Express 48/96

[legacy]

If I am going to use the two universe option for statics and Intels, is fader one for DMX1 and DMX513. If so, how does that work.. I am new to the console life and sorta struggling due to using computer based lighting software. Any points in the right direction is much appreciated

[icewolf08]

On your Express console the faders (I assume you mean the ones with GO buttons under them) are not dedicated to an output, they only control the running of cues. The board is capable of of looking at two universes simultaneously and then sending the correct data to each output.

This is how it works:

If you are connecting universe one to your dimers to control your static fixtures you will run a line from the DMX1 port on the console to the dimmers. Your dimmers should have a starting address of one. If you are using more than one dimmer rack, you should address each in sequence (so if rack one is addressed as 1 and has six dimmers than rack to would have an address of 7).

Then connect your MLs to universe two (DMX513 port on the console). Your first ML should have a starting address of 1. This is because each universe responds to DMX channels 1-512, the console just interprets the outputs for universe 2 as DMX channel 513. So if your fixture has 20 attributes then the second fixture's starting address should be 21, and so on.

When you sit down at the console to patch, all of your conventional dimmers will be dimmers 1 through whatever. Your MLs will be dimmers 513 through whatever. And you can patch all of those things to whatever channels you want. You should use the fixture patch options for your MLs.

Now, back to your two faders, you have the A/B fader and the C/D fader. I have never found the two faders very useful in anything that I have done mostly because the Express only has one cue list. What happens, is if you hit GO on the A/B fader it will take the next cue (cue 1 for example). Then if you were to hit go on the C/D fader it would pile the next cue (cue 2 in this case) on top of the current cue. If you only use one fader you will have smooth crossfades from cue to cue, which is what most people want. So in general, unless you want the pile on effect, you should only use one fader and it's associated GO button ( it doesn't matter which fader you use).

[soundlight]

Ahhh...and I will assume the other, that you are talking about the channel faders on the board, all 96 of them. Yes, that will be an issue. You will have to softpatch the ML output numbers from DMX2 to channels above the max number of outputs that you have on DMX1. Once you patch the ML outputs to other channels (through the patch screen), you should be able to control them with the channel fader that you patched them to, or just by using the keypad.

[legacy]

well that is the point I have 64 channels of Statics and 80 channels of ML (2 Robe 250XT and 6 240AT colormix)

[icewolf08]

Originally Posted by legacy

well that is the point I have 64 channels of Statics and 80 channels of ML (2 Robe 250XT and 6 240AT colormix)

What is the point? The Express line all support 1024 DMX outputs ("dimmers"). The 48/96 supports 96 channels directly accessible by faders with a total of 192 channels accessible via the keypad. That is plenty of control available for your 144 channels.

[gafftaper]

The way I'm reading this you are essentially asking what is the easiest way to control 144 channels of information with only 96 faders. I would start with everything patched normally 1-to-1, be sure the console is set to one scene mode. You can then use your keypad and/or faders to record a full collection of looks from your statics (color combinations, stage areas, washes, etc...) into your 10 pages of 24 submasters. Be sure to write it all down on a cheat sheet. Then go into patch and repatch the faders to be all your ML attribute channels (don't forget to unpatch channels 1-96 before you patch in channels 513-593). Now you have a bunch of preset static looks in your submasters and access to all the ML's on your faders. Should work really slick.

Note you don't have to use two universes. You can set the Express so that it sends out channels 1-512 through both DMX outputs.

[NABster07]

I run the same board, and did something like this earlier in the year using extra dimmer packs. The way I ran it is we had our house dmx in the 1st universe, but that only used about 205 of the 512, so in the setup, I made the 2nd universe start at 250 or 300. When you address the equipment, start with 1 and work your way up. The way it works is when you have something in the 2nd universe, and it is addressed as 1 on the fixture or dimmer or what ever it is, it is going to be the first number of that universe, so if the universe started at 300, it would be "dimmer" 300. I found this the easiest way because I just ran the packs into our patch bay and then into the board, instead of running our house dmx through the packs, then the patch bay, then the board and using 1 dmx universe.
Just my two cents,
-Nick

[Footer]

Originally Posted by gafftaper

The way I'm reading this you are essentially asking what is the easiest way to control 144 channels of information with only 96 faders. I would start with everything patched normally 1-to-1, be sure the console is set to one scene mode. You can then use your keypad and/or faders to record a full collection of looks from your statics (color combinations, stage areas, washes, etc...) into your 10 pages of 24 submasters. Be sure to write it all down on a cheat sheet. Then go into patch and repatch the faders to be all your ML attribute channels (don't forget to unpatch channels 1-96 before you patch in channels 513-593). Now you have a bunch of preset static looks in your submasters and access to all the ML's on your faders. Should work really slick.
Note you don't have to use two universes. You can set the Express so that it sends out channels 1-512 through both DMX outputs.

No, that actually won't work at all. Every dimmer needs a channel to corespond with no matter what. If you patch all of your dimmers to 1-96, record subs off that, then unpatch channels 1-96 and patch something else into it, those subs will control whatever you have patched into the channels that you recorded into it. Now, tell me this... why do you need a handle for your moving lights? That is about the most inefficient way to run any type of intelligent fixture. The express has a moving light package in the software, use it!

[soundlight]

For movers with the express, I have two words: FOCUS POINTS.

[Footer]

Originally Posted by soundlight

For movers with the express, I have two words: FOCUS POINTS.

Thats pretty much a general rule with any type of movers...