i-Cue and ETC Element

[almac]

Hello,

Was hoping someone could help me out:

I purchased a Rosco i-cue and a motorized iris for my ETC Series II. I returned the i-cue a few weeks later, as it was not tilting properly. It would jerk wildly.

Now I have a new i-cue, with the dmx motorized iris, all patched into my ETC Element in three parts. First part: Series II; Second Part: i-cue 8-bit; Third Part: DMX iris.

The iris moves very smoothly, and the i-cue tilts extremely well, both up and downstage. However, the pan does not function properly. I move it one degree, either using the virtual fader on the ML control on the Element or my mouse scroll button, and it moves 30 feet across the stage. I move it another degree and it is pointed up into the grid, another degree, and back down on the stage.

I have tried the following:

-changed both i-cue and Elmenet to 16-bit; no luck
-changed both i-cue and Element to 8-bit; worse luck
-changed i-cue to 8-bit and board to 16-bit; I can now tilt, but same wild panning of mirror
-reset i-cue
-terminated i-cue and motorized iris with a 4-pin terminator in the iris
-swapped the pan/tilt on the patch on the Element board
-enabled/disabled the pan and the tilt on the Element board

I also called the ETC Tech Line and they said this was a common problem, and they had no fix.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

almac

 

[BobHealey]

Set the I-cue to 8 bit mode, and patch it as sequential dimmers, preferably on channels with physical faders. Try and get it to be the only 4 pin device on its PSU for the moment. Using the faders for pan/tilt, see how it behaves. I'm suspecting fixture profile problem, so I want to eliminate that, and just pretend its a pile of sequential dimmers for the moment.

 

[RonHebbard]

Set the I-cue to 8 bit mode, and patch it as sequential dimmers, preferably on channels with physical faders. Try and get it to be the only 4 pin device on its PSU for the moment. Using the faders for pan/tilt, see how it behaves. I'm suspecting fixture profile problem, so I want to eliminate that, and just pretend its a pile of sequential dimmers for the moment.

Good on you Bob!
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.

 

[Scarrgo]

I have 4 of them on my FOH catwalk (no Iris, can dream tho) and I like them a lot,

I run mine 16 bit(better IMHO), and I use a track ball over a mouse, not a touch pad

It takes some real patience as yes it will jump across the stage in a blink of an eye...so, no Mt Dew/coffee before focus...but with practice it does get better....build focus pallets...

I also use Touch OSC on my iPad to focus them and it makes a big difference...

Hope this helps

If you have any other questions, please ask

Sean...

 

[NickVon]

sounds like something wonky in the profile. I have 2 that we use in my space both set in 16b mode and also using an element. Keep in mind there is more "distance to Pan" then there is in "tilt" at both the min and max. So a 2 dmx change to Pan moves the mirror less in Tilt. I think bob has a good idea. If you can't get it to move smoothly on 4/2 channel faders, by making it a dummy fixture with out a profile. There may be something else screwy going on.

 

[almac]

Thanks for the replies so far!

To patch the i-cue manually into the board: would I go [patch] Channel 70@Address 431 [pan]; Channel 71@Address 432 [tilt]; then use the manual faders on the Element board to pan and tilt?

Also, I found a work-around. If I right-click and hold directly on to the white mid-line on the ML Control virtual fader for panning the i-cue, it slowly pans across the stage, thus allowing me to pan properly [see pic below.] I did note that the degree of the pan remains unchanged.

Thanks again, everyone.

 

[seanandkate]

To patch the i-cue manually into the board: would I go [patch] Channel 70@Address 431 [pan]; Channel 71@Address 432 [tilt]; then use the manual faders on the Element board to pan and tilt?

Correct. Just make sure your IQ is set for 8 bit.