Automated Fixtures Moving Head FX on ETC Express

[techno89]

Hi Everyone!

I just rented some moving heads for my schools dance show. I need them to do some pan/tilt effects. (I can take care of the other stuff, colors, gobos, etc). I know very well how to program the express and I already have the personality patched. I want to be able to make them just go all over the place but these fixtures don't have macros I'm not sure what to do.

Any Ideas?

Thanks,
Scott

 

[chausman]

I don't know specificaly, but there is some information on using Moving Heads on an Express in Mover Cues on Express 48/96. Good Luck!

 

[skienblack]

If you want to replicate a macro you can either program an "effect" on the board or create a series of cues that autofollow. Both will provide you the same visual result and going with the cues and autofollows is substantially easier if you don't want to replicate the effect later in the show. To do that just program a series of cues where the instrument moves/changes in each subsequent cue of your effect.

 

[disc2slick]

Since the Express doesn't have any kind of FX generator with pre-built effects you're best bet to record a series of Effect submasters or Cues, which the manual gives a fairly good explanation of how to achieve. If you put them on a submaster it is easy to access each effect by just hitting the bump button, which will engage it until you hit the bump again. Useful if you are busking a show, without pre-recorded cues. If you are doing something with a set cuelist building the effects cues may be your best option.

Alternately in a fast-and-dirty kind of way you can record your pan and tilt channels to submasters themselves and just wiggle the sliders around to make the lights move all willy-nilly. It's certainly not the most precise way of doing it, but is an option.

Also, if this is your first time doing MLs on the express read up on Focus Points and Groups, huge time savers if you are going to be trying to put your lights back into the same position a couple times.

I seem to recall a long thread not too long ago about programming MLs on either the Express or Expression, probably worth digging up.

-Dan

 

[techno89]

I have been searching the board. No luck. My problem with the effect cues is that it didn't really seem to work. If I set the other stuff on a sub and put pan and tilt on the effect. It really didnt work too well.

 

[disc2slick]

Hm, I'd say double check that your pan and tilt are not recorded at a level in the submaster which would make things run a little funky. It might help to set the pan and tilt channels to be LatestTakes Precedence (LTP) as to Highest Takes Precedence (LTP) in the channel attributes section of the set up menu. How are you recording your effect cue? I would start simple with only 2 or 3 steps just to get the syntax down and then build out. Also if you look at the Cue in blind it will give you sort of a layout of how the cue is built, which is helpful when trouble shooting it.

I have been searching the board. No luck. My problem with the effect cues is that it didn't really seem to work. If I set the other stuff on a sub and put pan and tilt on the effect. It really didnt work too well.

 

[techno89]

Yeah, I always edit my effects in blind. I took the pan/tilt out. So maybe I setup my effects wrong. You would suggest having one step at say 40 than the next at 10 than maybe 9, etc, etc separate for pan and tilt?

 

[disc2slick]

Yeah, I would say start with just a few steps, maybe panning from 25 to 50, with a fairly slow time on it so you can see it working with no colors or anything then add in variables as you figure out each step of the process. Just out of curiosity what kind of fixtures are you working with? Have you had any problems controlling the pan and tilt when not in an effect?

-Dan

Yeah, I always edit my effects in blind. I took the pan/tilt out. So maybe I setup my effects wrong. You would suggest having one step at say 40 than the next at 10 than maybe 9, etc, etc separate for pan and tilt?

 

[lightingguy1]

I completely agree with the Repsonse above, but..........




WHY WOULD YOU USE FXs???????


There is a better way.


It's called a subrountine!

 

[techno89]

Nope I've had no problems. Its branded for the rental shop I got it from. Looks like a rebranded MAC something. Its got 2 color wheels, 2 gobo wheels, gobo shake, storbe, prism, all that good stuff.

 

[techno89]

Just letting you guys know I am still open to any and all suggestions

 

[chausman]

Ooh, what about renting a board more capable of using Movers! Then you don't have to worry about any of the express(ion) moving head capabilities! (Or Lack Thereof) Not the cheapest solution, but possibly to easiest and most precise.

 

[techno89]

Ooh, what about renting a board more capable of using Movers! Then you don't have to worry about any of the express(ion) moving head capabilities! (Or Lack Thereof) Not the cheapest solution, but possibly to easiest and most precise.

I Would love to! But we are out of money at this point. I paid for half of our moving light rentals out of pocket. only 50 bucks but whatever.

 

[xander]

1. The OP stated that he already patched them using the fixture patch. This takes care of channel precedence for you. You cannot change an individual channel of a fixture to LTP without editing the personality. And if you got the personality from ETC I don't see why you would want to, it should all be correct.

2. Like was stated, SUBROUTINE. Read up on them in the manual. It will make your life so much easier. And if you need the subroutine to run while you still execute other cues, use a macro to trigger it in the second fader pair.

There are plenth of threads on here about fx and subroutines on Express(ion). I would read them and the manual/guide provided by ETC on their website. Then come back here with specific questions.

-Tim

 

[JRLighting]

1. The OP stated that he already patched them using the fixture patch. This takes care of channel precedence for you. You cannot change an individual channel of a fixture to LTP without editing the personality. And if you got the personality from ETC I don't see why you would want to, it should all be correct.

2. Like was stated, SUBROUTINE. Read up on them in the manual. It will make your life so much easier. And if you need the subroutine to run while you still execute other cues, use a macro to trigger it in the second fader pair.

There are plenth of threads on here about fx and subroutines on Express(ion). I would read them and the manual/guide provided by ETC on their website. Then come back here with specific questions.

-Tim

This is definitely the correct answer. Trying to use the effects section with moving lights can be very tedious. However, if you only need to move the pan and tilt, an effect can be done. Remember to use the actual channel numbers of the pan/tilt to build the effect in blind.

One thing to think about when using effects and subroutines with moving lights is timing. If the time between steps is too short, the motors in the moving lights won't have time to actually finish their travel from point A to B. This is true for all parameters in a moving light. A good idea is to test the time it takes to go from your base look to your next look (or position) and make sure your effect/subroutine steps aren't shorter than that if you need to see the full range of motion. Of course, shortening the time a little can lead to some interesting looks as well.

 

[Grog12]

Take a look at this collabritive article Programming Moving Lights on an ETC Express(ion) - ControlBooth