5] [Type] [2]Selects allfade fade type. [Record] [Enter]Re-records cue. Now when we track channel 5 through the sequence, cue 5 blocks the track. The result is illustrated in Figure 7.
110 Chapter 8 Track
Chapter 9 Multipart cues A multipart cue consists of up to eight parts, each of which is essentially an independent cue with its own channel levels and timing information. You may set the upfade, downfade and wait times for each part of a multipart cue. Create a cue as a multipart cue or record it first as a standard, one-part cue and then split it later into parts. Each part of a multipart cue may consist of any number of channels, but a channel may only be included in one part of a multipart cue.
Recording a multipart cue In the procedure below, one or more parts are recorded to a cue. The maximum number of parts you may record to a cue is eight. Follow, Link and Label attributes may be assigned to the overall cue. Action: Keystrokes: 1. Press [Stage]. Selects Stage display mode 2. Press [S7], More Softkeys, until Part appears as softkey [S1]. Finds the Part softkey 3. Select channels, enter channel levels and press [Enter]. Prompt reads: Select channel numbers 4. Press [Record].
Converting a standard cue to a multipart cue If you have already created a single-part cue, the console allows you to reconfigure it as a multipart cue. You can convert a standard cue to a multipart cue in either Stage or Blind mode, but it’s easier in Blind because levels are highlighted. Once you create the first part, all channels not assigned to that part are automatically assigned to part 8.
Wait times in multipart cues You can set individual wait times of up to 99:59 minutes for each part of a multipart cue. The wait time is the delay between when you press [Go] and when the part begins. If no wait is recorded, all parts run simultaneously when you press [Go]. Follow these steps to assign a wait time to a part: Action: Keystrokes: 114 1. Press [Cue], then enter the cue number. Selects cue number Prompt reads: Select cue number 2.
Editing a multipart cue Once you have created a multipart cue, you can add or delete parts, add or delete channels from the parts, change channel levels, or change fade and wait times. Except for Update, all multipart cue editing is done in Blind. Deleting a part from a multipart cue Deleting a part from a multipart cue is the reverse of creating a multipart cue from a standard cue.
Adding, deleting and modifying channels Follow these steps to edit channels in a multipart cue: Action: Keystrokes: 1. Press [Blind]. Selects Blind display mode 2. Enter the cue number. Prompt reads: Select cue number To select cue type, press TYPE 3. Press [S7], More Softkeys, until Part appears as softkey [S1]. Finds the Part softkey 4. Press [S1], Part, then press [+] or [–] until the desired part is displayed. Prompt reads: Select part number 5. Press [Channel], and select the desired channels.
Modifying fade and wait times If you do not assign fade and wait times to a part, the console assigns default times.56 No wait time will be recorded. Follow these steps to assign fade and wait times to parts to a multipart cue: 56. Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Blind]. Selects Blind display mode 2. Enter the cue number. Prompt reads: Select cue number To select cue type, press TYPE 3. Press [S7], More Softkeys, until Part appears as softkey [S1]. Finds the Part softkey 4.
118 Chapter 9 Multipart cues
Chapter 10 Playing back cues The console has two timed faders that allow you to play back recorded cues. Cue selection and playback can be automated, or you can control them manually. This chapter includes the following sections: • Selecting cues • Timed faders • Playback Cue List • Fader Status display • Selecting and playing cues • Go to a different cue • Controlling fades manually • Quickstep Express 125/250 User Manual, v.3.
Timed faders The console has two timed fader pairs, called the A/B and C/D fader pairs, that allow you to play back recorded cues (A/B pair illustrated at right). The left slider (A and C) of each fader pair controls upfades. The right slider (B and D) of each fader pair controls downfades. When reference is made in this and other sections of this User Manual to a fader, you should assume that both sliders of the fader pair are implied unless otherwise noted.
Fader keys Clear Each fader is equipped with a Clear key. To remove a cue from the fader, press the appropriate Clear key. Clear an effect cue by pressing either once or twice. If the effect cue is in an upfade or dwell time, pressing [Clear] once starts a downfade and pressing [Clear] again ends the downfade in the fader clear time. Pressing [Clear] while an effect is in a downfade ends the downfade in the fader clear time.57 Go Each fader has its own Go key.
Cue List The Cue List in the Stage and Blind displays, shown below, is a short list of cues in the show. Shown along with cues are cue attributes, such as fade timing, linking and the cue’s label, if any. Cue indicators The color in which a cue is displayed provides information about the cue’s current status. Gray................. Cue is not selected and is not in a fader. White............... Pending cue, will play back next time either Go key is pressed. Yellow .............
Fader Status display The fader status display consists of two windows located near the bottom of the Stage and Blind displays. These are illustrated below. Fader Cue in fader Upfade information or effect fade times Downfade information or effect step The fader status display provides information about the cues loaded to the console’s faders, including fade times and rates. The left window monitors the A/B fader; the right window monitors the C/D fader.
Playing a cue Selecting a cue moves it to the top of the Cue List. It will not run until you press [Go]. Follow these steps to select a cue and play it on the fader of your choice. Action: Keystrokes: 1. Press [Stage]. Selects Stage display mode 2. Press [Cue]. Prompt reads: Select cue number To select cue type, press TYPE 3. Press [1][.][5]. Selects cue 1.5 to play. Cue List moves cue 1.5 to the top of the list 4. Press [Go] on fader A/B. Cue 1.
Controlling fades manually The console provides two ways to take manual control of cue playback; manual override and rate override. Manual override Manual override allows you to use the fader sliders to take manual control of fade levels. When you take manual control of cue playback, moving the fader slider controls the fade. Leave the fader sliders at 10 before pressing [Go] to play cues back as recorded. When you move the fader sliders below 10, the cue runs until it reaches the slider setting.
Rate override Rate override allows you to control both the fade’s rate and percentage of completion. When you play back a cue using rate override, the console controls the percentage of completion, but you control the rate.58 Rate override allows you to play back a cue faster or slower than the rate at which it was recorded. The trackpad adjusts the fade rate. Fade rate is expressed as a percentage. A cue with a fade rate of 100 percent plays back at its recorded fade time.
Quickstep Quickstep allows you to run through a show, checking all cues, without having to wait for fades. When Quickstep is active, the faders ignore all upfade, downfade, follow, and wait times. Cues snap immediately to their completed levels when you press [Go] or [Back]. To enable Quickstep and run a cue check, follow these steps: Action: Keystrokes: 1. Press [Stage]. Selects Stage display 2. Press [S7], More Softkeys, [S1], Enable Quickstep. Turns on Quickstep 3. Press [Cue] [1]. Selects cue 1 4.
128 Chapter 10 Playing back cues
Chapter 11 Groups The console allows you to record frequently used combinations of channels into units called groups. You may record up to 500 groups. Once you record a group, it can be combined with other channels and groups to create cues, submasters, effects, focus points or other groups. The principal difference between a group and a cue is that a group cannot be played back through a fader or slider. Consequently, it has no fade times, wait times or other playback attributes.
Recording a group in Stage The following example illustrates the creation of a group using newly selected channels. Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Stage]. Selects the Stage display 2. Press [1] [Thru] [5] [Full] Select channels and set levels [And] [8] [And] [1][0] [At] [5] [Enter]. 3. Press [Record] [Group]. Prompt reads: To record group, select number and press ENTER 4. Press [1]. Selects group 1 to record 5. Press [Enter].
Recording a group using Solo You can use Solo to selectively record into a group in the same manner as using Solo to selectively record into a cue. There are two ways to select channels with Solo: while clearing other independent channels such as other lights and while clearing ALL other channels, including nonindependent ones. See Recording a cue using Solo, page 92, for the procedures to use, substituting the [Group] key where those procedures specify the [Cue] key.
Group Editing mode in Blind Add or delete channels or change channel levels in a recorded group by first entering Group Editing mode in Blind. You can also set group levels with reference to a focus point.59 Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Blind]. Selects Blind display mode 2. Press [Group] [1]. Selects group 1’s channels Prompt reads: Group mode – To recall a group, select the number and set it to a level To create or modify a group, select the number and press ENTER 3. Press [Enter].
Working with groups in Stage Displaying a group To view a recorded group on stage, follow these steps: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Stage]. Selects Stage display mode 2. Press [Group] [2]. Selects group 2 Prompt reads: Group mode – Select group number to use as group 3. Press [Full].
Updating groups Update allows you to modify previously recorded cues, groups, submasters or focus points in Stage. Update takes levels from all captured and selected channels, and those selected may be restricted with the Only command. 60 Updating an active group The following procedure illustrates how to update a group that has been placed on stage. Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Stage]. Selects Stage display mode 2. Press [Group] [4] [Full]. Places group 4 on stage at full 3.
Updating a recorded group You need not place a group on stage to update it. The following procedure illustrates how to update any recorded group. Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Stage]. Selects Stage display mode 2. Press [5][0] [Thru] [7][5] [At] [9] [Enter]. Selects channels and sets levels 3. Press [S2], Update, [Group] [3]. Selects group 3 to update Prompt reads: To update group, select number and press ENTER To cancel, press CLEAR 4. To restrict channels in the update, use Only here.
Labeling groups If you have Expression Off-Line, you may assign labels to your groups. 61 Group labels can consist of any combination of letters, numbers and symbols, and may be up to 16 characters long. Follow these steps to label a group: Action: Keystrokes: 1. Press [Blind]. Selects Blind display mode 2. Press [Group] [1]. Prompt reads: Group mode – To recall a group, select the number and set it to a level To create or modify a group, select the number and press ENTER 3. Press [Enter].
Deleting groups Delete a group from memory in the Stage, Blind or Fader displays.62 Deleting a group has no effect on any cues, groups, submasters or focus points into which the deleted group was previously recorded. Delete a group in Stage as follows: Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [Stage]. Selects Stage display 2. Press [S7], More Softkeys, [S6], Delete, [Group]. Prompt reads: To delete group, press ENTER To cancel, press CLEAR 3. Press [2]. Enters group number to delete Corner reads: Group 2 4.
Using cues and submasters as groups You may treat channels recorded in a cue or submaster as if they were in a group, such as to bring them up in Stage or record them into other cues or submasters.63 For example, follow this procedure to bring up a cue in Stage as a group: Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [Stage]. Selects Stage display mode 2. Press [Group]. Tells the console to treat the next entry as a group Prompt reads: Group mode – Select group number to use as group 3.
Modifying cues or submasters You can use groups to modify cues or submasters. In the illustration below, a submaster is modified by a group. If any of this group’s channels are already in the submaster, the levels of those channels are modified to match the levels in the group. If the group has channels not already in the submaster, those are added to the submaster. Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Blind]. Selects Blind display mode 2. Press [Sub] [2].
140 Chapter 11 Groups
Chapter 12 Focus points When working with moving lights, sometimes the attributes of several lights are stored together in a group and the group recorded into one or more cues. If the group changes, such as if the lights are repositioned toward another point on stage, the cues need to be manually updated or replaced to account for that change.
Recording a focus point You can create a focus point in Stage, Blind or Fader displays using all the same techniques available to create groups. Recording a focus point in Stage The following example illustrates the creation of a focus point containing settings for the intensity and position attributes of several fixtures. Note the use of Only to conveniently identify the position category. Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Stage]. Selects the Stage display 2. Press [S8], Fixture, [1].
Recording a focus point using Solo You can use Solo to selectively record into a focus point in the same manner as using Solo to selectively record into a cue or group. There are two ways to select channels with Solo: while clearing other independent channels such as other lights and while clearing ALL other channels, including non-independent ones. See Recording a cue using Solo, page 92, for examples of these two procedures.
Working with focus points in Stage Placing a focus point on stage You can place an entire focus point on stage with or without the focus point references, then record those channels into something else. If the references are present, you know the channels will automatically update where they were recorded if their levels change in the focus point. Follow the procedure below to place a focus point on stage with the references.
Updating focus points Update allows you to modify previously recorded cues, groups, submasters or focus points in Stage. Update takes levels from all captured and selected channels, and those selected may be restricted with the Only command. 64 Updating an active focus point The following procedure illustrates how to update a focus point that has been placed on stage. Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Stage]. Selects Stage display mode 2. Press [Focus Point] [4] [Full].
Updating a recorded focus point You need not place a focus point on stage to update it. The following procedure illustrates how to update any recorded focus point. Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Stage]. Selects Stage display mode 2. Press [S8], Fixture, [8], [Full]. Sets fixture 8 intensity to full 3. Press [Only] [Color] [At] [5][0]. Sets levels for fixture 8 color category at 50% 4. Press [S7], More Softkeys. Returns to main Stage softkeys 5. Press [S2], Update, [Focus Point] [3].
Editing a focus point in Blind You may modify a focus point in Blind. For example, add or delete fixtures or set levels of fixture attributes. Follow the procedure below to set fixture attribute levels in a focus point. The selected fixtures need not already be represented in the focus point. Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Blind]. Selects Blind display mode 2. Press [Focus Point] [1].
Labeling focus points If you have Expression Off-Line, you may assign labels to your focus points. 65 Focus point labels can consist of any combination of letters, numbers and symbols and may be up to 16 characters long. Follow these steps to label a focus point: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Blind]. Selects Blind display mode 2. Press [Focus Point] [1].
Deleting focus points Delete a focus point from memory in the Stage, Blind or Fader displays.66 If any cues, groups or submasters are linked to the deleted focus point, the links are retained but the levels of the linked channels are set to zero. Delete a focus point in Stage as follows: Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [Stage]. Selects Stage display 2. Press [S7], More Softkeys, [S6], Delete, [Focus Point]. Prompt reads: To delete focus point, press ENTER To cancel, press CLEAR 3. Press [2].
Setting levels with focus points Focus points are commonly used as level setting devices for fixtures, but they can be used to set levels for individual channels as well. First, create a focus point with a certain characteristic, such as all fixtures pointed to a particular location or set to a certain color. Then, set individual fixtures at the levels contained in the focus point as part of your recorded cues, groups or submasters.
Chapter 13 Submasters Express provides you with 24 submaster sliders. A submaster is a group of channels recorded at proportional levels and controlled by a slider and a bump button. Submasters enable you to save complex looks you use frequently and play them back manually. They can also be used as building blocks when you create scenes, cues or other submasters. A channel may be included in any number of submasters.
Submaster types Submasters can be pile-on, inhibitive or effect. Pile-on submaster A pile-on submaster consists of channels recorded at proportional levels. If a pile-on submaster’s channel levels are higher than established channel levels, the submaster’s levels take precedence (except as noted below). If they are lower, the established levels take precedence. If a submaster slider contains a recorded pile-on submaster, the LED glows.
Changing type You can change a submaster’s type by using the [Type] key. When you change a submaster type, levels recorded in the submaster are retained. This means that you can change a submaster from pile-on to inhibitive and back without losing any level or timing information. If you change the type to effect, channel and level information is erased. To change a submaster’s type, follow these steps: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Blind]. Selects Blind display 2. Press [Sub] [#].
Submaster pages Express has ten pages of submasters. A page is a block of console memory that contains one set of recorded submasters, corresponding to the submaster sliders. The ten pages of memory increases the number of possible submasters to 240. The console displays the message Sub page 1 (2, 3...) in the upper left corner of the display to indicate the current submaster page. To switch from one page to the other, press [Page], enter the desired page number, and press [Enter].
Submaster bump buttons A bump button is located immediately below each submaster slider. The bump button’s function depends on its status (see below) and on whether the submaster has a programmed fade. If the submaster does not have a programmed fade, the bump button allows you to bring up the submaster’s contents on stage instantly. Press the bump button to raise the submaster to its full recorded level. Hold the button to maintain the levels on stage. Release the button to remove the submaster’s levels.
Submaster LEDs Each submaster bump button contains an LED. The state of the LED indicates the current state of that submaster, as shown in the chart below: Color State Meaning –– Off Submaster not loaded. Green Solid Submaster loaded. Green Slow Blink New submaster. Loads when slider reaches home position. Green Fast Blink Submaster on timed hold. Press bump button to begin downfade.
Recording submasters You can create submasters in Stage or Blind mode. Follow these steps to record a simple, pile-on submaster: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Stage]. Selects Stage display mode 2. Select channels and set channel levels. Creates look 3. Press [Record]. Prompt reads: To record cue, select number and press ENTER To cancel, press CLEAR 4. Press [Sub] [5] [Enter] or… Press Submaster 5’s bump button.
Adding fade and dwell times You can add fade and dwell times to a submaster from Stage or Blind mode. To add fade times to a submaster, follow these steps in either mode: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Sub]. Prompt reads: Select submaster number To select submaster type, press TYPE 2. Press [5]. Selects submaster 5 Corner reads: Sub 5 3. Press [Time]. Prompt reads: Enter upfade time 4. Use keypad to enter upfade time and press [Time].
Hold dwell time If you record a submaster with a dwell time of Hold, the submaster fades up when you press the bump button, then holds until you press it again. To add a dwell time of Hold to a submaster, follow these steps: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Sub]. Prompt reads: Select submaster number To select submaster type, press TYPE 2. Press [5]. Selects submaster 5 Corner reads: Sub 5 3. Press [Time] [Time].
Adding a rate to a submaster Rate allows you to record submasters that play back faster or slower than their recorded fade times. This can be especially helpful when you are trying to calculate complex timing information for effects loaded to a submaster. Note: If you adjust the rate on a submaster containing an effect, the rate adjustment affects individual step timing but does not change the overall effect timing. Rate is expressed as a percentage.
Specifying a submaster’s page You may specify the page to which you record submasters. For example, if page 1 is loaded, you can record a submaster to page 2. To do so, follow these steps: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Create a look in Stage. 2. Press [Record] [Sub]. Prompt reads: To record submaster, press BUMP or select number and press ENTER To cancel, press CLEAR 3. Press [Page] [2]. Prompt reads: Select page on which to record submaster, then press submaster bump button 4.
Inhibitive submasters Creating Inhibitive submasters allow you to limit the output of a group of channels. Channel outputs are limited to the level at which you set the slider. An inhibitive submaster set at 10 (100 percent), does not affect channel output. An inhibitive submaster controls the levels of its assigned channels in the same way the Grandmaster controls the levels of all channels.
Adding channels Once you have an inhibitive submaster, use the following procedure in Blind to add channels to it. Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [Blind]. Selects Blind display 2. Press [Sub] [1][5] [Enter]. Selects sub 15. All channels in sub 15, if an inhibitive submaster, are displayed with “IN” in their level fields. Prompt reads: Select channel numbers 3. Press [5][2] [Enter]. Adds channel 52. The channel is shown with “IN” in its level field. Specifies sub is inhibitive 4.
Modifying submasters in Blind To modify a submaster in Blind, follow these steps: Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [Blind]. Selects Blind display 2. Press [Sub] [1]. Prompt reads: Select submaster number To select submaster type, press TYPE 3. Press [Enter]. Brings up current level settings for submaster 1 Prompt reads: Select channel numbers 4. Enter channel numbers and set desired new levels. Sets new levels 5. Press [Record].
Updating submasters Update allows you to modify previously recorded cues, groups, submasters or focus points in Stage. Update takes levels from all captured and selected channels, and those selected may be restricted with the Only command.71 Updating an active submaster The following procedure illustrates how to update a submaster that has been brought up on Stage. Note that you can update all submasters at once by entering 0 instead of a submaster number in step 4 below.
Updating a recorded submaster You need not bring up the submaster to update it. The following procedure illustrates how to update any recorded submaster. Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Stage]. Selects Stage display mode 2. Press [S8], Fixture, [1] [Thru] [8], [Full]. Selects fixtures 1 through 8 and sets their intensities to full 3. Set the pan and tilt levels.a Sets levels for fixture 8 pan and tilt attributes 4. Press [S2], Update, [Sub].
Live control of a submaster’s rate In Stage mode, selecting a submaster and pressing [S5], Rate, allows the timing of the submaster to be controlled by the trackpad or by keyboard entry. Follow these steps to change the rate of an active submaster in Stage. (This procedure also works if the submaster is not active. In either case, the new rate is automatically recorded in the submaster.) Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Stage]. Selects Live display 2. Press [Sub] [5]. Selects submaster 5 3.
Labeling submasters If you have Expression Off-Line, you may assign labels to your submasters. 72 Submaster names can consist of any combination of letters, numbers and symbols, and may be up to 16 characters long. Follow these steps to add the name “Bedroom wash” to submaster 4: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Stage]. Selects Stage display 2. Press [Sub] [4]. Prompt reads: Select submaster number To select submaster type, press TYPE 3. Press [Label].a Prompt reads: Type submaster name 4.
Copying submasters You can copy a look from a submaster to another submaster, to a cue, a group or a focus point. Follow the procedure below: Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [Blind]. Selects Blind display mode 2. Press [Sub]. Prompt reads: Select submaster number To select submaster type, press TYPE 3. Enter the number of the submaster you wish to copy. Corner reads: Sub 1 4. Press [Record] [Sub].a Prompt reads: To record submaster, select number and press ENTER To cancel, press CLEAR 5.
Copying cues or groups to submasters To copy a look from a cue or a group to a submaster, follow these steps: Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [Blind]. Selects Blind display mode 2. Press [Cue] (or [Group]). Prompt reads: Select cue number To select cue type, press TYPE 3. Press [1]. Selects cue to copy Corner reads: Cue 1 4. Press [Record] [Sub]. Prompt reads: To record submaster, select number and press ENTER To cancel, press CLEAR 5. Press [9]. Selects submaster 9 Corner reads: Sub 9 6.
Chapter 14 Lists and spreadsheets You can display lists of cues, submasters, groups and focus points on the monitor using a softkey in the Blind display.73 These lists allow you to change the timing of cues and submasters and label items on the list.74 They also allow you to delete items from a list. Also available by softkey from the Blind display are spreadsheets for cues, submasters, groups and focus points.
Cue List The Cue List allows editing of upfade, downfade and wait times; link and follow settings; rate; and cue label.75 This list also allows you to delete cues from your show. Up to 18 cues are displayed on this Cue List at one time. Screens can be paged if there are more than 18 cues in the show. Press [Blind] [S2], Cue List, to display the Cue List. Editing cues Edit one cue or multiple cues at a time in the Cue List with the following procedure. Changes made are recorded immediately.
Submaster List The Submaster List allows editing of bump button status; upfade, downfade and dwell times; type; rate and label.76 This list also allows you to delete submasters from your show. Enter the Submaster List from softkeys in either Blind or Stage. In Blind, press [Sub] [S2], Sub List. In Stage, press [Sub] [S7], More Softkeys, [S2], Sub List. The first 17 submasters are shown initially in the Submaster List.
Note the following with regard to defaults in the Submaster List display: • • • • Pile-on is the default type for a newly defined submaster. Bump status does not display unless changed from the default, which is “enabled.” Dwell time defaults to “manual.” Rate does not display unless changed from the default, which is 100.
7. Press [5] [Enter]. Specifies 5 second downfade time Prompt reads: Select submaster type (1=Pile-on, 2=Inhibitive, 3=Effect) 8. Press [2] [Enter]. Specifies inhibitive type. Prompt reads: Use keypad to select submaster rate (0-2000, 100=Normal) 9. Press [2][0][0] [Enter].a Specifies rate 200. Prompt reads: Select submaster numberType submaster label (F6=clear to end, F7=previous submaster level, F8=next submaster label) 10. Enter your label on the Labels submaster 23 keypad, then press [Enter]. a.
Group List The Group list shows all the recorded groups in the show by number and label. The list can be paged if there are more than 54 groups in the show (18 groups shown per column). Groups may be labeled in the Group list78 or deleted there from the show, either individually or in ranges. In the Group List display, a selected group is identified by a highlighted white row and a selected field is highlighted in yellow.
Deleting a group Follow this procedure to delete one or more groups in the Group List display. Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Blind] [Group] [Enter] [S2], Group List. Displays Group List Prompt reads: Select group number(s) 2. Press [S6], Delete Group. Prompt reads: To delete group(s), press number(s) and press ENTER To cancel, press CLEAR 3. Press [4] [And] [5] [Enter] [Enter].
Labeling a focus point If you have Expression Off Line, follow this procedure to label a focus point in the Focus Point List display.81 Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Blind] [Focus Point] Displays Focus Point List [Enter] [S2], Focus List. Prompt reads: Select focus point number(s) 2. Press [4] [B]. 3. Enter your label, then press [Enter].
Working in spreadsheets Cues, submasters, groups and focus points each have their own spreadsheets. You can modify or delete in all spreadsheets and create in all but the submaster spreadsheet. Channels and groups may be added to all spreadsheets singly or in multiples or ranges. Channels may be set at focus points and focus points may be added, singly and in multiples or ranges, in all but the focus point spreadsheet. In spreadsheets, it is not necessarily to press [Record] to record changes.
Creating cues Cues may be created in the cue spreadsheet with or without tracking enabled. After entering the cue spreadsheet as explained on the previous page, create a cue with the tracking option enabled as follows. Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [S7], Enable Tracking.a Sets tracking enabled 2. Press [S2], Create Cue. Prompt reads: To create a new cue, select cue number and press ENTER To cancel, press CLEAR 3. Press [5] [Enter]. Selects cue 5. Prompt reads: Select channel(s) 4.
Replacing channel level As a convenient editing technique, you may specify a particular level to change for a channel or number of channels. After entering the cue spreadsheet as explained earlier in this section, replace channel level as follows. Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [S1], Select Cue. Prompt reads: Select cue(s) 2. Press [5] [Enter]. Selects cue 5 Prompt reads: Select channel(s) 3. Press [5] [Thru] [1][0] [S3], Replace Level, [5][0].
Submaster spreadsheet Press [Blind] [Sub] [S3[, Spreadsheet, to go to the submaster spreadsheet. Editing submasters After entering the submaster spreadsheet as explained above, edit a submaster with the following procedure. Keystrokes: 182 Actions: 1. Press [S1], Select Sub. Prompt reads: Select submasters 2. Press [5] [Enter]. Selects submaster 5 Prompt reads: Select channel(s) 3. Press [5] [Thru] [1][0]. Selects channels to include Prompt reads: Select intensity 4. Press [Full].
Deleting submasters After entering the submaster spreadsheet as explained above, delete a submaster as follows. Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [S6], Delete Sub. Prompt reads: To delete submaster(s), select number(s) and press ENTER To cancel, press CLEAR 2. Press [5] [And] [6]. Selects submasters 5 and 6 Prompt reads: To confirm, press ENTER To cancel, press CLEAR 3. Press [Enter] [Enter].
Group spreadsheet Go to the group spreadsheet as follows. Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [Blind] [Group] [Enter]. Selects the group mode of the blind display 2. Press [S3], Spreadsheet. Shows the group spreadsheet Creating a group After entering the group spreadsheet as explained above, create a group as follows. Keystrokes: 184 Actions: 1. Press [S2], Create Group. Prompt reads: To create a new group, select group number and press ENTER To cancel, press CLEAR 2. Press [5] [Enter].
Editing groups You may edit a group in the group spreadsheet. Follow all steps in the procedure under Creating a group on the previous page except Press [S1], Select Group in step 1. Deleting groups After entering the group spreadsheet as explained on the previous page, delete a group as follows. Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [S6], Delete Group. Prompt reads: To delete group(s), select number(s) and press ENTER To cancel, press CLEAR 2. Press [5] [And] [6] [Enter].
Focus point spreadsheet Go to the focus point spreadsheet as follows. Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [Blind] [Focus Point] [Enter]. Selects the focus point mode of the blind display 2. Press [S3], Spreadsheet. Shows the focus point spreadsheet Creating focus points After entering the focus point spreadsheet as explained above, create a focus point as follows. Keystrokes: 186 Actions: 1. Press [S2], Create Focus.
Editing focus points You may edit a focus point in the focus point spreadsheet. Follow all steps in the procedure under Creating a focus point on the previous page except Press [S1], Select Focus in step 1. Deleting in spreadsheet After entering the focus point spreadsheet as explained on the previous page, delete a focus point as follows. Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [S6], Delete Focus. Prompt reads: To delete focus point(s), select number(s) and press ENTER To cancel, press CLEAR 2.
188 Chapter 14 Lists and spreadsheets
Chapter 15 Park Park allows you to set channels, dimmers and fixtures at levels that are maintained on stage. These levels are not recorded into cues and are independent of most other instructions, except as follows: • [Blackout] will turn off parked dimmers, channels and fixtures unless they are independent channels. • Channels parked at a focus point will update the parked levels if the levels change in the focus point.
Using the Park display Illustrated below is the Park display that you reach with a softkey in the Stage display. The parked channels and dimmers are displayed in the Park display with their levels and focus point links, if any. Parking dimmers Park a dimmer by specifying the dimmer number and level. You may park multiple dimmers at once. When dimmers are parked, the message Park Enabled appears near the top of the Stage display. Park one or more dimmers as follows: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Stage].
Unparking dimmers Unparking one dimmer Unpark one dimmer at a time as follows: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Stage]. Selects Stage display 2. Press [S6], Park, [Dim]. Prompt reads: Select dimmer number(s), then press ENTER to park, press AT to select level, or press RELEASE to unpark 3. Enter the dimmer number to unpark and press [Rel]. Unparks the dimmer Unparking all dimmers Unpark all dimmers at once as follows: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Stage]. Selects Stage display 2.
Parking channels Park a channel by specifying the channel number and level. You may park multiple channels at once. Set the level using the keyboard or with reference to a preset focus point. When channels are parked, a yellow alert appears near the top of the command display that reads Park Enabled. Using the keyboard Park one or more channels at levels taken from the keyboard as follows. Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Stage]. Selects Stage display 2. Press [S6], Park.
Unparking channels Unparking one channel Unpark one channel at a time as follows: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Stage]. Selects Stage display 2. Press [S6], Park. Prompt reads: Select channel number(s), then press ENTER to park, press AT to select level, or press RELEASE to unpark 3. Enter the channel number to unpark and press [Rel]. Unparks the channel Unparking all channels Unpark all channels at once as follows: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Stage]. Selects Stage display 2. Press [S6], Park.
Parking recorded channels Cues, submasters, groups and focus points may all be parked, either at the levels recorded for their channels or at a proportional level.82 For example, if all your worklights are recorded in a group, you could park that group at once, rather than park the worklight channels individually. Following is an example of how to park a group’s channels.
Parking fixtures You can park fixtures, one at a time or in ranges, either at levels set from the keypad or at a focus point. When you park a fixture, all channels patched to the fixture are parked whether you select them to set levels or not. After setting attribute levels from the keypad Follow the procedure below to park fixtures with their intensity and position attributes set from the keypad. Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Stage]. Selects Live display 2. [S8], Fixture, [1] [Thru] [3].
Unparking fixtures When you unpark a fixture, all channels patched to that fixture are unparked. After unparking a fixture, its attribute levels revert to the levels the console assigns to them. 196 Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Stage]. Selects Live display 2. [S8], Fixture, 1. The fixture box appears and is set to fixture 1 3. Press [Park]. Prompt reads: Press ENTER to park channel(s), press AT to select level, or press RELEASE to unpark channel(s) 4. Press [Rel].
Chapter 16 Effects An effect is a cue or a submaster that can run in a variety of patterns called chases. Each effect step contains channels. When the step runs, channel level is controlled when the channel is specifically addressed. An effect can be positive, with lights starting off and being turned on in patterns, or negative, with lights starting on and being turned off in patterns. It can have up to 100 steps, each of which can last up to 99:59 minutes.
Blind Effects display Effects may be created or edited in the Blind Effects display. You enter the Blind Effects display from Blind as soon as you specify the effect type for a new cue or submaster. You also enter the Blind Effect display as soon as you specify a cue or submaster that already exists as an effect. An illustration of the Blind Effects display for a cue is shown below. Features The following information is contained in the Blind Effects display.
• • • Out - The Out Time, the meaning of which depends upon whether the effect has a positive or negative attribute. For a positive effect, the Out Time is the time the effect step takes to fade from its High Level to its Low Level. For a negative effect, the Out Time is the time the effect step takes to fade from its Low Level to its High Level. Default Out Time is zero seconds. Lo - Known as Low Level, this is the lowest level the effect is allowed to reach. The default Low Level is zero.
Creating an effect in Blind The first step in creating an effect is the same for Stage or Blind. Following is the procedure for creating the effect in Blind. Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [Blind] [1] [Type]. The blind display defaults to cue selection and you specify cue 1 Prompt reads: Select fade type (1=Crossfade, 2=Allfade, 3=Effect, 4=Subroutine, 5=Blocking) 2. Press [3]. Specifies an effect type. You are presented with the Blind Effects display.
Notes on working with steps in Blind • • • Steps may be specified one at a time or in ranges.87 Channels at Full in the Blind Effects display do not show the level (except when set at a focus point). If you add a channel more than once to a step, it takes the last level assigned. Adding channels directly The procedure for creating steps by adding channels to them in the Blind Effects display is shown below. Keystrokes: 87. Actions: 1. Press [S1], Step, and enter the step number.
Adding groups or focus points The procedure for creating steps by adding groups or focus points to them in the Blind Effects display is shown below. All channels in a group or focus point are added to the step(s) together but they may be edited individually later. Keystrokes: 1. Press [S1], Step, and enter the step number. A new step must always have the next highest number, beginning with step 1. Specifies next step to be created.
Adding grouped channels The procedure for creating steps in the Blind Effects display by adding grouped channels from cues or submasters to them is shown below. All channels in a group or focus point are added to the step(s) together but they may be edited individually later. Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [S1], Step, and enter the step number. A new step must always have the next highest number, beginning with step 1. Specifies next step to be created.
Creating an effect in Stage Build an effect in Stage while viewing the results with captured channels. You can work with individual channels or with channels in cues, groups or focus points. Channels may be added to steps in any of the following ways: • directly, either individually or in a range • in groups or focus points • linked to a focus point88 • in grouped cues or submasters Notes on working with steps in Stage • • • You may only add channels to one step at a time.
Adding groups or focus points The procedure for creating an effect in Stage and adding one or more recorded groups or focus points to its steps is shown below.89 Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [Stage] [Cue] [6]. Specifies cue 6 Prompt reads: Select cue number To select cue type, press TYPE 2. Press [Type] [3]. Defines the cue as an effect type Prompt reads: Select channel numbers 3. Press [Group] [5] [And] [8] [Full].
Adding grouped channels The procedure for creating steps in the Stage by adding channels grouped from cues or submasters is shown below. Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [Stage] [Cue] [7]. Specifies cue 7 Prompt reads: Select cue number To select cue type, press TYPE 2. Press [Type] [3]. Defines the cue as an effect type Prompt reads: Select channel numbers 3. Press [Group] [Cue] [1] [And] [2] [Full].
Modifying the effect You can set channel levels or add channels to steps with Update in Stage. In Blind, however, you can do these and many more editing functions, such as deleting channels from steps, inserting or deleting steps and modifying the attributes of the effect. The first procedure, below, applies to Stage, and all the rest in this section apply only to Blind. Using Update With Update, you can do live editing of effect steps in Stage and see the results immediately on stage.
Editing channel levels Regardless how channels were added to the effect, channels may be individually edited in the effect, either individually or in ranges. Levels may be set with the keypad or with reference to focus points. Follow the procedure below to edit channel levels in a recorded effect cue that has at least 5 steps. Levels are set with reference to a focus point. Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [Blind] [Cue] [1].
Deleting channels Delete channels from a previously created effect step with the following procedure. Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [Blind] [Cue] [1]. Go to the Blind Effects display Prompt reads: Select cue number To write effect, press STEP 2. Press [S1], Step, [5]. Specifies step 5 Select step number(s) (To clear step(s), select step number(s), then press CLEAR) 3. Press [Chan] [5] [And] [8].
Inserting steps You may insert a new step in place of an existing one in an effect. The inserted step takes the place of the selected step and other steps are renumbered. For instance, if inserting a step at number 5, the existing step 5 becomes step 6; step 6 becomes step 7, and so on. The timing and level settings from step 4 are set as initial settings in the new step 5. For example, to insert a step between steps 4 and 5, follow these steps: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Blind] [Cue] [2].
Deleting steps You may delete any step from an effect, which causes other steps to be renumbered. For instance, if deleting step 5, step 6 becomes step 5; step 7 becomes step 6, and so on. For example, to delete step 5, follow these steps.: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Blind] [Cue] [2]. Selects cue 2 2. Press [S7], More Softkeys. 3. Press [S6], Delete Step. Prompt reads: Select step number to delete, then press ENTER To cancel, press CLEAR 4. Use the [↑] and [↓] keys to highlight step 5.
Modifying effect attributes Attributes control how the effect plays its steps. Set effect attributes by pressing [S7], More Softkeys, [S8], Attribute. Except for setting a random rate, make one or more softkey selections. Each softkey toggles the effect attribute, so pressing it can either add or remove the selection. Effect attributes are defined as follows: • Positive/Negative - Softkey [S1] toggles between the positive and negative attributes.
Modifying step timing and levels Once all steps are defined for an effect, you can either accept the defaults or you can change one or more settings in a single operation. The step defaults are as follows: • • • • • • Step Time In Time Dwell Time Out Time Low Level High Level 0.2 seconds 0 seconds 0 seconds 0 seconds Zero Full Set step timing and levels of a recorded effect with the following procedure.90 Keystrokes: 90. Actions: 1. Press [Blind] [Cue] [1].
7. Press [2] [Enter]. Sets step out time to 2 seconds and advances to the next field Prompt reads: Select low level 8. Press [1][0].a Sets low level to 10 and advances to the next field Prompt reads: Select high level 9. Press [9][0].b Sets high level to 90 and advances to the next field Prompt reads: Select step number(s) (To clear step(s), select step number(s), then press CLEAR) 10. Press [↑] or [↓] and repeat steps 3-9 above. Make changes to another step 11.
Changing upfade, dwell and downfade Follow these steps to change the effect’s fade times: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Blind] [Cue] [2]. Selects cue 2 in the Blind display 2. Press [Time] and enter the Prompt reads: upfade time. Enter effect upfade time 3. Press [Time] and enter the Prompt reads: dwell time. Enter effect dwell time 4. Press [Time] and enter the Prompt reads: downfade time. Press Enter effect downfade time [Clear] for hold dwell. 5. Press [Enter].
Changing dwell only Follow these steps to change only the effect’s dwell time: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Blind] [Cue] [2]. Selects cue 2 in the Blind display 2. Press [Time] [Time]. Prompt reads: Enter effect dwell time 3. Enter the dwell time. Prompt reads: Enter effect dwell time 4. Press [Enter] [Enter]. Prompt reads: Select step numbers Resetting hold dwell time If the dwell time is set to Hold, an effect submaster will continue to run until you press the bump button.
Setting a random effect rate An effect runs at a rate set by the submaster or cue in which the effect is recorded.93 It can also run at a random rate within minimum and maximum parameters. Set the minimum and maximum parameters with the following procedure to control the range of randomness of the effect. Keystroke: Action: 1. Press [Blind] [Cue] [2]. Selects cue 2 in the Blind display 2. Press [S7], More Displays available attributes across the Softkeys, [S8], Attribute. bottom of the screen 3.
218 Chapter 16 Effects
Chapter 17 Subroutines A subroutine is a cue that controls the playback of a series of recorded cues. Subroutines are similar to linked cues, except that they have more playback options. You can use subroutines and effects to create similar looks. However, subroutines have some advantages over effects. You can also create nested loops or even use an effect cue as a step in a subroutine.
Steps All subroutine steps are either cue steps or style steps. A cue step contains an existing recorded cue, which may be an effect cue. The subroutine lets you change levels and fade rates for the cue step without changing the original cues. A style step contains an instruction that controls the subroutine’s playback pattern. This allows you to run loops, run bounces, pause the subroutine until you press go, or end the subroutine and jump to any other cue.
Style steps The following playback styles are available for subroutines. A style is assigned to a step. When the subroutine runs, the steps play back in numeric order, until the subroutine reaches a style step. The style step then determines whether the subroutine will loop, bounce, hold, or end and run a different cue. • Loop - The subroutine runs through steps until it reaches a Loop step. It then returns to the first step, and repeats the sequence for the number of times you specify.
Creating subroutines Create subroutines in the Blind display. A subroutine can have up to 100 steps. Each step lists a cue or a style. To create a subroutine, follow these steps: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Create the cues you want to use in your subroutine. 222 2. Press [Blind]. Displays Blind mode screen 3. Press [Cue] [7]. Selects cue 7 4. Press [Type]. Displays fade type menu Prompt reads: Select fade type (1 = Crossfade, 2 = Allfade, 3 = Effect, 4 = Subroutine or 5=Blocking) 5.
15. Press [S1], Step, [6] [Enter]. Selects step 6 to edit 16. Press [S8], Style, to select a subroutine style. (You may need to press [S7], More Softkeys, first.) Prompt reads: Select style of subroutine command (1 = Loop, 2 = Bounce, 3 = Jump to cue, 4 = Hold for go) 17. Press [3] [Enter]. Selects Jump to cue style for step 6 Prompt reads: Select cue number 18. Press [8] [Enter]. Selects cue 8 for Jump to cue. When subroutine reaches step 6, the subroutine ends and runs cue 8.
Editing a subroutine To edit a subroutine, select the step you wish to change by pressing [S1], Step, and entering the step number. Use [And] and [Thru] to select multiple steps. 95 You can either use softkeys to find your way around the Step Display or navigate with other console controls, as shown in the following table.
Chapter 18 Macros A macro allows you to record a series of keystrokes and later replay it with one or two keystrokes. This can simplify complex tasks that you perform often. You can record up to 2,000 macros, depending on how large they are. This chapter includes the following sections: • Creating macros • Playing macros • Modifying macros • Clearing macros • Copying macros • Sample macros Express 125/250 User Manual, v.3.
Creating macros There are two ways to create a macro. You can create it in Macro Editing mode, entering and editing keystrokes without actually executing the instructions, or you can use the console’s macro Learn mode to record a sequence of keystrokes as you perform the operation. You can include any key or button on the console except [Enter Macro] in a macro.96 You cannot enter slider settings or wheel movements. Each macro can contain up to 50 keystrokes. You can also link macros.
6. Press [5] [Enter]. Inserts a five second wait into the macro Prompt reads: Select operation(s) for this macro – press ENTER MACRO when done (Wheels, trackpad and sliders are not valid entries in macros) 7. Enter [Channel] [1] [Thru] [1][0] [Full]. Sets channels 1 through 10 at Full 8. Press [Macro Wait]. Prompt reads: Enter wait time Press ENTER when done 9. Press [5] [Enter].
Using Macro Editing The Macro Editing display allows you to create or edit macros without affecting channel levels. Some of the softkeys in this display, such as [S2], Replace, and [S7], More Softkeys, are for editing purposes only and cannot be entered into a macro. Others, such as [S1], Select Macro, and several softkeys available after first pressing [S7], More Softkeys, may be entered into a macro. Three keys that cannot be entered into a macro in the Macro Editing display are Enter Macro, [←], and [→].
Follow these steps to create a macro to record a show to diskette: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Setup]. Selects Setup display screen 2. Select 8, Macro Editing, and press [Enter]. Selects Macro display screen Prompt reads: Select macro number, then press ENTER 3. Press [8] [Enter]. Blank macro created Prompt reads: Select operation(s) for this macro – press ENTER MACRO when done (Wheels, trackpad and sliders are not valid entries in macros) 4. Press [Setup] [3] [Enter].
Linking macros Any macro may end with a link to another macro. When macros are linked, the first macro runs, then the second macro follows automatically. Press the appropriate macro key at the end of your sequence to create the link. Pressing the macro key automatically ends and stores the macro. For example, to create a macro that sets all active channels to 50 percent, fades them out, then runs another macro, follow these steps: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Setup] [8] [Enter].
Using submasters in macros Submaster bump buttons can function in macros in three different ways: 1. as a normal bump button; 2. to always fade a submaster to full (regardless of its current condition); 3. to always fade a submaster out (regardless of its current condition). To include a bump button that starts a timed submaster or changes the direction of a running fade, press the submaster bump button while programming the macro.
Playing macros As a macro runs, the LED in the macro’s key flashes. Only one macro may run at a time. To run macros 1 through 5, press the appropriate macro key. For example, to run macro 1, press [M1]. To play a macro recorded in [M1] - [M5], follow these steps: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Stage]. Selects Stage display mode 2. Press [M#]. Macro runs; prompt shows sequence of activity as if you were entering the keystrokes To run any other macro, press [M*], the number of the macro, and [Enter].
Modifying macros Editing mode In the Macro mode display, you can edit macros in Insert or Replace modes. In Insert mode, if you highlight a keystroke and type another keystroke, the console inserts the new keystroke before the highlighted one. In Replace mode, if you highlight a keystroke and type another keystroke, the console replaces the highlighted keystroke with the new one. To switch from Insert mode to Replace mode, press [S2], Replace. To switch from Replace mode to Insert mode, press [S2], Insert.
Copying macros You may want to copy a macro or use macros as building blocks for new macros. To copy contents of one macro to another, follow these steps: Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [Setup]. Selects Setup display 2. Press [8], Macro Editing, and press [Enter]. Selects Macro display mode Prompt reads: Select macro number, then press ENTER 3. Press [S7], More Softkeys, [S5], Copy Macro. Prompt reads: To copy macro(s), select macro number(s) to copy and press ENTER To cancel, press CLEAR 4.
Auto channel check This macro automatically runs through each channel with a two second wait between each channel, beginning with channel 1. You can effectively pause the check by cancelling the macro at any channel. If you replay the macro after the cancellation, the check begins at the next channel in sequence.
236 Chapter 18 Macros
Chapter 19 Link lists Console channels can control devices that have more than one controllable feature, such as a color scroller. By linking channels using the console’s Link List, you can link channels together for simultaneous control on the trackpad. Any channel not used in ML Fixture Patch may be linked. This chapter contains the following sections: • • • • Link List overview Setting up a link Using a link Modifying links Express 125/250 User Manual, v.3.
Link List overview Press [Setup] [1][1], Channel Attributes, [Enter] [S7], Link List, to reach the Link List display When two or more channels are used together, such as the color and intensity channels for a color scroller, the Link List allows you to determine which axis of the trackpad will control each channel. When you select a channel, it is placed under the control of one axis of the trackpad and all channels linked to it are also selected and placed under control of the other trackpad axis.
Setting up a link To set up a link, you must assign at least one channel to the X channel list and one channel to the Y channel list. In the following example, two color scrollers are linked so that their color settings are controlled by the trackpad. For the two scrollers, color is controlled by channels 1 and 11, respectively. To link two channels, follow these steps: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Setup] [1][1] [Enter]. Selects Channel Attributes display 2. Press [S7], Link List.
Inserting a link Use the edit features softkey [S5], Insert Link, to insert an empty link number ahead of the selected or specified link. All subsequent links will be renumbered. Note: The order in which links are recorded does not affect their operation. However, your numbering may be useful to you in terms of logical organization. To insert a link, follow these steps: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Setup] [1][1] [Enter]. Selects Channel Attributes display 2. Press [S7], Link List.
Moving a link Use [S7], Move Link, to renumber a link or a group of links. All links in a group will be renumbered sequentially. To move a link to an empty space on the Link List, follow these steps: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Setup] [1][1] [Enter]. Selects Channel Attributes display 2. Press [S7], Link List. Selects Link List display Prompt reads: Select link number 3. Press [S7], Move Link. Prompt reads: Select link number(s) to move, then press ENTER To cancel, press CLEAR. 4.
Deleting a link Use [S6], Delete Link, to remove a link from the Link List. All subsequent links will be renumbered. To delete a link, follow these steps: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Setup] [1][1] [Enter]. Selects Channel Attributes display 2. Press [S7], Link List. Selects Link List display Prompt reads: Select link number 3. Press [S6], Delete Link. Prompt reads: Select link number(s) to delete, then press ENTER (Enter 0 to delete all links) 4. Press [5] [Enter].
Chapter 20 Diskette functions This chapter includes instructions for using console diskette options. The console is equipped with a 3.5-inch disk drive on the console’s right end panel. The following options are described in this chapter: • • • • Diskette management Formatting diskettes Writing to diskette Reading show, configuration or all information from diskette Express 125/250 User Manual, v.3.
Diskette management The console lets you save one show on a double-sided, high density (1.44 MB) 3.5-inch diskette. This feature allows you to back up your shows for safety. It also allows you to transfer your shows to other consoles, work on more than one show at a time and use more than 600 cues in a show by loading a second show into memory.98 Label each diskette carefully and clearly to help you keep track of what show is on the diskette.
Contents of the showfile When you write to diskette, everything that you programmed into your show and everything that you set in the console to make that show happen are stored in a single showfile. Show and configuration information, however, may be read separately from the showfile.100 The System Configuration contents of the showfile are defined as all those things you set in the console that commonly remain the same for all shows.
Reading from diskette You can read either the show or the system configuration contents of a showfile, or you can read both together. See Appendix D Showfile, page 331, for a breakdown of what components are stored in each. CAUTION: The information you read from diskette takes the place of whatever you had before the read in your console’s memory.102 If you want to keep the show and configuration settings currently in memory, write them to diskette before the read.
Read show components only Frequently you do not need to overwrite system configuration settings but only want a different showfile in console memory. For that purpose, read show contents only into memory with the following procedure: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Insert diskette in disk drive. 2. Press [Setup]. Selects Setup display 3. Press [3], Disk Functions, Selects Diskette Functions menu [Enter]. 4. Press [2], Read Show From Disk, [Enter]. Screen clears and Read Show window appears 5.
248 Chapter 20 Diskette functions
Chapter 21 Printing The console supports parallel printers, including some laser printers. Printer installation is described in Installing a printer, page 315. This chapter includes instructions for using the console’s print options. the following printouts are introduced and explained in this chapter.
Printer options Before you begin printing, verify that your printer is installed correctly and that it is turned on. For instructions on installing printers, see Installing a printer, page 315. All print options are located on the Print Functions menu. To display the menu press [Setup], then select [5], Print Functions, and press [Enter]. The console displays the Print Functions menu illustrated below. You may pause the current printing job or cancel it at any time while printing.
Printouts available Following is a list of all 17 options on the Print Functions menu and an explanation of the printout each will produce. 1. Stage Display - Reports the settings of all channels on stage. 2. Cues - Lists cues in the show by number and attributes. Also gives the levels of all channels in each cue. 3. Groups - Lists all groups in the show by number and label. Also gives the levels of all channels in each group. 4.
252 Chapter 21 Printing
Chapter 22 Clear functions This chapter includes instructions for using the console’s clear options. Each of the following clear functions is explained and illustrated on the following pages. • • • • • • • • • • • • • Show Cues Groups Submasters Show and patch Focus points Macros Reset patch Reset profiles Channel attributes Real Time Programs Time code events Moving lights Express 125/250 User Manual, v.3.
Clear functions Each option on the Clear Functions menu erases information regarding a console function from the console’s memory. If that information is saved in a show on a diskette, it can be restored to the console. Otherwise, the information is lost permanently. Warning: Be certain to save your shows on disk before erasing information you may need in the future. See Chapter 20 Diskette functions, page 243, for information about saving shows. All clear options are located on the Clear Functions menu.
Clear and reset options Following is a list of all 14 options on the Clear Functions menu and an explanation of the function of each. 1. Show - Erases all information pertaining to the show except patch information and the system configuration. 2. Cues - Erases all recorded cues from the show. 3. Groups - Erases all recorded groups from the show. 4. Submasters - Erases all recorded submasters from the show. 5. Show and Patch - Erases all information pertaining to the show.
256 Chapter 22 Clear functions
Chapter 23 Dimmer monitoring ETC consoles may be connected to ETC Sensor dimming systems via the ETCLink communication protocol. In this configuration, the console operates a dimmer monitoring system that provides you with a wide range of dimmer status information, including overall dimming system status and specific information about individual dimmer modules and dimmer racks. Your window on ETCLink is through the ETCLink Functions menu.
ETCLink functions Go to the ETCLink Functions menu by pressing [Setup] [9] [Enter]. Make selections from this menu to branch to the variety of options available in your dimmer monitoring system. Enabling ETCLink Before using ETCLink functions, you must enable your console to work with the ETCLink network. After enabling the connection, you should decide how to handle error advisory messages. See Error messages, page 259. Following is one of two ways to enable ETCLink.
Error messages ETCLink provides messages for a wide variety of conditions, including information regarding your dimmers, racks, system, data, ports, and loads. These messages fall into two categories, fatal messages and secondary messages.105 Fatal messages deal with anything that could potentially terminate or drastically change the look of your show. You may set fatal messages to be displayed even when secondary messages have been disabled.
How to enable / disable ETCLink error messages 260 Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Setup]. Selects Setup display 2. Press [9], ETCLink Functions, [Enter]. Selects ETCLink Functions menu 3. Press [6], Display Advisories, [Enter]. Prompt reads: Enable/disable display of ETCLink advisories (1 = Enable all, 2 = Enable fatal error advisories only, 0 = Disable) 4. Press [1] [Enter].
ETCLink displays Dimming system status The System Status display provides information about your Sensor dimming system. Press [Setup] [9] [Enter] [1] [Enter] to access the System Status display. • • • • • • • Double Firing Mode shows whether that mode is enabled or disabled for your system. If Double Firing Mode is disabled, doubled dimmers function as normal dimmers. Backup looks indicates whether a backup look is active, and, if so, which one. ETCLink displays any ETCLink errors.
Dimmer rack status The Rack Status display provides information about specified dimmer racks, including rack type, starting address, port information, voltage, frequency, and ambient temperature. Press [Setup] [9] [Enter] [2] [Enter] to access the Rack Status display. Press [S6], Select Rack, [#] [Enter] to select a specific rack, [+] to select the next rack, or [–] to view the previous rack. • Rack type displays the type of Sensor rack this rack is.
Dimmer status The Dimmer Status display provides information about dimmers, including size and type, recorded load, firing mode, output curve, rack, slot, panic mode, and boost. Press [Setup] [9] [Enter] [3] [Enter] to access the Dimmer Status display. Up to 16 dimmers are shown in the display at once. If a dimmer has an error condition, the entire dimmer row is highlighted in yellow (ordinarily the line is in gray). Dimmer errors are also identified in the About Dimmer display.
Monitoring dimmers When used in conjunction with Sensor Advanced Feature dimming equipment, the console allows you to monitor individual dimmer loads in your system. This can greatly simplify troubleshooting by identifying such things as burned out lamps, and incorrectly lamped or unplugged fixtures. When dimmer monitoring is in use, Sensor electronics constantly monitor dimmer loads. Monitoring information is displayed by the dimming system and also sent to the console.
Record Loads procedure Perform a Record Loads any time you relamp your fixtures, change the type of fixtures you are using, change the dimmer numbering scheme, or make any other significant changes to your system. In general, Record Loads should be the last step in setting up your system. When you perform a Record Loads, the system records load information for dimmers set at a level above zero or for a list of dimmers.
Load Check procedure Load Check compares the current load on selected dimmers with their recorded loads. The system checks load information only for selected dimmers. To identify the dimmer(s) you wish to check, use either the console or the CEM to set the desired dimmers at a level above zero. The system checks 24 dimmers per rack at a time until all dimmers at levels above zero have been checked. If you have multiple racks, 24 dimmers in each rack are checked simultaneously.
Clear Loads procedure Clear Loads allows you to clear recorded loads information for selected dimmers, thus disabling dimmer monitoring for those dimmers. This can be useful if you know that the load on a dimmer or group of dimmers will change over the course of a show and don’t want to receive load error messages every time it happens. To clear recorded loads, follow these steps: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Setup]. Selects Setup display 2. Select [9], ETCLink Functions, and press [Enter].
Setting and unsetting dimmers If your console is connected to an ETC Sensor dimming system by an ETCLink network, you may use your console to set and unset dimmers at the dimmer rack. Note: For more information on setting dimmers, see the Sensor CEM User Manual. Setting a dimmer To set a dimmer or group of dimmers to a level at the dimmer rack, ignoring any DMX512 outputs, follow these steps: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Setup]. Selects Setup display 2. Press [9], ETCLink Functions, [Enter].
Working with Sensor backup looks A backup look is a recording of a selected look on stage stored in the Sensor CEM. The Sensor system allows you to use either your console or any CEM to bring that look up on stage. You may save and use up to 32 backup looks. Recording a backup look To record a backup look, follow these steps: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Use your console to create the desired look on stage. Creates look on stage 2. Press [Setup]. Selects Setup display 3.
Playing a backup look Playing a backup look brings up the recorded look on stage. You may play back a backup look from the console or from a CEM. Only one backup look may be on stage at a time. If there is a backup look on stage when you bring up a new one, the second look replaces the first. Up and down fade times for backup looks are five seconds. They cannot be modified. To use the console to play a recorded backup look, follow these steps: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Setup].
Chapter 24 Control interfaces The console can control and be controlled by a wide variety of external devices. These control interfaces may be as simple as a switch and as complicated as another piece of electronic equipment. They may be timed or asynchronous. Chapter 24 explains the following interfaces with the console: • • • • • • • ETC MIDI MIDI Show Control Real Time Programs MIDI time code Remote Macros Remote Trigger Serial Interface Express 125/250 User Manual, v.3.
MIDI MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a digital communication protocol that allows you to interconnect musical instruments and digital electronic equipment, such as lighting control consoles. The console supports MIDI Show Control 1.0 (MSC) and a subset of MIDI known as ETC MIDI. If you are not familiar with MIDI and would like more information on how it works, Control Systems for Live Entertainment, by John Huntington, includes several sections that deal with the subject.
ETC MIDI message formats The following table lists MIDI message formats used to control the console. All numbers are in hexadecimal format.
MIDI Message definitions Submaster bump switch execution Submasters 1 - 12 Submasters 13 - 24 C5 - B5 C6 - B6 #60 - #71 #72 - #83 Note: C5 = MIDI note #60 or middle C.
MIDI Show Control (MSC) The consoles recognize the following MSC commands, which may be either transmitted or received (all other commands are ignored): • • • • Go Stop Resume Fire Configuring MIDI Show Control The console can receive MSC information, send MSC information, or both. Enable the sending and receiving of MSC information by specifying the device(s) that will act as the sender and receiver with respect to the console. The sending and receiving device numbers are disabled by default.
MSC commands received by the console Consoles enabled for MSC accept the following MSC commands. When the console receives one of these commands, it executes the command immediately. In order to accept MSC commands, the console’s receiver Device ID must match the target device ID for the MIDI device sending the signals. • If no cue number is sent, Go presses [A/B Go] on the console. The next cue on the cue list runs in the A/B fader. • If a cue number is sent, the specified cue runs on the A/B fader.
MSC commands transmitted by the console MIDI Show Control (MSC) allows the console to send the following commands to MIDI devices. If MSC output is enabled on the console, the console automatically sends the MSC commands. The console’s transmitter Device ID must match the device ID for the MIDI device receiving the signals. • If a cue is pending, the console transmits [A/B Go] with cue number and a list entry of 1.
MSC frame packet to run a cue: An MSC frame packet consists of several bytes. Byte types, their hexidecimal values and explanations are given in the table below.
Examples In the examples below, MSC frame packets are sent using transmit channel 66 (42 hexidecimal). GO Go A/B: Go C/D: F0 7F 42 02 01 02 30 00 31 00 31 F7 F0 7F 42 02 01 01 30 00 32 00 31 F7 GO CUE Cue1 A/B fader: Cue 5.
Real time programs The console allows you to create up to 500 real time programs that can run automatically when you’re not there. For example, you may wish to turn on the work lights for a choir rehearsal between 7 PM and 9 PM on Monday and Wednesday. Or, warm the filaments of your studio instruments 15 minutes prior to your news program. These programs run in real time, which means that they execute periodically when pre-set conditions arrive.
Navigation and Feedback - Real Time Programs display [S] Select a program X Select a field to edit X ± X X X X Select new field data X White row Indicates program selected Yellow coloration Indicates field selected Enabling / disabling real time programs Real time programs are enabled by default. Follow the procedure below to enable or disable real time programs: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Setup]. Selects Setup display mode 2. Press [6] [Enter]. Selects Options Settings menu 3.
Creating real time programs You can create a real time program that references either the absolute local time or the astronomical times of sunrise or sunset. Also, you can specify either the days the program will run or a particular date. Days and absolute times Use this procedure when you want to specify days of the week and absolute times.
Referencing sunrise or sunset To reference sunrise or sunset rather than absolute time, substitute the partial procedure below as explained under Days and absolute times, page 282. This example sets the time to 10 seconds before sunrise. Keystrokes: Action: A. Press [S3], Astro Clock. Prompt reads: Select astronomical time of day (0 = none, 1 = before sunrise, 2 = after sunrise, 3 = before sunset, 4 = after sunset). B. Press [1] [Enter]. Selects before sunrise.
Editing real time programs Once you have created a real time program, you can easily make changes to it and others in the Real Time Programs display.110 Press [↑] or [↓] to move from one program to the next. Press [←], [→] to move through program options. Although you cannot enter the label field in an Express console, you can label Express real time programs using Expression OffLine. See Expression Off-Line, page 306, for more information.
Copying real time programs Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Setup]. Selects Setup display mode 2. Press [1][2] [Enter]. Selects Real Time Programs display 3. Press [S7], More Softkeys, [S2], Copy Program. Prompt reads: Select program number(s) to copy, then press ENTER To cancel, press CLEAR 4. Press [1] [Thru] [5] [Enter]. Selects programs 1 through 5 to copy Prompt reads: To copy selected programs(s), select time and press ENTER Press [+] to enter AM or PM 5. Press [7][0][0] [+] [Enter].
Time Code You can create and run shows that respond to programming based on a standardized time code protocol. The console responds to the Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) time code. The console generates an internal time code in the MIDI protocol. The console also can run under external MIDI. You can have both clocks simultaneously enabled so that if ever the external time code signal stopped during a show, the internal clock would immediately take over preserving the continuity of your show.
Creating a time code program You can create a time code program in either of two ways: by definition in the Time Code Events display or live after activating Learn Mode in the Time Code Events display. The cues, submasters or macros that you include in time code programs must be pre-recorded. For all procedures in this chapter involving programming in the Time Code Events display, press [Setup] [1][3], Time Code Events, [Enter] [Enter] to go to that display.
Creating a program by definition Use the following procedure to define a time code program in the Time Code Events display. A time code program created in this manner is not recorded until you leave the Time Code Events display, which sorts the program’s events as well.112 Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Enter [1][0][0] [Enter]. Selects one second as the time of the first event you want to create Prompt reads: Select A/B Cue 2. Press [1] [Enter]. Enters cue 1 for event 1 to play on the A/B fader.
Creating a program using Learn Mode Learn Mode allows you to record macro keys, submaster bump buttons and fader [Go] keys into time code events as you go along. Because you are making real-time decisions about the timing of events, you can record a program live in Learn mode without specifying code times. When you leave Learn Mode (press the Learn Mode softkey a second time), the program is recorded with sorted event times. Follow these steps to record a time code program in Learn mode.
Sorting/recording events Events are recorded when sorting is done. Sorting is done when you leave the Time Code Events display or you end the time code Learn Mode. You can also force sorting without leaving the Time Code Events display. A reason for sorting before leaving the Time Code Events display arises when you are playing the program you are currently editing. If the program has not yet come to the place where you made the edits, those edits will be effective on that pass.
Resetting loop time A time code program loop plays from the first event time to the last event time, then resets and plays again. Any events with code times before the first time or after the last time are ignored. The resettable loop time can run from five seconds to 24 hours.113 If you are running a time code program from an external clock, the external clock will control the loop time with its own first event time and last event time settings.
Deleting time code events Follow these steps to delete time code events:114 Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [S7] until [S6] reads Delete Event. 2. Press [S6], Delete Event. Prompt reads: Select event number(s) to delete, then press ENTER To cancel, press CLEAR 3. Press [5] [And] [6] [Enter]. Enters events 5 and 6 to delete Prompt reads: To confirm, press ENTER To cancel, press CLEAR 4. Press [Enter] to delete the event or [Clear] to leave it unchanged.
Copying time code events If you are creating a series of similar time code events, you may find it easier to create one event and then copy that as the basis for additional events. Follow the procedure below to copy a selected event or range of events to different code times: Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [S7] until [S2] reads Copy Event. 2. Press [S2], Copy Event. Prompt reads: Select event number(s) to copy, then press ENTER. To cancel, press CLEAR 3. Press [1] [Thru] [5] [Enter].
Moving time code events Follow this procedure to move a selected event or range of events from one code time to another. The event will move to the new time when you sort the event list or leave the Time Code Events display. Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [S7] until [S3] reads Move Event. 2. Press [S3], Move Event. Prompt reads: Select event number(s) to move, then press ENTER To cancel, press CLEAR 3. Press [1] [Thru] [5] [Enter].
Editing events You may add, change or delete events in the Time Code Events display.115 The changes are effective when you quit the Time Code Event display or press the Learn Mode softkey twice.116 Follow the procedure below to edit a time code program: Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Use the arrow keys to highlight the field of the item you want to edit. Selects field to edit 2. Enter the new contents of the field. If you wish to delete the item, press [Clear]. 3.
Or, if you wanted to move ten events five seconds later in a program: Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [S7] until [S1] reads Select Event. 2. Press [S1], Select Event. Prompt reads: Select event number 3. Press [1][1] [Thru] [2][0]. 296 4. Press [S2], Code Time. The time field is highlighted Prompt reads: Select Code Time (Press TIME to edit specific fields 5. Press [Time] [Time]. Selects the seconds field for all ten events Prompt reads: Select seconds 6. Press [+] five times.
Running a time code program You can run a time code program in three ways: using the console’s internal time code clock, using an external time code clock or manually.117 When using the external time code source, the internal clock serves as a back up to continue the program if the external clock fails. Internal time code clock Follow this procedure to run a time code program using the console’s time code clock: Keystrokes: Actions: 1. Press [S1], Internal Clock.
External time code clock When running a real time program with an external clock, the event list pointer jumps to agree with the frame of the external clock. Sometimes the timing signal is not yet present even though the external clock is enabled, causing a delay in the execution of the program. When that happens, you will see a Waiting for input message at the upper left corner of the Time Code Events display. When the external signal begins, the message disappears and the TimeCd value begins to run.
Manual playback The [Manual Mode], [Pause Mode], and [Step] softkeys allow you to manually control playback of time code events without a time code source enabled. Press [Time] to select an event out-of-sequence by specifying its code time. Use either the Manual Mode or Pause Mode softkeys to ensure that neither an internal nor an external time code clock can run events while you are creating or editing a time code program. . Keystrokes: Actions: 1.
Remote macros The remote macro feature provides the ability to control up to 4 console macros from locations up to 1,000 feet away. Typically the Remote Macro control device is a four button control station. The remote macro terminals on the console rear panel control macros 1,901 through 1,904. To operate one of these console macros from a remote location, press the appropriate control. ETC does not provide remote macro control units.
Remote trigger The remote trigger function allows you to program a macro to send an On or Off signal to any external device that responds to a remote contact closure. This signal can control any external event (for example, a sound machine or a bubble machine). To create a simple remote trigger macro, follow these steps: Keystrokes: Action: 1. Press [Setup]. Selects Setup display screen 2. Select 8, Macro Editing, and press [Enter].
302 Chapter 24 Control interfaces
Chapter 25 Accessories Chapter 25 provides information about the following lighting system accessories: • • • • Remote Focus Unit (RFU) Alphanumeric keyboard Console lights Expression Off-Line For accessory installation instructions, see Appendix A Installation, page 307. For purchase information, please contact your local dealer or ETC. Express 125/250 User Manual, v.3.
Remote Focus Unit (RFU) The Remote Focus Unit (RFU) is a small, portable control panel you can use from a remote location, such as in the house, on your studio set or from backstage, with or without a remote monitor. You can control most console functions (not submasters) with an RFU. The console keypad and RFU are able to operate simultaneously. Changes made from both console and RFU are displayed immediately on both the console monitor and the RFU.
Alphanumeric keyboard The Express console does not support an alphanumeric keyboard. However, if you have either a Remote Interface Unit or a Remote Video Interface unit attached to your console, you can attach an alphanumeric keyboard to that peripheral device and achieve the same results.120 The keyboard’s function is to allow you to assign labels (also called names) to your show and to elements of it, including cues, submasters, groups, channels, dimmers, time code events and fixtures.
Console lights Express provides two 3-pin female XLR type connectors at the top rear of the console for the attachment of optional Littlite gooseneck console lights. Littlites come in 6-inch (6X-HI), 12-inch (12X-HI), and 18-inch (18X-HI) lengths. They are available from ETC or from your dealer. CAUTION: Use of any other brand but Littlites is not recommended by ETC. The results may be unexpected.
Appendix A Installation This appendix includes instructions for installing your console and optional accessories. Chapter 3 System settings and Chapter 4 Patching channels include instructions for entering the software settings you will probably update before you begin a new show.
Console’s back panel External device fuse If you have an external device such as console lights, an RFU or a remote macro controller connected to the console and it doesn’t operate, check the External 12V fuse. This fuse is located in a pop-out receptacle located next to the RFU port. 1. 2. 3. 4. Turn off the console. Remove the power cord. Remove the cover of the fuse receptacle with a flat blade screwdriver. Remove and examine the fuse.
Installing the console and monitor Follow these steps to install the console and its monitor: 1. Place console on a hard, stable, flat surface. Leave at least six inches of space behind console for ventilation and cable clearance. Console should be at least six feet from dimmers and high-current AC lines. CAUTION: Do not leave the console in a road case tray or on a soft surface. This will inhibit proper ventilation. 2. Move console power switch (by fan on back panel) to the Off position. 3.
Understanding ETCNet The console is capable of operating with other devices in local area networks. ETC has two such networks, ETCNet and ETCNet2, and both operate using Ethernet protocols. None of the Expression-family consoles are capable of operating directly on ETCNet2. One exception is through the use of a ETCNet2 DMX Node as a DMX-to-ETCNet2 converter, but this network configuration will not be discussed in this User Manual.
Express 125/250 User Manual, v.3.
Connecting dimmers to console These instructions explain how to connect DMX512 outputs and provide DMX512 connector pinout specifications. The console provides two DMX512 output ports for a total capacity of 1,024 outputs. Follow these steps to connect dimmers to your console: 1. Verify that your dimmer connector pinout matches the pinout listed below. If your pinout does not match, contact your dealer or ETC.
Configuring the DMX512 ports Once your console is installed, you may need to reset some hardware configuration settings. The Output Configuration screen allows you to reset the starting dimmer numbers for your DMX512 ports, set your ports for dimmer doubling and adjust the DMX512 signal speed if your dimming system requires a slower signal. Port starting dimmer numbers Each port has a starting dimmer number which can re reset in the Output Configuration display.
Setting the port to Dimmer Doubling If your console is controlling an ETC Sensor dimming system that can operate in Dimmer Doubling mode, each dimmer and the port to which the dimmer is connected must be individually set to support that feature. Moving light fixtures cannot be patched to a doubled port. WARNING: Set the port mode using the procedure below BEFORE you create your patch.
Installing an alphanumeric keyboard Although your console does not support an alphanumeric keyboard, you can connect a keyboard to a Remote Interface Unit or Remote Video Interface. Use the optional keyboard to assign labels to many features of your shows, such as to name the show and the cues, submasters, groups, timed events and programs within it. You can supply your own keyboard or order one from ETC. If you supply your own, it must be an AT compatible type or switchable to an ATcompatible mode.
Installing a printer The console supports parallel printers, including most laser printers. Printer functions are described in Chapter 21 Printing, page 249. Follow these steps to install the printer: 1. Insert the parallel printer cable into the connector labeled Parallel Printer on the back panel of the console. 2. Insert the opposite end of printer cable into printer. 3. Turn printer power switch on, and verify that printer is on line.
Installing MIDI Connect the console to any MIDI equipment using a standard MIDI cable. There are three round, 5-pin, DIN-type connectors labeled MIDI In, MIDI Out, and MIDI Thru on the back of the console. Turn console power off, then connect the cable from the MIDI Out of the electronic instrument or sequencer to the MIDI In on the console. Connect the cable from the MIDI In on the instrument or sequencer to the connector labeled MIDI Out. Follow these steps to connect MIDI equipment to the console: 1.
Installing remote macros The console provides four remote macro inputs through the 15-pin connector on the back panel labeled Remote Macro. A user-supplied remote device connects to the console via a 24 AWG, aluminum-shielded, multi-conductor cable with one twisted pair designated for each switch (Belden 9507 S-R PCV Insulated or Alpha 5477 80 Deg. C 300 V PVC). The cable connector at the remote device will vary depending on the device itself.
Wiring remote macros There are three typical ways to wire the Remote Go function: 1. Connect all -Macro pins (pins 2, 4, 6, and 8) to ground (pins 12 and 13) and switch the leads connecting the +Macro pins (pins 1, 3, 5, and 7) to +12 Vdc (pins 14 and 15) as shown in the following diagram. 2. Connect all +Macro pins (pins 1, 3, 5, and 7) to the +12 Vdc pin (pins 14 and 15) and switch the leads connecting the -Macro pins (pins 2, 4, 6, and 8) to the ground (pins 12 and 13). 3.
Upgrading software Upgrading a console NOTE: If upgrading system software in a lighting playback controller (LPC), some of the steps below are slightly different because LPC controls are different. See your LPC QuickGuide for information about these differences. Express software upgrades are distributed in kits that contain one or more upgrade diskettes and usually an installation document. Follow these kit instructions when provided.
Characteristics of the display The display contains the following three elements: (1) the title line, (2) an inventory of network devices, and (3) the Remote Units list. The title line names the display and identifies the version of code on the diskette you used to bring up the display (the upgrade diskette). The device inventory, located below the title line, identifies all possible ETC network interface devices by type, version number and CRC number.
322 Appendix A Installation
Appendix B References Remote Interface devices Until the appearance of ETC’s ETCNet2 devices, the only way you couId perform remote network operations was with ETC’s Remote Interface Unit (RIU) and the Remote Video Interface (RVI). ETC continues to support the RIU and RVI devices but no longer sells them. This section covers the installation of the RIU and RVI devices with your system.
RIU DIP switch and jumper settings The RIU’s main circuit board contains one 8-switch DIP at location S1 and a set of 14 jumpers at location J22, as shown in the illustration below. 1. Remove the screws that secure the top panel. 2. Raise the top panel to expose the internal circuitry. 3. Locate the DIP switches at location S1 on the corner of the circuit board nearest the power switch. Switches are either On (Closed) or Off (Open).
Replacing RIU fuses The Remote Interface unit contains two pop-out 6.25 Amp fuses at the left side of the rear panel. Inspect and replace as explained below. 1. Turn off the device. 2. Remove the power cord. 3. Pull the fuse tray out of its holder by placing something sharp behind the tab on the bottom of the cover. The tray remains connected to the tray holder but rotates downward for convenience. CAUTION: Operate the tray carefully to avoid damage. 4. Examine both fuses.
Remote Video Interface settings The RVI Processor Board is the lower circuit board in the Remote Video Interface (RVI). It contains one 8-switch DIP. Under normal conditions, these switches will never need to be changed. If the settings get changed and you need to restore them, find the switches at location S4 and adjust the settings as listed below. The RVI checks DIP switch settings when the unit is turned on. You must restart the unit for the new settings to take effect.
RVI ETCNet DIP switch settings In order to enable the RVI for use on the ETCNet network, you must verify or adjust the settings of two sets of DIP switches. You will need to use a pin or a similar fine-pointed object to set the switches. To set the switches, follow these steps. 1. Locate the two sets of DIP switches, visible through the right side panel of the RVI. See the drawing below. 2. Set all six switches of the DIP closest to the front of the RVI to the Off position (up).
Using thinnet with older consoles Older model Express consoles supported thinnet as well as twisted pair wiring for networking. The thinnet option is no longer available for Express consoles or Express Lighting Playback Controllers. If you are using one of those older models and wiring with thinnet, however, follow the instructions below. Network wiring Your console may be connected to the network using either thinnet (BNC) or twisted pair (RJ45) wiring.
Appendix C Error messages Diskette error messages Bad Disk Disk is unformatted or defective. Try formatting it. If that doesn’t work, try a different disk. Corrupted Disk This disk is defective. Try formatting it. If that doesn’t work, try a different disk. Data not recorded on disk You cannot read the System Configuration settings from showfiles created with software Version 3.02 or earlier. You must save the show with 3.03 or later software to include System Configuration settings.
ETCLink errors ETCLink is the communications software that serves the Dimmer Monitoring System, explained in Chapter 23 Dimmer monitoring, page 257. ETCLink provides advisory messages for a wide variety of conditions, including information regarding your dimmers, racks, system, data, ports, and loads. These messages fall into two categories, fatal messages and secondary messages. Fatal messages deal with anything that could potentially terminate or drastically change the look of your show.
Secondary Messages Dimmer # has a load, but the recorded load is zero. Because the recorded load is zero, the Dimmer Monitoring system is unable to determine whether the dimmer has a load error. The load on dimmer # has changed. Because the dimmer output is not at a high enough level, the Dimmer Monitoring system is unable to determine the size of the load. To correct the problem use [Check Loads] to determine the size of the load change. The load on dimmer # has changed from #W to #W.
332 Appendix C Error messages
Appendix D Showfile Each showfile saved with version 3.03 (or later) system software contains recordings or settings in two general programming classifications. Some programming pertains directly to the show, such as recordings of cues, groups and focus points. Other programming pertains to your system configuration, such as clock or MIDI settings that seldom if ever change.
Configuration settings Read show results Certain configuration information is included with show contents information when you do a Read Show From Disk operation. These items are identified below by the display in which each may be edited.
Appendix E Softkeys Stage S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 [Stage] Sneak Update Background Overrides Only Follow Park More Softkeys>Stage 2 Fixture Stage 2 Enable/Disable Quickstep Sub List Solo Previous Page Next Page Delete More Softkeys>Stage 3 Flash Stage S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 Stage 3 Part Load Sub Fader Rate More Softkeys>Stage Step [Stage] [Fixture] [Only] Position Image Color Beam None Attribute Return Fixture Blind/Cue S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 [Blind] [Cue] Select Cue Cue List>Cue List Spreadsheet>Cu
Blind/Group 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 [Blind] [Group] Select Group Group List>Group List Spreadsheet>Group SS Previous Page Next Page Delete Group Only Fixture 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 [Blind] [Focus Point] Select Focus Focus List>Focus List Spreadsheet>Focus SS Previous Page Next Page Delete Focus Only Fixture Group List Previous Page Next Page Delete Group Group SS Select Group Create Group Replace Level Previous Page Next Page Delete Group Return>Group Return>Group Blind/Focus Focus List Previous Page Next Page D
Blind/Submaster 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Sub List Bump Status Hold Rate Previous Page Next Page Delete Sub Sub SS Select Sub Replace Level Previous Page Next Page Delete Sub Return>Sub Return>Sub Blind/Cue/Effect 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 [Blind] [Cue /Effect] (CE) Step Cue List>Cue List Spread Sheet>Cue SS Previous Page Next Page Delete Cue More Softkeys>CE 2 Add Channels CE 2 Step Step Time In/Dwell/Out Low/High Insert Step Delete Step More Softkeys>CE 3 Attribute>Attributes CE 3 Follow Rate More Softkeys>CE Blind
Blind/Subroutine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 [Blind] [Cue/Subr] Step Cue List>Cue List Spread Sheet>Cue SS Previous Page Next Page Delete Cue More Softkeys>Subr 2 Style 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 [Fader] Select Fader Update Background Overrides Only Follow Park More Softkeys>Fader 2 Return Subr 2 Step Select Cue Rate Type/Level Insert Step Delete Step More Softkeys>Subr Up/Down/Follow Stage/Fader Fader 2 Enable/Disable Quickstep Load Sub Solo Previous Page Next Page Delete More Softkeys>Fader 3 Fixture Fader 3 Part Rate Mo
Setup - System Settings (1), Output Config (2) and Clear (4) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 System Settings (1) Purge Flexi Output Configuration DMX512 Port DMX512 Mode Starting Dimmer DMX512 Speed Clear Functions Reset System Return>Setup Return>Setup Return>Setup Setup - Print (5) and Options (6) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Print Functions Stop Printer Pause Printer Options Disable MIDI ESP Baud Rate > ESP Return>Setup Return>Setup ESP 9,600 Baud 14,400 Baud 19,200 Baud 28,800 Baud 38,400 Baud 57,600 Baud 115,200 Baud R
Setup - ETC Link Functions (9) Dimmer Status (3) Load Management (4) Print Screen System Status Select Dimmer Rack Status Load Check Record Loads Clear Loads Cancel Return>ETC Link 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Return>ETC Link 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Profiles Profile Percent Clear All Clear to End Fill Between Copy to Profile Reset Profile Return>Setup Setup - Profiles (10), Channel Attributes (11) Channel Attributes Independent Flip 16 Bit Previous Page Next Page LTP Link List>LL Return>Setup LL Link X Channel Y Channe
Setup - Moving Light Functions (15) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Personality Setup From Disk Fixture Patch Select Fixture View Personality Personality Previous Page Next Page Delete Fixture More Softkeys>FP2 Return>Moving Light Ftns Delete Personality Reset Defaults Return>Moving Light Ftns FP 2 Select Fixture Start Channel DMX512 Port/Start Remote Dimmer Swap Focus Flip More Softkeys >FP Autoload Encoders Setup - Moving Light Functions (15) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Attribute Setup Select Attribute Category Encoder Setu
342 Appendix E Softkeys
Appendix F Time and location United States cities City, State Time Zone (Standard) Latitude Albuquerque, NM ................. + 7 West .......................... 35° 03´ Anchorage, AK .....................+ 10 West .......................... 61° 10´ Atlanta, GA............................ + 5 West .......................... 33° 39´ Baltimore, MD ...................... + 5 West .......................... 39° 11´ Augusta, ME ......................... + 5 West ..........................
Cities outside the United States City, State Time Zone (Standard) Latitude Abuja, Nigeria........................... - 1 East ............................ 9° Algiers, Algeria......................... - 1 East .......................... 36° Amsterdam, Netherlands......... - 1 East .......................... 52° Ankara, Turkey.......................... - 2 East .......................... 39° Athens, Greece........................ - 2 East .......................... 37° Bangkok, Thailand ...................
Appendix G Specifications Electrical • • Voltage input 100-240 VAC, 50-60 Hz Maximum current 0.
• • • • • • Two [Clear] buttons 24 submasters Programmable Master on 100mm potentiometer Blackout function Trackpad Eight softkeys to streamline operations Timed control • • • • Internal or external clock 12-hour or 24-hour timing References sunrise and sunset with astronomical clock Up to 500 user-created, Real Time Programs Display functions • • • • • • • • • • • • VGA video output Extensive online Help displays available for all functions Stage Blind Fader Effects Spreadsheets: Cues, Submasters, Gro
Channel functions • • • • • • • • • 8-bit and 16-bit data types Both highest level (Highest Takes Precedence) and last action (Latest Takes Precedence) channel types Group function to proportionally manipulate channels [And], [Except], [Only], and [Thru] functions for selection of control lists [Full] function [Level] sets a channel to an editable default value Independent channels Flip channel Link List allows channels to be linked together for control by the trackpad Moving light functions • • • • • Fi
Group functions • • • • Up to 500 groups Any cue or submaster may be accessed as a group Spreadsheet editing Group list Focus point functions • • • • • • • • up to 99 preset focus points Hard key for quick access Update cues and submasters when focus point changes Record level of focus point without link Available in effects Printout available Spreadsheet editing Focus point list Diskette functions • • • • 3.
Profile functions • • • Profiles may be assigned to dimmers Ten preset profiles, nine of which are editable Twenty-three additional profiles that may be programmed Options • • • • • • • Parallel printer Remote Focus Unit Lighting Playback Controller Remote Interface Unit Remote Video Interface Remote Macro controls Console lights Size and weight • • 35 x 15 x 6 inches 21 pounds Express 125/250 User Manual, v.3.
350 Appendix G Specifications
Appendix H Declaration of Conformity Express 125/250 User Manual, v.3.
352 Appendix H Declaration of Conformity
Appendix I Limited Warranty Electronic Theatre Controls, Inc. (ETC™) warrants to the original owner or retail customer (Customer) that during the warranty period ETC will repair or replace its products that are defective in materials or workmanship under normal use and service, subject to the terms of this limited warranty.
commencement of performance and/or delivery shall not constitute a waiver of these terms and conditions or any acceptance of any terms and conditions contained in the Customer’s order or other documents. Acceptance of any product or service by the Customer will be construed as acceptance of ETC’s terms and conditions. Any dispute or questions of construction with respect to any order placed with ETC shall be governed by the laws of the State of Wisconsin.
and one-half percent) per month late payment penalty. ETC will have the option of withholding performance under any and all orders from the Customer if an invoice remains unpaid after 30 days. All disputes otherwise unresolved between ETC and Customer shall be resolved in a court of competent jurisdiction in the location of ETC’s offices, Dane County, Wisconsin.
354 Appendix I Limited Warranty
Index Numerics 16-bit About Channel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Enable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 1-to-1 Patch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 A A/B display Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 About Channel Background overrides . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Explained . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 About Dimmer Error reporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259 Explained . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46–47 About Show . . . . . . . . . . .
Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254 Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137, 149 Loads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267 Macros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233 Moving lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255 Patch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255 Real time programs . . . . . . . . . . . 255 Reset system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254 Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255 SMPTE events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SMPTE events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292 Submaster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 Dimmer About Dimmer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 About with ETCLink . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Clear loads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267 Dimmer check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Dimmer Status display . . . . . . . . . 263 DMX512 port start . . . . . . . . . . . . 312 DMX512 speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313 Error messages . . . . .
Enable Blackout key. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Bump buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 ETCLink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258 Flexichannel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Record Lockout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Encoder Autoload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Print setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251 Reset defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73–74 Error messages About Dimmer . . . . .
Setting linked levels . . . . . . . . . . . 150 Show/hide link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 Spreadsheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186 Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145–146 Use to park. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192, 195 Use to set levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 View on stage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 Follow time, subroutine . . . . . . . . . . . 221 Follow, cue playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Format diskette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244 Frame rate . .
Set by focus point . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 Level key Explained . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Setting unlinked levels . . . . . . . . . 150 Link Creating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239 Cue to cue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Cues in playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Delete. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 Insert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240 Macro to cue . . . . . . . . . .
Submaster list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 Network Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310 Thinnet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326 O One-to-one patch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Only Explained . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Recall channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Updating cue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96–97 Updating effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207 Updating group. . . . . . . . . . . .134–135 Optional equipment Alphanumeric keyboard . .
Record Cue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Dimmer loads. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265 Disable with Lockout . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Explanation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Follow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Link cues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Multipart cues . . . . . . . . . . . .112–115 Record Lockout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Recorded channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Recording cue with Solo . . . .
Clear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170, 255 Command display list . . . . . . . . . . 173 Copy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 Copy cue or group . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 Default match to channels . . . . . . . 28 Dwell hold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152, 217 Except . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161 Fade and dwell times . . . . . . . . . . 157 Fade times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158, 167 Home position . . . .
Type Cue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Submaster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 V U Wait time Assign to part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Edit for part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Record cue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Wheel Link channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 Pan and tilt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Worklights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
