Congo V4.3.3

Anders Ekvall:

It seems like you have found the (probably) only situation where the master page isn’t updated automatically! When you load a sequence to a master by pressing the master button in the Sequence List, Congo doesn’t update the page as it should. (Not so many users use this method, which is why we haven’t seen it before.)

This will be corrected in the next version.

In the meantime, there are many workarounds:

Loading a sequence in other ways (like # SEQ & Master or changing the content in the Master Editor) stores it in the page. You can also insert it manually in the Master Page editor.

I appear to have stumbled across a similar bug. This is repeatable & easily demonstrated.

Individual Channels assigned to Masters 21-30 will not operate if the Page Down (-) key then the Page Up (+) key is pressed, or the Page Up (+) key is used to get to the Page the Channel is set on.

To demonstrate this:-

1.  Live screen, enter a channel & wheel it up so it's live.
2.  Select a Master Page using the Up/Down keys ( I started at 5 )
3.  Hold Preset & Press Master key 21 (Any master in this group of 10 (21-30) does the same thing).
   The channel is assigned to this Master & moving the fader up & down controls the Output intensity on the Live screen & outut to dimmer.
4. Press Page Down (-) ( Minus Key) on that Bank ( Should be on Page 4)
5. Press Page Up (+) ( Plus Key) on that Bank (Should be back on Page 5)
6. The assigned Channel number is correctly displayed on Master, but moving the fader does not change the output, neither on the live screen or actually output to dimmer.

If you use the Page Up (+) ( Plus Key) (i.e going to page 6) then the Page Down (-) (Minus Key) (i.e back to page 5) to get the Master Page that has been used to store the individual Channel then the fader returns to operating the Channel intensity & outputs correctly.

The workaround is to go past the page stored using the Page Up (+) (Plus Key) then come back to the correct Page using the Page Down (-) (Minus Key) when wanting to use that section of stored individual Channels.

I have now tried to reproduce this but I cannot make it happen.

Can you see the channel get recorded on the first master of master page 5 (open it with the Master Page Editor)?

What do you have recorded on the first master of master page 4 and 6? 

Hi Ric

Thanks for the additional feedback and the show file. This helped me to find and eliminate a old and previously unnoticed bug in the master page handling.

If you changed a master from a Sequence content to a Grp (or Ch content in your case), the master playback for the sequence wasn't cleared properly. So the system treated the master as if it still had the sequence content.

This is fixed in the next version. 

Hi

I've got a problem with the Import Channel Layout. Since I update ours consoles I never tryed to do the channel layout in an offline editor until this week. Normally I do that at home in my PC saving in a pen and then just do the import channel layout and everything is there.

This last week I do the usual and when I import the only channel layout the new drawing is there but all of the symbols not. I tryed again in a Congo and in a Congo Jr. with anothers files and the result is the same. If I use the offline editor to do a new channel layout and save the show on a pen and after open that show on a console the channel layout is there normally like I do in my PC.

This is bad to me cause normally I use one of the first saved show to do this channel layout and after I use the import cause it's more safe for me (if I do a mistake in that show I don't care).

With the others versions of Congo I never had this problem so Is it normal in this one (4.3.3) or it's my PC, Congo and Congo Jr. that have  that problem??

Thanks

 Pedro Alves

P.S.- Is it possible to do the start more quickly?? almost 3 minutes ina a theater play it's an eternity

Hi Pedro -

The channel symbols were moved into the Channel Database a few versions back. So, you have two options: Import the Channel Setup (which includes the channel database and also includes things like scale settings and other options set in the channel list), or set the symbol types again either in the Channel Database or Channel Layout editor directly if you don't want all the other bits that will get imported. It depends on how much data you would like to bring in.

I'm not sure what you're asking in your PS. Could you elaborate?

Thanks much -

Sarah
 

Hi Sarah

I know that in the Channel Database we've got all options that we do in Channel Layout but in others versions I never do the import of the Channel Setup. I've got no problem to do the import of Channel Setup just think that it's not practice cause in that way I always have to change the Channel Database every time I change the drawing of the Channel Layout.

In my P.S. I ask if it's possible to start the software in less time. A few days ago we've got a general power down in our theatre for about 3 minutes and while the Congo stays on cause I use a UPS (I know that Congo has a internal one but in this way I've power also for the monitors) in the other venue the Congo Jr. went off. And when power came back I just restart the dimmers and the play continues while in the other venue my collegue has to restart the Congo Jr. and it takes almost 2,30 minutes to stay ready to work and he has to put in the preset  that  was on when power went down.

We are going to buy more UPS cause the UPS of that console went to another theatre were we are doing other play cause this power down it's not a normal thing in our theatre.

Also in the Congo Jr. we can´t have selected the Bypass startup screen cause the in that way sometimes after start the console don't send away the DMX signal. I've got that selected on the Congo and I've got no problem but we've got 2 Congo Jr. and in both when Bypass startup screen is selected we've got problems cause nothing lights up after we start the consoles. And we still have the problem, only with Jr., when we shut down the console sometimes some projectors light up (we learn again to power down the dimmers after the shutdown).

thanks

Pedro Alves

Hi Pedro & Stephan - Version 4.3.3 should have solved the DMX problem and also should have dealt with the Offline/Server issue with Bypass Startup Screen.

The reason that it takes Congo a bit of time at startup from a full power down is that it takes some time for the drivers to load properly (this is what causes it to start up and offer only Offline - the drivers for the security device in the console have not loaded yet). These timing issues (we thought) were addressed in v4.3.3, so if it is still occurring, please let me know. We have spent a lot of time looking at this for the upcoming v5.0 as well, since a lot of timing within the software has been optimized.

There are also some features coming in v5 that will address the dialogs you see at startup. 

I highly recommend UPS units at all times with consoles of any type. I've experienced bad power-loss situations as well and won't work without an external UPS anymore. :-)

Thanks -

Sarah 

Hi Sarah 
 
Before everything thanks for the fast answer. 
 
I'm working with version 4.3.3 in all consoles but the problem of DMX continues to exist. We already turn off all dimmers so for us there is no problem. 
 
For when the version 5? and where is the 4.4 version?  For me was interesting that version appear until the end of March because I know that in April I will have a show with different moving light, normally I work with ETC Revolution, so I could test that new version during the programming. 

Thanks

Pedro Alves 

Hi Pedro -

Version 4.4 has been renamed to v5 - sorry for the confusion. We expect a release near the end of April (although that may also mean beginning of May - we're still hard at work on it).

Have you updated the DMX firmware on your Congo jr console(s)? There is a file available here (scroll down to "Software").

 
We might be able to include you in the beta testing of the new v5 software - if you send your contact info (if I haven't asked you to do this before...) to John.Hessler "at" etcconnect.com, he will add you to the list of possible beta testers.

Thanks!

Sarah