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instant image scaling?

Almost all the content I use with our DL.2s I scale with the 'x scale' 'y scale' parameters, with each piece of content usually scaled differently. I've found that the DL.2 doesn't (isn't able to?) apply scale changes instantly. It usually takes a couple seconds when applying a pallet to a layer for the image to reach its scaled size, even with a zero fade time.

Currently I am having to program around this behavior by putting in intensity delays to allow the scaling to finish. Is there anyway this can be instantly done? It would make my onstage transitions much smoother.

Also, and this might be a H3 library issue, it seems some parameters of the DL.2 should always snap to the next value and not fade. Particularly channels like effects mode 1 and 2, object, mask, etc. I know I can set individual fade times for these to make them snap, but I was running into a problem with releasing / asserting cuelists that for other reasons setting a 0sec release time wasn't good.


Thanks.
  • 0
    Hi Ted,

    The behavior of the scaling elements (and layer position elements you will find operate the same way) is on purpose. This was done in order to smooth scaling/positioning over longer crossfades.

    When setting a long crossfade time with a console, the DMX values change linerally over the entire crossfade time. In an extreme case, lets say that you make a DMX value change on a scaling parameter of 5 over a 5 second time period (i.e. go from value 200 to 205). The console will then change the parameter by a value of 1 every 1 second. When applied this way, you would see a jump on the scaling every second as the value changed, rather than a nice smooth transition.

    To combat this, we applied a "digital" crossfade within the server. We have set a threshold on crossfading certain elements such that if the change in DMX value is not large enough over a set time, we digitally fade the transition so that it is smooth, and not an instant jump. Try a 0 crossfade on a much larger scale value change, and you should see the new scale size snapped to rather than crossfaded.

    We are kind of in a catch 22 position on this, since some people would like to have an instant change, such as in your situation, while others want to be able to have small, smooth changes.

    We have discussed, and plan to implement a way in the future, of being able to adjust this threshold on the fly so that in one cue you could have a nice, slow, smooth transition, and in others you can snap to a new value.

    As far as your other issue, this could be a H3 library problem and I have had similar reports from other people concerning the same thing. One thing you can try changing that could help is the path of changes rather than the timing. In other words, in one cue, if you want a mask change to happen instantly while the mask size changes over the crossfade time, you can set the path of the mask change to "start" and leave the mask size at the default path.

    I'll check witht he H3 guys and see if there is anything strange going on here.

    Thanks,
  • 0
    "if the change in DMX value is not large enough over a set time"

    If the set time is 0sec, then the change/time is infinite no matter how small the change and should therefore be above the threshold. The algorithm you describe should be able to handle both types of uses, it seems to me, without need for adjusting the threshold. ... but then it occurs to me that the DL.2 doesn't know the fade time told to the console and is probably just taking the time between received DMX. Would adjusting the DMX rate affect the behavior (although this would not be a robust solution, obviously).

    Anyway, the ability for the user to adjust that setting would be useful - even if only as a CMA setting. Thanks.
  • 0
    Looking forward to having a parameter that controls this.....

    In the meantime if you "Mark" your layers @ 1% the scaling will happen, and you probably won't see the layer.

    Hope this helps:)

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