How to speed up strobe

[Massey28694]

Hey all! Just installed some generic(?) PARs (they are actually U’King branded). Running them off an Element 2 board. Found a profile that seemed to match perfectly and they seem to be working fine,with one exception. The strobe rate is too slow. Is there a way to increase the strobe rate, maybe by editing the profile? Thanks in advance for the assistance!

 

[StradivariusBone]

Are you strobing via the console (running a command on the Element to do a strobe effect) or by using a macro on the fixture? In my experience, especially with the more generic flavored LEDs they tend to do better strobing with the built-in effects vs. running an effect via the console. I don't know it for sure, but I'd suspect that the DMX refresh rate is somewhat too slow to get a good quick strobe? It does run at 40 cycles a second, but I don't know how fast the fastest strobes go.

 

[Massey28694]

The strobe effect has a channel in the profile. Once I pull up the fixture, I attempt to put the strobe at 100%, but if memory serves correctly, the number that actually shows up in the strobe box is 35(?). Was thinking maybe the profile or the fixture itself has a setting that might be changed. I may pull one down and try it standalone (off dmx) to see if it makes a difference. Appreciate your feedback.

 

[Nic]

The strobe effect has a channel in the profile. Once I pull up the fixture, I attempt to put the strobe at 100%, but if memory serves correctly, the number that actually shows up in the strobe box is 35(?). Was thinking maybe the profile or the fixture itself has a setting that might be changed. I may pull one down and try it standalone (off dmx) to see if it makes a difference. Appreciate your feedback.

I found the manual https://community.etcconnect.com/cf...5/USER-MANUAL-_2D00_-4-IN-1-LED-PAR-LIGHT.pdf
Which states that the strobe rate is on channel 2, in 8 channel mode...despite the manual calling it 9 channel mode elsewhere so that’s confusing. Anyhow, if you’re in that mode and outputting 100% on address 2, that’s presumably all you’re going to get unless the fixtures themselves are malfunctioning.
I guess I’d start with checking my profile against the manual.

 

[Lynnchesque]

So I think you're on the right track, it seems likely that the profile doesn't quite match the fixture. The profile seems to think 100% strobe is found at the dmx value of 35, whereas the fixture may find that at 255 (or somewhere else in the range).
The fixture's manual should have a section that describes the dmx channel control values. If not, you could patch a row of "dimmers" in the fixtures address range and just play around til you see what values give you what- then build the profile from there.

 

[Malabaristo]

The profile seems to think 100% strobe is found at the dmx value of 35, whereas the fixture may find that at 255 (or somewhere else in the range).

This isn't necessarily true depending on how the profile is written in the console. Typically you'll have the option of defining a display range that is proportional to the DMX value. We expect this for intensity channels where we want to see 0-100% instead of 0-255. For strobes the range may be 0-35Hz, but the console is actually outputting a DMX value of 255 when that parameter says "35".

Of course, it's still possible the console profile doesn't exactly match the fixture due to firmware changes, errors in the manual, or some such nonsense.

 

[Amiers]

I would say the fixture profile isn’t working as intended. Find an open bank of channels and set your dmx address to the corresponding channels run the faders and see if the strobe changes.

The strobe channel might have a profile set on that specific channel. Goto whatever channel it is in patch and see or you can type channel number and hit about and see that way too.

 

[Lynnchesque]

We expect this for intensity channels where we want to see 0-100% instead of 0-255. For strobes the range may be 0-35Hz, but the console is actually outputting a DMX value of 255 when that parameter says "35".

Good point. I suppose you could check the raw dmx output to see.

The strobe channel might have a profile set on that specific channel.

Aka a "dimmer curve" profile. That's a good one to forget about and get driven insane by.

 

[Benjamin Fink]

Another easy way to do this is to directly select the DMX address using the [Address|Patch] key. You can then modify the level directly (i.e. [Address|Patch] 2 @ FL. Once the Address is selected, you can also roll the level up or down using the level wheel, and move your selection up or down using the [Next] and [Last] keys.) The DMX profile in the document posted above looks like it's just strobe from slow to fast, but I've found that the manuals for generic lights sometimes are incorrect. I'm guessing that either your fixture or the fixture you're using the profile for may have some macros built into the strobe channel, so 1-35% is strobe slow to fast, and 36-100% may be different pulses or something.

Once you determine how the strobe channel for your fixture works, you can either find a more accurate profile built into the console, or modify the profile you're currently using. There's definitely a learning curve to building profiles, but once you've figured out how the profile builder works, it's a useful skill to have.

 

[Massey28694]

Resolved! Lot of things I don’t understand the logic behind, but I’m learning. The attributes for intensity and colors run 0 to 100%. Think I was sending strobe @ 100, assuming 100%. But in this profile, for strobe the range is 1 - 255. So I guess in essence I was actually telling them to strobe at 35%. Today I’m testing and maybe my fingers hit full instead of typing the level and lo and behold they started strobing high speed! Lesson learned, use the full key instead of 100.

I do appreciate everyone’s thoughts!