MAC550 prism

Is there a prize for "greatest number of newbie questions posted in a certain time"? ;-)

OK, so I've got some MAC550s running in basic mode, everything's running fine, apart from the rotating prism which I can't get any sort of sensible control over.

As I cycle through the modes on the prism encoder, I can get it to do various things, but not in an easily-controllable way. In one mode I can get the prism to come in spinning very very slowly anticlockwise, and by putting the encoder in fine mode I can increase the speed of the spin ; in another mode I can make it do a similar sort of thing in the other direction ; and the other mode doesn't seem to do much at all. I can't find any way to put the prism into the beam with no rotation at all.

Out of interest, I redefined the fixture as a MAC550 in extended mode and changed the head settings accordingly, and got exactly the same results.

Can someone please tell me how I can get this parameter of my fixtures under some sort of usable control?!

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gareth71 over 13 years ago

No-one?!
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Paul Toben over 13 years ago in reply to gareth71

Are you on Ion? Have you tried holding down the encoder and using the soft keys to select the mode and function? Some "fancy" attributes require this on Ion.

~P
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gareth71 over 13 years ago in reply to Paul Toben

Using an Eos, Paul. As stated in the original post, I've tried cycling through the various modes that the prism encoder presents when this fixture is selected.

If I get time in the next couple of days, I'm doing to put a MicroScope on the output of the desk and see what the DMX channel is doing when I alter the encoder.
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Smiley31 over 13 years ago in reply to gareth71

I had a quick look at this the other day. It looks like the DMX ranges on the personality only go to 79, and (off the top of my head) 80 through to 88 are static prism. I tried to edit this, but it was hard for me to tell if it worked as i had no unit to test it on. If you know how to create a personality, then edit the current one for the mac 550 and take a look at the ranges on the beem FX select.

Also, if you want to see what DMX is being sent from the desk, press the about button before selecting the channel and look at "current values".
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Anne Valentino over 13 years ago in reply to Smiley31

The “Beam_Fx_Wheel_Mode” parameter must be changed to “effect Rot off Prism macros off” to turn off the rotation.

                                Beam_Fx_Select Default=0

                                                Cond:   Beam_Fx_Wheel_Mode= 0-84

                                                                Slot:    dmx=   0 - 19 ( 0) gui= 0.5 - 1.5 ( 1.0) open Rot off Prism macros off

                                                                Slot:    dmx= 20 - 79 ( 79) gui= 1.5 - 2.4 ( 2.0) effect Rot - Prism macros off

                                                Cond:   Beam_Fx_Wheel_Mode= 85-169

                                                                Slot:    dmx= 80 - 89 ( 85) gui= 80 - 89 ( 85) effect Rot off Prism macros off

                                                Cond:   Beam_Fx_Wheel_Mode= 170-255

                                                                Slot:    dmx= 90 - 149 (120) gui= 2.5 - 3.5 ( 3.0) effect Rot + Prism macros off

                                                                Slot:    dmx= 150 - 215 (150) gui= 0.5 - 1.5 ( 1.0) open Rot off Prism macros off

                                                                Slot:    dmx= 216 - 220 (218) gui= 3.5 - 4.5 ( 4.0) open Rot off Prism macro 1

                                                                Slot:    dmx= 221 - 225 (223) gui= 4.5 - 5.5 ( 5.0) open Rot off Prism macro 2

                                                                Slot:    dmx= 226 - 230 (228) gui= 5.5 - 6.5 ( 6.0) open Rot off Prism macro 3

                                                                Slot:    dmx= 231 - 235 (233) gui= 6.5 - 7.5 ( 7.0) open Rot off Prism macro 4

                                                                Slot:    dmx= 236 - 240 (238) gui= 7.5 - 8.5 ( 8.0) open Rot off Prism macro 5

                                                                Slot:    dmx= 241 - 245 (243) gui= 8.5 - 9.5 ( 9.0) open Rot off Prism macro 6

                                                                Slot:    dmx= 246 - 250 (248) gui= 9.5 - 10.5 (10.0) open Rot off Prism macro 7

                                                                Slot:    dmx= 251 - 255 (255) gui= 10.5 - 11.4 (11.0) open Rot off Prism macro 8

                                Beam_Fx_Wheel_Mode Default=42

                                                Slot:    dmx=   0 - 84 ( 42) gui=   0 - 84 ( 42) effect Rot - Prism macros off

                                                Slot:    dmx= 85 - 169 (127) gui= 85 - 169 (127) effect Rot off Prism macros off

                                                Slot:    dmx= 170 - 255 (213) gui= 170 - 255 (213) effect Rot + Prism macros off

Does that help at all?

a
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Anne Valentino over 13 years ago in reply to Smiley31

The “Beam_Fx_Wheel_Mode” parameter must be changed to “effect Rot off Prism macros off” to turn off the rotation.

                                Beam_Fx_Select Default=0

                                                Cond:   Beam_Fx_Wheel_Mode= 0-84

                                                                Slot:    dmx=   0 - 19 ( 0) gui= 0.5 - 1.5 ( 1.0) open Rot off Prism macros off

                                                                Slot:    dmx= 20 - 79 ( 79) gui= 1.5 - 2.4 ( 2.0) effect Rot - Prism macros off

                                                Cond:   Beam_Fx_Wheel_Mode= 85-169

                                                                Slot:    dmx= 80 - 89 ( 85) gui= 80 - 89 ( 85) effect Rot off Prism macros off

                                                Cond:   Beam_Fx_Wheel_Mode= 170-255

                                                                Slot:    dmx= 90 - 149 (120) gui= 2.5 - 3.5 ( 3.0) effect Rot + Prism macros off

                                                                Slot:    dmx= 150 - 215 (150) gui= 0.5 - 1.5 ( 1.0) open Rot off Prism macros off

                                                                Slot:    dmx= 216 - 220 (218) gui= 3.5 - 4.5 ( 4.0) open Rot off Prism macro 1

                                                                Slot:    dmx= 221 - 225 (223) gui= 4.5 - 5.5 ( 5.0) open Rot off Prism macro 2

                                                                Slot:    dmx= 226 - 230 (228) gui= 5.5 - 6.5 ( 6.0) open Rot off Prism macro 3

                                                                Slot:    dmx= 231 - 235 (233) gui= 6.5 - 7.5 ( 7.0) open Rot off Prism macro 4

                                                                Slot:    dmx= 236 - 240 (238) gui= 7.5 - 8.5 ( 8.0) open Rot off Prism macro 5

                                                                Slot:    dmx= 241 - 245 (243) gui= 8.5 - 9.5 ( 9.0) open Rot off Prism macro 6

                                                                Slot:    dmx= 246 - 250 (248) gui= 9.5 - 10.5 (10.0) open Rot off Prism macro 7

                                                                Slot:    dmx= 251 - 255 (255) gui= 10.5 - 11.4 (11.0) open Rot off Prism macro 8

                                Beam_Fx_Wheel_Mode Default=42

                                                Slot:    dmx=   0 - 84 ( 42) gui=   0 - 84 ( 42) effect Rot - Prism macros off

                                                Slot:    dmx= 85 - 169 (127) gui= 85 - 169 (127) effect Rot off Prism macros off

                                                Slot:    dmx= 170 - 255 (213) gui= 170 - 255 (213) effect Rot + Prism macros off

Does that help at all?

a
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gareth71 over 13 years ago in reply to Anne Valentino

I had a look at the fixture definition in the desk earlier today, and looked at the DMX values which were being output as I changed the settings of that parameter, and to be honest it hasn't made things any clearer :-(

On a MAC550, the prism parameter runs according to the following DMX values :

0 - 19 ... Prism out

20 - 79 ... Prism in, CCW rotation, fast to slow

80 - 89 ... Prism in, static

90 - 149 ... Prism in, CW rotation, slow to fast

150 - 215 ... Prism out

216 - 255 ... Prism macros 1 to 8

This seems to make sense in the context of the first section of the parameter definition which you posted, Anne (the Beam_Fx_Select ranges) - but not in the context of the Beam_Fx_Wheel_Mode ranges, which seem to suggest (incorrectly) that the range of basic prism in/out/rotation control encompasses the full 0-255 DMX range and ignores the presence of the macros at the top end of the range?

(Hope that all makes sense! Today was my first journey into the depths of the fixture editor ....)
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Anne Valentino over 13 years ago in reply to gareth71

Gareth, we've been discussing this. And agree. The name of the third mode does look wrong. Our library expert is pondering making the macros a fourth mode.

Thank you!

a

[edited by: Anne Valentino at 3:27 PM (GMT -6) on Mon, Oct 3 2011]
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gareth71 over 13 years ago in reply to Anne Valentino

That sounds like it should make more sense, Anne - four modes - prism rotation CW ; prism static ; prism rotation CCW ; prism macros - with an appropriate 'prism out' value at the start of each one. If you want someone to test out a new version of the library fixture for you, would be happy to oblige - we own a quantity of MAC550s which get used quite often, so I could give it a go for you.
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gareth71 over 13 years ago in reply to Anne Valentino

Hi Anne.

I know you guys have got a thousand and one more important things on your to-do list - but has there been any movement regarding a re-think on the prism element of the MAC550 profile for inclusion in 1.9.8?
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georgeg over 13 years ago in reply to gareth71

.A library update for the MAC500 would also be very appreciated. We have the same frustrations trying to grab the gobos and prism with all the various static, rotating and macro modes.
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gareth71 over 13 years ago in reply to gareth71

Anne et al,

Any progress on this one yet? We're about to start tech'ing a show which is going to feature our MAC550s fairly heavily, and it would be nice to have full control of the prism - would it be possible to get a library update that we can merge into 1.9.6? I appreciate it may well already be in 1.9.8 but we're not quite at a suitable point to upgrade our consoles at the moment (we want to do all five of them at the same time).

Many thanks.
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Anne Valentino over 13 years ago in reply to gareth71

Hi Gareth. Unfortunately, this is still in the que to be addressed.

a
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gareth71 over 13 years ago in reply to Anne Valentino

Any movement on the MAC550 prism issue yet?
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Anne Valentino over 13 years ago in reply to gareth71

Gareth. This has been addressed in 1.9.9. You'll want to be sure to update your library when you install 1.9.9 (or 1.9.10 if you choose to wait a bit!).

Thanks much!

a

[edited by: Anne Valentino at 5:52 PM (GMT -6) on Thu, Feb 16 2012]
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gareth71 over 13 years ago in reply to Anne Valentino

Thank you, Anne. Will wait for 1.9.10.
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NickVon over 13 years ago in reply to Anne Valentino

I got here from ControlBooth.com. I'm having a similiar issue with the Elation Design Spot 250 Pro. As far s the onscreen wheel encoder scrolling through macros and not the Prism Speed rotation speed.

Has this been addressed the latest update, or the 1.9.10

Is there a separate "profiles" file to download or is it simply the software update that is required.
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Anne Valentino over 13 years ago in reply to NickVon

Nick, will have test take a look. Stand by.

a

[edited by: Anne Valentino at 3:28 PM (GMT -6) on Wed, Feb 8 2012]
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NickVon over 13 years ago in reply to Anne Valentino

After some checking i'm actually running a older version of the Eos Firmware. 6 I think. We are going to update after our show closes on Sunday and see if .9 fixes it. Also we'll be ordering our new SHIFT key :-)
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speterson over 13 years ago in reply to NickVon

Nick,

We fixed the issue of not being able to set the rotation speed of the prism in 1.9.9.

However, in looking at the fixture profile, there is one more small change that we need to make. The positive rotation of the prism only switches between off and prism rotate with no speed control. As a workaround, on an Eos you can put the encoder in fine mode and you will have to ability to control the speed as a work around. Just be aware that if you at the low end of the dmx values, it will switch the prism off to open.

I hope this helps.
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