Etc Ion 2.0

[mcdougs31]

I'm a high school student and we recently updated to the new operating software on the ion. Do people find it greatly beneficial to have the touch screens, or is it the same with out them?

 

[danTt]

You can do a lot more a lot faster with touch screens, whether or not thats beneficial to you depends on how much you are trying to do how quickly.

 

[xander]

There is nothing on the console that you can't do without touchscreens. Touchscreens just make programming faster. In a high school, this is probably not the number one priority.

-Tim

 

[Lextech]

Depends, I have them and don't really use them, but I like a mouse. My academic counterpart can't live without them. If you have them and program lots with direct selects and magic sheets then they can make some things faster. My main complaint is that in my spaces and even on a tech table I can't find an
ergonomically correct place to put them. For me it is much faster to use the mouse since it is on the same plane as the console. In fact the biggest problem I have with the Ion is the encoder placement since it takes my hands out of the plane. Also as a full disclosure, I have a Ti in my big space, it has built in touch screens and 9 times out of ten I still use a mouse.

 

[SteveB]

If you have ML's or LED's, then having touch screens can significantly speed up your programming time.

Using what I refer to as "functional" Magic Sheets, as opposed to a basic "display" MS, you can have a better functional layout then you would find using direct selects or the ML control page, for accessing the assorted attributes of the fixture. This is also a huge benefit if busking as you can busk right off the touch screen and skip having to record countless subs that capture attributes.

Attached are 2 different screen shots we use to control our MAC 700's and MAC Aura's.

 

[ScottT]

Like Steve I have functional (I call them control) magic sheets. Steve, from what I understand is mostly booking in events where they use the rep plot - for me, it's all programming.

This is an example of one of my control magic sheets. I really dislike the "macro" button on the Eos, so this magic sheet is designed to replace keying in those macros. It makes programming considerably faster. (Though I do need to go through and update a few things...)

Would touch screens help you? Probably. Are they necessary? Nope.

 

[TheTheaterGeek]

These are mine from a recent production. This setup is designed to used the 2 touchscreens of a GIO.

I could easily use a mouse for this, But I would set them up a bit differently.

 

[TheTheaterGeek]

If you have ML's or LED's, then having touch screens can significantly speed up your programming time.

Using what I refer to as "functional" Magic Sheets, as opposed to a basic "display" MS, you can have a better functional layout then you would find using direct selects or the ML control page, for accessing the assorted attributes of the fixture. This is also a huge benefit if busking as you can busk right off the touch screen and skip having to record countless subs that capture attributes.

Attached are 2 different screen shots we use to control our MAC 700's and MAC Aura's. View attachment 11234 View attachment 11235

Did you know you can make you color palette buttons auto color?
I just love that.

 

[NeroCaesar]

Do you happen to know what type/ model of touch screens you are using? I was in the market and I wasnt too sure which one to get for my Ion.

 

[SteveB]

Do you happen to know what type/ model of touch screens you are using? I was in the market and I wasnt too sure which one to get for my Ion.

I'm using an ELO version that was compliant with the ETC drivers back in 2010 and have no idea as to the model number.

The availability of TS's has greatly expanded with ETC moving to Win 7 for the recent consoles (Ion, Gio, Eos Ti).

So TS model depends on console type, but the ETCConnect.com has info.

 

[U.V.]

If you are a fast typist, you could also learn the keyboard shortcuts; then you don't need touchscreens or a mouse.