Using Part of a Channel

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joebataz
Posts: 93
Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2013 4:55 am

Using Part of a Channel

Post by joebataz »

I have some fixtures which have multiple functions on them, in particular, dimmer channels with strobe functions. So on one of these channels the DMX range from 0 - 100 is for dimmer functions, 101 - 255 is for strobing and other functions. Can a fixture be designed to only send out a DMX range and not the whole 0 - 255. Trying to get a nice color fade from one color to another is totally ruined by have the colors strobing as they go thru the whole range. Has anyone got a solution for this, short of modifying the electronics of the fixture? I've been trying to build fixtures to do this (in the fixture editor) but have not had any success.

Thanks for any help!!

joeb
cgrafx
Posts: 176
Joined: Sat May 28, 2016 8:52 pm

Re: Using Part of a Channel

Post by cgrafx »

There is a way in the fixture editor to specify a max range. I haven't done this myself, but Dave definitely discussed this in another post.
joebataz
Posts: 93
Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2013 4:55 am

Re: Using Part of a Channel

Post by joebataz »

Thanks for the response. I figured if anybody knew how it would be him. Any idea what the subject was? I've tried searching and I did muck around in the fixture editor for awhile but just couldn't get it to work. Shame manufacturers try to shoehorn so many functions into a single channel, especially something like a dimmer channel.

Thanks again,

Joe B
cgrafx
Posts: 176
Joined: Sat May 28, 2016 8:52 pm

Re: Using Part of a Channel

Post by cgrafx »

Actually it looks like it was somebody else that replied, but its pretty much the same question you asked.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3053

Looking at the fixture editor when you select a channel you'll see a section at the bottom of the screen called channel ranges.

just create a single range to have a max of 150 or 200 or what ever the particular range you want to limit it to.
joebataz
Posts: 93
Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2013 4:55 am

Re: Using Part of a Channel

Post by joebataz »

cgrafx,

Thanks for the info but I must be doing something VERY wrong in the fixture editor. I've setup a lot of other fixtures and have had virtually no problem but I can't get this guy to work. I went in and built a 9 channel fixture. Channel 3 was setup as a dimmer channel, range 0-255. Brought the fixture in and it worked fine. Edited the fixture so the dimmer channel had 0 - 100 as the range. Deleted the old fixture in SBA. Brought in the fixture with the shortened range, it still went from 0-255and I lost the red channel, which is the channel right after the dimmer channel. I played around with setting up 2 ranges, 0-100 and 101-255. Same results, still no red. To make a long story short I tried every option available in the 101-255 range; variable, fixed, blackout and back to dimmer. Same results, no red. I've tried restarting the software, restarting the machine and still no luck.
At this point in time I give up. I've played with this for hours and can't get it to work, it's got me totally baffled.
Again, thanks for the response and the link,

best,

joeb
cgrafx
Posts: 176
Joined: Sat May 28, 2016 8:52 pm

Re: Using Part of a Channel

Post by cgrafx »

What light fixture are you working with?

What are the DMX assignments for the 9ch config.
joebataz
Posts: 93
Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2013 4:55 am

Re: Using Part of a Channel

Post by joebataz »

There are 2 in Generic

9ChMovWash
9ChMHWash

It is a Lixada Mini Moving Head Wash
9 channels are

1 Pan 0-255
2 Tilt 0-255
3 OFF 0-7
Dimmer 8-134
Strobe 135-239
Open 240-255
4 Red 0-255
5 Green 0-255
6 Blue 0-255
7 White 0-255
8 PTSpeed 0-255
9 Reset 150-200

joeb
cgrafx
Posts: 176
Joined: Sat May 28, 2016 8:52 pm

Re: Using Part of a Channel

Post by cgrafx »

Ok, I spent some time playing with this and unless Dave chimes in with different information, it doesn't seem possible to constrain a channel to a max DMX value or specific range of DMX values. (so your not crazy)

There isn't a mechanism in the fixture definition file to scale or define a limited range, only to define what that particular range inside the entire 0-255 is used for.

So you can tell DMXIS that 8-99 is for dimming and that will show up under the fader when in that range, but it wont change the scale of the fader to a max of 99.

As an alternative to your specific need, I think you can achieve what your looking for, but you'll have to be careful with the oscillator values.

You can also setup your presets with the highest fader value for your dimmers at your max dimmer value and then you should be able to fade between presets without wandering into the strobe ranges.
joebataz
Posts: 93
Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2013 4:55 am

Re: Using Part of a Channel

Post by joebataz »

I kind of came to the same conclusion that I'd have to go in and modify all the Presets. (YUK) Although I'm toying around with doing it using python. Luckily it's only 8 fixtures that have this issue and that should considerably lessen the pain. And being an old coder first thing I'll do is back everything up. Been bitten too many times by that laziness.
Thanks for your time addressing this! Now where did I put that Python for Dummies book?
%^P

joeb
cgrafx
Posts: 176
Joined: Sat May 28, 2016 8:52 pm

Re: Using Part of a Channel

Post by cgrafx »

Wasn't there a larger DMX option like 11 or 13 channels. That might give you access to the Dimmer channel by itself, although at the expense of eating up DMX channels.

It always amazes me some of the design choices manufacturers make, clearly a dimmer channel shouldn't have anything else attached to it (for the very reason you've run into here).

anyway.. best of luck on your python coding.
joebataz
Posts: 93
Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2013 4:55 am

Re: Using Part of a Channel

Post by joebataz »

If only.....
The only other option is 14 channel and the dimmer channel is exactly the same. The stuff 'm designing has the dimmer channel by itself. If I had the schematic of the board and the chip they're using I might give it a shot but I think setting all the presets to fall under the top value (134) is what will cause the least amount of grief and also be a "real" coding project.

Thanks,

joeb
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