I-Cue, PATCHING PAN AND TILT

[NJLX]

what’s a start address? and what’s port 2 i’m sorry

Port 2 is where the DMX cable is plugged in on the back of the express - there's port 1(usually where the cable to the dimmers is plugged in) and port 2(usually where the cable to other devices, such as I-cues, in your case, would be plugged in). These are labelled.

Start address is the first address that is transmitted on that cable. Each cable can carry 512 addresses, so typically port 1 will be set to start at address 1, and port 2 will be set to start at address 513. The 2/1 that people are talking about is the same as address 513, just a different way of labeling it. 2/1 stands for Universe 2(or Port 2, in this case), Address 1. In larger systems this is an easier way to keep track of which cable connects to which port.

I would start at the I-Cue end:
Make sure the 4-pin cable is plugged into the I-Cue, then follow it back to the power supply. Make sure the power supply has power/is turned on(many of them have a status/power LED somewhere on them). Then follow the DMX cable(5-pin) from the power supply back to the express, and make sure it's plugged in.

If you can't find any indicator lights on the power supply, and your I-Cue is the type with small LED numbers and 3 buttons, press a button on the I-Cue and see if the numbers light up. (If I remember correctly, the dot at the lower right of the display lights up all the time when the I-Cue has power). If the I-Cue is the older version with numbered dials, it may have a red and/or green LED near the dials, but I don't remember for sure.


If all the cabling is plugged in correctly, also check the addresses on the I-Cues. As noted above, the first should be address 1, the second address 3, and the third address 5. These addresses correspond to 513, 515, 517 in the patch on your express, since they're likely plugged into Port 2. I agree with @seanandkate about what your patch screen should probably look like.

 

[nelhefnawy]

Okay this makes much more sense, I will check the power supply when I get to class tomorrow, and update you guys. thank you!!

 

[TimMc]

From my perch on the Roost of Curmudgeonly Observers:

I am perplexed as to what failure of instruction and/or education has led to a student not receiving this basic material before or congruent with the production of a show, and why a student found it necessary to come to Our Welcoming Shores.

The explanations and examples have been spot on and seem to be helping. When our student has it all come together I think we'll see the light come on.

 

[nelhefnawy]

Port 2 is where the DMX cable is plugged in on the back of the express - there's port 1(usually where the cable to the dimmers is plugged in) and port 2(usually where the cable to other devices, such as I-cues, in your case, would be plugged in). These are labelled.

Start address is the first address that is transmitted on that cable. Each cable can carry 512 addresses, so typically port 1 will be set to start at address 1, and port 2 will be set to start at address 513. The 2/1 that people are talking about is the same as address 513, just a different way of labeling it. 2/1 stands for Universe 2(or Port 2, in this case), Address 1. In larger systems this is an easier way to keep track of which cable connects to which port.

I would start at the I-Cue end:
Make sure the 4-pin cable is plugged into the I-Cue, then follow it back to the power supply. Make sure the power supply has power/is turned on(many of them have a status/power LED somewhere on them). Then follow the DMX cable(5-pin) from the power supply back to the express, and make sure it's plugged in.

If you can't find any indicator lights on the power supply, and your I-Cue is the type with small LED numbers and 3 buttons, press a button on the I-Cue and see if the numbers light up. (If I remember correctly, the dot at the lower right of the display lights up all the time when the I-Cue has power). If the I-Cue is the older version with numbered dials, it may have a red and/or green LED near the dials, but I don't remember for sure.


If all the cabling is plugged in correctly, also check the addresses on the I-Cues. As noted above, the first should be address 1, the second address 3, and the third address 5. These addresses correspond to 513, 515, 517 in the patch on your express, since they're likely plugged into Port 2. I agree with @seanandkate about what your patch screen should probably look like.

@seanandkate i’ve tried everything. our teacher doesn’t know anything im just a 17 year old highschool student who got thrown as lighting head for our musical sweeney todd because im the only one who knows about lighting (besides I-Cues of course which is the one thing im having problems with) im so frustrated because i NEED these for the show. just can’t get them to work. i dont know anything about I-Cues, so reading this is like almost a different language because I only know the basics, i wish i knew how to set up the I-Cues from the beginning. oh well, just so frustrated because i don’t have the right resources ( we have a new theater director and he’s terrible to say the least) but thank you everyone who tried to help.. it was much appreciated

 

[TimMc]

@seanandkate i’ve tried everything. our teacher doesn’t know anything im just a 17 year old highschool student who got thrown as lighting head for our musical sweeney todd because im the only one who knows about lighting (besides I-Cues of course which is the one thing im having problems with) im so frustrated because i NEED these for the show. just can’t get them to work. i dont know anything about I-Cues, so reading this is like almost a different language because I only know the basics, i wish i knew how to set up the I-Cues from the beginning. oh well, just so frustrated because i don’t have the right resources ( we have a new theater director and he’s terrible to say the least) but thank you everyone who tried to help.. it was much appreciated

Sorry to hear that theater is being taught by an unprepared instructor. You all deserve better.

I realize this is all very overwhelming, so one of the things you can do is modify your reaction to your fear and frustration. Easier said than done, for sure, but essential to dealing with the stress and internal conflicts that cause stress.

First don't be so hard on yourself. The earth will continue in orbit, the sun will continue to shine no matter what. Put your energy into the things you know you can do or improve upon.

Second, trouble shooting is a whole separate skill set and it does not come pre-installed at your birth (or mine, or anyone else's). Like manual skills, mastering the brain skill of troubleshooting comes with repetition and developing a process for logically eliminating possible failure points one by one.

Third, it's unfortunate that you've been left to founder with the flounder in this technical part of your theater education, but stick with this and you'll be a more savvy technician in the long run. At your level of experience and knowledge I'm not sure how to make better sense of The Things To Look For in ways that will be relatable for you.

As you are a student, I won't ask where you are, but if you can give a *general* idea of location perhaps there is someone from The Booth that could arrange a Zoom/Face Time meet up with the teacher and interested students to help suss out what the specific problem is and give some additional tech info that will help all, going forward. Part of the difficulty in our helping is that text forums don't have eyes - one of us might spot the non-blinking (or blinking) LED or mispatched cable that clues us into what foundational problem exists and is keeping you from moving forward with your design.

Good luck, break a photon!

 

[seanandkate]

if you can give a *general* idea of location

@TimMc Profile says Orlando. If anybody in Boothland has the time and interest and is closer than me here in Toronto...

 

[aeh20s]

From my perch on the Roost of Curmudgeonly Observers:

I am perplexed as to what failure of instruction and/or education has led to a student not receiving this basic material before or congruent with the production of a show, and why a student found it necessary to come to Our Welcoming Shores.

The explanations and examples have been spot on and seem to be helping. When our student has it all come together I think we'll see the light come on.

In my experience selling lighting consoles to and audio gear to high schools (and also my own high school experience 20 years ago) the majority of theater teachers don't know how to do tech stuff, especially lighting. Every couple of years a kid steps up and teaches themselves enough to get things functional, and then they graduate and then some other poor underclassmen has to rediscover how everything works. Worse is when I've gone to instruct and the teacher just hands me students instead of learning themselves,

 

[cbrandt]

Send us more pictures! Pictures of the IQ where the DMX address is, the power supply, how it is plugged in can go a very long way towards us helping you. We've all been the new person on the scene at one time or another, and we've all been frustrated to the point of crying at one point in our careers. We're here to help!

 

[nelhefnawy]

Send us more pictures! Pictures of the IQ where the DMX address is, the power supply, how it is plugged in can go a very long way towards us helping you. We've all been the new person on the scene at one time or another, and we've all been frustrated to the point of crying at one point in our careers. We're here to help!

I’m going to see if @seanandkate can help me out but I will do if we can’t figure it out!
thank you again everyone

 

[seanandkate]

Update: All's well that ends well. Found the issue.

Much texting back and forth, but as @cbrandt noted--it's all about the pictures...

Love me the simple fix. Now I think I'll go and talk someone through how to tie a tie over the phone...

Break legs Nehal!

 

[microstar]

So you're not going to tell us what the problem was??
Possible solutions from the picture....
Nothing plugged into the Input port
Nothing plugged into the last split
Input line to the splitter plugged into an output
No signal to the splitter
No power to the splitter

 

[seanandkate]

So you're not going to tell us what the problem was??
Possible solutions from the picture....
Nothing plugged into the Input port
Nothing plugged into the last split
Input line to the splitter plugged into an output
No signal to the splitter
No power to the splitter

Sorry, I thought it was the most obvious one based on what you could see in the picture: nothing plugged into the input port, therefore no signal to the splitter.

 

[macsound]

So you're not going to tell us what the problem was??
Possible solutions from the picture....
Nothing plugged into the Input port
Nothing plugged into the last split
Input line to the splitter plugged into an output
No signal to the splitter
No power to the splitter

My assumption was that one of those XLRs went through the birdsnest of cable and someone had clipped the other end in an attempt to untangle.

 

[seanandkate]

My assumption was that one of those XLRs went through the birdsnest of cable and someone had clipped the other end in an attempt to untangle.

LOL. Truth. At risk of lighting up our collective OCD, I give you the UNcropped shot...

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