4 lamp lighting bar - Multiple Fixtures?

a89917823426
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Jan 13, 2018 8:52 pm

4 lamp lighting bar - Multiple Fixtures?

Post by a89917823426 »

I'm playing with D-Pro to see whether it is worth upgrading from DMXIS.

Our main lights are 2 of these

https://prolight.co.uk/product/giga-bar-system

These are 16 DMX channels, the 1st 12 are RGB for each light, with then a master dimmer and a couple of other channels..

I want to see the beam from each lamp on the device browser.

Would I be best setting each bar up in D-Pro as 4 individual fixtures each just with RGB, and ignoring the extra channels?
Dave Brown [admin]
Posts: 2123
Joined: Sat Sep 15, 2012 4:53 pm
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 17 times

Re: 4 lamp lighting bar - Multiple Fixtures?

Post by Dave Brown [admin] »

Just patch the first 12 channels using 4x generic RGB fixtures, then create a new "control" fixture to cover the remaining 4 channels. You'll need control of the master dimmer at least.
Dave Brown - db audioware
Author of Show Buddy Setlist | Show Buddy Active | ArtNetMon
APT Tech
Posts: 68
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2016 4:37 pm

Re: 4 lamp lighting bar - Multiple Fixtures?

Post by APT Tech »

Looking at the manual, you can choose a 12-channel mode which is four RGB lights. There's also a 17-channel mode, but I don't see much benefit in using that. Channel 1 is all programs, channel 2 is just a master dimmer if you leave channel 1 off, and channel 3 is just flashing. Channels 16 and 17 do control the power outputs though, so if you need those - then you'd need to put a generic dimmer on 2 to turn it on; four RGB fixtures limited from 000-015 on channels 4-15; and on/offs for channels 16/17. No idea why they only give you 16 steps in that mode but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I guess it's fine for setting a level. It's going to make brightening/dimming look a bit weird without going back to channel 2 though.

If it were my rig, I'd set it to 12 channel mode and ignore the AC outputs, much simpler to program that way.
a89917823426
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Jan 13, 2018 8:52 pm

Re: 4 lamp lighting bar - Multiple Fixtures?

Post by a89917823426 »

Thanks!

I made a mistake. we actually have the mk 2 version which is here https://prolight.co.uk/product/gigabar- ... bar-system and the manual is here. http://www.prolight.co.uk/ftp-in/EQLED66_Manual.pdf. The problem is that I cannot see all 4 beams when I import this as a single unit into D-pro.

So, I've followed Dave's suggestion and added 4 generic RGB controllers for each gigabar, and a control device. Actually I don't need the control devices if I put the gigabar into 12 channel mode.

My only question now is, is there a way to create "intensity" palettes using RGB only, without a specific dimmer channel?
dpro.PNG
dpro.PNG (74.4 KiB) Viewed 9172 times
APT Tech
Posts: 68
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2016 4:37 pm

Re: 4 lamp lighting bar - Multiple Fixtures?

Post by APT Tech »

You could leave it in 16-channel mode but that would only allow you to dim the entire fixture, all 4 lights at once. If you want to dim individual lamps, the only way to do that is using discrete RGB values to set the dimmer where you want it - whether in 12-channel or 16-channel mode doesn't matter, since that version of the fixture does allow full 0-255 values in either mode.

Simple case, if you want Red light then setting Red to whatever value, will set the brightness. So you could set it to 25 for 10%, 63 for 25%, 127 for 50%, 255 for 100%.

If you want a specific color - let's say R255:G120:B190 for a pink-ish hue - then you'll want to use ratios of those to get the same color, but dimmer. With a generic RGB fixture you'll use the Color Chooser and drag directly downward to get that same color, but dimmer - e.g. here is full intensity (yellow arrow shows what I'm dragging):
Full Intensity
Full Intensity
Screen Shot 2018-01-15 at 10.16.25 PM.png (77.31 KiB) Viewed 9171 times
And here is dimmed to roughly 50%. Note that I just dragged the little circle downward, which adjusted the R/G/B sliders for me, to R128:G61:B96. You could also manually halve the values, e.g. R128:G60:B95 if you'd rather.
Half Intensity
Half Intensity
Screen Shot 2018-01-15 at 10.18.17 PM.png (72.94 KiB) Viewed 9171 times
If you're going to use Show Control you could set the fixture to full brightness (255 on at least one color) and then plug the resulting palette it into a dimmer sub-master for control.
a89917823426
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Jan 13, 2018 8:52 pm

Re: 4 lamp lighting bar - Multiple Fixtures?

Post by a89917823426 »

APT Tech wrote:If you're going to use Show Control you could set the fixture to full brightness (255 on at least one color) and then plug the resulting palette it into a dimmer sub-master for control.
Yes I'm using Show Control, but not directly, I am triggering it via MIDI. Here is what it looks like at the moment. I'm struggling with how best to do a "guitar solo" for example.
showcontrolCapture2.JPG
showcontrolCapture2.JPG (102.54 KiB) Viewed 9167 times
I have a cuelist set up -eg. AmberViolet, which has 2 cues that repeat during a song.
showcontrol3.JPG
showcontrol3.JPG (52.06 KiB) Viewed 9167 times
For the solos, I could create a static cue for each performer and each colour I want. That is a lot of cues.

My idea was to dim all the lights EXCEPT the ones on the soloist. That way I can use my existing cues, and cuelists, and the solo is just an Intensity change. I don't think this will work with my fixtures.

Is there a way of doing this using the Show Control faders?

Thanks :-)
APT Tech
Posts: 68
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2016 4:37 pm

Re: 4 lamp lighting bar - Multiple Fixtures?

Post by APT Tech »

You could move your palettes from the Buttons in Show Control over to the sub-master sliders on the right. That gives you control over them via a Fader, and via MIDI using Control Change (not Note On/Off), where you specify a Control Value between 0 and 127 which represents 0% to 100% brightness. So now you're just not turning them off & on like you do with Buttons, you're able to control their Fade.

So it'd look like this:
Sub-Masters
Sub-Masters
Screen Shot 2018-01-16 at 6.40.52 AM.png (20.38 KiB) Viewed 9166 times
That's after sending a MIDI Control Change, channel 1, control number 10, and control value (brightness) 63.
a89917823426
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Jan 13, 2018 8:52 pm

Re: 4 lamp lighting bar - Multiple Fixtures?

Post by a89917823426 »

Thanks. I'll take a look at moving to the faders.

Next problem!

For now, I've created dim background cues for my 9 main colours such as
"dimRed all fixtures"

I then want to overlay a Solo Cue for example "Guitar Blue" which will apply to just the guitar lights.

The problem is that it is additive, so I end up with purple not blue.

The only way round this I can think of is to break out "dimRed" to dimRed Singer, dimRed Guitar etc" so I can build up the background with all lights *except* Guitar in this instance. So another 50 cues.

devicepurple.PNG
devicepurple.PNG (61.08 KiB) Viewed 9159 times

Here is my Show Control.
showcontrolcap.PNG
showcontrolcap.PNG (48.97 KiB) Viewed 9159 times
APT Tech
Posts: 68
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2016 4:37 pm

Re: 4 lamp lighting bar - Multiple Fixtures?

Post by APT Tech »

Make a radio group for each light, if you want to avoid having additive cues.

Oh, never mind - you're adding a cue for one light, to a cue that affects several. Ummm.... snapshots maybe? p43 of the manual.
Dave Brown [admin]
Posts: 2123
Joined: Sat Sep 15, 2012 4:53 pm
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 17 times

Re: 4 lamp lighting bar - Multiple Fixtures?

Post by Dave Brown [admin] »

a89917823426 wrote:I then want to overlay a Solo Cue for example "Guitar Blue" which will apply to just the guitar lights.

The problem is that it is additive, so I end up with purple not blue.

The only way round this I can think of is to break out "dimRed" to dimRed Singer, dimRed Guitar etc" so I can build up the background with all lights *except* Guitar in this instance. So another 50 cues.
The upcoming 1.8 release has a new override option for Show Control buttons, which forces any button to immediately override any other active cues.

It's currently in beta, you're welcome to try it out.
Dave Brown - db audioware
Author of Show Buddy Setlist | Show Buddy Active | ArtNetMon
a89917823426
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Jan 13, 2018 8:52 pm

Re: 4 lamp lighting bar - Multiple Fixtures?

Post by a89917823426 »

Yes please Dave - I sent you 2 emails about joining the beta, but not had a reply yet.
Dave Brown [admin]
Posts: 2123
Joined: Sat Sep 15, 2012 4:53 pm
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 17 times

Re: 4 lamp lighting bar - Multiple Fixtures?

Post by Dave Brown [admin] »

I'll be getting back to everyone soon with download instructions - just been pretty busy the last few days :-)
Dave Brown - db audioware
Author of Show Buddy Setlist | Show Buddy Active | ArtNetMon
a89917823426
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Jan 13, 2018 8:52 pm

Re: 4 lamp lighting bar - Multiple Fixtures?

Post by a89917823426 »

Not had anything through yet Dave.
Post Reply