I've got 2 DL2s in a 1X2 collage. I uploaded a custom graphic that is just some bold text...white on black. Then I put the graphic in a Shake n Bake effect. After a while I'm seeing the fixtures get out of sync, causing the text to split from the collage mode. I've messed with the sync to and sync type, but this isn't a video clip, it's a jpeg. The only movement is from the Shake n Bake effect. I ended up resetting the fixtures, and now they are synced again. I guess I don't fully understand the sync options. "Sync to" is to assign a graphic layer a device ID to sync up with? Is this the ID I gave it using the CMA? "Sync type" is what? For this, do I put "sync type" to the graphic layer I'm using? I think I tried all this, but got no results.
Syncronization of strobing has been brought up in the past, but Mask strobe is not an effect per se. Mask strobing is a built in function of the global layer and not an effect that is dialed in on the effects channels.
That being said, there are some effects that sync does have an effect on. Off the top of my head Object Wobulation and the ripple effects can be sync'ed up across the network. There is not a sync mode specifically named to do this. Instead, the only thing that has to be done is have the "sync to" value set correctly to a master fixture (and having all unique fixture ID's, of course). Also, all the fixtures involved with the collaged effect must have the same effects values being sent to them.
Not all of the effects react to the sync packet information, and Shake and Bake is one of the ones that can't be sync'ed.
Also, the sync'ing of movie playback and effects is still sub-optimal. It is something that can be played with, but not necessarily something you want to rely on. We have multiple bugs logged in our database here related to all the sync problems.
Global clock, as Scott mentioned, is actually more for syncronization of 3D object rotation. When a fixture is not in a network, the global clock is used between the layers to make sure object rotation between the three layers stays in sync. For instance, if you start all three layers rotating at the same time at the same speed, the global clock makes sure that all three layers continue to rotate exactly the same. Before we implemented this, we had problems with rotational drift.
In a networked situation, the global clock is used to do the same type of rotation syncronization between layers of different fixtures. But as Scott mentioned, there are issues with the fixtures being able to recognize the correct global clock master.
So Scott B, in a very long winded way: Effects can be sync'ed, however Shake and Bake is not one of them. Also, sync is still in need of some work, so sync'ing of other effects may produce mixed results.
Syncronization of strobing has been brought up in the past, but Mask strobe is not an effect per se. Mask strobing is a built in function of the global layer and not an effect that is dialed in on the effects channels.
That being said, there are some effects that sync does have an effect on. Off the top of my head Object Wobulation and the ripple effects can be sync'ed up across the network. There is not a sync mode specifically named to do this. Instead, the only thing that has to be done is have the "sync to" value set correctly to a master fixture (and having all unique fixture ID's, of course). Also, all the fixtures involved with the collaged effect must have the same effects values being sent to them.
Not all of the effects react to the sync packet information, and Shake and Bake is one of the ones that can't be sync'ed.
Also, the sync'ing of movie playback and effects is still sub-optimal. It is something that can be played with, but not necessarily something you want to rely on. We have multiple bugs logged in our database here related to all the sync problems.
Global clock, as Scott mentioned, is actually more for syncronization of 3D object rotation. When a fixture is not in a network, the global clock is used between the layers to make sure object rotation between the three layers stays in sync. For instance, if you start all three layers rotating at the same time at the same speed, the global clock makes sure that all three layers continue to rotate exactly the same. Before we implemented this, we had problems with rotational drift.
In a networked situation, the global clock is used to do the same type of rotation syncronization between layers of different fixtures. But as Scott mentioned, there are issues with the fixtures being able to recognize the correct global clock master.
So Scott B, in a very long winded way: Effects can be sync'ed, however Shake and Bake is not one of them. Also, sync is still in need of some work, so sync'ing of other effects may produce mixed results.
