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    Magikman
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Issues and questions about my new SmartFade ML

Basically learned the board in 4 days. During this crash course on learning some issues/questions came up that I'm hoping to get clarification on.

Memories & Sequences - The manual says there are 24 memories per page (faders 1-24) over 12 pages for 288 memories and there are 12 sequences per page  (faders 13-24) over 12 pages for 144 sequences.

1. We programmed 24 memories on page 1 and then went to make sequences from them. When we pushed record sequence and selected fader 13 we got an error and it wouldn't let us do it. Come to find out we weren't able to record and sequences on faders that had memories in them. Is it supposed to be that way?

2. However if we first record a sequence for examples on fader 13 and then create a new memory and select fade 13 it allows us to save it.

So is it correct that you can't record sequences over memories but you can put memories over sequences?

3. With that being said how would you go about displaying the memory that is on the same fader as the sequence? When I push the MEMS buttong the fader glows yellow and there doesn't appear to be a way to recall the memory that is "under" it so to speak.

If all of this is correct then in all honesty you can't have 288 memories and 144 sequences then. One takes away from the other.

Copying - I was able to successfully copy sequences from page 1 to page 2 with no issues. However I wasn't able to copy memories from page 1 to page 2. I did the same process (COPY...SOURCE...then new location) and it wouldn't save on page 2. Should I be able to copy memories from one page to another?

Defective Fader - Fader 20 on my new board will not hold times for recorded sequences. I recorded a sequence and placed it on fader 20. All of the steps are there and the time was adjust for fades in between each. Set the sequence to Single Shot and ran it and it rapidly goes through all the steps and stops. However if I copy the sequence to another fader it works just fine and all the timing is there. If I copy it back to 20 the sequence doesn't work with the timing again. It's like fader 20 is defective and won't record/recognize the times. Has anyone else ever had this problem?

Any help is appreciated.

Parents

  • You are correct in noting that a fader can only hold one 'object' per page - either a single Memory or a Sequence of them.

    You can however record memories directly into the Stack, so there are actually more than 288 memories available.

    The reason you can replace a Sequence with a Memory but not vice-versa is because Memories could be being used somewhere else - eg a Sequence or the Stack might already be using that Memory, and it would break it quite badly if it got changed to a Sequence.
    Rather than having the desk allow you to sometimes change it to a Sequence and sometimes not, it requires you to Delete the Memory (thus knowing that you're very sure) before you can record a Sequence to it.

    Copying between pages should be working - which version of software does your console have at the moment?
    (Menu > Setup > Software Version)

    I've just rechecked this in 2.1.1 and it seems fine here:

    • Start on Mems page 1
    • [Copy]
    • {Source Memory}
    • Hold [MEM] and press [2] to change to Page 2
    • {Destination Memory}

    The Fader 20 issue is quite strange. Can you attach a showfile that has the problem?



    [edited by: Richard at 5:30 PM (GMT -6) on Mon, Oct 26 2009] Silly spelling errors.
Reply

  • You are correct in noting that a fader can only hold one 'object' per page - either a single Memory or a Sequence of them.

    You can however record memories directly into the Stack, so there are actually more than 288 memories available.

    The reason you can replace a Sequence with a Memory but not vice-versa is because Memories could be being used somewhere else - eg a Sequence or the Stack might already be using that Memory, and it would break it quite badly if it got changed to a Sequence.
    Rather than having the desk allow you to sometimes change it to a Sequence and sometimes not, it requires you to Delete the Memory (thus knowing that you're very sure) before you can record a Sequence to it.

    Copying between pages should be working - which version of software does your console have at the moment?
    (Menu > Setup > Software Version)

    I've just rechecked this in 2.1.1 and it seems fine here:

    • Start on Mems page 1
    • [Copy]
    • {Source Memory}
    • Hold [MEM] and press [2] to change to Page 2
    • {Destination Memory}

    The Fader 20 issue is quite strange. Can you attach a showfile that has the problem?



    [edited by: Richard at 5:30 PM (GMT -6) on Mon, Oct 26 2009] Silly spelling errors.
Children
  • in reply to Richard

    Thank you for the reply. I'm running software version 2.1.1 as well. I just got this board last week and it was shipped direct from your plant. I will try to send over a show file once I get an SD card for the board.

    So with the 244 memories (24x12 pages) and the 144 sequences (12x12 pages) the amount of one will affect the available amount of the other correct? I would suggest that ETC make a note of that in the manual. Since a memory can be recorded over a sequence why doesn't the fader bump button change color then to reflect that it is now a memory and no longer a sequence?

    For example: I have a sequence in fader 14 right now. I then record a memory...assign it to fader 14. I get no error on the screen. Then when I push MEMS fader 14 still lights up yellow not red. Why doesn't it reflect that the channel is now a memory?

    I just tried the copy function again. It works perfect for sequences.....I can copy them all over the place but I'm unable to copy memories from one page to another. Are your boards tested prior to shipment? I really like this product and was happy to learn it in 4 days. We go on tour this Friday. Our old board from another co. died last week so we bought the SFML. Here we are less than a week later and our show is completely programmed. Love the effects the board has preprogrammed...they save a lot of time. I'm just concerned that this brand new out of the box board is having issues with the 20 fader and copying. 

  • in reply to Magikman

    Hello,

    I tried to reproduce the fader20 seq timing problem you reported and cannot make that happen.  But I have a theory on why you saw it, please try this and let me know:

    If you select Edit > Time > Seq20bump > dial to All steps > adjust times > Press Enter (the tick button) > Message: 'set to all steps' > Press Enter again > Edit (to complete and exit)

    Did that work?  I wonder if you tried to change all steps but did not press enter to confirm.  If you adjust one step at a time it is live, but if you adjust all steps it is not and you need to press the Enter button to confirm.  Could that be the reason?.

    I will look into yur other comments tomorrow and let you know what I find.

    Thaml you for your support, patience and enthusiasm!

    Adam Bennette

  • in reply to AdamBennette

    Adam,

    20 is still not working. I'm able to take the sequence and copy it to another one (13,14,16, etc.) and it runs fine. However once I put it back to 20 it doesn't. It just appears that none of the times are being referenced. It's an 8 memory sequence and when the sequence is on channel 20 and played live it goes through all the steps in about 2 seconds. It's really weird. Even when I take other sequences and put them into 20 they do the same thing. Definately an issue going on with channel 20.

  • in reply to Magikman

    I need the showfile to investigate this.  Can you please save it as SHOW99.ASC and send it to adam.bennette@etcconnect.com.  I will look at it tomorrow.

    In the meantime, is the bump20 jammed-on by chance?

  • in reply to AdamBennette

    It's definately not jammed on. I won't be able to get a show file for a few weeks. I called your tech dept. yesterday (they are extremely helpful) and told them about the situation. Since we're on tour for this month he recommended that we don't do any software reinstalls, etc. until we are done. When I get the SD card I will send the show file over but I'd prefer not to reinstall the operating system until our tour is done on Nov. 25th.

    Again thank you for all of your help.

  • in reply to Magikman

    Hi there -

    Are you running with SmartSoft? I would suggest that it's always a good idea to save your show data to a form of portable media like the SD card or onto the hard disk of the SmartSoft computer to ensure the security of your show data. If the show only exists within the memory of the console, you should be ok, however "bad things can sometimes happen" and it's always a comfort to have the show file backed up on disk/memory card just in case.

    Thanks -

    Sarah

  • in reply to sclausen

    I think I'm having the issue the original poster has - I might "wipe" the memory from and load in the master program from the emergency card and start a fresh.

    I only get to use our ML desk every-so-often therefore some things shown in training have gone from memory already...

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