Control/Dimming Newbie Q: What are the main programming differences b/w Control Consoles?

[chamberlinj]

Hey, I'm enrolling at Beloit College (about an hour outside Chicago) this coming semester (they have a Congo Jr. and an Expression 3) and I've been asked what boards I have experience with.

I've worked primarily with the Express and an outdated Two-Cue switch (I think it may have been a Strand). I've done a tiny bit of work with an Element (and I'm getting a little more training over the Summer). I've also worked a bit with an Expression (I don't know what number).

However, with all those different boards I've begun to get very confused about how each of them get programmed, what the differences between a tracking and a preset board are, and which have similar syntax to which.

Help?

Thanks!
-Jon

 

[shiben]

The Congo Jr. Has a very specific programing language that is rather difficult to get to learn, in my opinion. Once you figure it out, its super easy to make things happen really fast. Never used an expression, but if you can figure out the Element you can also use an Eos and Ion board as well.

Differences: a 2 scene preset board has 2 banks of faders that correspond to channels, and you bring up each one to the level for the cue, then switch the scenes and repeat. The tracking style of board is a system that unless a channel is told to change, it will stay at whatever it is until it is told to change. I find this very annoying, but thats just me. Check out ETC's website for more details, they have a section on this.

 

[sk8rsdad]

Start with this helpful tutorial for an appreciation of the fundamental differences:

Bobblehead Fred Productions presents: Why Did My Console Do That?

 

[fredthe]

Start with this helpful tutorial for an appreciation of the fundamental differences:

Bobblehead Fred Productions presents: Why Did My Console Do That?

This is an excellent video! It also explains why tracking can be good.

I especially liked the part about 2 hands and a foot... been there, done that. Ages ago, running lighting for operas, 3 of us were usually running the house 32 channel autotransformer board (there were usually another 30-40 portable dimmers, run by others). This board had a large "grand master" lever in the center, that would move any channel levers that were locked to it. So, fade-ups at the beginning of scenes were accomplished by locking all the appropriate channels to the master, and then one person would bring up the master, while the other two unlocked the channels as they got to the appropriate level. Once you've done that, a modern tracking board is easy, and obvious.

 

[shiben]

This is an excellent video! It also explains why tracking can be good.

I especially liked the part about 2 hands and a foot... been there, done that. Ages ago, running lighting for operas, 3 of us were usually running the house 32 channel autotransformer board (there were usually another 30-40 portable dimmers, run by others). This board had a large "grand master" lever in the center, that would move any channel levers that were locked to it. So, fade-ups at the beginning of scenes were accomplished by locking all the appropriate channels to the master, and then one person would bring up the master, while the other two unlocked the channels as they got to the appropriate level. Once you've done that, a modern tracking board is easy, and obvious.

Yeah, I have never even seen a board like that in a museum much less used one.

 

[derekleffew]

... an outdated Two-Cue switch (I think it may have been a Strand). ...

Do you mean two-scene preset? Mantrix?

Yeah, I have never even seen a board like that in a museum much less used one.

Tivoli Theatre Tour Stage

Visit the Tivoli Theatre in Downers Grove, IL, to see probably the finest working installation of one of these types of control systems.


In the olden days, resistance and autotransformer boards were known as "manual" or "direct-control" boards, to differentiate from "remote control" SCR systems. As fredthe said, the concept of tracking or "move-fade" grew out of direct-control boards (Light Palette/Obsession/EOS), whereas "state" consoles evolved from preset boards (Expression/Congo). Hence, no [Release] key on EOS-family consoles.
chamberlinj, see also the Valentino/Clausen white paper on console philosophy: WhitePaper.pdf , as well as the glossary entries Cue Tracking, cue-only, and preset-style.

 

[mstaylor]

Although difficult at times, autotransformer dimmers were fun to run. It kept you in shape.

 

[CSCTech]

Generally you will just need to look at the board and its buttons to learn its syntax commands.

Like on our current boards some control buttons are-
[+/>]
[Dimmer]
[@]

I am not sure the best way to explain how I think, but I like to think of it of not just a button command but a sentance and writing a sentance on the display.
So for the commands listed above putting dimmers 5 thru 10 and 15 on channel 3 would go like this-

[Dimmer] - [5] - [+/>] - [+/>] - [10] - [+/>] - [15] - [@] - [3]
(Pressing '[+/>]' twice makes the command Thru (>), and once makes the command And (+))

So thinking like a sentance would be like-
Dimmers 5 to 10 and 15 on channel 15. As on this console you can't control the level of actual dimmers on the keypad, only channels.

But you will not be using this board, your best bet is probably reading the manuals of the boards you will be using, or you could always do what I mentioned with making a sentance that makes sence. And with other console they actually have, some of them, buttons specificly for [Channel] or [Thru] etc. So the same command on an Express would be-

[Dimmer] [5] [Thru] [10] [And] [15] [At] [Channel] [3]

Sorry if I got some of the button text incorrect. And if the command that makes most sence doesn't work, simply try another one that is similar. This is of course if you are taking some sort of test and do not have access to a manual.
Always read the manual, and you will be good : )

 

[CSCTech]

Tivoli Theatre Tour Stage

Visit the Tivoli Theatre in Downers Grove, IL, to see probably the finest working installation of one of these types of control systems.


In the olden days, resistance and autotransformer boards were known as "manual" or "direct-control" boards, to differentiate from "remote control" SCR systems. As fredthe said, the concept of tracking or "move-fade" grew out of direct-control boards (Light Palette/Obsession/EOS), whereas "state" consoles evolved from preset boards (Expression/Congo). Hence, no [Release] key on EOS-family consoles.
chamberlinj, see also the Valentino/Clausen white paper on console philosophy: ControlBooth , as well as the glossary entries Cue Tracking, cue-only, and preset-style.

Wow 0_0
Looks like you would be operating some kind of cruise liner or something xD

Would be very ammusing to be able to run a show with one of those. You mention it is working, is it powering any fixtures on a stage?

 

[ptero]

Awesome panel. Yes, it appears to be in current use. And in phenomenal shape. I love the monitor for Q sheets and such. Specs are available if you take a look at the Tivoli website noted. There's a tech package with details.

In grad school I ran a 54 dimmer autotransformer setup. Two of us would sit on stools between the faces of the 'front board' and the 'back board'. That freed up legs and feet for dimming assistance, plus there was the occasional string in the mouth for that lonely one going in the other direction from the Masters. Fun times.

The early memory console days were a step backwards in precise control. They did not have multi-part timing (at least the Compact 200-MMS did not). You could not duplicate what trained ops could run, with very specific mvmts/timings spread across 8 control outputs (arms and legs!). These days, I use many-parted Qs a LOT. Esp for a simple 'lights up' at the start of an act.