Congo (cobalt) effects

[dreamist]

Hey gang..

I just purchased a Congo Kid (running Cobalt software) for my theatre, and I'm new to Congo programming.. I'm still figuring my way around the console (particularly how to avoid needing to reach for the mouse all the time), and there have definitely been some head scratcher moments so far, but I'm excited about learning to be faster and more productive on the console..

One thing I bumped into the other day that I just plain don't understand is how the console deals with dynamic effects -- in particular, how to stop them.

I needed to make some LED movers flash/strobe, so I reached over to the dynamic effects templates and grabbed a color change template and also the Strobe template (so, two dyn effects, one messing with color and one messing with intensity). I got the effect looking the way I wanted in the preset I was working on, recorded the preset, and then hit GO to get to my next preset in my main sequence (the next look had already been recorded). With what I am reading in the manual, my understanding was that the dynamic effects I had recorded in the previous preset should be stopped since they did not exist in the next preset which was being faded in..

What I found instead is that the color dynamic effect did indeed stop, but the intensity dynamic effect (strobe) continued. Worse, even if I specifically stopped the effect (CH & DYN_EFFECT followed by C & DYN_EFFECT) and updated the preset, it would not fix the issue.. The effect did indeed stop on the stage, and it seemed to record my update, but when I step through the sequence again, the intensity effect still ends up continuing to run even in the preset where I don't want it.

I didn't find a solution to this, and ended up giving up on the intensity effect and just keeping the color effect.

I'm assuming that I'm thinking about how to do this wrong, and was hoping someone with a lot more congo/cobalt experience could help me adjust my brain..

Thanks!

Joe

 

[starksk]

Hi Joe,

I am sorry that you are having some troubles with effects. In reading your post, this type of situation is exactly why we revamped the effects engine in version 5 to make it clearer when effects are running and when they should stop or change. The type of effects that you are using (Live Dynamics) can be pretty complicated to know when they should stop or change.

A few suggestions:

1. Head over to our forums to brush up on the Effects Tutorials for Version 5 dynamic effects. These effects are much easier to use than the Live Dynamic effects and are much more powerful.
2a. If you would really like to continue using the Live Dynamic effects, in the preset where you want the effect to stop, assign the effect to the STOP (I, F, C B) effect. This will guarantee the effect stops.
2b. If you want the effect to continue, look in to the Keep Dynamics Running flag in the advanced record/update dialog.
3. For Live Dynamics, if you change the underlying base point, the effect will stop with the crossfade. If you do not change the underlying base point, it will keep running. This can be very confusing, which is why I strongly recommend transitioning to using V5 effects.
​

As always, if you get stuck, please feel free to call us at 800-688-4116.

 

[Ric]

Hi Joe,
Usually dynamics have a waveform that drives something, colour, intensity, or an effect channel. The waveform changes value around a baseline. With intensity the default baseline is 50%, so that the intensity goes to full then down to zero etc.
One of the things that may also have happened is that your live dynamic effect set an attribute of your moving light to a specific value as it's baseline; i.e the strobe/effect channel may still be set at 50%
In the following preset the (one where the effect continues even though you have told it to stop) you may have to turn the strobe channel back to 0%.
This is due to the Congo/Cobalt working on a LTP for 'intelligent lights' attributes, and not chnaging values until explictly told to. Yuur colour effect may actually only have stopped due to a colour change in that preset.

 

[dreamist]

The pointer over to the ETC effects tutorial was very helpful -- I was able to create an effect playback and get that to work acceptably..

A few questions about this:
1) Looks like you can only apply a single dynamic effect template to a playback.. so, correct me if I'm wrong.. but if I want a pan&tilt dynamic effect combined with an intensity effect combined with a color effect, then I'm looking at three effect playbacks *per group of instruments*, since the effect playbacks are tied to instrument groups. Correct?
2) Is there a non-softkey based UI for these v6 effect playbacks? Seems a little clunky to be forced to use the encoder wheels to set the effects up, so I'm guessing theres another way?

I probably shouldn't reuse this thread to ask this next bit, but...

Are there any sources of "best practice" info on Congo/Cobalt, in terms of most efficient workflow etc? Particulary for straight up theatrical use.. Like, for example, how do people handle adding a preset to a sequence more than once -- in terms of how is that written in the script in a sensible way? Do people just not do that with theatrical sequences on Congo? The issue I'm having with it is:
1) Sequences contain steps that reference presets. Step numbers are always whole integers -- insert a step and everything below it gets renumbered. So, can't really write in the step number as the cue number in the script..
2) Preset numbers are allowed to contain decimals, so those don't need to be renumbered all the time.. However, writing the same light cue number in the script multiple times is a confusing practice. Additionally, if the operator needs to jump to a specific light cue, how can they be sure which spot in the sequence the board will jump to when you do <preset#>GOTO?

Chamsys also thinks of things in terms of sequences of steps (cue stacks) and presets (cues).. but the numbering is basically reversed -- cue stack step numbers can have decimals and don't need to be renumbered, and presets (cues) are generally whole integers.. also in chamsys, GOTO is based on the step number in the cuestack, rather than the preset (cue) number..

Just trying to adjust my brain to how Congo/Cobalt thinks, and figure out the specific workarounds that I'm going to have to get used to.. so far, it seems like repeating the same exact preset within a theatrical sequence is just not a good idea, and I'll just have to manage copy/pasting the look around when I update it..

Anyway.. is there any good guides that deal with some of these specific workflow tidbits? Or should I just throw stuff out into the various forums when I bump into things I don't get?

Thanks!

Joe

 

[starksk]

The pointer over to the ETC effects tutorial was very helpful -- I was able to create an effect playback and get that to work acceptably..

Awesome. Glad that helped.

A few questions about this:
1) Looks like you can only apply a single dynamic effect template to a playback.. so, correct me if I'm wrong.. but if I want a pan&tilt dynamic effect combined with an intensity effect combined with a color effect, then I'm looking at three effect playbacks *per group of instruments*, since the effect playbacks are tied to instrument groups. Correct?

Each playback can have only one effect template applied at a time. However, because the console treats effects essentially the same as moving light devices, you can change which template and/or which group of lights the effect controls on a preset by preset basis. If you wanted to have three separate parameters rocking at the same time, you could set up three dynamic effects or, if you want them to go to specific points, you could use a content effect to achieve a similar goal. A helpful hint (or time-sucking rabbit hole, depending on your POV) is that you can a. record your effect settings into All Palettes, and b. you can have effects running on effect channels.

2) Is there a non-softkey based UI for these v6 effect playbacks? Seems a little clunky to be forced to use the encoder wheels to set the effects up, so I'm guessing theres another way?

The effects playbacks are the same as a moving light to the console. Each parameter of the effect is like a parameter of a moving light. There are some tools to make this quicker including the Device Controls dock in Cobalt V7+ that allow you to click/tap to see ranges rather than wheeling using the encoders. You can also switch U1/U2/U3 pages using C/ALT and Focus/Color/Beam shortcut.
Live Effects view (Press Effect) also offers you a spreadsheet editor view if you prefer to work in that manner.

Are there any sources of "best practice" info on Congo/Cobalt, in terms of most efficient workflow etc? Particulary for straight up theatrical use.. Like, for example, how do people handle adding a preset to a sequence more than once -- in terms of how is that written in the script in a sensible way? Do people just not do that with theatrical sequences on Congo? The issue I'm having with it is:
1) Sequences contain steps that reference presets. Step numbers are always whole integers -- insert a step and everything below it gets renumbered. So, can't really write in the step number as the cue number in the script..

There is loads of information available on the ETC forums. Many users have many different approaches to this. When I am writing a theatrical show, I reuse the preset numbers and have the stage manager call the same number again. If my show is locked down enough that I am not changing it, I have ventured into having them call the step number, but usually that is only after I am done with notes/design.

2) Preset numbers are allowed to contain decimals, so those don't need to be renumbered all the time.. However, writing the same light cue number in the script multiple times is a confusing practice. Additionally, if the operator needs to jump to a specific light cue, how can they be sure which spot in the sequence the board will jump to when you do <preset#>GOTO?

# GOTO will do one of two things depending on how you have it configured. If it is configured for presets, it will jump to the next instance of that number in the sequence. It will wrap back around so if the next instance is "behind" it will jump back.
If it is configured for sequence steps, it will jump to the specific step specified. You can configure this behavior by pressing SETUP + GOTO.

Anyway.. is there any good guides that deal with some of these specific workflow tidbits? Or should I just throw stuff out into the various forums when I bump into things I don't get?

There are not really any "I'm working in a theatre today, how should I set my console up" documents because how you work might be different than the next guy/gal. As I said above, there are several specific examples available on the ETC forums, but I have found that the best way to run the console is the way that you like to do it.

The console can do just about anything you want it to do, the trick is to know how to make it do that. That is where forums (both here and at etcconnect.com) are available to help in addition to our toll-free phone support group available at 800-688-4116.

 

[John Palmer]

The pointer over to the ETC effects tutorial was very helpful -- I was able to create an effect playback and get that to work acceptably..

{trimmed}
Are there any sources of "best practice" info on Congo/Cobalt, in terms of most efficient workflow etc? Particulary for straight up theatrical use.. Like, for example, how do people handle adding a preset to a sequence more than once -- in terms of how is that written in the script in a sensible way? Do people just not do that with theatrical sequences on Congo? The issue I'm having with it is:
1) Sequences contain steps that reference presets. Step numbers are always whole integers -- insert a step and everything below it gets renumbered. So, can't really write in the step number as the cue number in the script..
2) Preset numbers are allowed to contain decimals, so those don't need to be renumbered all the time.. However, writing the same light cue number in the script multiple times is a confusing practice. Additionally, if the operator needs to jump to a specific light cue, how can they be sure which spot in the sequence the board will jump to when you do <preset#>GOTO?
{trimmed}
Joe

Hi Joe,
If I am doing a theatrical show with a stage manager, I use distinct numbering for presets and insert decimals as needed. If I am going to run/call my own cues, I will reuse presets.
I always use GOTO for preset not step. I also will turn off the step # in the main playback view so that stage managers don't get confused.
Take care,
John

 

[Ric]

The pointer over to the ETC effects tutorial was very helpful -- I was able to create an effect playback and get that to work acceptably..

A few questions about this:
1) Looks like you can only apply a single dynamic effect template to a playback.. so, correct me if I'm wrong.. but if I want a pan&tilt dynamic effect combined with an intensity effect combined with a color effect, then I'm looking at three effect playbacks *per group of instruments*, since the effect playbacks are tied to instrument groups. Correct?

There are 4 different types of effects see here . The Content effect will allow you to combine multiple attributes to do some very clever things; fly in/out & colour changes while changing intensity etc.
You can also create your own Sets of devices to use, as well as use Groups.
The Series part of the Content effect can also reference Palletes in order to use things like Focus points or Colours you may already have setup.

2) Is there a non-softkey based UI for these v6 effect playbacks? Seems a little clunky to be forced to use the encoder wheels to set the effects up, so I'm guessing theres another way?

Holding the button under the wheels allows you to display the first 20 or so on the direct select buttons. You can also jump directly to a group or effect type etc. by typing the number and hitting the button under the wheel.
(you can do this for most functions of the Congo. i.e. # then Function, as long as you're in RPN and not @ mode)
This also allows you to directly set values for the effect such as rate/tempo, attack, sustain & release.

if the operator needs to jump to a specific light cue, how can they be sure which spot in the sequence the board will jump to when you do <preset#>GOTO?

Where I work we ignore the step number and use the Preset as the Cue number. It's not common practice to actually re-use a preset in a Cue list/show cue stack, though there are times when I've done it. The desk default setting is to use the Preset number to jump to/ go to.
# GOTO moves forward to the next preset with that number.
# Jump to B puts that preset in the cue stack , next to go when you press GO

If the same preset is used multiple times then you will always step FORWARD to the next use of that preset.