HogiPC Question

[thelightguy87]

So i'm using the HogiPC more and more now, and although I've used the basics for even longer, I've been getting into more complex shows. I was trying to use scenes the other day, and using them as a virtual scene. I can activate them no problem, but I can't seem to release them independently. The only way I have managed to release a scene in the scene directory is by hitting Pig Release. which releases everything, not a good thing in a live show. I've read the manual back and forth. i haven't found an explanation for releasing scenes, only recording scenes and putting them into cues.

Also, in palletes, I loaded my palletes i like from previous shows, but i'm using more fixtures than that previous show. therefore what i've found is i have to update every pallete with all the fixtures inorder for it to effect them all. is there an easier way? I rarely use the same plot twice. We have 12 robe wash 575AT and 2 Robe colorspot 700. plus conventionals. I use my overhead fresnels as LED fixtures for color mixing, same with my cyc. it works pretty well, but having to update my palletes or remake all my palletes is very time consuming and i rarely have that much time.

just last night i cued a dance show with said lights and was given aprox 5 minutes per dance to cue. I only lucked out because i already had positions there from the previous show that was also a dance.

I'm still learning the hog software, but any tips would be greatly appreciated.

[soundman]

Originally Posted by thelightguy87

Also, in palletes, I loaded my palletes i like from previous shows, but i'm using more fixtures than that previous show. therefore what i've found is i have to update every pallete with all the fixtures inorder for it to effect them all. is there an easier way? I rarely use the same plot twice. We have 12 robe wash 575AT and 2 Robe colorspot 700. plus conventionals. I use my overhead fresnels as LED fixtures for color mixing, same with my cyc. it works pretty well, but having to update my palletes or remake all my palletes is very time consuming and i rarely have that much time.

There is a solution for everything but groups and position. If you make a color pallet with only one fixture of a certain type it will apply to all the fixtures of that type. Works the same for beam and intensity. Read up on the different types of pallets you can make, they are helpful.

[beltsvillecrucib]

As far as the virtual masters go...

The best way to do it is by pulling up your List pages on the touch screens. Pull up all the VM's you're going to use on the show, but in between rows leave a one row space (essentially double spaced). Below each VM create a cue list with one cue that links to a macro which will release the respective cue list.

Got it?

[derekleffew]

Not sure if it's different on the III, but on the II, one could just click and hold on the cuelist and then press <Release> on the console. Not sure if this works on the touchscreens, as I would always put the cuelist display on an external monitor.

[thelightguy87]

Originally Posted by beltsvillecrucib

As far as the virtual masters go...

The best way to do it is by pulling up your List pages on the touch screens. Pull up all the VM's you're going to use on the show, but in between rows leave a one row space (essentially double spaced). Below each VM create a cue list with one cue that links to a macro which will release the respective cue list.

Got it?

never worked with macros on the hog yet. the one time i tried to it said there were no macros implemented. is that because i haven't set them up or assigned them to anything? I just haven't worked with them yet.

so on the list, i record my cuelist, and in the row below each cue, have a cue with a macro to release the cue above it? is that right? i think i get it, i'll try that next week.

My show went well tonight and i guess to show how much i still think of myself as a noob on the console, is i just got the hang of the effect engine. And being able to make effects somewhat on the fly. Something thats very likely to happen again in the future for the concerts i design. I still tend to stay away from scenes until i understand them better.

i just designed a dance recital. it was a student choreographed modern dance recital, lots of hip hop and such, for every dance i had a separate cuelist...it helps i have 2 additional playback wings...but instead of fading up the intensity after loading the cue, i'd like to be able to just hit play and not watch the lights move. I find mark cues are a waste in the beginning of the cuelist, when i might as well just record the preset. I've ventured with mixing the look on the fly like i would without automated lights on my express, by having everything i could separated on cuelist, top front side cyc multiple combinations of each in their own cuelist. but that just seems wasteful and hard to set everything really quickly between dances. I was given nearly 5-10 minutes per dance to cue, and then we ran the dance. it was hell.

I'm working on getting pictures or video from the photographer/videographer, since my hands were full tonight to take my own pictures. i'll post what i can get on my portfolio and i'll link to it when i get em.

um, for the palletes, so if i record a color pallete with say my robe wash 575, i can't use that pallete for my colorspot 700? is there a way to add fixtures to the pallete without rerecording it entirely?

thanks

[beltsvillecrucib]

It sounds like you have it, but I just want to clear up the terminology:

You will be in the cuelist display. For example lets say you have the virtual master lists that you want to use across the top row of one of the touchscreens. Below that row you are going to create cuelists that contain one cue. They will be empty cues, except you will use a comment macro to trigger the release of the cuelist above them. The comment macro will be:

RL# where number is the number of the list you will release and it goes in the comments section of a cue.

[thelightguy87]

Originally Posted by beltsvillecrucib

It sounds like you have it, but I just want to clear up the terminology:

You will be in the cuelist display. For example lets say you have the virtual master lists that you want to use across the top row of one of the touchscreens. Below that row you are going to create cuelists that contain one cue. They will be empty cues, except you will use a comment macro to trigger the release of the cuelist above them. The comment macro will be:

RL# where number is the number of the list you will release and it goes in the comments section of a cue.

GOT IT! that makes sense, i'm gonna start looking into macros.

thanks

[thelightguy87]

Another question i have is, Does Hog3 have any way to do a dimmer check? We have a standard plot, but when hanging specials we like to have the board op call out available dimmers. This works when using our Express, but I am pushing to use intelligent lights more often, which means either both express and Hog are used, or combining everything into the hog. I've managed to map out dimmers in the theater, and look at whats patched to find open dimmers. That takes too long for my LD's patience. So I'm just curious if anyone has found a way to do a dimmer check, without patching the dimmer.

[1kfresnel]

Originally Posted by thelightguy87

Another question i have is, Does Hog3 have any way to do a dimmer check? We have a standard plot, but when hanging specials we like to have the board op call out available dimmers. This works when using our Express, but I am pushing to use intelligent lights more often, which means either both express and Hog are used, or combining everything into the hog.

I don't know the Hog platform, but I would find it quite a surprise not to be able to dim check or "park" dimmers. Another option is to use a DMX combiner, with Highest Takes Priority (HTP), to utilize both boards at the same time on a given universe, if you feel your facility would benefit from this -- even if only for hanging the plot. No sense in adding another variable to the chain during a production if you're not actually utilizing it.

It would also enable you to use the Express for simpler conventional stuff, training, etc without switching around the cabling too much. It really depends on how your theater is run, as each one is unique. Good luck!

[1kfresnel]

I decided to skim the manual, since curiosity got the better of me. It appears as though they want to force you into a workflow of using fixtures, and not allowing you to send a single value (0-255, 0-100%) to a single DMX address, for the most simple of dimmer checks. To a degree this is understandable when working with intelligent fixtures that have a plethora of control addresses, but it would personally drive me nuts on the occasion I just want to yell out, "dimmer 7 at half", etc.

I'm sure some Hog guru will be more than happy to help.