Copying Echo Touch layouts

HI Cvanwinkle.

Good news.  Yes you can copy the layout (Well showfile) from one Echo Touch to the other to accomplish what you want.  We did it all the time.


If you are not aware, there is a USB port on the backside to update firmware and save files.  You will have to take the touchscreen off the 3 gang back box.  You may need a small flathead screwdriver to press down the 2 small tabs..  This is notated in the install guide:  https://www.etcconnect.com/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=10737501826

USB locations is as shown below:

When you see (2) EchoTouches in a system, 1 of them usually has the patch information and is actually generating the DMX or sACN into the system.  Your 2nd touchscreen is just acting as a fancy button station.  When you copy your showfile over you will likely want to remove the patch information from the second touchscreen.  You don't want 2 DMX signals into your system. 

It will probably be pretty easy to figure out which touchscreen is the "primary" as it likely will have cables coming from the DMX out on the back  However there is a chance that both screens are running on PoE and sending out sACN.  In that case it doesn't matter which touchscreen has the patch information but only have 1 touchscreen with the patch saved.

Additionally, are you aware that ETC has an offline editor for EchoTouch?  As you mentioned you have limited time in the space if you know the patch information you can make your layout and presets and labels at home or your office.  You could also save the showfile from the existing system, load it onto your computer, edit it and then reload it another time you are in the space.

PDF Page 41 in the user manual explains how to Export a Showfile to a USB.
https://www.etcconnect.com/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=10737501826

EchoTouch Offline Editor Software(PC)
https://www.etcconnect.com/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=10737507878

I would suggest if you are overhauling it to make sure it's on current software 3.1
https://www.etcconnect.com/Products/Architectural-Systems/Echo/EchoTouch/Software.aspx

Hope this helps and have fun, let us know how it turns out!

HI Cvanwinkle.

Good news.  Yes you can copy the layout (Well showfile) from one Echo Touch to the other to accomplish what you want.  We did it all the time.


If you are not aware, there is a USB port on the backside to update firmware and save files.  You will have to take the touchscreen off the 3 gang back box.  You may need a small flathead screwdriver to press down the 2 small tabs..  This is notated in the install guide:  https://www.etcconnect.com/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=10737501826

USB locations is as shown below:

When you see (2) EchoTouches in a system, 1 of them usually has the patch information and is actually generating the DMX or sACN into the system.  Your 2nd touchscreen is just acting as a fancy button station.  When you copy your showfile over you will likely want to remove the patch information from the second touchscreen.  You don't want 2 DMX signals into your system. 

It will probably be pretty easy to figure out which touchscreen is the "primary" as it likely will have cables coming from the DMX out on the back  However there is a chance that both screens are running on PoE and sending out sACN.  In that case it doesn't matter which touchscreen has the patch information but only have 1 touchscreen with the patch saved.

Additionally, are you aware that ETC has an offline editor for EchoTouch?  As you mentioned you have limited time in the space if you know the patch information you can make your layout and presets and labels at home or your office.  You could also save the showfile from the existing system, load it onto your computer, edit it and then reload it another time you are in the space.

PDF Page 41 in the user manual explains how to Export a Showfile to a USB.
https://www.etcconnect.com/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=10737501826

EchoTouch Offline Editor Software(PC)
https://www.etcconnect.com/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=10737507878

I would suggest if you are overhauling it to make sure it's on current software 3.1
https://www.etcconnect.com/Products/Architectural-Systems/Echo/EchoTouch/Software.aspx

Hope this helps and have fun, let us know how it turns out!

Thank you for this! The layout copying went great! I’m afraid I ran into another problem…

I was able to get more information about the system and it seems differs from what you described. It’s (2) Echo Touch Screens, (2) 2-button inspire stations and an echo scene controller. It’s wired up for sACN through the scene controller into on of (4) 4-port Response gateways that distribute (2) universes to the many lighting positions. The scene controller is coming in as universe 11 on one of the gateways. There is no patch in either of the touch screens which leads me to believe that the scene controller is just snapshotting DMX output from the console—but I’m guessing since I don’t know much about architectural systems.

The problem now is that I saved all the presets by snapshotting values from the console and everything looked great at first. I had all of my presets working on both screens as intended and o even had one screen with a few channels patched so it could layer in house and works on top of the presets. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of trying to make it better by removing the work light dimmer from one panel and patching it into the other (the channel was never shared between the two but I guess patching anything into the second echo was the culprit) and suddenly all of my presets no longer contained color information for my Colorsource fixtures. For example, I had a red preset recorded, but now when I bring it up, the correct lights turn on, but they are in white. The weirdest thing, however, is that if I had that same red preset selected on the echo panel and then I brought up a green preset on the lighting console, the result on stage would be yellow as if the red and green were mixing—but again, the red is not appearing on stage by itself.

I tried to backtrack by removing patch information from one and then both touch screens but the problem remains. Re-recording the correct look from the console does not work either. I can recall the preset on the Ion, re-record the preset on the echo touch and everything looks great. I can even release values from the console with everything looking correct but when I turn everything off and reselect the same preset…white again.

One last detail: my Altman Spectra cyc lights correctly retain color information in the echo panel and the only thing I can think of is because I have them patched without an intensity master in the console.

Any ideas as to what I did wrong and how to fix it? I would like to retain the ability to control house and work lights as a channel in the echo panel, but I understand that I’m trying to get it to act like a paradigm which is beyond its scope.

Hi Cvanwinkle!

If your EchoTouches are not sending out DMX or sACN, then your assumption is correct that the Scene Controller would be the only device doing so and the EchoTouches in this case are just recalling that information in the Scene Controller.

I don't think what you're asking for is beyond the scope of what the EchoTouch can do, at least if I'm understanding you correctly. It is a bit odd that you've lost the color information in the ETs, though.

I'd suggest giving our tech support a phone call and walk them through the steps you took. They'll be able to help you troubleshoot this further!

You can call them at (800) 688-4116, or email them at support@etcconnect.com. 

Let me know if you need anything else!