Changing Master Fader Causes Focus Points to Change Values

Hi Dave -

How have you patched your moving lights? If the units are patched as movers in Setup>Moving Lights Functions> Fixture Patch, then the non-intensity parameters of the fixtures should not be affected by the grand master fader or black out key. I am thinking you have your devices being controlled by a dimmer patch instead (standard patching, one dimmer per channel, for as many channels as the fixture needs) and that is causing the lights to move when you change the grand master level - is that correct?

You have two options - either repatch your moving lights as devices (which may be more than you're comfortable doing - I would recommend looking at this guide for help in doing that), or simply set the channels that control non-intensity parts of your fixtures to LTP operation in the Setup>Channel Attributes display. To do this, go to that display, select the channels you want to adjust and then press S6-LTP.

I hope this helps -

Thanks -

Sarah

If you have the fixtures patched outside of  the ML fixture patch: You may also want to try setting the parameters you don't want changing on GM fades (usually everything but the dimmer channel) to "independent" on your movers -  This is done in Setup>Channel Attributes as well. It won't change the way each of the focus points are handled, just those channels - but that's what you want, right? You'd need to do this for every non-dimmer channel of every fixture affected.

If you have the fixtures patched with the ML fixture patch: You could always edit and reload the fixture's personality, offline - I think "Independent" is a stored attribute for each channel (using a checkbox, if memory serves). Repatch the new personality once that's done and that should sort it out for all fixtures, I think.

Good luck,

Jonathan

Thanks for the replies Sarah and Jonathan,

You know....I DID use Menu Item 15. Moving Lights to patch my two fixtures but I couldn't get them working so after reading posts online and the manual for the Express, I thought that I was missing the 1 to 1 Channel-Dimmer relationship so I created 28 more Dimmers and patched them to the 28 "new" channels I had created (each fixture requires 14 attribute channels).  Sounds like I made this more difficult than I needed to... lol  So, you two have offered two ways to fix my issue.  Is there a "better" option between the two?  My initial thought is to re-patch in the Moving Light menu item (which I technically have already done, Sarah) Is there a way for me to sort of back out of the 1 to 1 Dimmer patch and still use the ML patch I created?  I DO have two fixtures that I created in the ML Patch (already) - it sounds to me like the thing I did wrong was to add the 1 to 1 Channel-Dimmer association - can I just get rid of that association?

Here is my original Posting which describes how I set everything up initially:

http://community.etcconnect.com/forums/t/9038.aspx

Dave

Hi Dave -

When you repatched the dimmers to normal channels, you unpatched them from your moving lights (a dimmer/address number can only be associated with one channel at a time). Restoring your moving light patch should solve the problem.

If you have more trouble, calling tech service should help. :-)

Thanks much -

Sarah

How do I re-patch the MLs?  Do I just go through the menu items again in the patching proceedure under Menu Item 15. Moving Lights?

Do I also need to unpatch the relationship between the Channels and Dimmers?

Do I need to DELETE all 28 Dimmer Channels that I created thinking I needed them?

Is there a procedure for this I can reference?

Thanks,

Dave

I'm not sure about this, but I think with Express consoles the number of dimmers set is the number of viable addresses the console is expecting to send values to - So if you have a 48-rack and a pair of three-channel  RGB LEDs, for example, you'd need to set the number of dimmers at 54 or more. In your case, you'd want 28 more "dimmers" set up than you have physical dimmers - and more, if you have multiple, non-concurrent racks (ie. gaps in your DMX layout). There's no harm in having more dimmers set up than you might end up using, in most cases.

I think what you did when you reassigned the patch was unpatching your movers and using their values on 'normal' channels, right? Repatching them via the ML patch menu should put them in correctly, and give you control through the fixture controller again. I've used the console both ways, and each way has advantages. Ignoring the fixture setup makes for faster setup, and using it makes for (arguably) faster programming.

Hey -

What is the proper way to plug in movers?  I want to plug them into a regular electrical outlet and not a dimmer pack, right?  I am not sure if I have an available outlet in the over head but I KNOW I have an available dimmer pack outlet.

How does one turn the ML on and off it is plugged directly into an outlet and not a dimmer pack?

Dave

Just read this in the Manual:

Never connect the Q-Spot 260-LED to a rheostat (variable resistor) or dimmer circuit, even if the rheostat or dimmer channel serves only as a 0 to 100% switch.

So, that answers that....so does that mean these lights are Always ON?  Is there a DMX signal to turn them ON and OFF?

Probably not. I've been told it's not a good idea to put movers on any dimmers - but you can get DMX-controlled relay packs which you can task for this - it means running dedicated circuits, usually, unless you're lucky enough to have a patch bay in your venue. If not, and if you have Sensors, they make constant current modules (always on unless you throw the breaker on the pack) and relay modules (on or off, via DMX).