ColorSource Color Engine

Greetings all, color control is a very important feature for us and we share your desire for more options in ColorSource. We are currently working on the 2.0 software release, however, the majority of the color engine rework has been moved to a 3.0 software release. Color is a large enough endeavor that we are dedicating a complete release to it. In order to prepare for this, we are first going to concentrate on some internal rework and changes in 2.0.  Please feel free to send any suggestions you have for future enhancements to me directly or continue to post on this forum.

 

Thank you all for your continued support!

-Lowell

Parents
  • I'm reading about the ColorSource in detail for the first time, in advance of using one on an upcoming small show, and before checking the forum, I thought maybe I'd misread the manual. ETC user since Expression II here, started in theatre, now mainly doing live events, fluent in MA, Hog and Avo too....

    It astounds me that this console can't perform a task as simple as direct control of color parameters.

    While ETC may be able to guarantee that their color picker "knows" how to make the best mix of LED's from their own Lustr or ColorSource engine, there's now tons of other RGB(A/W/UV/etc) fixtures out there, and the user has ZERO ability (short of rewriting a custom fixture profile where color parameters are labelled as something other than color....) to fine-tune individual channels to make things match? Browsing the forum, there are many other what-about's - from LED tape that's in direct-view (so not wanting certain channels to be on at all), to trying to do a fixture shoot-out, and on and on. I've certainly achieved colors with Lustr2's manually in direct mode that never would have been possible via a color-engine (i.e. by maxing out five or six of the seven colors in various combinations).

    I'm further bewildered that the addition of this seemingly more-basic feature (compared to a whole Color Engine) is apparently being punted to the *next* software version after one that hasn't even been released yet? So, not for at least a year?

    The hardware on this console does look nice, certainly it's nice for the price point. And like I said, I haven't been hands-on with one yet - but it sounds like the software has plenty of room to mature.

    A few other thoughts on these consoles, unrelated to the color issues:

    • The (apparent) lack of external keyboard and mouse/trackball support, even on the larger CS AV consoles, is surprising. Not every show is in a nice clean theatre, the precision of a mouse or trackball seems like it would make this small screen much more manageable.
    • The manual mentions that it is possible to change addresses and fixture modes via RDM, but does not explain how to do so, or whether other fixture settings (dimming curves, etc) are adjustable via RDM from the console.  [EDIT - after using the console today, it does not appear that there is any ability to use RDM to change addresses or modes on the actual console)
    • I'm curious to try it, but the 'swipe' method for adjusting parameters seems like it will be tricky for adjusting pan-and-tilt values with any degree of accuracy. Especially since those parameters appear to come up near the top/left of the screen, rather than more centrally...and especially when trying to make a subtle adjustment during a show.... [EDIT - after using the color picker for a while, it was frustrating to not be able to make slight tweaks to the color of a light, without looking down at the console...color picker is good for broad strokes but a fine-tune mode i.e. a four-way button to 'nudge' the cursor on the color picker up/down/left/right would be a huge improvement....] 
    • In the manual's description of the 'Move/GO' functionality of the buttons, it is unclear whether color is affected, or only position/beam values that appear under the 'Parameters' display....
      • "[Move/GO] will cause the parameters of the channels in the chosen playback to move to their recorded positions and values, while the intensity remains unaffected. The intensity may be operated independently on the playback fader."
    • Similarly, it's unclear if the 'Flash' mode will only flash intensity/color, or if it will also flash all parameters to their saved values, releasing them to their underlying values after the button is released.
    • There is no documentation in the manual (other than a small thumbnail image) of what the actual built-in effects consist of, which would be helpful considering there doesn't seem to be any way to add or write custom effects (i.e. for fixtures with parameters not included in the built-in effects)
    • Lastly, while I know that these are probably among the least-expensive consoles that ETC has ever made, what about an offline editor for show files, or even just patch and stage layout information? So that you could at least walk into a show ready to start making looks...

    Thanks for listening!

Reply
  • I'm reading about the ColorSource in detail for the first time, in advance of using one on an upcoming small show, and before checking the forum, I thought maybe I'd misread the manual. ETC user since Expression II here, started in theatre, now mainly doing live events, fluent in MA, Hog and Avo too....

    It astounds me that this console can't perform a task as simple as direct control of color parameters.

    While ETC may be able to guarantee that their color picker "knows" how to make the best mix of LED's from their own Lustr or ColorSource engine, there's now tons of other RGB(A/W/UV/etc) fixtures out there, and the user has ZERO ability (short of rewriting a custom fixture profile where color parameters are labelled as something other than color....) to fine-tune individual channels to make things match? Browsing the forum, there are many other what-about's - from LED tape that's in direct-view (so not wanting certain channels to be on at all), to trying to do a fixture shoot-out, and on and on. I've certainly achieved colors with Lustr2's manually in direct mode that never would have been possible via a color-engine (i.e. by maxing out five or six of the seven colors in various combinations).

    I'm further bewildered that the addition of this seemingly more-basic feature (compared to a whole Color Engine) is apparently being punted to the *next* software version after one that hasn't even been released yet? So, not for at least a year?

    The hardware on this console does look nice, certainly it's nice for the price point. And like I said, I haven't been hands-on with one yet - but it sounds like the software has plenty of room to mature.

    A few other thoughts on these consoles, unrelated to the color issues:

    • The (apparent) lack of external keyboard and mouse/trackball support, even on the larger CS AV consoles, is surprising. Not every show is in a nice clean theatre, the precision of a mouse or trackball seems like it would make this small screen much more manageable.
    • The manual mentions that it is possible to change addresses and fixture modes via RDM, but does not explain how to do so, or whether other fixture settings (dimming curves, etc) are adjustable via RDM from the console.  [EDIT - after using the console today, it does not appear that there is any ability to use RDM to change addresses or modes on the actual console)
    • I'm curious to try it, but the 'swipe' method for adjusting parameters seems like it will be tricky for adjusting pan-and-tilt values with any degree of accuracy. Especially since those parameters appear to come up near the top/left of the screen, rather than more centrally...and especially when trying to make a subtle adjustment during a show.... [EDIT - after using the color picker for a while, it was frustrating to not be able to make slight tweaks to the color of a light, without looking down at the console...color picker is good for broad strokes but a fine-tune mode i.e. a four-way button to 'nudge' the cursor on the color picker up/down/left/right would be a huge improvement....] 
    • In the manual's description of the 'Move/GO' functionality of the buttons, it is unclear whether color is affected, or only position/beam values that appear under the 'Parameters' display....
      • "[Move/GO] will cause the parameters of the channels in the chosen playback to move to their recorded positions and values, while the intensity remains unaffected. The intensity may be operated independently on the playback fader."
    • Similarly, it's unclear if the 'Flash' mode will only flash intensity/color, or if it will also flash all parameters to their saved values, releasing them to their underlying values after the button is released.
    • There is no documentation in the manual (other than a small thumbnail image) of what the actual built-in effects consist of, which would be helpful considering there doesn't seem to be any way to add or write custom effects (i.e. for fixtures with parameters not included in the built-in effects)
    • Lastly, while I know that these are probably among the least-expensive consoles that ETC has ever made, what about an offline editor for show files, or even just patch and stage layout information? So that you could at least walk into a show ready to start making looks...

    Thanks for listening!

Children
  • Hello,

    One suggestion, I insist on this point because I already made the comment, but it would be great to have possibilty to extend CS20 at 80 channels, like for the smartfade 12/96. I can't use CS20AV on a show's tour for 12 channels in more on the console... The compact form of the CS is very interesting and more pratic for the tour... So I wish you to hear my comment and understand my demand :)
    Thanks
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