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    drugmirko
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Gio bugs and glitches

Hi, I'm new to the forum and though I browsed trough threads, I'd still have few questions... My theatre bought a Gio (Win 7 based, running 2.3.2 software release) few seasons back, but due to various circumstances (only 4 guys for light, 3 stages +tours, 14 premieres and up to 500 repetitions per season) we had no popper training for it. Basically, we learn it "in the run" via famous "bim-bim" method :))... So, I apologize if any of my questions might sound "daft".

First, missing keyboard and warning sounds... They seem to have "their own mind" cause, though they are turned on in the "Setup/Desk/Facepannel" section and adjusted on levels between 15 and 25, they -depending on the boot up- do not sound on key strokes or errors... It is not a "big deal", but if you learn by "bim-bim" method, it's nice to have them :).

Second, remote Net3 RFR battery life... is that thing really such a big "energy hog", cause despite new and fully charged 3000mAh batteries it doesn't last more than 20 minutes... it drains the batteries and then frequently goes in to "reset" (starts to search for base module)... This is -due to the circumstances (3 stages, morning rehearsals, evening shows)- slightly more annoying than "missing sounds", because of "time pressure" we usually work in...

Third, external monitor recognition.... we have two external touch screens attached to it (ViewSonic TD 2220-2 and ELO), but almost every time we move the console from our lightning cabin to audience (for lightning rehearsal or "pre-premiere in light" rehearsals) and back (for the evening show), the console looses "the knowledge" about what is attached to it... "problem" randomly varies from "everything ok", trough "this is not a touch screen", to "blank screens, no signal"... The "remedy" is to go trough complete monitor&touch screen setup (which sadly, requires external keyboard, because "enter" key on facepannel keyboard does not function when in "Exit/Settings").... What would be the cause of that because, we always connect power, DVI and USB cables of monitors, before we connect mains to the console and power it up (which was the advice given by ETC support).... and no, there are no "bent DVI pins" on the monitor cables ;) :).

Fourth... gels... We are still playing a show that was made, if I remember correctly, on 2.2.1 version of software, with gels that were available in that software... but when we went on tour with it (other theater, different fixtures, different positions -hence "on site lightning rehearsal from scratch") in this season (2.3.2 installed) I noticed that some of the gels are missing... like Rosco G E129, G E217, G E226, G E257... and that the color of the remaining is slightly different.... like, some are more saturated, some are more pale... how come? bluntly, when I load this show (made on 2.2.1 software) on the console (with 2.3.2 software) in my theater, with the same patch and fixtures, select a cue where for instance my three Varilites 1000 are recorded with Rosco GE201 gel, they all have the same color. But if I select one of them and "place" the same Rosco GE201 gel from gel picker, the label for color in fixture table view (normally) switches to red but, the output on the fixture slightly (but noticeably) changes... what I'm trying to say is that gels in previous software versions were kind of... better. like, CT Blues correctors were actually "bluish", while now are rather "yellowish"...

I hope that what I wrote makes some sense :) and I'd be happy to get any response...

Thanks,

Andrej

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  • Hi,

    So Not sure on number 1 but I will take a look.

    2) With the RFR it maybe you leaving it on charge for too long which is damaging the batteries. I would recommended only charging it until it reaches 100% and then taking it off charge. If you leave it plugged in overnight the batteries will be getting damaged. The Batteries used are AA rechargeable so they can be swapped if required. If you do this be aware of where the screws come out because it does matter where they go.

    3) The monitor issue isn't something we can fix this is windows which assigns the monitors. We can only adjust this once windows has set the screens up as it boots. It will always happen when the console is moved and we have tried to make improvements but this will always be a problem.

    4) The difference you are seeing in the Gels is what the colour looks like when it comes out of the fixture rather than the colour in the swatch book. To change this back there is a toggle button in the gel picker. It is shown at the bottom of page 3 and top of page 4 of the 2.3.2 Operations Manual Supplement - http://www.etcconnect.com/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=10737482468

    Tom

Reply

  • Hi,

    So Not sure on number 1 but I will take a look.

    2) With the RFR it maybe you leaving it on charge for too long which is damaging the batteries. I would recommended only charging it until it reaches 100% and then taking it off charge. If you leave it plugged in overnight the batteries will be getting damaged. The Batteries used are AA rechargeable so they can be swapped if required. If you do this be aware of where the screws come out because it does matter where they go.

    3) The monitor issue isn't something we can fix this is windows which assigns the monitors. We can only adjust this once windows has set the screens up as it boots. It will always happen when the console is moved and we have tried to make improvements but this will always be a problem.

    4) The difference you are seeing in the Gels is what the colour looks like when it comes out of the fixture rather than the colour in the swatch book. To change this back there is a toggle button in the gel picker. It is shown at the bottom of page 3 and top of page 4 of the 2.3.2 Operations Manual Supplement - http://www.etcconnect.com/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=10737482468

    Tom

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  • in reply to tom mcguire
    sorry, haven't been much around computers lately... tnx for reply.

    about the batteries... yes, we usually leave it charging during the night and we'll try to disconnect it after it is charged... but frankly, it drains even brand new and fully charged batteries real quick... :(.
    we would switch to "wi-fi via smart device" focusing but having sturdy metal device that can be "banged" around while "hanging" across the fences of portals and lightning bridges is much easier than fiddling with "sensitive touch screen device"... ;)

    about the monitors... I'm sorry to hear that and I hope you'll eventually find the solution... though the funny thing is that we haven't seen that problem on Ion (we bought one during this season for back-up and tours)... I've been out with it about 3 or 4 times in last two months and whenever I took it out of the case and connected touch screens to it, everything worked as it should... it too runs 2.3.2 software.

    about the gels... no, no, you probably misunderstood me... I know there are two ways of displaying gel colors in gel picker view, but that's not what I meant. I was talking about the fact that that color output of gels changed with the new software versions! exactly like I said above... when I load a show recorded on v2.2.1 on a console that's running v2.3.2 software, select a cue where my 3 fixtures of the same type are recorded with Rosco E color 201, they all have the same color... but, if I select one of them and place Rosco E color 201 from gel picker, the color output of fixture changes... basically all gels we usually use have noticeably different output than before.... for example: in v2.2.1 G E200 had CYM values of 28.7/27.5/0 % in v2.3.2 they are 32.51/26.645/0 %; G E201 had 3.27/0/42.062 %, new are 15.91/0/37.786 %; G E202 had 0/28.1/49.4 %, new are 0/22.882/46.844 %... my humble opinion is that gels in previous software versions were, well... better. and closer to tungsten fixture (like ETC SF Zoom) "filtered" with same gel...
    and I was talking about actually MISSING gel numbers that were present in previous software versions -though I noticed just those I've used in show from previous season (recorded on v2.2.1) and tried to use them again this season with latest software installed, while adapting the light of that show in different theater (though console still "reproduces" them both in color output and "table view label", when I load the show file for this season's repetitions)!

    and there's another "funny thing " I noticed... it used to be possible to adjust hue and saturation of selected gel/color on fixture via "hue&saturation" wheels... with new software this is not possible any more.... or to be exact, I can't adjust it on Mac's and VariLite's but I can on Robin 600/800 LED's?! what would be the cause of that?
    I would have a bunch of other questions about color reproduction across different types of fixtures and consequently about color pallets, but I'll stop now :) .... may be just one more thing... will Eos family ever get "All palette" option? cause... sometimes it is easier for me to work with console of theater we are currently in (due to patch, fixtures and No. of dmx universes they have) and while working with Grand MA or Congo consoles I noticed that having "All palette" is quite handy... I know that I can use record filters to do the same thing on Gio, but to simply record "all palette" is just easier...

    so, now I'll really stop... and I whish you all happy new year :)!
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