SureFire Pyrologic Digital Controller Operations Manual www.ultratecfx.com VER. 11.07.
Please Read Carefully Before Operating Table of Contents Page 1 Introduction & Warranty Page 2 Pyro Safety Page 3 Warning Page 4 Technical Specifications Page 5 Surefire Pyrologic Controller Front Panel Page 10 Surefire Pyrologic Controller Rear Panel Page 11 Channel Select Buttons & Encoder Page 27 Surefire Digital 16 Channel Slave Module Page 28 Surefire Digital Airburst Slave Module Page 29 Surefire Digital Slave Module Addressing Page 30 Surefire Digital Ai
Introduction The Pyrologic Programmable Controller is designed to give the user the ultimate in control flexibility. It is capable of selecting multiple module outputs and fire them simultaneously. You can build a chase sequence from any module output and vary the speed of the chase. The Pyrologic has 8 Memory Locations, 4 manual shows and 4 time code shows. The programming of this controller is user friendly. Within minutes you will be programming complex cues and chases.
Pyro Safety Safety must be given priority over every other consideration. We recommend that a strict ‘Code of Practice’ be followed when using pyrotechnics for any purpose. An example ‘Code’ is shown below this is intended as a guide only. Pyrotechnic special effects can be extremely dangerous and should only be used by competent adults. Following the manufacturers instructions fully and with extreme care. 1. Eye protection should be used at all times. 2.
12. Always consider powering up equipment and continuity testing as actual firing and employ identical safety zones. 13. The use of any pyrotechnics, indoors or outdoors is solely at the discretion of the operator who will have taken full note of the prevailing situation. Operators are warned that pyrotechnic devices can sometimes vary in their performance and no guarantee is given by Ultratec that every device will perform identically - this must be considered when locating devices. 14.
Technical Specifications: Model: SureFire Pyrologic Programmable Controller Type: Micro-Processor Controlled Low Voltage Firing System Weight: 17 Lbs. Power Rating: 110 Volt A.C. 50/60 Hz 0.75 Amps 240 Volt A.C. 50/60 Hz 0.35 Amps SureFire Pyrologic Controller 4 www.ultratecfx.
SureFire Pyrologic Controller Front Panel Channel Select Buttons The controller has 16 channel select buttons, these match the 16 channel outputs of each slave address. The buttons are select/de-select (toggle On/Off ). Channels can be selected individually or in groups. (Selected Channels light the red LED). The controller has a display indicating which slave is currently under control. The channel select buttons also have a Green LED.
Power Switch Turns On/Off main power. Safe/Test (Update) /Arm Key Switch This switch locks out the ability of the controller to fire any slave channels. The SAFE feature has the dual function of physically disconnecting the FIRE button and disabling the software command that instructs the slaves to Fire. When the controller is in the SAFE position. It updates all slave and match continuity in real time. The ARMED position is indicated by the Red LED ‘On’ in the Indicator section.
The slave module has a yellow LED indicating ACTIVE FAULT monitoring. This yellow LED is OFF when a fault is detected and a red channel LED will be on (if it is a short circuit, any device connected to this channel output will explode immediately). Slave Power Off The slave power is required to run the diagnostic routine, therefore when the SLAVE POWER keyswitch is OFF, the system will indicate a FAULT.
Data Link When the data link is activated (illuminated) the RS232 communications port is opened and can be used to Set/Upload/Download the following using your pc/laptop computer with RS232 com port. Display Memory Names Name Memory Locations Upload,Download Memory Locations. Display The LCD display is 4 x 40 characters. The LCD readout provides all the information the Pyro-technician needs to edit, program and run shows.
MEM 1 to MEM 4 Memory locations for operator controlled shows TC 1 to TC 4 Memory locations for operator programmable/Time Code controlled shows. (see MIDI Show Control). HOME Returns to the HOME screen. Operator will be prompted to confirm this action. The HOME key functions at the MEMORY SHOW COMPLETE (end of show) screen in Run Mode, and returns to the previous Menu in Edit Mode. START Initializes the Mode selection from the HOME screen.
DOWN ARROW Scrolls LCD display DOWN Cue to Cue. (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6...etc.). Also used at some prompt screens. RIGHT ARROW Scrolls LCD displayed information Left to Right. For review of Cue data only. LEFT ARROW Scrolls LCD displayed information Right to Left. For review of Cue data only. Match Test/Continuity Update The Green LED on the channel select buttons of the controller indicates there is continuity at the channel indicated.
Little Lite Connector 3 Pin XLR for Little Lite (included) Pins 1 and 3 are used RS232 Port Used for Data Transfer form pc or Laptop computer.Female DB9 Connector Channel Select Buttons and Encoder (Remote Slave Selector). The Pyrologic Controller has aRotary Slave Selector Knob and two rows of eight select buttons. The Selector Knob determines the remote slave module address. The 16 channel buttons refer to the 16 remote channels available at each slave address.
Start Up Operation When the Pyro Logic Controller is powered on, the operator will see the Start up screen. Start Up Screen SureFire Pyro Contoller Press ‘Start’ key to begin VX.XX Where X.XX is the code version The start key is used to continue to the HOME SCREEN. Home Screen. *PROGRAM OPERATOR SHOW* RUN OPERATOR SHOW PROGRAM TIME CODE SHOW RUN TIME CODE SHOW The arrow keys move the * Asterisk * that highlights the current selection.
Using the arrow keys navigate to the memory location (OP-1 through OP-4) to be programmed. >ENTER< starts edit/program mode. In an empty memory location the screen looks like: 1 -end --- End of Show --- A cue is the active line in a program. These range from 1-99. Programming A Single Fire Cue A Single Fire is defined as a cue where one channel is selected to be Fired. To select a channel for a Single Fire Cue, turn the numerical encoder (1 to 9) and press a channel button.
If the channel selections are not correct, press the arrow keys to highlight the incorrect entry. Then press the >DELETE< key. The >DELETE< key will erase a channel number and the symbol (> + or E) that follows . Note that channel selections can be duplicated in the same Cue. If channel selections are repeated in subsequent Cues, the controller will attempt to Fire the repeated channels again as they occur in the show.
The programmer is now ready to select the delay time which is inserted at ALL ‘+’ symbols Press the >DELAY< key. The Delay screen appears for the previous example as: 1 11 150 Number Cue Steps / 2 -end --- End of Show --- Delay msec The numbers 1 and 2 signify the cue number. 11signifies the number of channels selected and the delay time defaults to the minimum Delay time of 150 milliseconds. The > key will increase the Delay time in 10 millisecond steps.
Editing a programmed memory location can be done at the Program Operator Show Menu by highlighting the memory location and pressing the >ENTER< key to bring up the contents of that memory location. Use the arrow keys to highlght the cues to be edited. Use the >DELETE< key to remove incorrect channel. To add a channel, use the arrow keys to highlight the channel following the channel to be inserted. Select the channel to be inserted as you normally would using the encoder and channel select buttons.
Pressing >ENTER< will load the selected Show from memory. The LCD displays Cues 1 to 4 in descending order. Note that recalling a blank memory location will return the MEMORY SHOW COMPLETE message. The Operator can return to HOME only from the MEMORY SHOW COMPLETE screen. To return HOME the operator must use the Arrow key to get to the end of the show before returning HOME. This feature prevents the unintended aborting of a show by way of an errant or mistaken key press during Run time.
Programming Time Code Shows Time Code Shows are to be recalled in RUN TIME CODE SHOW mode from the Main Menu. The TIME CODE SHOWs are to be controlled through an external Show Control System. The Controller has been fitted with a MIDI control circuit board to function with Time Code. See the section on MIDI Show Control for further details of show control operation. To program a Time Code Show, the SAFE/ARMED key must be in SAFE position and the Data Link switch must be off (not illuminated).
Program Operator Show Menu > TC-1< --- empty --TC-3 --- empty--View-review TC-2 --- empty --TC-4 --- empty --- Enter-edit Delete- erase TC-1 through TC-4 correspond to T.C.1 through T.C.4 memory locations. Using the arrow keys navigate to the memory location (TC-1 through TC-4) to be programmed. >ENTER< starts edit/program mode. In an empty memory location the screen looks like: 1 -end --- End of Show --- A Time Code Show is made up of Group Fire Cues ONLY.
Notes The Program will only accept 1 channel number at a time. A channel selection must be followed by >ENTER< . Channel numbers can be entered in any order (out of sequence). A sample group channel selection appears as follows 1 208>109>415>211>115>102>711>206E-end To enter this line as Cue # 1 press the down arrow. The LCD now displays 1 208>109>415>211>115>102>711>206E 2 -end --- End of Show --If the channel selections are not correct, press the arrow keys to highlight the incorrect entry.
Editing a programmed memory location can be done at the Program Operator Show Menu by highlighting the memory location and pressing the >ENTER< key to bring up the contents of that memory location. Use the arrow keys to highlght the cues to be edited. Use the >DELETE< key to remove incorrect channel. To add a channel, use the arrow keys to highlight the channel following the channel to be inserted. Select the channel to be inserted as you normally would using the encoder and channel select buttons.
MIDI Show Control - Time Code Operation A controller equipped with the MIDI circuit board will respond to the command of an external Show Control synchronization system. Any system that will generate standard MIDI commands will operate the controller. A Time Code Show can ONLY be stored to, and recalled from, the four TC MEM location. The numerical sequence of the Cues is pre-mapped to standard MIDI commands. (NOTE ON).
The 91 represents a “note on” command on channel 2. The 00 would call for note “C-2” with a velocity of 7F. Ultratec equipment required the velocity data of (hex 7F) 127. If the data sent was “91 00 7F” a controller set to channel 2 would load “cue 1”. The cue requested = the decimal value of the note + 1. Cues 1 - 99 = (hex) 00 - 62. The fire command is sent as note F# 8 this is hex 7E (126). For a controller on channel 2 the sequence would be “91 7E 7F”.
Run a Time Code Show with External MIDI Control At the Home Screen select *RUN TIME CODE SHOW* Press >START< This prompt appears RECALL A PRE PROGRAMMED SHOW BY SELECTING ANY OF THE MEMORY LOCATIONS When one of the >T.C. MEM< keys is pressed the operator will be prompted to confirm the choice. Note that the >MEM< keys will not respond in Run Time Code Show. RUN TIME CODE SHOW # ? PRESS >ENTER< TO CONFIRM PRESS >DELETE< TO CANCEL Pressing >ENTER< will load the selected Show from memory.
The LCD displays the Cue number called for by the show control on the TOP Line, followed by the next 3 cues in numerical sequence. The TOP LINE of the LCD will always be the Cue that will be fired. MIDI Note On 127 (second Highest) is the Fire Command. This Fire Command is routed through an external Positive Enable switch. Should the operator release the positive enable and abort the Fire command, the FIRE button on the controller will still be live and available for manual fire if desired.
The Airburst controller needs a certain (Very short) amount of time to communicate with the slaves. Therefore the controller needs to have time to upload firing information to the slaves before they can be fired. The minimum timing set out in the Airburst system is 150 milliseconds. If SMPTE time code is used as the source and the rate of the SMPTE code is 30 frames per second, one frame is equal to 33 milliseconds.
SureFire Digital 16 Channel Slave Module The SureFire Digital Slave Module has 16 channel output connections, a status monitor section, a soft-power On/Off keyswitch, an Address Encoder and two 5 pin XLR data connectors on the front panel. Channel Outputs The SureFire Digital 16 Channel Slave Module is equipped with standard 3 pin XLR connectors. Alternate connectors and configurations can be specially ordered.
Data In / Data Out These are the communications connectors (5 pin XLR). Data In is Male, Data Out is Female. Slaves can be daisy chained in any order on the data line, however the connections must run Out to In to Out to In etc. The data signal is rebroadcast at each remote to improve performance and distance.
Data In / Data Out These are the communications connectors (5 pin XLR). Data In is Male, Data Out is Female. Slaves can be daisy chained in any order on the data line, however the connections must run Out to In to Out to In etc. The data signal is rebroadcast at each remote to improve performance and distance. SureFire Digital Slave Module Addressing 16 channel Slave modules have a push-button Encoder on the front panel. The Encoder sets the slave module address from 1 to 9.
SureFire Digital Airburst Slave Module Addressing Important Note Airburst 48 channel slave modules should occupy 3 consecutive Encoder numbers. This is selectable by the encoders. 48-channel Airburst slaves and 16-channel slaves can be configured to run from the same controller so long as there is no address conflict. Pyro Logic Controller SureFire Slave Module Safe Field Operation Procedure Read and familiarize yourself with the operators manuals for these products.
12. Return to the controller. Place the SAFE/ARMED key in the ARMED position. At this point you can fire some or all of your cues as a test. The Red channel LEDs of the modules should flash briefly when the modules are fired. This test confirms communications and shows the operator which channels on which modules are firing without the use of test matches. 13. Turn the SAFE/ARMED key to the SAFE position. Turn the SLAVE POWER key to the ‘OFF’ position.
