Ready… GO

This week’s tip is truly quick: did you know that you can patch or re-patch your existing fixtures without entering Full or Live Access? A simple command line syntax is all you need.

For example, to patch Fixture 101 at Universe 3, Channel 42, your command line should look like this:
ASSIGN FIXTURE 101 AT DMX 3.42

Another example: to patch Channel 1 at Universe 4, Channel 100….
ASSIGN CHANNEL 1 AT DMX 4.100

*Keep in mind that there is no hard key for “DMX,” but tapping the CHANNEL key twice will add DMX to your command line. Additionally, if your fixture is already patched elsewhere, this syntax will first un-patch the unit before re-patching it at your desired address.

A Note for grandMA2 users:
The above Series 1 syntax will also work for Series 2. However, you have an additional syntax that you can use in the same manner that will allow you to multi-patch your units.

Typing ASSIGN DMX 3.2 AT FIXTURE 101 would patch unit 101 at Universe 3, channel 2. However, if the unit was also already patched elsewhere, this would add a second address to the same unit without un-patching the original: thus, multi-patch.
(Remember, this is grandMA2 Series 2 OS only)

Quick Tips are exactly what the name should imply. We’re adding these to our blog in an effort to help programmers and operators of all levels. If you’d like to suggest a Quick Tip, drop us a message on this blog, or on our Facebook page, or even via Twitter.

Today, you’ll find updated versions of software for the following products, along with Release Notes detailing the updates:

grandMA Series 1
grandMA Console Software Version 6.5
grandMA1 onPC Version 6.5

grandMA Series 2
grandMA2 Console Software Version 1.7
grandMA2 onPC Version 1.7

Visualizer
grandMA 3D Version [1.7][6.5] (compatible with today’s console software releases)

Video Processing Unit
grandMA VPU Software Version 3.711

Please visit our Downloads page to access these updates and the Release Notes.

Thanks!
The ACT Lighting Software Team

This week’s Quick Tip comes from an article previously published by Joe Cabrera, ACT Lighting’s Director of Software Support & Development.

When you would like to combine programming elements of 2 or more showfiles on your grandMA consoles, you’ll need to use a process called “Merging.”

What to start with…

First, you will need to have both shows on either the hard drive, a connected FTP server, or attached USB device. In the case of USB, the show must have been saved using the “Internal & USB” option, not Import/Export.

There is a certain amount of preparation that you’ll want to do before initializing the partial show read. Basically, the console is going to pay very close attention to Fixture/Channel numbers when reconciling the patch, as well as the numbers of all of the other objects (sequences, presets, et al.) that you will be importing. For this reason, it’s important to make sure that the objects you wish to add from the old show do not overlap any existing objects in your current show. Otherwise you will end up replacing data or merging values where you really don’t want them. The process is easy, simply take note of the objects you wish to import and, if the current show already has the same types of items with the same numbers, move them to an empty space. As an example: if you have already have a Sequence 1, and the sequence you want to import is also Sequence 1 (in the other show), you’ll need to move it to a different spot in the Sequence Pool to avoid merging the two sequences of cues together.

Once your shows are prepped, save a copy of your show with a different name. This way, if anything goes wrong, you’ll always have a known, good copy to go back to. Also, now is a good time to shut down, or at least leave, any network session you might be in.

The Merging Process

In the Backup menu, click Initialize. You will be presented with the same list of shows that you would normally be able to simply load from your chosen source. Pick the show that you have prepared for import.

The next window allows you to reconcile the patch between the two shows. All of the devices that show up in the list on the left represent the patch of the show you were sitting in before you hit Initialize. The list on the right is the patch of the show you chose to initialize. You will notice the rows are aligned based on fixture/channel numbers. For each row of devices, you will be able to select either the currently patched fixture or the one from the show you’ve initialized. Everything that is highlighted when you leave this window will become the patch of your newly merged show. By default, all of the devices on the left are highlighted (and none on the right), meaning that you will keep the patch you had loaded without switching any fixtures or adding anything extra to the patch. Most of the time, this is all you need to do. If you want to import all or some of the patch from the show you’ve initialized, simply click the devices you want in the right-hand column so that they become highlighted.

Once you are happy with the patch, click OK, Next in the bottom-right corner.

After a quick progression of dialog boxes flash by in a flurry of beeps, this will take you back to the Backup menu. You will notice that the Merge button is now available. Press it.

You will see the PSR (partial show read) menu. This is laid out in a cascading folder tree. Every item that has additional sub-items will have a box with a ‘+’ preceding the name. Using the screen encoder, you can highlight an item and tap. This will open that item to show its sub-items. For instance, tap on Partial Show Read at the top, then Presets, then Pan/Tilt. You will now see each of the individual Pan/Tilt presets in the show you initialized. Tapping the encoder while over an item that does not have a ‘+’ next to its name (or simply clicking the name of any item with the mouse or your finger) will highlight that item in green. Clicking on an item that has sub-items will select all of the sub-items. For example, clicking on the name for Sequence 1 will highlight all of the cues in the sequence.

Once you have highlighted all of the items you with to import, click Merge on the right side of the screen. The items that have been imported will be grayed out. You are free to import additional items if you so choose. When you are done, close the window.

This is another good time to save a copy of your show with a new name.

TIP: While Partial Show Read can bring Sequences, it does not automatically assign them to your executors. So, you will have to assign your sequences where you’d like them to appear.

Quick Tips are exactly what the name should imply. We’re adding these to our blog in an effort to help programmers and operators of all levels. If you’d like to suggest a Quick Tip, drop us a message on this blog, or on our Facebook page, or even via Twitter.

Port Lighting Systems, of Seabrook, NH is holding an open house in honor of their 25th Anniversary, and ACT Lighting will be there. The event takes place March 10, 2010 at Port Lighting’s offices beginning at 4pm. You can grab a cocktail, enjoy some food, mingle with other entertainment lighting industry guests and check out some new gear. ACT Lighting’s Brian Dowd will be on hand with a grandMA2 Full Size console.

Port Lighting’s 25th Anniversary Celebration
March 10, 2010
4:00pm – 9:00pm
Port Lighting Systems
24 London Lane
Seabrook, NH 03874
(Directions)

View Larger Map

RSVP to andrew@portlighting.com

This post is ACT Lighting content. You may reproduce, but only in whole – not in part. You can visit Port Lighting’s website here.

Expanding upon their already successful line of LED products, i-Pix is now offering more in the way of modular, energy efficient solutions.
Building upon the BB4 and BB7, the new BB1 Building Block System creates exciting and innovative new opportunities going far beyond the semi-rigid constraints of normal fixture specification. Each BB1 can be used as a single unit, or mounted via a 4-way linear frame (floor or rig), a 3-way T-frame (with a power distro box), a similar 2×2 frame, or via the new Power Bar.

The Power Bar provides low voltage to the BB1 and is equipped with an onboard user interface. This allows each fixture to be individually addressed and the ‘operating’ mode to be adjusted. Both power and data are fed neatly through a combined data/LV power cable.

Another option for power is the new, waterproof i-Pix Battery Bag. It uses standard 12 volt batteries and provides complete stand-alone flexibility where power or lack of rigging time are issues. The Battery Bag can be used to power either a single BB1 fixture or the BB1 Power Bars individually.

Each bag comes with the option of wireless control, courtesy of City Theatrical, which also provides a local DMX outlet for other technology that might be adjacent to the Power Bars. Runtime is a 35 hour life for an RGB chase, 16 hours life for a CYM chase (with two colours on at once) and 9 hours for full intensity – measured using a BB4.

ACT Lighting is the exclusive distributor for i-Pix products in North America. To learn more, visit our i-Pix page at www.actlighting.com/ipix.html.

This week’s Quick Tip is comes from a question that gets asked in training classes quite often: What’s the difference between Remove and Release?

ACTLIGHTING.COM

First, let’s talk about where you’ll see it on the console. When you’re recording over a Cue that already exists, the options to Remove or Release can be seen in a Pop-Up window along with the expected Merge and Overwrite options (see screenshot above). Additionally, you can also find these options in the STORE OPTIONS window. Removing and Releasing are not the same as deleting an entire Cue. These options are specific to attributes and should be used when you want to remove certain values (but not all values) from an existing Cue.

So, what’s the difference? Let’s say that you have 3 cues controlling multiple fixtures in a single Sequence. Then, imagine that you want edit the Dimmer value of a particular fixture in the Sequence. In Cue 1, your fixture’s intensity goes to 100%. In Cue 2, your fixture’s intensity drops to 50%, and in Cue 3, the level drops again to 25%. Now, say we want to get rid of the value of 50% in Cue 2. So, you select the fixture – put a hard value (any value) on the Dimmer attribute and STORE over Cue 2. If you choose REMOVE, then the value of 50% in Cue 2 is erased, but allows the value of 100% to track through during Cue 2. In Cue 3, the fixture would, of course, crossfade to 25%.

If you chose RELEASE when re-recording Cue 2, then the value of 50% would still be erased – but, the value of 100% from Cue 1 would not track through. In fact, when you play Cue 2, the Dimmer attribute of your fixture will actually be released: in other words, this Cue will actually relinquish control of the Dimmer. Again, when you play Cue 3, the value will crossfade to 25%.

Here’s a chart showing you the values of the fixture in each cue in each of the situations detailed above:

Keep in mind that using RELEASE doesn’t necessarily tell the attribute to return to it’s default value. In fact, all it does is Release that particular Cue’s control over the attribute. If another Sequence is active and could potentially take control of that attribute, then it will.

Quick Tips are exactly what the name should imply. We’re adding these to our blog in an effort to help programmers and operators of all levels. If you’d like to suggest a Quick Tip, drop us a message on this blog, or on our Facebook page, or even via Twitter.

Earlier this month, ACT Lighting held a demo of the grandMA2 console line, along with the MA Lighting VPU at LMG’s headquarters in Orlando, FL. In addition to the open house, Joe Cabrera of ACT Lighting also offered onsite grandMA training.

Steve (BOZ) Bodzioch, Lighting Design & Services Manager at LMG was good enough to grab a few pictures of the event and share them with us.

If you didn’t make it out to yesterday’s Open House Event at MainLight Industries, here’s some photos of what you missed. The grandMA2 Full Size console, networked with the new MA Lighting VPU media server controlled the output of the SoftLED curtains along with the Main Light MF/V units and various other fixtures.
Special thanks to John DiEleuterio of MainLight for snapping these great shots!

ACTLIGHTINGINC
We’ll soon have news about another opportunity to get your hands on the grandMA2 next month in New Hampshire.

Ever notice how some Views have different colors on the ViewButtons? ViewButtons with a red background are actually Macros. If you’ve taken the grandMA training course at ACT Lighting, then you’ve already used at least one. In our training showfile, there is a ViewButton that affects one of the external monitors- causing that screen to toggle between 2 pre-recorded Views. A common question is how to set this up.

First, let me explain what is actually stored here. The Viewbutton is assigned to trigger 1 particular Macro in our show. That particular Macro fires a View and then triggers the assignment of a second Macro. That second Macro then appears on the same ViewButton. When fired, this second Macro opens a different View, and then immediately assigns the original Macro back to the ViewButton. Sound confusing? Think of it like this: The first time you hit ViewButton 18, the Executor Window is opened on your external monitor. The next time you hit that same ViewButton 18, the Tracking Sheet will open on the external monitor. This one ViewButton actually toggles between multiple Views instead of just one. In our showfile, it swaps between two Views, but you can set up as many as you like.

Here’s how to do it: Let’s assume that you have already recorded two Views on your console. Next, we need to make two Macros.

In your 1st Macro (let’s call this Macro 1), set the following lines:

Line 1: View X
Line 2: Assign Macro 2 Viewbtn 18

In your 2nd Macro (let’s call this Macro 2) set the following lines:

Line 1: View Y
Line 2: Assign Macro 1 Viewbtn 18

In each Macro, the first line will open the View of your choice, and the second line will swap the Macro assigned to the ViewButton. Of course, substitute your preferred number of Viewbtn in your syntax and ASSIGN the correct View numbers for X and Y. Don’t worry about timing the Macro: these lines can be performed without a delay.

Assigning a Macro to a Viewbutton:
1. Hit ASSIGN followed by the ViewButton you wish to store to
2. In the “Viewbutton Assign Options” window that will pop up, select MACRO
3. The “Select Macro” window will open, allowing you to select any of the Macros stored in your showfile.

**Tip: Technically, since each of these Macros contains a ViewButton assignment command, that would take care of the ViewButton assignment.

Keep in mind that you can assign any Macro to any ViewButton – it doesn’t have to be a Macro related to Views or toggles. If there’s a certain Macro you use a lot, consider putting it on a ViewButton and thus giving yourself a one push hard-key access. I love hard keys.

Quick Tips are exactly what the name should imply. We’re adding these to our blog in an effort to help programmers and operators of all levels. If you’d like to suggest a Quick Tip, drop us a message on this blog, or on our Facebook page, or even via Twitter.

For immediate release.

The prestigious Boston arts institution, the Boston Symphony Orchestra just went through a major overhaul of their lighting and video systems – ultimately upgrading to a grandMA2 light and an MA Lighting VPU. In fact, the Boston Symphony Orchestra is the first installation in the United States to utilize the MA Lighting VPU.

The upgrade was a truly collaborative process involving the Symphony Staff, their Technical Director, Russ Costa, Designer Rob Smith, Lighting Equipment Supplier High Output, Inc and A.C.T Lighting.

Russ Costa, Technical Director for the Boston Symphony Orchestra approached High Output, Inc of Boston for assistance in determining which product could help him consolidate their lighting and projection systems into a single, more powerful installation. “It’s always hard when you want to upgrade a system that’s currently working without too much issue, but as soon as I was able to show the capabilities of the system and the savings that we’d see, it was an easy pitch. Using the grandMA2 along with the MA VPU allows us to eliminate the extra Show Control system and the additional projectionist. The grandMA2 is our single, unified control solution for both lighting and video.”

Jess Klarnet, Director of Production at High Output, Inc was instrumental in placing the right product for Russ’s needs. “The timing of the Boston Symphony Orchestra project could not have been better, for High Output was in the process of determining what product line in which to invest. We have had success with the grandMA and the Boston Ballet and with additional input from Rob Smith and other notable programmers we decided that the MA line was the right choice. Brian Dowd, our representative with A.C.T Lighting, was instrumental in pulling together a demo that included grandMA2 light and the MA Lighting VPU. As an aside, the technical support through out this process including this successful Holiday Pops season was outstanding, kudos to Jason Baeri.”

“Knowing the reliability of the grandMA line, I was confident the VPU would be just as solid,” says Rob Smith, who served as the Video Designer/Programmer and a content creator utilizing a grandMA2 and the MA Lighting VPU. When the Boston Pops perform, certain video scenarios need to be met. One of the regular set pieces is a custom built DMX controlled roll down screen. The screen measures 42′ wide by 21′ high, split into 3 sections that can be individually controlled, and is capable of opening or closing in just under 2 seconds at top speed. “The grandMA2 allowed us to program the automation moves of the screen precisely with the video from the VPU. Adding that to the lighting cues gave us a fully synced show that was controlled by one operator.”

Rob continued to creatively use the MA VPU to meet the additional video needs of the Boston Pops. “The easiest is displaying images from a Broadway show or Hollywood film. During the holidays, Sing-A-Longs are a crowd favorite. The MA Lighting VPU allowed us to add a new level of creativity by being able to animate backgrounds and layer the words over the top as opposed to the old slideshow style. The most critical style of playback was handling what we call “streamers”. Two files would start simultaneously, one being projected to the audience, the other being sent to a monitor at the conductor’s podium. The conductor’s version would have colored lines that scroll across the screen in time with the music so changes would happen at precisely the right moment in the film. We never experienced any lag between the files even with HD quality movies.

“The MA Lighting VPU’s ability to have any number up to 32 layers available was a unique feature that we took full advantage of. New Year’s offered a rather eclectic mix of music, from Opera to Disco to current Top 40 hits. We were able to create image files that could be mapped to the architecture of the iconic organ pipes of the Symphony Hall. Highlighting the individual architectural elements with lighting fixtures would have required 32 color-changing luminaries. We accomplished the same look with one VPU and a pair of 12k projectors -and we weren’t just limited to colors and a handful of gobos – the possibilities are endless.”

High Output, Inc has served as the lighting equipment provider to the Boston Symphony Orchestra for the past 20 years. High Output Inc offers the grandMA2 light along with the MA Lighting VPU as part of their extensive rental inventory.

Staff at the Boston Symphony Orchestra involved in this installation included Pam Smith as grandMA 2 Lighting Programmer, and Mark Rawson – lighting technician, along with the aforementioned Rob Smith as grandMA2 and VPU Programmer and Video Content Creator; Russ Costa – Technical Director and Margo Saulnier, Assistant Artistic Director to the Boston Symphony.

MA Lighting is exclusively distributed by A.C.T Lighting. A leading importer and distributor of lighting products, A.C.T Lighting, Inc. strives to identify future trends and cutting-edge products, and stock, sell and support their inventory. The company provides superior customer service and value for money to all of its clients.

For more information call 818-707-0884.

Copyright © ACT Lighting 2010. All rights reserved.