Using Scrollers with the ETC Ion

[kevinz]

Hello, for my high schools spring musical (Cabaret) we are renting an ETC Ion console. Along with the board, we are renting scrollers and some movers. I have learned how to patch a scroller into the same channel as a dimmer (By adding a second part to the channel, and adjusting the channels type from dimmer to scroller) but some of my dimmers have more than one light that each contain a scroller. For example, area A has four lights cabled to the same dimmer, and each of those lights are equipped with a scroller. I will not be receiving rentals for a week or two, so I have been soft patching my show beforehand using computer software. I have taken area A's channel and added four more parts and assigned a scroller to each part, and when I enter the channel and try to control things, it seems that I have no choice but to control all of the scrollers at the same time. Is this the only option besides putting each scroller into its own channel and controlling them one by one, or is there something I'm doing wrong? Also, the issue might have arose due to the fact that I don't actually have the board, nor control of any lights at this point, if so, please inform me. Thanks in advance.

[sk8rsdad]

The usual practice is to patch a channel that includes one scroller and one lighting instrument by selecting a particular scroller from the fixture library. Most of the common manufacturers are supported. The generic scroller fixture type works too. There's a pretty good tutorial on it here:

Lighting solutions for Theatre, Film & Television Studios and Architectural spaces : ETC

[Sony]

The problem is we have already done that, each dimmer has a scroller assigned to it, the problem is some dimmers have multiple lights in them and each fixture has a scroller. The problem is if we have 4 fixtures in 1 dimmer which is then patched into 1 channel. We cannot individually control each scroller unless we patch each scroller into thir own channel instead of attaching them to a fixture. Our question is, is there some way to make each scroller individually controllable on an ETC Ion even though they are patched into one control channel since the 4 fixtures are in a single dimmer?

Thanks,
Trev

[gabe]

You have a couple of different options. You have the dimmer as part 1 of the channel, and you can have as many scrollers as you would like as parts 2, 3, 4 etc. The channel would list them as color 1, color 2, color 3, etc. Also, you can patch a scroller into it's own channel with no associated dimmer, but I do not recommend this option because it will make marking very difficult and it will not group up with the channel that has the dimmer on your display. The third option is to assign a dummy intensity channel to the other scrollers with an address in a universe that you are not using, that way the channels will group up and mark properly, but only one of the intensity channels will have any effect.

[shiben]

You have a couple of different options. You have the dimmer as part 1 of the channel, and you can have as many scrollers as you would like as parts 2, 3, 4 etc. The channel would list them as color 1, color 2, color 3, etc. Also, you can patch a scroller into it's own channel with no associated dimmer, but I do not recommend this option because it will make marking very difficult and it will not group up with the channel that has the dimmer on your display. The third option is to assign a dummy intensity channel to the other scrollers with an address in a universe that you are not using, that way the channels will group up and mark properly, but only one of the intensity channels will have any effect.

This is probably what I would do.

[Sony]

You have a couple of different options. You have the dimmer as part 1 of the channel, and you can have as many scrollers as you would like as parts 2, 3, 4 etc. The channel would list them as color 1, color 2, color 3, etc.

This is exactly what we have done, and it is not showing Color 1, 2, 3, 4 it's only showing Color 1 even though we have 4 scrollers patched into this one channel. Would it be because I am using an older version of the software? I am using software v1.4 instead of the latest v1.8 because I haven't bothered to upgrade yet.

[gabe]

This is exactly what we have done, and it is not showing Color 1, 2, 3, 4 it's only showing Color 1 even though we have 4 scrollers patched into this one channel. Would it be because I am using an older version of the software? I am using software v1.4 instead of the latest v1.8 because I haven't bothered to upgrade yet.

I just pulled up my 1.8 offline editor and I stand corrected, I only saw one color as well. I would suggest giving ETC a call (608-831-4116) and speaking with someone at tech services to see if it is possible to keep it all on one channel. If not the dummy channel method works perfectly as long as you remember to keep the intensity values of the dummy channels the same as those of the real one, this is the solution that we used for the show I am currently working on.

[starksk]

I just pulled up my 1.8 offline editor and I stand corrected, I only saw one color as well. I would suggest giving ETC a call (608-831-4116) and speaking with someone at tech services to see if it is possible to keep it all on one channel. If not the dummy channel method works perfectly as long as you remember to keep the intensity values of the dummy channels the same as those of the real one, this is the solution that we used for the show I am currently working on.

Unfortunately, the functionality of multiple single roll scrollers patched to a single control channel is not supported in the Eos/Ion/Element family of consoles.

There are a couple of options in addition to creating dummy channels that you can look at, each with their own pros and cons.

The first is to create a custom fixture profile using different parameters. The upside of this is that you can still only use one channel. The downside is that you have to remember to translate what each parameter really means, and that you would not be able to use the built in color-specific parameters effectively.

The second, which is something that is more of a design question, is to address your scrollers to the same address on the scroller itself. The upside there is that you don't have to worry about multiple channels since all of the intensities are going to be on at the same time, the scrolls would all also respond the same. You would also still be able to use the native color parameter features on the console. The down side is that they are all going to be controlled together, so if you wanted them each to be in a different position, that would not be possible.

Bottom line: If you are looking for individual control, the best option is using multiple channels. If you are looking for multiple fixtures to be controlled together, address them all the same and control them on one channel.

[Sony]

Unfortunately, the functionality of multiple single roll scrollers patched to a single control channel is not supported in the Eos/Ion/Element family of consoles.

There are a couple of options in addition to creating dummy channels that you can look at, each with their own pros and cons.

The first is to create a custom fixture profile using different parameters. The upside of this is that you can still only use one channel. The downside is that you have to remember to translate what each parameter really means, and that you would not be able to use the built in color-specific parameters effectively.

The second, which is something that is more of a design question, is to address your scrollers to the same address on the scroller itself. The upside there is that you don't have to worry about multiple channels since all of the intensities are going to be on at the same time, the scrolls would all also respond the same. You would also still be able to use the native color parameter features on the console. The down side is that they are all going to be controlled together, so if you wanted them each to be in a different position, that would not be possible.

Bottom line: If you are looking for individual control, the best option is using multiple channels. If you are looking for multiple fixtures to be controlled together, address them all the same and control them on one channel.

Thank you, this is the answer I was looking for, however not the answer I was hoping for. Oh well looks like we will be doing individual channels of multiple scrollers on a single address.

[gabe]

Thank you, this is the answer I was looking for, however not the answer I was hoping for. Oh well looks like we will be doing individual channels of multiple scrollers on a single address.

Just make sure that you keep all of the dummy intensity values the same as your real one, so that the scrollers will all mark properly and together.