Control/Dimming ETC Ion programming issue

[deltaleader]

Okay, so I am programming cues for South Pacific, and while the board is on and running, all cues playback fine. But then after a night off, I turn it back on and all of the cues have channels correct, but all the channels are at 0%. I tried making a completely new file, new settings and everything, but still the same thing; after a power cycle, no intensity is recorded.

It may or may not be beneficial to note that I recorded the show off of submasters. I would run up the sub I wanted for each area, and then record the cue. What gives? anybody have a solution? Is there anyway to salvage what I had recorded? This would be nice because that would be 4 hours less of re-re-programming.
Thank You!

 

[techno89]

Are you sure the grandmaster or the faders above the GO button aren't both down? Can't tell you how many times that happened to me.

 

[deltaleader]

I am sure. But randomly yesterday it started working. then after a power cycle, it wouldn't, same problem. I'm wondering if this is just a glitch or what?
I wasnt the one running the board when it started working, but they called me for help, and i suggested running the GM all the way down then back up. maybe this was the fix, but i don't know.... Maybe this is just an isolated case, and there is nothing I can do.
thanks!

 

[SteveB]

This might be a hardware problem, but with multiple operators the chance for operator error increases.

As example, you state "I turn it back on and all of the cues have channels correct, but all the channels are at 0%" which I assume means you can see channel level values on the screen but nothings coming out of the lamps ?. This might be the hardware issue, or maybe something else like a sub accidentally set to Inhibit and not being at full ? (An inhibit sub in the range of your fader wings, would have a red LED.). Is it possible you have a sub recorded outside the range of the fader wing ?, say 280 or so ?. You would also see a small "I" in the channel tile if channels are recorded into an inhibit sub, so check there as well. As well, having set all your cues with subs, is it possible there's a errant sub set as inhibit, a result of a typo ?.

As further check, when the channels are at their levels on screen but nothing apparent on stage, try a address or channel check in Park to determine if DMX is getting out of the console. If you can turn things on in Park, then the problem is in the console settings.

I also assume when you "check" and run cues, you are doing so off the master fader set ? and that all works fine when pressing GO ?.

The next time YOU experience the problem and none of the above seems to fix the problem, I'd be calling ETC tech support at 800 688 4116.

 

[tyler.martin]

In Blind, double tap the Sub button and look at your subs. If they are marked as "Exclusive" then the intensity will not be recorded in your cues. Change them to Pile On.

 

[avalentino]

In Blind, double tap the Sub button and look at your subs. If they are marked as "Exclusive" then the intensity will not be recorded in your cues. Change them to Pile On.

You don't actually have to go into blind to see or modify a list view. Just double tapping sub from any operating mode will take you into the sub list view, where you can modify the attributes of your subs. You actually only need to press the Blind button when you want to edit the actual values in your sub. (Just a helpful hint to save keystrokes!) If you are in the sub list view, there is also a SK called Edit, which will take you directly into editing the selected sub contents.

Thanks much!
a

 

[deltaleader]

Okay, finally got a chance to get on the board, and I found a fix: "Go To Cue/ Out" then run the GM all the way down, then back up, then "GO" makes it work. Before this is done though, when "GO" is pressed, it advances a que, but in the time countdown indicator, it stays at 0.1 seconds. I dont know whats going on, but I found a fix and thats what imma hafta go with.

 

[SteveB]

Okay, finally got a chance to get on the board, and I found a fix:

Did you "fix" the problem or find a work-around ?. HUGE difference and I'd be careful unless you fully understand the console well enough to know the difference, as these things can come back and take a huge chunk out of your butt.

As example. Go to Cue Out clears all values and resets all channels and attributes to null. Good starting point. Running the GM up and down should do nothing at that point, so is it required to "clear" the problem ?. Pressing GO after a Go to Cue Out runs in the first cue in the list set to run on the master fader set. All good and well (except for that GM move). Not following these steps results in ?, a cue advancing in 0.1 time ?, which is/is not the recorded/indicated time ?. And what do you mean by "Stays at 0.1 second".

Remember that you're trying to discover if the desk has a hardware issue or a short between keyboard and chair.

 

[jglodeklights]

What color are the channels when they are at 0%? And are they displaying at 0 or is there just no intensity on stage?

 

[deltaleader]

Couple of things:
1. I definitely found a workaround. That is why I'm wanting to continue the thread.
2. Yes, running the GM down then up does make a difference. Just "go to cue out" doesn't do it.
3. The "time stays at 0.1" is when I hit go, and in the "time" column in the channel/live split window is the countdown of time left until the cue is executed. The time stays at 0.1, and does not change.
4. All of the channels are turquoise and purpleish, and displaying a "0", but aren't those colors normal for running cues?

All of this may be because I'm running on version 1.9 with no updates at all... maybe? I don't know what else it could be. and from now on, i am the only OP if the board, so everything that is done, I do. Thanks!

 

[chausman]

Well, purple(ish) numbers mean the channels intensity has not changed (tracked) from the previous cue. I don't know what color you mean by turquoise, if Blue, then the intensity has gone Up from the previous cue. If you mean green, then the intensity has gone down.

If you want, and I'm not necessarily the best person for it, you can email me the file, and I can look and see if there is anything weird that I can see. If you would like me to, you can PM [pm]chausman[/pm].

 

[starksk]

... 2. Yes, running the GM down then up does make a difference. Just "go to cue out" doesn't do it.
3. The "time stays at 0.1" is when I hit go, and in the "time" column in the channel/live split window is the countdown of time left until the cue is executed. The time stays at 0.1, and does not change.
4. All of the channels are turquoise and purpleish, and displaying a "0", but aren't those colors normal for running cues?

All of this may be because I'm running on version 1.9 with no updates at all... maybe? ...

2. Interesting... What happens when you don't run the GM down? (By the way, is the GM assigned to another fader in addition to the dedicated fader on the console?)
3. What color is the 0.1 time? If it is red, make sure that both cross faders above the GO button are at the top of their travel. (A red 0.1 usually indicates a manual crossfade) If it is green, the cue is marking. There are a couple of known issues with this time being stuck at 0.1 in version 1.9.0. The fix for that is to update to version 1.9.6.
4. chausman hit the explanation right on the head.

You may be running into bugs that were fixed in later software, or could be having new unique issues. If possible, I would recommend that you update to version 1.9.6 after saving your current show file to USB.

 

[deltaleader]

Well, as much as it pains me to show my mistakes, it was the faders above the "GO" button. There is a summer stagecraft class that was using the board and kept putting them down... :/ my bad... thanks for all who replied. and even more thanks for bearing with me...

 

[chausman]

Well, as much as it pains me to show my mistakes, it was the faders above the "GO" button. There is a summer stagecraft class that was using the board and kept putting them down... :/ my bad... thanks for all who replied. and even more thanks for bearing with me...

Don't worry! I believe somewhere there is a list of all the people who have done that, myself included. (more than once)