Control/Dimming One thing I like about the ION

[lwinters630]

What is the one thing (or two) you like about the ION console? Tell us what function you like and how you use it. Maybe it is a trick, short cut, a set up or an effect, pallet or magic sheet (screen shots get bonus points).

The Goal is to spark ideas for the new and the old to try out. Sort of a real world tutorial. REMEMBER- only positive, helpful posts. NO bashing or complaining.

I'll Start (simple):

Color picker - I can just touch the screen, move it to where I want. I have even had a rental dance director just reach over and touch. They were impressed and after a few touches, they would say GOOD and I'd record the look. This made for fast programming without me guessing what shade of blue or pink they wanted.

 

[chawalang]

Not trying to stir the pot, wouldn't it be a good idea to welcome constructive criticism for possible improvement. I know there are reps from ETC lurking on this forum.

 

[lwinters630]

Not trying to stir the pot, wouldn't it be a good idea to welcome constructive criticism for possible improvement. I know there are reps from ETC lurking on this forum.

I feel that should be a different thread as my intent for this one should be something users can try now. That said, I think you have a good idea and would encourage you to start a different thread as an alternate place for those who wish to go that way or even if they "wish it would do (fill in the blank)...".

Thanks for you thoughts.

 

[Lydia]

I find the ease of integrating effects into cues or running them on the fly a vast improvement over previous ETC consoles. I have also found the flexibility of the merge shows functions to be a huge time saver in our roadhouse (My patch, their cues, my settings...).

 

[SteveB]

Multiple things and they all apply to Eos and Gio as well:

- Magic Sheets
- Touch Screens (if you use them)
- Merge
- Move in patch
- Copy to and Move To
- UNDO !

 

[Lydia]

Multiple things and they all apply to Eos and Gio as well:

- Magic Sheets
- Touch Screens (if you use them)
- Merge
- Move in patch
- Copy to and Move To
- UNDO !

The Magic Sheets are fantastic! I don't use subs for nearly as much, especially during the cue writing phases. The multiple lines of undo is also great, I have already been able to save myself reprogramming with it!

 

[sk8rsdad]

Discrete time -- greatly reduces the need for follow/hang and multiple cues.
{Fan} -- is huge time saver for producing looks and transitions. You can fan anything: intensity, time, scroller frame, ...
{Offset} -- like Fan except for channel selection cuts down on the number of groups you need to mix up effects. Combine with {Fan} to amaze your friends.

 

[rsmentele]

Undo would be the ultimate add on, but I suspect it would require a ram upgrade to support the holding of the information....

 

[sk8rsdad]

Undo would be the ultimate add on, but I suspect it would require a ram upgrade to support the holding of the information....

Um... the entire Eos family has an Undo button and the undo stack is quite long. Not every action is undoable, but most are.

 

[lwinters630]

The Magic Sheets are fantastic! I don't use subs for nearly as much, especially during the cue writing phases. The multiple lines of undo is also great, I have already been able to save myself reprogramming with it!

Can you give an example of your magic sheets, some of the items you put on them? Maybe a step by step of building a few cues using the Magic Sheet.

Thanks for posting.

 

[sk8rsdad]

For magic sheets, start here:
http://www.controlbooth.com/search/969347/?q=magic+sheets&o=relevance&c[node]=19
... this one is particularly useful
http://www.controlbooth.com/threads/etc-ion-magic-sheets.36244/

https://community.etcconnect.com/control_consoles/f/15/t/12208

 

[ScottT]

Pixel mapping: Makes dealing with many, many things much easier. It's a lot of fun to do with a big wall, but it's even more fun to use with 5 pieces of pixel tape - you can create many great effects. Elevator up, elevator down, hyperdrive, waves, "random" twinkles. I will sometimes use it as another effects engine.

 

[TheTheaterGeek]

Trace CueOnly. Is my favorite little trick. The color handling in 2.3 is definitely my favorite feature though.

 

[danTt]

"trace trace" is my most recent favorite find

 

[TheTheaterGeek]

"trace trace" is my most recent favorite find

Ooooooo what does that do?

 

[TheTheaterGeek]

Is that like super trace? Haha

 

[danTt]

Trace will track the value back to the source of the value, trace trace will track the value back until it encounters a block cue.

 

[SteveB]

Ooooooo what does that do?

Trace, Trace tracks the cha

Trace will track the value back to the source of the value, trace trace will track the value back until it encounters a block cue.

Or a change in value for that channel ?.

 

[Lydia]

Can you give an example of your magic sheets, some of the items you put on them? Maybe a step by step of building a few cues using the Magic Sheet.

Thanks for posting.

For my magic sheet I have each channel of my down washes (we have four colors) in a grid (with the backgrounds to match the respective color) on the top, the middle is the same but for my high sides (also in four colors) my bottom row has each of my front washes by light on the left, my cyc in the middle and all my common effects (cyc chase, O/S chase, etc.. on the right). Below each group of washes is label identifying the wash but it is also the group button for the entire wash. I also found that putting the intensities in the bottom left corner of each button saves me from flipping back to the channel screen. We have no movers so i just leave my encoders selected to custom so i click a channel and roll up the intensity. I mostly just use my specials for the on the fly stuff like podiums. We have five operators that share the console though and our magic sheets each vary widely. One guy finds it more useful to have just made it look like the plot. I find having everything color coded makes finding what I'm looking for super fast; no searching for the red downs sub, just go to the red button on the screen. I also programmed a few intensity palettes for my cyc stuff so that I don't do conventionals mixing on the fly, i have a button for yellow, magenta, baby pink, etc. I went back and added the regular colors now, so i just select all the cyc channels (i made a single group button for that) and the IP that I want. For the inevitable dance school recital month it is a huge time saver. I am a new Ion user though so there may be easier ways.

 

[ScottT]

I use a wide variety of magic sheets. I have my own "CIA" that I open above the CIA when working on an Eos Classic or Ti. It looks something like this:

If I'm using scrollers, those get color palettes (in string order) placed on this magic sheet. This is an old version, but in my newest iteration there's a system for navigation between other sheets.

Here's an example of one I made specifically for the show Kiss Me, Kate at Hartford Stage Company.

To the left of each object is another object that displays the previous move, to the right an object that displays the next move. I only did next move with scrollers though because of space constraints (Eos Classic).