VLZ Profile Edits Needed

Hello Brendan, 

Can you confirm that you are running the latest software v3.1.1 and the latest fixture library patch v3.1.1 build 14 on your console? it is possible these errors have been corrected already.  

If you are indeed up to date, please provide information on what the incorrect values are and what they should be, as well as an up to date manual.  I will be happy to submit the request for update.

VariLIte_VLZ_Profile_Dmx_Map_2.01.pdfVariLite_VLZ_Wash_DMX_Channel_Map.pdf

Hi Justin,

I have attached the DMX charts for the VLZ Profile and Wash.  The issues I have noticed to date are with the Profile  - Gobo Wheel 1 DMX 23, not all the options are set correctly or listed.   Also DMX 54 which is the frost has many different options, but the profile only has 1.  The frost is also an issue with the Wash unit under DMX 45 with the same problem.  It may be worth someone going through and confirming the actual values.    The other issue we have with 2 venues and all these fixtures is with the shutters.  The rotation assembly is set at 50% (home) per the manual, but when you bring the blade in the desk says it should be straight, but onstage they are at an angle.   Our VL service tech is going to take our spares and test them on some other desks to see if it is a manufacture problem.  For now you need to offset the home position of the fixture by about 12 degrees.

Which specific fixtures and fixture personalities are you using?
There are currently four VLZ personalities in the library:

• VLZ Profile 16B
• VLZ Profile Enhanced 16B
• VLZ Spot Enhanced 16B
• VLZ Wash Enhanced 16B

Looking at our history it seems that we made some changes to these personalities last year, so it's possible we've already corrected the errors you've found and you just need to update.

Can you check again with the "latest" (Library 3.1.1.14 as of this post)

For shutters:
Unfortunately the attached documents don't say anything about the physical layout of the framing shutters, we'd need more information to check that.

Sadly very few fixture manufacturers publish good information about shutters  

It does look like we may have incorrect Frame Assembly user values in 3.1.1.14 (for VLZ Profile/Enhanced  Profile) though, it's currently +/- 50deg and that document says it should be +/- 90.
"Home" (0deg) should still be correct though as that is DMX 32767 as specified in the document.

Eos uses the following shutter naming convention:

With:

• Shutter Order (in Patch) at default
• Pan at 0 deg
• Tilt to +90 deg
• Frame Assembly rotate at 0 deg

For 'pushrod' style shutters like in the VLZ:

• The a/b sides run clockwise in the 'image on the wall'.
• Frame a/b 1 controls the two ends of shutter A
• Frame a/b 2 controls the two ends of shutter B
• etc...

So in the bottom part of the diagram (fixture hung base up):
"Frame a 1" should be the left-hand corner of the A (top) shutter.

Shutter user value "100" is exactly halfway across the beam, so setting them all to 100 should result in all four shutters meeting in the middle - assuming the fixture can physically do that!

Hi Richard,

I have the latest library (Library 3.1.1.14) and all these issues are present (ie Frost).  I am using the Enhanced profiles. We hang all our fixtures under the pipe so A is the top.    Yes I saw the 90 degree limit, but funny enough I tried to play with these settings and never got anywhere near 90.   The way I was able to fix the Frame Assembly issue was to set the DMX home to around 25000 instead of 32676.  Then A and others comes straight in no problem.   I should know more next week once the VL shop tech looks at them.  

Just as a further follow up.  Our VL service shop took a VLZ profile and wash to their shop and tested on a Hog desk and do not have the issue with the shutters.  He reported Hog's profile splits A1 and B1 in to two separate handles as each end of the shutter has its own motor.  EOS seems to lump these together and may have an issue with the home offset.  I does sound like a profile issue though.

Hi Brendan, 

I have submitted these notes for update.

Super.  Many Thanks!   I can also update that our local shop talked to VL directly, who confirmed it is an issue with the profile, as the lights are working as expected.

Thanks. We'll correct the frost shortly.

However, I'm not sure whether we actually have enough information to correct the shutters.
From what you've said, the fixture's manual contains multiple errata, and we already knew there's a lot of missing information.

Could we contact you directly off-forum to make some measurements, if the Hog personality doesn't have enough information?

We've now compared the Eos personality in library 3.1.1.14 with both Hog and VL's own Strand NEO console.

As far as we can tell, all three give exactly the same DMX values for "straight shutter".
The Home values are identical, and "shutter inserted straight, halfway" is identical.

The only difference we can find between the three is the 'real world' maximum shutter assembly rotate angle.
- Hog uses DMX 0-65535 = -90 > +90 deg (as per the document) Eos uses -50 > +50 deg and NEO uses -45 > +45 deg. While that indicates the VLZ documentation is probably wrong, it wouldn't have any effect at "0 deg" Frame Assembly Rotate

So either I've totally misunderstood what you're describing, or your fixtures are in fact broken.

Please can you try the following in a brand-new Eos showfile:
(to ensure there's nothing left over like custom Home preset/park/curves etc)

• Tilt 90
• Frame Assembly 0
• Frame Angle A 0
• Frame Thrust A 50

With the fixture hung base-up, this should insert the top shutter horizontally.

If it doesn't can you post the DMX values that are being output by the Eos console?

Hi Richard,

Still the same.  It is not a broken fixture as it happens to all units in 2 venues, 2 consoles.   I did some testing tonight with a DMX cat running straight DMX in channel mode, no profile.   It is something with the rotation.  I am bouncing this back to VL as I really think there is something wrong with their programming. Otherwise an offset for rotation is needed for the profile to correct it.  Curious what the home value is with the hog rotation as our local shop said it worked for them on a hog, but it does not for me with straight dmx.

Hi Richard,

Still the same.  It is not a broken fixture as it happens to all units in 2 venues, 2 consoles.   I did some testing tonight with a DMX cat running straight DMX in channel mode, no profile.   It is something with the rotation.  I am bouncing this back to VL as I really think there is something wrong with their programming. Otherwise an offset for rotation is needed for the profile to correct it.  Curious what the home value is with the hog rotation as our local shop said it worked for them on a hog, but it does not for me with straight dmx.

Still working on this.  It is now higher up at VL as I am sure it is an issue with their programming. (re: shutters)

The funny thing is that in the Manual from you, Version 2.01, and what ever version they have as manual on there Webside...

Frame 1A 0 - 65535  "16 Bit Control of Framing Shutter 1A from Open (DMX 0) to Full (DMX 65535)"

Frame 1B 0 - 65535  "Controls Framing Shutter 1B from Open (DMX 35 High Byte 0) to Full (DMX 255)" 

As what we can see for the discribtion for shutter 1B, it is the same for all the following.
It Could be a tipo or a programming error.

Who knows...

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What you can also check is on the Fixture itself.
In the Menu:
Fixture->Service->Service Settings->Beam Offset --> all the parameters that are inside.
Can you confirm that they are all at 0 ?