When considering using XYZ updating of positions for any production it is important to consider that it based upon a mathematical function. The coordinates are based upon 3 or 4 positions that you must update for ALL fixtures each day of the tour. Hard edge fixtures work better as they can be more exact than wash lights.
However you must consider what value you will get when point the same fixture to a certain point on a stage. With 16-bit programming the position is based upon two values (pan/tilt) each with a value between 0 and 65535. So consider that you point a wash light at the upstage right corner.. chances are that you will never get the exact same numeric value for position. The numeric value for its position can vary widely, even though it is pointing in the same relative place on stage. Now extrapolate this into XYZ space based on other coordinates and you will quickly see how fast this can alter the accuracy of the calculated positioning.
As I said, when I have used this function (on several other consoles), I have found that the time it takes an operator to update all fixtures into four positions and then touch up all real positions far out ways the time an operator could just updated the real positions. Furthermore many positions do not really change on a daily basis (fan outs, etc) yet with XYZ they will be off and need to be retouched.
However there are some advantages to programming with XYZ in that all fixtures are working in a 3D space instead of pan/tilt values. This means it is easy to have fixtures move around together in the same location on stage, etc.
Again I am not discounting this feature (it is on our list), but I do know that from real world experience that it usually is not the saving grace that it is often presented to be.
When considering using XYZ updating of positions for any production it is important to consider that it based upon a mathematical function. The coordinates are based upon 3 or 4 positions that you must update for ALL fixtures each day of the tour. Hard edge fixtures work better as they can be more exact than wash lights.
However you must consider what value you will get when point the same fixture to a certain point on a stage. With 16-bit programming the position is based upon two values (pan/tilt) each with a value between 0 and 65535. So consider that you point a wash light at the upstage right corner.. chances are that you will never get the exact same numeric value for position. The numeric value for its position can vary widely, even though it is pointing in the same relative place on stage. Now extrapolate this into XYZ space based on other coordinates and you will quickly see how fast this can alter the accuracy of the calculated positioning.
As I said, when I have used this function (on several other consoles), I have found that the time it takes an operator to update all fixtures into four positions and then touch up all real positions far out ways the time an operator could just updated the real positions. Furthermore many positions do not really change on a daily basis (fan outs, etc) yet with XYZ they will be off and need to be retouched.
However there are some advantages to programming with XYZ in that all fixtures are working in a 3D space instead of pan/tilt values. This means it is easy to have fixtures move around together in the same location on stage, etc.
Again I am not discounting this feature (it is on our list), but I do know that from real world experience that it usually is not the saving grace that it is often presented to be.
