Ion Tap Sync

[tyler.martin]

Is there a way to "tap sync" the rate of an effect on an Ion? or the ability to set a rate by BPM?

 

[rm2011]

I was just using an Avolites Azure Shadow this past week which had a "learn tempo" function for chases. I didn't find it very useful, but using that term may be of more assistance in finding an answer. I am not aware of a way to to that with an ion.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[HansH]

In short - you aren't missing anything. There is not a tap sync feature on the Eos Family consoles at this time.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

 

[techieman33]

I was just using an Avolites Azure Shadow this past week which had a "learn tempo" function for chases. I didn't find it very useful, but using that term may be of more assistance in finding an answer. I am not aware of a way to to that with an ion.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

I would guess he was speaking in a generic term since terms tend to differ between manufacturer. And apparently from console to console within a brand. On our pearl expert there is a tap to sync soft key. I like the feature since I'm usually running lights for a one off show. It lets me easily vary the speed of a chase to match any given song.

 

[DuckJordan]

I've got to say when busking a first time concert a tap to sync button would work extremely well for even flashes for pars. But its for a different segment of the industry that isn't really catered by the Eos family.

 

[rm2011]

I've got to say when busking a first time concert a tap to sync button would work extremely well for even flashes for pars. But its for a different segment of the industry that isn't really catered by the Eos family.

I agree. If you want a console designed for such things you'll want to look at brands such as Avolites. I find them pretty dreadful for traditional theatre stack usage, but I can easily see how they'd work well for a 'rock and roll' type setting.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

[HansH]

In short - you aren't missing anything. There is not a tap sync feature on the Eos Family consoles at this time.

As posted over on the ETC Forums (I had a feeling it was coming at some point, but didn't know for sure), Tap Rate is on the list, and will be in a software release some time soon after 2.1.

See this ETC Forum post for more information: Tap Sync on an effect - Electronic Theatre Controls

 

[lghtingguy]

Is there a way to "tap sync" the rate of an effect on an Ion? or the ability to set a rate by BPM?

If you have the track and can calculate the BPM :

Set all your steps to 1 sec

Take you BPM and do the following (BPM/60)*100 = that will give you a rate. So if you drop your effect into a sub or whatever - apply that rate and you'll be synced up.

 

[TJCornish]

If you have the track and can calculate the BPM :

Set all your steps to 1 sec

Take you BPM and do the following (BPM/60)*100 = that will give you a rate. So if you drop your effect into a sub or whatever - apply that rate and you'll be synced up.

That's a little optimistic. This will only work for recorded music or live music with a click track, and only if you start your cue on the beat. Might work some of the time, but is not a replacement for tap sync. My SmartFadeML has tap sync by the way - I'm surprised it's not on the big stuff.

 

[sk8rsdad]

My SmartFadeML has tap sync by the way - I'm surprised it's not on the big stuff.

Blizzard Pucks have an audio mode but I am not at all surprised to find that feature missing from a Source Four LED. Different market. Different feature set.

 

[SteveB]

I had a tap sync on a Leprecon and it was a nice feature.

The easiest workaround I find on Ion is to have the effect on a Sub, set sub as an Effect Sub with the fader set to proportional.

Then in the the effect set the entry to Immediate and Fade by Rate.

The sub fader is now a rate control.

Alternately you can set the fader for intensity then write a macro that populates the encoder wheels with rate and size for that effect. I have this on my X-Keys and it's very useful. If you have touch screens and version 2.0, a Magic Sheet with a couple of macro buttons will gain you quick access to the rate/size of the assorted effects you might be needing to run.

Still, I look for ward to this feature on Ion.

 

[TJCornish]

Blizzard Pucks have an audio mode but I am not at all surprised to find that feature missing from a Source Four LED. Different market. Different feature set.

So Eos guys never busk a concert? That seems a little far fetched.

 

[Footer]

So Eos guys never busk a concert? That seems a little far fetched.

....Can you do it on a EOS... yes, do you WANT to do it on an EOS, not if you can avoid it. All of the things this thread is talking about the GrandMA, Hog, Avo, and Chamsys consoles do as a matter of principle without the work arounds.

Now, the compairing the Blizzard pucks to the ETC LED line is a bit off. Personally, I hate all of those built in macro features and I would be kind of annoyed if ETC included them. Those features never really work right, I would rather have the control in the console.

 

[robmerow]

I can think of several times in which I've gotten stuck running a "theater" show on a "theater" console with "theater" fixtures and wished I would've had a tap function for a particular effect... Flash'n trash garage concerts are not the only time that synchronization is necessary for something that isn't tied into click tracks, midi, timebase, etc.

 

[lghtingguy]

That's a little optimistic.

Yes it is

This will only work for recorded music or live music with a click track,

Hence "If you have the track"

and only if you start your cue on the beat.

That is kinda your job

Might work some of the time,

Yes it does

but is not a replacement for tap sync.

Correct - it is not

My SmartFadeML has tap sync by the way -

Congrats

I'm surprised it's not on the big stuff.

You and me both.

Thank you for that most insightful rebuff of my attempt to help.

 

[tk2k]

Tap Sync also will probably only work on Chases like on Congo. For some unkonwn reason you can't tap sync dynamic effects on Congo like you can on a Hog.