Movers on a Strand 300?

[CBR372]

I'm doing a show this summer with 4 Mac 250 Entours and 6 Color Kinetics Color Blaze 6' units. I'm using a Strand 300 console, which I know fairly well when it comes to conventional lighting. But I have never programmed movers or LEDs period. Are there any things I should know about movers and such going into this? Thanks!

[adude23]

It's as simple as you want it to be!
If you've got that many movers i suggest that you patch you're intelligent stuff in using the fixture library,
If you want to know how to do that PM me and I'll go into detail,

Erm. . . depending on the show you'll defiantly want to set up a lot of effects and different states on submasters.. . this aids greatly when programming!

Oh one more thing. . . i know it may sound stupid but do you have a mouse, with a trackball and a scroll wheel on it???
As this is how you'll be controlling the movers and LED stuff. . .
Sorry if i seem patronizing here, I'm not trying to be i just don't know how much you know!

Basically the trackball of the mouse will control Pan and Tilt values of you're movers and if you click with the left hand button the screen should come up with a list of 'attributes' such as IRIS-COLOUR-GOBO-SHUTTER-DIMMER whatever you're fixtures have!!

To control these you need to click with the left hand button until the attribute you need to change changes color, You then use the scroll wheel on the mouse to go through the colour wheel/gobo wheel or whatever you want to control!

Well i hope that's helped a bit?

If not let me know!

[Footer]

Do a search for Bobby Harrel, read the automated lighting section of his guides. That should get you where you need to be.

[icewolf08]

I have written a bunch of fixture profiles for the 300/500 series that have been posted here. The fixture library file is pretty self explanatory and easy to edit. I bet if you do a little searching you might find a copy on CB. [edit by DL: See the Collaborative Article: http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/c...e-library.html .] If not, I would be happy to post it so that you can look at it. Writing your own profiles is pretty simple, even with some of the more complex fixtures.

In terms of actually using them, if you have two displays on your console already, you will be happy. If you have a second video card in but don't have a second display, get one if you can. Seeing all the channels and attributes at one time is much easier than having to page all the time. As adude23 said, you will want to have a trackball mouse around. The more buttons, the better. The Microsoft Intellimouse line works well, and I know that the Logitech ones work too. You will want to make sure that you have "Tracker" mode on in settings, as this allows you to see the fixture attributes on the channel display. You will probably also want to turn on "Auto Move While Dark" which presets your fixtures for the next cue, if they are off in the previous. If your show is a theatre production, you probably want to work in Tracking mode (as opposed to Cue-Only) as it will make for less cleanup work on loving light attributes after the show is recorded.

Just keep asking questions if you need more help!

[adude23]

Personally i hate MWD (Move While Dark) With a passion!
It often makes the show messy and unpredictable!

BUT the only alternative is to put another cue in after a blackout etc. that 'moves' all you're lights to their next positions, These are called 'Clean Up Cues'

I find that way easier and in the end it looks nicer! BUT if you don't have the time . . .by all means use MWD it's quick and easy!

- Oh and if you havn't got a trackbal mouse and are pushed to get one. . .a normal mouse will work . . . but instead of the trackball controlling pan/tilt the actual laser on the bottom of the mouse will do it. . so be careful when plotting!

As icewolf said just keep asking questions and someone will reply with the answer!

[icewolf08]

Originally Posted by adude23

Personally i hate MWD (Move While Dark) With a passion!
It often makes the show messy and unpredictable!

BUT the only alternative is to put another cue in after a blackout etc. that 'moves' all you're lights to their next positions, These are called 'Clean Up Cues'

Personally, I have never had issues with AMWD. The only time it doesn't work is if there isn't enough time for it. In which case, you wouldn't have time to insert a cue anyway. It is completely controllable and predictable. If your cues are laid out like this:

Cue 1: MLs ON
Cue 2: MLs OUT
Cue 3: MLs ON

Then as soon as the MLs complete their fade to zero in Cue 2, they will move to their next position. Now grant, you can't control the move time on an individual cue basis, only globally, but it works. However, if you have less than 3 seconds between cues 2 and 3, you may have an issue in getting your MLs to the right position. However, I know even with my Revolutions which are the slowest fixtures ever, that 4 seconds between cues is enough for AMWD to get them to position.

ON the other hand, there are times when you just need a setup cue so that you can ensure that fixtures get where they need to, but for me, 90% of the time AMWD does just fine.

I am not saying you should change your ways, just interested as to why you don't like it. Mostly why you think it makes the show "messy and unpredictable."

[derekleffew]

Originally Posted by adude23

...BUT the only alternative is to put another cue in after a blackout etc. that 'moves' all your lights to their next positions, These are called 'Clean Up Cues' ...

Most people (and consoles) call them "Mark" cues. A past console had a button labeled "Clean Up" which inserted hard values for every channel in the cue, thus stopping all tracking--a different concept.

[adude23]

I just have always plotted my shows with Clean Up Cues or Mark Cues (Thanks Derek I've always referred to them as Clean Up's, Perhaps it's a UK thing?)

I like having the control over the fixtures and Knowing that they will do what i tell them to do and if something goes to pot. . IT'S MY FAULT and i know that it's something I've done and not the desk!

After plotting Clean Up's i'll always go and link the cues anyway so i know that the ML's will move without me having to press GO one more time!

So that's why really. . .MWD has it's uses and i must admit i used it for a show i did recently and it looked fine!
I'm just saying my PREFERRED way of plotting i.e. If i have the time . . is to do it with Clean Up's!

[CBR372]

Thanks all! I read the guide book and I have it in hard copy, I'm jsut worried about the actually syntax of programming.. For example if I set a cue with a fade time of 5 seconds will the ML recognize that time and do all it's functions in that time span? And I do believe I have a track ball mouse somewhere in the theatre.

[icewolf08]

Originally Posted by CBR372

Thanks all! I read the guide book and I have it in hard copy, I'm jsut worried about the actually syntax of programming.. For example if I set a cue with a fade time of 5 seconds will the ML recognize that time and do all it's functions in that time span? And I do believe I have a track ball mouse somewhere in the theatre.

ML attributes always follow the upfade time. So if you set a cue with a straight 5 count then the MLs will move in 5. If you Set a cue with a time of 5/10, the MLs will move in 5. If you set a cue with a time of 10/5 then the MLs move in 10. The same applies to any delays on the cue. If you put a delay on the upfade then it will delay an ML move. You can also add an attribute time to a cue, which makes all of the ML attributes (non-intensity channels) move in the time you set for them.