sclausenETC
Active Member
Ok, I wasn't going to jump into this, but I can't help myself.
First off, always save your shows. Always. For all the reasons mentioned here. Please.
Back to the original subject...
And a word about my console of choice most of the time, since it was called out by name - the Congo. Congo is a preset style console, specifically for Intensity. Preset is a console philosophy, like tracking. In a Preset system, basically, all values are recorded into each cue, instead of recording only the moving values. "Cue Only" is a recording term used on tracking consoles, just like "Track" is often a recording term used on both Tracking and Preset consoles. Preset consoles often offer "Track Editing" which is not the same as being a Tracking console, just like setting a Tracking console to "Cue Only" mode does not make it a Preset console. Whew...
As far as LTP parameters are concerned in Congo, you can choose how you prefer to have them recorded - preset style or tracking style. In my case, I prefer to have them record as tracking data, most of the time. You see, tracking and cue only are RECORDING concepts and they can greatly impact how you edit your show data later on. If you are working sequentially, then tracking makes perfect sense. If, however, you work in a non-sequential way, having to manage all those block cues can be just as annoying as having to make an edit across a number of record targets. Congo offers track editing for intensity and for moving light parameters, even though it's a preset console. Most preset consoles offer some kind of track editing to make those multi-cue edits easier, just as tracking consoles offer cue-only editing for those times where an edit is a one-off in the cue list.
In general, most folks aren't taught, nor do they inherently understand the difference between tracking and preset consoles, or why one is better for some things than others. They each have their place, and each have strengths and weaknesses. And, if you have moved from one console type to another without really understanding why they're different, you probably thought "this console just doesn't think the way I do" and you swore never to use one again. Or if you have had to use one in a situation where the other would have been the better choice, you probably said the same thing.
The best thing to do is to learn how your console wants to work - what its core philosophy is (or if you are shopping, get to know that core philosophy of all the consoles you are looking at). That way, you'll have a better idea if the way you work is in fact the same as the way the console works. I grew up on Expression consoles - so, even though I know how tracking consoles work, they very often drive me nuts - unless I'm working on an event that really benefits from track editing. Even though you say the console thinks the way you do, I offer that it's often the other way around. Whatever you learned on, or whichever console you grew to love, that's what determines your method of working. There is value in understanding all philosophies.
(FYI, I use Congo's preset nature to the Nth degree - I often re-use my presets within the same cue list, so track editing in that case can actually cause me real problems due to context. Your mileage may vary.)
This is my $0.02, and its a subject that I take to heart as a console developer. Thanks for listening...
Sarah
First off, always save your shows. Always. For all the reasons mentioned here. Please.
Back to the original subject...
And a word about my console of choice most of the time, since it was called out by name - the Congo. Congo is a preset style console, specifically for Intensity. Preset is a console philosophy, like tracking. In a Preset system, basically, all values are recorded into each cue, instead of recording only the moving values. "Cue Only" is a recording term used on tracking consoles, just like "Track" is often a recording term used on both Tracking and Preset consoles. Preset consoles often offer "Track Editing" which is not the same as being a Tracking console, just like setting a Tracking console to "Cue Only" mode does not make it a Preset console. Whew...
As far as LTP parameters are concerned in Congo, you can choose how you prefer to have them recorded - preset style or tracking style. In my case, I prefer to have them record as tracking data, most of the time. You see, tracking and cue only are RECORDING concepts and they can greatly impact how you edit your show data later on. If you are working sequentially, then tracking makes perfect sense. If, however, you work in a non-sequential way, having to manage all those block cues can be just as annoying as having to make an edit across a number of record targets. Congo offers track editing for intensity and for moving light parameters, even though it's a preset console. Most preset consoles offer some kind of track editing to make those multi-cue edits easier, just as tracking consoles offer cue-only editing for those times where an edit is a one-off in the cue list.
In general, most folks aren't taught, nor do they inherently understand the difference between tracking and preset consoles, or why one is better for some things than others. They each have their place, and each have strengths and weaknesses. And, if you have moved from one console type to another without really understanding why they're different, you probably thought "this console just doesn't think the way I do" and you swore never to use one again. Or if you have had to use one in a situation where the other would have been the better choice, you probably said the same thing.
The best thing to do is to learn how your console wants to work - what its core philosophy is (or if you are shopping, get to know that core philosophy of all the consoles you are looking at). That way, you'll have a better idea if the way you work is in fact the same as the way the console works. I grew up on Expression consoles - so, even though I know how tracking consoles work, they very often drive me nuts - unless I'm working on an event that really benefits from track editing. Even though you say the console thinks the way you do, I offer that it's often the other way around. Whatever you learned on, or whichever console you grew to love, that's what determines your method of working. There is value in understanding all philosophies.
(FYI, I use Congo's preset nature to the Nth degree - I often re-use my presets within the same cue list, so track editing in that case can actually cause me real problems due to context. Your mileage may vary.)
This is my $0.02, and its a subject that I take to heart as a console developer. Thanks for listening...
Sarah