Help. Programming RIght Arms and SFaders on ETC Express.

[TheTheaterGeek]

Hello.
I am working on a production at my school assisting a student doing her senior project. To our protest, we are using an Express.(We have access to a congo jr running cobalt. It is sitting on the desk behind me as we speak.)

We are utilizing 2 Right Arms+DMX Irises, and 8 S Faders. As well as a ton of conventionals of course.

I have no experience using this particular console for moving lights. The advisor is saying that "personalities" aren't going to be used for these accessories, So I am assuming that we are going to assign channels to attribute addresses and control them like that.

I admit that I haven't used an express since high school (5 years), but most of the basics came back pretty quick.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks In Advance.

 

[gafftaper]

It's been 10 years since I've used an Express. So I can't help much. However I had a set of I-Cue's at my old theater. I can tell you I always programed some subs so that they controlled the dmx channels for pan and on tilt. That made life much easier.

 

[danTt]

You have two options with the express. You can patch them as fixtures, and then use the trackpad to control each attribute (it's easier on the expression 3 with the encoders, but it's not terrible on the express..) or you can just patch them into channels and use the values to control each channel.. which can be a pain on some fixtures. It sounds like for whatever reason the advisor wants you to do it the second way (An opportunity to learn? Fear of things breaking? Lack of knowledge? Who knows!) which can benefit from using submasters or the channel faders instead of punching in the numbers-- pan and tilt on a fader is fairly self explanatory, it's just messy when you go back to edit a cue because of the HTP nature of the channels.

 

[Amiers]

Not making personalities makes it that much more difficult. Forcing you to remember what each channel of the device is. I would say even if you don't have the encoders make a personality for visuals. Putting them on the subs is a one and done deal like Dan said the subs are htp. I will say this after you finish the programming you will feel very accomplished as it is a lot of button strokes.

 

[BobHealey]

The biggest downside to not have personalities is that if you adjust the grandmaster, the devices will fade with the grand master. But the Express has no problem running them, just patch one attribute per channel, and make sure everything is in 8 bit mode if you value your sanity and channel count.

 

[ElGusto]

It's been a while- but does the Express record groups with levels? You might be able to use those to create recallable presets- to emulate focus pallets and the like.

 

[danTt]

You can do groups, or focus points. I think you can also make channels LTP... but I don't remember the ramifications of doing so..

 

[BobHealey]

You can do groups, or focus points. I think you can also make channels LTP... but I don't remember the ramifications of doing so..

I'm pretty sure you need personalities to setup LTP channels on Express, I'd love to be wrong though.

 

[kicknargel]

Check out this collaborative article:

http://www.controlbooth.com/wiki/?t...ogramming-Moving-Lights-on-an-ETC-Express-ion

 

[TheTheaterGeek]

You have two options with the express. You can patch them as fixtures, and then use the trackpad to control each attribute (it's easier on the expression 3 with the encoders, but it's not terrible on the express..) or you can just patch them into channels and use the values to control each channel.. which can be a pain on some fixtures. It sounds like for whatever reason the advisor wants you to do it the second way (An opportunity to learn? Fear of things breaking? Lack of knowledge? Who knows!) which can benefit from using submasters or the channel faders instead of punching in the numbers-- pan and tilt on a fader is fairly self explanatory, it's just messy when you go back to edit a cue because of the HTP nature of the channels.

I think the reason is that the advisor docent understand Cobalt.

Im pretty sure you need personalities to do LTP.

Im still fighting for the Congo.

Check out this collaborative article:

http://www.controlbooth.com/wiki/?t...ogramming-Moving-Lights-on-an-ETC-Express-ion

Sweet.

 

[TheTheaterGeek]

Check out this collaborative article:

http://www.controlbooth.com/wiki/?t...ogramming-Moving-Lights-on-an-ETC-Express-ion

Does anyone know of some updated links for this article?

 

[danTt]

I'm pretty sure you need personalities to setup LTP channels on Express, I'd love to be wrong though.

Checked this out yesterday. You can make channels LTP or 16bit in the channel attributes portion of setup without making them a fixture.

 

[TheTheaterGeek]

Checked this out yesterday. You can make channels LTP or 16bit in the channel attributes portion of setup without making them a fixture.

I never thought about that. Ill try it out!