Life after Expression 3...to the Congo we go!

For chases you should look into the effects engine. (Tutorials are at the top of the forum)
If you want more Sequences you can press SEQ, then # insert e voila there is a new seq. For a "old-style" chase, whilst focused on the SEQ-list window press the wizzard button. You will see a window pop up where you can build basic chases.

Another way of building more complex chase is to record a SEQ to a Master:

1. Build the look for the first step in live
2. Press+Hold Record + MasterKey
3. Choose record SEQ
4. repeat 1+2 till you have all the steps you need
5. In the SEQ-list window change Type to Chase
6. Change times as described in my last post

Hope that helps...

Things have been going well, I have a music festival coming up and I am feeling pretty confident on the board now.

So final question ( I promise)....lets say I want 3 sequences...sequence 1 will be my regular conventional presets

sequence 2 I want to be just chases

and sequence 3 I want to program my moving lights to scan the audience.

I am able to make multiple sequences now, but how do I store certain presets of my choice in certain sequences?

Example: I want sequence 3 to just have presets 20-40.

Now even when I have separate sequences, any new presets I make only seem to save in sequence 1.

Can I only make my presets "wait" or "follow" in the sequence editor? Or can I assign them on the fly?

Again, you guys have been amazing...I dunno what I wouldve done without ya'll.

Hi,

The Congo has 1 main Sequence, which is what you assign to the large GO button, and as many other sequences as you like.
Each Sequence/Chase can be assigned to any master by typing the sequence number then holding Sequence button & tapping the master Button.

Basic Chases ( Old School chase) this is a step through series of presets.
In general terms:
Record your looks/presets for each step.
Enter the preset number in the sequence, in order
Change the Sequence to a CHASE
You then assign the Chase to a Master to make it function. Fader must be above 0 for it to go, fader controls the level (Flash buttons work too)
Theres a decent write up in the Manual on Page 311, as well as a guide to using the Chase Wizard.

While old school chases on the Congo are easy to understand, they have limitations. Uusing the Effects will give you much more versatility and control.

If you are using the desk as a Theatrical stack, i.e. using Go, you can jump around your preset list out of order.
type the Preset number and press GOTO to make it happen now, or type the Preset number and JUMP TO B to have it become the next 'cue' that happens when you press GO.
Note: If you are using the same preset number in your sequence list many times, this will always jump you FORWARDS to the next one.

Cheers,

Ric

Ric said:

 The Congo has 1 main Sequence, which is what you assign to the large GO button, and as many other sequences as you like.

Each Sequence/Chase can be assigned to any master by typing the sequence number then holding Sequence button & tapping the master Button.

Thank you Ric, the problem I am having is assigning specific presets to specific sequences. I must be missing a small step, but I cant get it working.

If you have the specific sequence you want open then type
# INSERT  

# is the preset number that you want to have as that step of the chase.

To further clarify this.

20 INSERT
21 INSERT
22 INSERT  ...etc

will place 3 steps in that sequence, 20, 21, 22.
You can move the placement up or down to insert steps between steps by clicking on the step you want to have a new step after.
i.e click on preset 21 and  type 25 INSERT and you will have placed preset 25 between 21 & 22

What may also be happening for you is that the default behaviour of the Congo is I believe, 'Build'. ( I don't have the desk in front of me at the moment to confirm the name)

Build  adds newly recorded presets into the current Main Sequence , this is assuming that you're building a Theatrical GO stack, and recording cues in your show. If your presets are not intended to be part of that sequence then you can edit the sequnce and remove the preset. Click on the step and press DELETE. You get a confirm dialogue box that will ask if you want to delete the actual preset itself (which you must check box tick to activate, so you don't automatically remove the actual preset), or just the step (reference to that preset).

You can use the same preset in many sequences or chases, and changing the preset itself will affect all references/uses of it in all sequences.

Cheers,
Ric

The way Ric suggested is great if you've already recorded the Presets, or you want to build them blind. (The Sequence List is a blind editor!)

However, if you don't have the Presets yet and want to build an extra sequence 'Live', you can build it on a Master Playback:

• Select the channels you want to record into the Preset
• # [Record] & [Master_Key] - records selected channels only into Preset #, put on the Master.
  
  • This will either put Preset # onto the Master, or if that Master has a sequence on it it will add that Preset to the Sequence.
  • If the Master already has a Preset, then Congo will offer to create a new sequence on that Master and add the Preset.

So if you like, you can work as follows:

Levels, # [Record] & [Master_Key], confirm, levels, # [Record] & [Master_Key], confirm, levels, # [Record] & [Master_Key], confirm...

One really big difference between Express(ion) Subs and Congo Master Playbacks is that Master Playbacks can be anything you want them to be - including channel faders, Subs, Presets, Sequences...

Thank you fellas, you all have been great. Jazz fest starts next week and I am confident I will give them a great show.

So lets say I have 5 presets, I want to hit "GO" and have 1 go through 5 automaticaly and then loop back to 1 on its own.

On Expression 3 I could do that with "Link and Follow"...but it seems it works different on Congo, any tips?

I am not sure exactly what you want.

If you want the main sequence to loop, then you can use the Sequence editor to add a follow and link to the presets.  WFA column (Wait, Follow, Alert).  I most often use Follow.

If you want a sequence on a master to loop through 5 presets, you can simply change it to a Chase in the Sequence List. or open the sequence and use WFA depending on what time of timing control that you are looking to have.

When I am programming, I usually keep the Sequence editor tab open so that I can make changes and additions quickly.

Have fun!

John

Ok, so I am using wait and follow like a boss, I have a great moving light sequence going.....except I cant stop it!

On Expression 3 you simply hit the "clear" button and playback stops, now even when hitting "clear&playback" it keeps on going

only way I figured out how to stop a sequence was hitting pause and then clear&playback...but surely there has to be a better way.

All this is still in Sequence 1...no matter what I do...I cannot load or playback anything I create in other sequences.

I can create other sequences just fine, and make new steps, add presets...no problem...but they wont play back...even when I load created sequences to a fader on my wing.

Ugh, fail. :(

The two consoles do the same when you've put that kind of Sequence/Cuelist onto the Main Playback(s) - however the syntax to remove the Sequence/Cuelist is different.

In Congo, [C/Alt] & [Playback] does a temporary blackout of Main Playback - Expression had no equivalent.
0 [Seq] & [Playback] removes the sequence from Main Playback - that's (sort of) the equivalent of [Clear] on Express(ion).

The core difference to remember is that Express(ion) had exactly one cuelist and two Playbacks (A/B and C/D) - while Congo has a thousand Sequences, 80 Master Playbacks and one Main Playback.

This means you will basically never want to put a 'chase' sequence onto the Main Playback - chases will usually go onto a Master.

To put Sequence 2 onto the Main Playback, type the following:

2, hold down [Seq] & press [Playback]

To put sequence 2 onto a Master it's:

2, hold down [Seq] & press the [Master Key] by the fader

If Sequence 2 doesn't exist, Congo will ask if you want to make it.

The LCD box by the master will now show "C2" or "S2", followed by the name of the Sequence.
- If it's an empty box then the Master is empty.

• The Fader is the Intensity of the Sequence - it must be up above 1% for the Sequence to do anything.
• The "Master Key" becomes the Go/Pause button.

If the Sequence is in Normal mode "S2", then it will wait for you to hit Go (the Master Key) before it steps onwards.

If the Sequence is in Chase mode "C2", then the chase will start when you move the fader up and stop when you pull it down.

Some general info (apologies if I'm teaching you to suck eggs):

We write out the syntax in the Congo manual and help like this:

• # indicates typing a number
• [KEY] is pressing a key
• [ACTION] & [TARGET] means holding down the [ACTION] key and pressing the [TARGET] key.

Most of the commands in Congo are of the form # [ACTION] & [TARGET]
- You can often miss out the number if you want the console to pick one for you.

The entire manual is built into the console:

• Hold down the [?] key and press any key to see help on that key.
• With Help open you can also press [Text] to get a search box.

There are also some tutorial videos both on the ETC website and included in the console - look in Browser > Media > Movies.

Thank you Richard....your patience is remarkable.

I think that is pretty much it, you guys have been awesome. The big Jazz fest is upon me and I am gonna make em dazzle!

PS: I have the iRFR app on my ipad now, I can check dimmers fine, but the "cue list" is blacked out, how can I play back Cues on my iRFR?

Good Morning Omar,

The playback buttons are disabled by default for safety.  To use the playback buttons, you must enable them in Settings in the iRFR.

Have you read the Wiki Instructions on How to use the iRFR yet? They are very informative with my photos explaining the functions.

It can be found on our online Wiki here:

http://community.etcconnect.com/wikis/products/irfr-getting-started-with-eos-ion-element.aspx

Good Luck!

Hi Omar -

Actually, the iRFR and aRFR do not support cue playback with Congo at this time. This is something we plan to fix, however I don't know when that fix will be available.

Thanks much and I hope your show goes well!

Sarah

Thanks, Sarah.

That is a bit of a bummer, but I hope you guys can fix that in an update for the app.

Quick question, is there a way to scroll though all the channels on the live page? I sometimes like to see what channels are currently active but which are not displayed.

Also two strange technical hings, I can't seem to change monitor orientation, the main playback screen and live screen seem to be locked to their monitors, even when I try the settings menu, the sytem menu, even when swapping the cable itself...am I missing something?

Oh, and I swear one time the channels became unresponsive, I would select a channel, move the wheel and nothing would happen. The channel would light up, there would be a small green arrow in the box but no intensity numbers would appear or  any light output. A glitch maybe?

Hi Omar -

1) CH & the level wheel will scroll the channel views. You can also use CH & Down/up arrow to page channels. However, most users use the tab formats to filter the view to a view like "Selected Channels" or my favorites "Non-Zero Channels" or "Used In Play Channels". Just press the FORMAT key when focused on the Live tab.

2) Displays are on tabs in Congo. You can move the tabs around using TAB & arrow keys. TAB & Left/Right Arrow will move the focused tab to another screen or position, TAB & Down arrow will split tabs on a single screen if there are two or more tabs open on that screen. ESC will close an unlocked tab one at a time. C/ALT & TAB will clear all unlocked tabs in one fell swoop.

3) Have you created any inhibitive masters or independent faders? This is what you would see in the case that an inhibitive master/independent is at zero. What software version are you using? Check in the Browser > About> About Congo

I hope this helps -

Sarah