Control/Dimming ETC EOS - Intensity Levels Controlled by Sub

Brentgi

Active Member
We just purchased an ETC Element. We are very pleased with this board. I've gotten pretty familiar with it, but I am having an issue of sorts that I could use some help with.

The reason that we chose the Element is because our setup is pretty basic. Lots of Source Fours, a bunch of wash LEDs, and a set of ColorCommands.

With our previous board (Expression 24/48), we had all the color fixtures patched together (respectively) and controlled each aspect of our color fixtures separately. For the LEDs it was RGB, for the ColorCommands it was ICMYF. Because of this our lighting op was able to increase the intensity of the ColorCommands (usually during a high part of the song) without changing any other parameters using the channel fader.

However, with the Element, we have loaded profiles into the console for each of our fixtures and have all the channels separated. We switched over to using sub group faders instead of channel faders. I have recorded all of my ColorCommands at full intensity to a sub fader. However, when the submaster is activated, it not only changes the non-intensity values of the ColorCommands, but also those of the LED fixtures. (I can live with it changing the values of the ColorCommand, but not the LEDs)

I know I can make an intensity only sub, but I'm not a huge fan of having to mark levels every time I want to use the fader, specifically on the fly. What I would like to do is to record only a certain set of channels to the fader and I cannot figure out how. I've tried the following command with no success: Group 7 Record Sub 38

Any help is appreciated!

Thanks!

Brent
 
This is a common learning bump moving to a more powerful console.
  1. Think separately about Intensity and Color. (any type) A fixture always has a color setting, if nothing else it has a Home of white. Just as a fixture always has an intensity even if it's zero. Sometimes changing that home color to black is helpful. Yes black is a color in lighting. R=0 G=0 B=0 I=100 is very dark.
  2. There are 2 types of merging of information from cues, subs and whatever. HTP is when the highest level becomes the final one. In LTP the last to move wins. Color is always an LTP merge.
  3. Zero and Blank are radically different. When you record something the default is to capture everything that is not at Home values. A zero somewhere means be at zero. A blank means that there isn't something recorded there so something else can take control. You can blank out any value including a zero with the @-Enter key combination. (Chan 5-8 Color @ Enter, Record Sub 5 Enter) Editing in Blind takes longer but is easier to understand.
  4. LEDs make colors by adding all the colors to white. The ColorCommand subtract colors from white to make black. I know that's basic but it's critical.
All this starts interacting in complex ways. So here are my recommended solutions:
  • For any group of LEDs, set one Sub with Intensity and make sure you don't have any color information in it. You can Filter in recording or delete the Color stuff later.
  • When you record color Subs don't include Intensity.
  • Enable HS Fades in Setup - and if you are on software 2.3 read up on Color Paths.
  • For real time color mixing like you had on the Express, set up Subs that only have one color on them and therefore one for each color. (RGB for LEDs, CMY for ColorCommands) Make a new LED fixture profile with black as the home color.
  • Update to V2.3 if you haven't already. They did a big change in color and there's no point in learning the old quirks. BTW v2.3.2 is due any day/week.
And of course read up in the manual and watch the videos. I'm a big fan of the "Tea Break Tutorials" that you can get from etcconnect.com They let you work on one feature at a time, in your tea or coffee breaks.

Lastly, ask more questions. I sure don't know it all and I'm pretty sure you won't either. That's why we're here!
 
Zero and Blank are radically different. When you record something the default is to capture everything that is not at Home values. A zero somewhere means be at zero. A blank means that there isn't something recorded there so something else can take control. You can blank out any value including a zero with the @-Enter key combination. (Chan 5-8 Color @ Enter, Record Sub 5 Enter) Editing in Blind takes longer but is easier to understand.

Thanks for the reply. Makes a lot of sense. However, I am not able to clear the color values. when using the @-Enter key combo, it sets the intensity to blank, but the colors to zero. Perhaps I am missing something. I even tried Chan 5 Color @ Enter. No dice.

As for the advice you've given: The console was shipped with 2.3. And I will look into Color Paths, and make sure to watch the Tea Break Tutorials.

Thanks!
 
if you want to modify an existing sub
display a "ML Controls" tab
go blind
subxx (enter)
select the color tab (or any attribute)
@ enter

i am likely going about this backward but i usually record a sub with full attributes then come back and @ enter out what i do not want. I have only had the element a few months so there may be a better way.
 
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While in blind sub, you can also make null using Shift and NP keys. Clears out stuff you don't need in the sub.
 

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