Control/Dimming "patch by channel" vs. "patch by address"
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Dimmer is one possible use of an address on the console and vice versa. This is because the console can use the DMX address to control a dimmer or any attribute on a device having them (Pan, Tilt on a mover, as example).
If you have a separate circuit to dimmer patch panel, then it's a separate patch and not dealt with at the console.
The Channel is the controlling function for the device at the console - dimmer or mover, scroller, etc.... Thus on the screen you bring up Channel 1 at Full, it may bring up any dimmer patched to that channel, or will allow manipulation of a device - moving the pan for a mover, etc... via the DMX addressing for that device.
EDIT: And as to the Patch by Address vs Channel, it's sometimes useful to be able to view the patch list by address and if then needed, to patch an address to a channel and/or to simply view an address. The Patch by Channel view is useful for when you are using a printed channel hookup to do a manual patch, so ETC gives it to you both ways.
If you have a separate circuit to dimmer patch panel, then it's a separate patch and not dealt with at the console.
The Channel is the controlling function for the device at the console - dimmer or mover, scroller, etc.... Thus on the screen you bring up Channel 1 at Full, it may bring up any dimmer patched to that channel, or will allow manipulation of a device - moving the pan for a mover, etc... via the DMX addressing for that device.
EDIT: And as to the Patch by Address vs Channel, it's sometimes useful to be able to view the patch list by address and if then needed, to patch an address to a channel and/or to simply view an address. The Patch by Channel view is useful for when you are using a printed channel hookup to do a manual patch, so ETC gives it to you both ways.
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lwinters630
Well-Known Member
as an example let's say you hang a 6 source 4's on your FOH these are cross lit and focused on down right, down center, and down left. So you plug them into conventional dimmer circuits (AKA adresses) 1and 50, 5 and 55, 8 and 62. I would like them to be controlled by my first 3 channels. So I would patch address 1 and 50 to channel 1, and so on.
When patching 8 led pars it is fast. Enter channels 301 thru 308 type (elation par zoom) starting address 2/1. Where the 2/ is your second universe. The ION will automatically assign addresses.
To your original question, you can "view" the patch list either way. I may want to see what channels are used or open. Or which addresses are used. Keep in mind (new school) an address is the conventional circuit or physical dimmer and the channel is "like" the physical handle that you put in a logical order.
If you want a physical handle on your fader wing, take channel 1 down right and record it as submaster 1 loaded on your fader wing.
When patching 8 led pars it is fast. Enter channels 301 thru 308 type (elation par zoom) starting address 2/1. Where the 2/ is your second universe. The ION will automatically assign addresses.
To your original question, you can "view" the patch list either way. I may want to see what channels are used or open. Or which addresses are used. Keep in mind (new school) an address is the conventional circuit or physical dimmer and the channel is "like" the physical handle that you put in a logical order.
If you want a physical handle on your fader wing, take channel 1 down right and record it as submaster 1 loaded on your fader wing.
Patching by channel usually means one less piece of paperwork to print out for me. The only time I used to use a dimmer hookup was when patching on an express, and with the ion it's just as easy to patch by channel. Also with multipart channels it's clearer when patching by channel than when patching by dimmer.
HiThere
Member
if all you are patching are single parameter devices then there is effectively no difference between patching by address and patching by channel it becomes personal preference as to witch is used
patch by address is how most older etc consoles worked and is fine when all you are patching are single parameter devices ie. dimmers
patch by channel is really needed when you move to patching multi-parameter fixtures: leds, movers etc.
patch by channel allows you to tell the console what the channel is then what its starting address is and from that it can work out what addresses it occupies
EOS software treats everything as a fixture, it calls them channels, but they are all fixtures
so when you are talking about patching by channel you are really talking about patching by fixture and that's the confusing part
patch by address is how most older etc consoles worked and is fine when all you are patching are single parameter devices ie. dimmers
patch by channel is really needed when you move to patching multi-parameter fixtures: leds, movers etc.
patch by channel allows you to tell the console what the channel is then what its starting address is and from that it can work out what addresses it occupies
EOS software treats everything as a fixture, it calls them channels, but they are all fixtures
so when you are talking about patching by channel you are really talking about patching by fixture and that's the confusing part
HiThere
Member
sorry my statement about needing patch by channel was incorrect in eos it comes down to personal preference as to weather you want to enter the starting address first or the channel number first you can achieve the same result
but why is a dimmer not a fixture
I have always known a fixture to be any device controlled by the console
a dimmer is a single parameter fixture
but why is a dimmer not a fixture
I have always known a fixture to be any device controlled by the console
a dimmer is a single parameter fixture
It's all in the terminology.
A "fixture" (in my world) is a term used to define a lighting fixture of some kind, conventional, moving, LED, whatever.
A dimmer would be used to power and vary the intensity of a conventional incandescent lighting fixture, but would not do the same for a moving light fixture, or LED fixture.
In the patch section of the Eos family, Dimmer is one of the labels you can enter into the Type column, as well as whatever other type of device you might be patching - scroller, LED, Mover, Haze machine, etc...
A "fixture" (in my world) is a term used to define a lighting fixture of some kind, conventional, moving, LED, whatever.
A dimmer would be used to power and vary the intensity of a conventional incandescent lighting fixture, but would not do the same for a moving light fixture, or LED fixture.
In the patch section of the Eos family, Dimmer is one of the labels you can enter into the Type column, as well as whatever other type of device you might be patching - scroller, LED, Mover, Haze machine, etc...
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