How to save a "look" and combine saved "looks"? Groups? Submasters? Intesity Palettes? Something Else?

Hi Peter,

Presets or palettes will do what you want, but you will need to tell it when you don't want the references.  Presets allow any parameter type (exactly like Insight Focus Points) but palettes only allow one category of parameters.

If you want the reference in the cue, just use the syntax [1] [at] [Preset] [5] [Enter] or [1] [at] [Intensity Palette] [5] [Enter]. 

If you want the levels without the reference, then you need to add the [Make Absolute] softkey.  For example, [1] [at] [preset] [5] [Make Abs] [Enter].

Ann

Hi Ann.

Thanks for your swift and helpful reply.

Since all I need to save (at the moment) is channel and intensity info, it looks like Intensity Palettes is the way I should go.  I'm a tad confused by the syntax, however.  If I've saved a bunch of looks as Intensity Palettes, and I wanted to bring up, say, Intensity Palettes 2, 6 and 12, would the correct syntax be:

[Intensity Palette] [2] [+] [Intensity Palette] [6] [+] [Intensity Palette] [12] [Full]

And then, if I liked the way that looked, save it as a cue:

[Save as] [Cue] [125] [Make Absolute] [Enter]

Or is the [Make Absolute] softkey inserted somewhere when I first call up the Intensity Palette?

Thanks for your guidance.

Peter

Adding to that, you can make your Palettes "Always Absolute" on a palette by palette basis.  This way, [1] [at] [Preset] [5] [Enter] would always call back just the levels, and not the reference.

The syntax for making an intensity palette, for example, "Always Absolute" is:

Double tap [Intensity Palette]

[Intensity Palette] [1] [Absolute] [Enter].  The text "Absolute" will appear by the Intensity Palette in the Absolute column.

Hi Peter.

For the submasters, try using "recall from" sub x.  that should bring the intensities to Live, without running the fader handles, or making the subs active.  If you bring up a sub, manually change a level of a channel in the sub by bringing it down, and then record a cue from the combined values of the sub channels, AND manually changed channels,  channels will POP back to the submaster level (HTP sub vs cue).

another old school technique would be to record your previous "groups" as cues 1001 - 10xx.

then ch 1 - 36 recall from cues 1001 - xxxx.  This would pull levels to Live, and you could edit the live levels without worrying about messing around with referenced levels, etc.  Just pay attention to what you're updating or record targets.

Yes, you want to use intensity pallets.

Make Intensity Palette 1 your Nice Look palette (Basic Wash).

work through your areas with front and back as you did previously, can same each grouping to the IP.  eventually all channels will be in the 1st IP.

If you want to use channels twice, say for Night Look, make a second IP: Night Time.  Repeat.  A channel can only be in one palette once, but a channel can be in multiple palettes.

You could have palettes for different looks on the cyc, back lights, tips, gobos bright, gobos dim.

All gobos could be in 1 IP, since the break up gobos will be different channels than your window gobos.

For building your cues: ch 1 - 36 (front and back) IP1 enter.  Channels will be in red, and show IP1 or the title of the IP.  Modify as necessary.

Record Cue 10.  this will alway reference IP1.  If you update the levels in IP1, that will change the levels of cue 10.

OR Record cue 10 {make absolute} enter.  this will keep the levels from the IP, but break the reference to the IP.  When you go back to edit cue 10, the IP will NOT be modified.  If you modify IP1, cue 10 will NOT change.

Hope that helps.  I was a Strand user (and other ETC consoles), and without ML or DMX devices, it took a while for me to wrap my head around palettes.  I use them to set a consistent level for lectern, conductor, soloist, piano etc, across multiple shows, in a rental hall.  I also like having the label in the tombstone, telling me that channel 21 is the lectern, 22 is the soloist, and 44-48 is choir wash, since channel assignments change every show.

Andrew Riter

Hi Peter, 

what you are looking for to save your "look" is the preset. This saves channel and intensity (and moving light info).

here is a really good, short tutorial on using Ion -> 

http://www.etcconnect.com/support.tutorialseries.aspx?seriesId=8

Have you downloaded the v1.9.8 Software and installed on your console? 

Hi Corey.

Thanks for your response.

If I'm only saving intensity info, any advantage to Presets over Intensity Palettes?  Any reason to use one rather than the other?

(I'll have to ask my TD about the software version, but will certainly upgrade if need be.)

Peter

Thank you Andrew, for your in-depth response.  You've clearly described my submaster insanity and the reasons for it.  I'm almost tempted to go back and try submasters again.  Almost.  But I think I'll try using Palettes instead.  Your mini-tutorial will be most helpful.  Thank you.

Peter

press the ABOUT key in the middle of the console. 

this will tell you info about the console such as Software version. 

if you are only using dimmers and no MLs, 

i find Presets easier/ faster :)

A couple things to add / clarify.  Forgive me if I'm repeating anything.

Palettes and presets store data that can be accessed on a per channel basis.  For example, if you want channel 2 to take its level from preset 5, you can command [2] [Intensity Palette] [5].  The same is true with groups, which only store combinations of channels.

If you want a shortcut to select every channel in a preset or palette AND put it at the data in the preset or palette, you can command [Recall from] [xx Palette] [x].  This would be the most like group x at full on another console.  If you then want the levels scaled to a percentage, after pressing enter, type [at] [/] [y], where y is a percentage.

If you want a quick way just to select all channels in a palette or preset, use [Group] palette / preset.

If you are setting all your palettes to absolute after you have created them, while in blind there is an easy way to select them all.  Say Intensity palette 1 is your first palette, [Intensity Palette] [1] [thru] [enter] will select all your palettes.

-Josh