Arri Skypanel profile updates

First, in modes 6 and 25 (RGBW + CCT 16 bit), the range values for the tint parameter are very wrong. They are inverted and do not match the ranges in the DMX specification document (link). This probably also applies to all other modes that incorporate CCT, but I personally never use others.

Second, in the same modes, Arri has added a new setting called RGBW Calibrated Color. This allows you to send RGB values to the light, instead of RGBW values, and the light will do the processing to add the white diodes as needed. You can still override the white value, but it is no longer required to mix color. It is not well documented in their manuals (user manual), but it is evident in the gel to DMX value chart they publish where the white value is always 0 (link to file). This setting also allows for a very important feature in the film industry, being able to tune the base color temperature when the color crossfade parameter is max. This is the most important reason I prefer this mode.

Where this becomes an issue is using the color picker or hue/sat controls to mix colors. It always mixes in white, which causes the light to mix inconsistently. I tried editing the patch to remove the white parameter, but this has had two side effects. The hue and saturation controls are completely locked out, and using the color picker gives the same RGB values as if it were still RGBW, just missing the white entirely. 

I am working on building my own unofficial profiles for these modes without white, but I would be grateful to have an official one with the calibrated color profile.

  • I have talked to the profile team and received the following feedback:

    1. Tint Parameter

    Carallon standardized “Tint” as:

    • negative values - adds green and subtracts magenta
    • positive values – adds magenta and subtracts green

    Fixture defines DMX 5 & 6 as:

    0-4.587, 0-7, neutral/no effect

    4.588-9.830, 8-15, full minus green

    9.831-30.145, 16-46, -99% thru -1%

    30.146-39.976, 47-61, neutral/no effect

    39.977-60.292, 62-92, 1% thru 99%

    60.293-65.535, 93-100, full plus green

    EOS defines the “Tint” parameter as:

                    DMX 65535 to 4588 exposed as user range -100 to 100%

     

    This looks to be correct. DMX 65535 is most green which Carallon calls -100% and DMX 4588 is most magenta which Carallon calls +100%. This allows EOS to expose the Tint parameter on a simple encoder. Exposing these modes individually would require a “Tint Mode” parameter or using the “Fine” mode controls.

     

    1. “Calibrated Color”

     

    Modes 6 and 25 have been color calibrated by Carallon. So deleting the white channel is just breaking the calibration.

    If preferred, we can create additional “Calibrated Color” modes for Arri modes 6 and 25. These would have the Carallon color calibration removed and the white DMX channel deleted. EOS would then treat them as generic RGB fixtures.

    In regards to the calibrated color mode options, if you would like to try this out then we can add them to a fixture library for your testing. We will just need to know which Arri models (S30, S60, S120, and/or S360) and which Arri modes (6 and/or 25 and/or …) that you want this alternate version create for.

  • 1. Tint

    If Carallon has decided to call negative tint value green, and positive is magenta, then so be it, as long as it is consistent across all lights that they calibrate. It does contradict the Arri manual though, which describes minus green (magenta tint) as negative%, and plus green as positive%. I find it odd, but if that's what they've chosen and is consistent across various fixtures, I'm ok with it. It's an easy fix to change plus to minus on my end or in my head.

    However, the DMX range is still incorrect. The Arri spec has large dead bands at the ends and in the middle that throw off the actual output values. See this chart I made that shows the stairstep pattern of Arri's ranges compared to the linear output from the ETC profile.

    I have already created my own patch that Incorporates the correct Arri ranges here.

    These ranges produce accurate outputs as read on the Skypanel display. See my comparison between my custom Channel 1 and the default Channel 2 in the following screenshots. In each, I input the tint value by direct entering the DMX value for the borders of the ranges in the Arri manual. My profile displays the proper tint value as displayed on the light's menu showing DMX values, while the ETC default one is off by a large margin.

    In my custom ranges, entering DMX 30146 snaps it instead to the center of the Neutral dead band because min and max user range are both 0. Further, I still have control on a simple encoder. I can wheel up and down all the way from -100 to 100 with no stops. In the ML controls panel, it does only display 3 tint tiles by default, but clicking the Tint header opens a Tint virtual encoder wheel right beside it. 

    I find this to be the most useful setup as I can control with an encoder or tap and input values directly, and the display on the light matches the value on my console.

    These tint range values should be updated in profiles 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, and 13 for S30, S60, S120, and S360, as they all use the same ranges. S60, S120, and S360 will also need profiles 24 and 25 updated.

    2. Calibrated Color

    Yes, indeed I was asking for a separate profile for the calibrated color option. Since it is an option, there should still be profiles that have it disabled. I have indeed created my own Fixture profiles for mode 6 and 25 from scratch since editing the existing patches did not behave. The custom patch behaves as you describe as a generic RGB fixture, but it would be great if Carallon could also do calibration for these modes sometime in the future.

    I have all the changes I've discussed above in a show file on my Dropbox if you'd like to look over the changes I've made.

    Thanks, I appreciate you taking the time for this.

  • A bit late to the party here, but when using Calibrated color, you are building to a specific white point.  In modes 4 and 9, that white point defaults to 3200.  R+G+B at full = 3200k. or W ONLY at full, (RGB at 0) also =3200.  Using any combination of RGB at levels, makes the W parameter act to de-saturate the color as it is rolled in.  When using Modes 1 or 6, the White Point is determined by the CCT/Tint channels, EVEN THOUGH your Color Crossfade  channel is on the Color side.  This is important to remember, since your CCT channels may be in different places, resulting in colors that are not matching.

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