Patching Questions

[Shawncfer]

So I have a regular ETC board, 96 channels, I dont know exactly what kind, but its pretty basic with 96 channels. So my question is, right now, its patched pretty crazy. And tomorrow Im going to rig up lights and repatch everything. But lets say when Im patching channel 40. And right now channel 40 has dimmers 30-35 in it. (Hypothetically speaking). Well If i want to keep dimmer 30 on channel 40, and remove dimmers 31-35 all together (because they dont have any lights attached lets say) then is there a way to remove them and just not patch them? I know on the bottom of the screen it says "8 REMOVE DIMMER" .... So If I hit DIM 31 THRU 35 and then "S8" for the remove dimmer button, will that just remove it until I patch it in later to another channel? Or would you just patch them to another channel thats not being used?

If I confused anybody and I can try to re-explain, or if you need anymore details let me know.

 

[J0rdster]

If you're referring to "REM DIM" as remove dimmer, that's not what it stands for, so hopefully that's not what you're doing. But to unpatch channels on an ETC console, you just patch them to Ch. 0. I believe the syntax for an ETC patch should look something like this:

31-35 ENTER 0 ENTER

 

[derekleffew]

Sounds like you have an Express of some flavor. See http://www.etcconnect.com/docs/docs_downloads/manuals/Express_Two-scene_Preset_v3.1_User_Manual.pdf, chapter 4, specifically page 39.

When you unpatch dimmers, they are assigned to channel zero. Channel
zero functions as a holding area in which you may store dimmers not
included in your patch. It is not an actual control channel.

Since you said "...right now, its patched pretty crazy. And tomorrow Im going to rig up lights and repatch everything.", it might be better to just delete all dimmers and start over, patching exactly what you need and only what you want.

 

[xander]

Yes, you can just unpatch them. You don't need to repatch them to anything if you don't want to. I find the easiest way is to type the dimmer number(s), hit enter, hit clear, hit enter. I just like it cause I don't have to reach up for a softkey. Simple, all in the keypad.

[#] [enter] [clear] [enter]

-Tim

 

[Javert]

It sounds like you have an Express board or something similar. If that is the case, then yes, what you describe as far as unpatching the channels will work - simply select your dimmers and use the appropriate softkey. They'll go away until you repatch them to a channel, with no harm or hassle caused.

Note that patching to an unused channel will also work with no problem, other than some minor clutter on your Patch display.

 

[Shawncfer]

I just like it cause I don't have to reach up for a softkey.

[#] [enter] [clear] [enter]

-Tim

Okay another stupid question since you brought that up. Whats a softkey?

 

[derekleffew]

Page 15 of the previously cited User Manual.

 

[icewolf08]

Okay another stupid question since you brought that up. Whats a softkey?

A softkey is a key whose function changes depending on what screen, menu or other function you have selected. So, on an Express(ion) style console the softkeys are labeled S1-S8 and correspond to the functions listed in grey boxes at the bottom of the display. note how changing screens or starting to type commands may change the functions of the softkeys. This is of course compared to a hardkey which would be a key that serves only the function for which it is labeled.