Stevens R. Miller
Well-Known Member
I'm in a theater with an unknown number of dimmers and an ETC Element (250-channel model). By patching channel 200 to addresses 210 through 505, I can get a specific light to light up. What I want to do is figure out which address in particular controls that specific light. I could use a kind of "Newton's method" and split the range in half, 210-358 and try again. If the light comes on, its dimmer is in that range. If not, it's in the range of 358-505. I could keep splitting and retrying, until I narrowed it down to one address. After eight such iterations, I'll have my answer.
But... patching and unpatching the Element is kind of tedious. Not out of the question, but tedious.
Anyone got a faster way to match a light to its dimmer number using the Element?
(Oh, I did write a simple computer program that does this. It lights up the whole universe, then you just click "On" or "Off" as the computer splits the addresses, to indicate if the light is on or off as of the last split. In eight clicks, you have your answer. But I can't use it because the Element uses a CAT-5 cable to talk to the dimmer rack, and my program works with a USB-to-DMX512 adapter
.)
But... patching and unpatching the Element is kind of tedious. Not out of the question, but tedious.
Anyone got a faster way to match a light to its dimmer number using the Element?
(Oh, I did write a simple computer program that does this. It lights up the whole universe, then you just click "On" or "Off" as the computer splits the addresses, to indicate if the light is on or off as of the last split. In eight clicks, you have your answer. But I can't use it because the Element uses a CAT-5 cable to talk to the dimmer rack, and my program works with a USB-to-DMX512 adapter
.)
.
