Newbie ETC Ion question about moving lights

[BruceP]

Hi all,

I have a few years experience with ETC Express series boards and I'm just now sitting in front of my first ETC Ion. We're planning on using the console with a number of Martin MAC 250's for our first show. I've been playing around a bit and have figured out a lot of the basics, such as setting up a patch using a MAC 250 profile. One thing I haven't figured out is how I can program a cue or macro to turn the lamps in the MAC's on/off. I can manually strike the lamp by entering the channel number, hitting the lamp control softkey, then clicking on the lamp on/off buttons that show up on the display. But the only way I seem to be able to turn the lamps on/off is by doing it interactively. With the Express boards I would set up a cue or macro to turn fixtures on/off so the operator doesn't have to worry about doing it manually. But with the Ion I can't even create a macro that will do it. I've even recorded a macro that goes through the steps of turning the MAC lamp on but when I run that macro the fixture doesn't respond. So how do I make the Ion turn moving lights on/off via a macro or cue?

Thanks,

-Bruce

[SteveB]

Originally Posted by BruceP

Hi all,

I have a few years experience with ETC Express series boards and I'm just now sitting in front of my first ETC Ion. We're planning on using the console with a number of Martin MAC 250's for our first show. I've been playing around a bit and have figured out a lot of the basics, such as setting up a patch using a MAC 250 profile. One thing I haven't figured out is how I can program a cue or macro to turn the lamps in the MAC's on/off. I can manually strike the lamp by entering the channel number, hitting the lamp control softkey, then clicking on the lamp on/off buttons that show up on the display. But the only way I seem to be able to turn the lamps on/off is by doing it interactively. With the Express boards I would set up a cue or macro to turn fixtures on/off so the operator doesn't have to worry about doing it manually. But with the Ion I can't even create a macro that will do it. I've even recorded a macro that goes through the steps of turning the MAC lamp on but when I run that macro the fixture doesn't respond. So how do I make the Ion turn moving lights on/off via a macro or cue?

Thanks,

-Bruce

Some thoughts:

1) Have you read the manual cover to cover ?. Most of this is covered in the manual - really, it is. I read some of this yesterday and I don't (yet) own an Ion. The v1.7 manual is available as a PDF download from ETC - Lighting solutions for Theatre, Film & Television Studios and Architectural spaces : ETC

2) Did the theater have it's factory rep. do the demo ?. Where you
there ?

Reason I ask 1 and 2 is this is an immensely complex console, far and above more complicated AND worlds different then the Express/ion OS and I am already reading the manual for a console that I have only recently proposed a request for funding to purchase. I know it's going to take me a while, especially after 10 years on Express, to wrap my head around it and I have to wonder if I'm just an old codger that works this way as opposed to the younger folks who can sit down and learn most of it in a day. Thus I start by reading the manual as I really hate asking stupid and obvious questions of the tech support folks.

3) Not to be sarcastic or obnoxious, but why do folks post here on CB questions of this type that obviously could be answered in a more timely manner on the manufacturers website, where they maintain an excellent users forum. Don't get defensive on me, as yours is not the first post of this type time here on CB, nor on other forums, as I just answered a post on The LightNetwork for a person looking for Obsession info that I am certain could be answered in a minute on the ETC forum. Just a thought.

Steve B.

[Corbettlight]

Disclaimer: I do not own an Ion. I have not used an Ion. I just got an Element, and I don't know if it's the same, I'm just thinking it might be.

With the Element, if you run the intensity of that channel up (just like it was a conventional fixture), the intensity on the ML will come up. Then you have the ML control for the other aspects of movers.

If this is true, you should be able to set up a cue with the intensity set and have it come up every time you run that cue.

Again, sorry if I'm wrong, but I thought that might be the case.

[derekleffew]

Bruce-

What SteveB could/should have said is that sometimes questions arise that are better served by another forum. Unlike certain other forums, we're not above recommending another site that we feel will give you better response. (Much like the Macy's Santa sending customers to Gimbels in Miracle on 34th Street).

For what it's worth, you are not alone in the issue you are having. I believe this thread: A few simple Ion macros - Electronic Theatre Controls from the ETC Forum may be relevant. If not, you're still likely to have better results asking your question there. Stay here for general discussion, design philosophies, anything not specifically manufacturer-gear specific. It's strictly a numbers game--they have more ETC employees and Ion users as members than we do, so they will likely (but not always) have better answers than we do.

Now tell us, exactly what you are using those MAC 250s for? Are they bright enough? What other lights are in the rig? Got a light plot or pictures you can post?

[alreed1014]

Hey, I'm new to control booth but I've been working with an Ion for almost a year and a half now. The post above gives a link to a bunch of simple ion macros. There you can learn your lamp on and lamp off macros. However, one thing I have found increasingly convenient is to link one of those macros to a cue. As someone who has made the mistake in the past of forgetting to lamp off my moving lights at the end of the night(...whoops...), I have a certain distust for anyone I give that responsibility to (I'm a little cocky, and if it can happen to me it can happen to anyone). I link the lamp off macro to the final cue in a show (usually a cue written specifically for the macro).

Heres how it goes:
[cue][(cue #)]{execute}[macro][(macro #)][enter]

A mistake of mine you can learn from:
I wrote this into the show cues way too early the first time. I did it the day after tech rehearsal. Of course, the next time we finished a run, the movers lamped off. Inevidably, the director wanted to rework a scene where the movers were the key light. Imagine his frustration when I said we had to wait the 15 minute cool down period.

[Perfectboy]

I've never used Ion before. And i will buy one later. Hope someone could provide more Info. Thanks.

[thirdoctive]

Go to the link below, This is ETC's ION training video. Very useful if you are starting out on an ION. They also have other training videos for the EOS and the Element (link).

I would suggest all new ION owners watch the videos:
ETC Ion Video Tutorials.