Moving light help please

[Edwin Ureta]

Our theater has an ETC light board and we have 2 moving light instruments (GLP Impression Spot One). One of these instruments is completely non responsive to anything the board tells it to do, and the second will move change gobos etc. but NOT focus or zoom.

I am trying to discern if we programmed something in the board which is limiting their actions, or if I need to actually check on the equipment (this requires getting genie lift permission from our school district so saving that for last due to the hassle)

Any help on what I should be doing to address this problem and getting these instruments fully operational would be appreciated.

 

[ScottS]

It is possible that you have the modes mixed up. Looks like there is a 24, 20, and 31 channel mode on the fixture. The board needs to be programmed to the same mode that is set on the fixture. It is also possible that you have the board set to a different starting address than the fixture is set to.

 

[TNasty]

Not to come off harshly to a new member, but RTFM. It seems that this isn't a new/problematic issue, but one that you uncovered yourself (please correct me if I'm wrong, what I'm saying is it sounds like you've got these laying around and you want to hook them up). Whenever I come across equipment and it's acting up from the start, I always pull out my phone or laptop and do my research on it, and go through as though I'm setting it up out of the box (minus the box and attaching accessories parts).

Having been in a somewhat similar scenario myself, I can tell you that if these are "new" fixtures, there is a good chance that there's something broken in them, and that it wouldn't hurt to just give everything on the inside a good once over (make sure everything's connected firmly, and that there's no chips or caps that clearly had enough of life).

You wouldn't happen to be on an ETC Express, would you? If you are, have fun using those movers. I'll be messing around with my old Express next week, creating all the focus points and what-not.

 

[Edwin Ureta]

It is an ETC Element. We read the user manual for these instruments and the manual for the board before posting to control booth. The instruments and board have been set up and working fine for 2 years without problem. This is a new development and since it's an educational setting many people have access to the board and therefore I cannot retrace my steps to see what was changed in the programming since someone else may have altered the settings.

 

[sk8rsdad]

Since it's an Element, have you tried reloading a show file from when things were last known to be working and seeing if you get control back? If so, then merge the patch for those fixtures into your current show.

 

[Edwin Ureta]

I have already tried reloading another show that was working before but when I reloaded it, the instruments were still unresponsive and not working correctly. Merging shows didn't seem to do anything either.

 

[JChenault]

So it sounds like your real questions is "Are there some methods you could suggest to figure out if the fixtures are working, and if so what personalities / addresses are they"

Personalities are great, but what you are really doing is sending dmx channels to the fixture. IF you just bring up the DMX channels with a manual in front of you - you can figure out what is happening.


What I would probably do is:
( assumption - you are on a single universe. If not see notes below)

1 - look at the patch for the fixture that is doing anything. See what address it is patched to. Start a new show with a one to one patch for 512 channels ( or 1024 if two universes)

2 - Start manipulation channels around the address of the gobo changing unit. Look at the manual for the unit and see if you can figure out what mode it is in, or if it is broken. IE if you find that setting a value on channel 87 makes the pan work, and 88 makes it the pan move just a tiny bit you know that the address of the unit is set to 87.
For the rest of this lets assume a start address of 87. You will adjust values appropriately.

Now try the DMX value 10 from the start. IE bring up channel 96. If the intensity comes up you are either in 24 channel or 20 channel. On the other hand if an offset of 13 *( channel 99) brings up the lamp you are in 31 channel mode.

If you are in 24 or 20 channel mode - bring up the intensity and adjust the DMX channel offset 24 ( channel 110) If the iris moves, you are in 24 channel mode.

Play with the other channel values and you can see if the fixture is working or not.

For the fixture that is doing nothing - try some brute force. Take channels 1 to 255 up and down. Anything happen? If so try 1-128. Nothing? try 129 to 255. IE do a binary search of the address space to see what is going on. If you don't get anything anywhere - the unit is probably not working at all. It you do get it to wiggle, figure out the address and mode that the fixture is set to.

If the fixtures are working patch the fixtures into the address / mode you have figured out ( and write down the address / mode of the fixtures). If nothing is making them wiggle ( and you are sure you are sending out DMX. IE the dimmers for conventional units did come on and off when you were searching for the non working unit - right?) Then you need to get them in for repair.

Make sense?

 

[gafftaper]

I have a few suggestions for the fixture that isn't working. First, set the dmx address to match the one that is working. Does it work now? If yes you know the fixture is fine and the problem is patch, power, or data feed. So now isolate those. Plug the dead fixture into a know good source of power and dmx and test again. Now you know why it doesn't work.

 

[ChrisB_SanDiego]

There could be any number of issues including an overlapping patch, or at worst, another controller on the system preventing you from having control. I would start with plugging 1 fixture into a known good power source near the console, then going directly from the console to the mover (with a known good cable) and nothing else on the line and see if you can actually talk to the fixture. Then you will know if its the fixture having an issue or something else. That is where I would start.

Honestly every now and again I used to have an issue where a couple of my movers (Clay Paky HPE 300) just stopped communicating with the board (ETC ION) and I would have to un-patch and patch the fixtures again, which would solve the issue for a month or so, eos update 2.6 seems to have fixed this for me. So it's also worth checking that you have the latest update installed.

Good luck.

 

[egilson1]

Is the DMX line terminated? if not do so and see if that fixes it. The thing about DMX is it might work fine, until it doesn't. You can also try running a new DMX cable directly fromt he console to the unit not responding and see if they changes anything.

Key to problem solving is eliminating variables.

Ethan