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Control CO2 cannon

Posted: 05 Dec 2017, 23:42
by DaveBatistig
Hello...my first post here! I have been trying to come up with an easy way to fire our CO2 cannons, but so far I haven't come up with an elegant solution.

What I need to be able to do is set the "ON" value for the CO2 cannon to DMX 255 and hold it for 2 seconds. I want to be able to use a FLASH button such that the operator just needs to hit the button and the CO2 cannon fires. 2 seconds is the max we go, since the cannon will freeze if held on any longer. Basicall I need a "switch" that holds for 2 seconds then returns to DMX 0.

I don't want to have to waste a fader programming a little "chase" that holds the ON at max for 2 seconds and then returns it to 0. This function should not have any override of any other playbacks or chases happening when the CO2 cannons are fired.

Any easy way to accomplish this with TITAN software and the Titan Mobile board??

Thanks in advance....

Re: Control CO2 cannon

Posted: 05 Dec 2017, 23:59
by niclights
Yes. You can do this with macros.

The way I would probably do this is to create a custom personality with one attribute that has two functions - the first with DMX at 0, the second with DMX at 255. I would then add a macro in the personality with two steps where the first step sets the second function (ie DMX 255) and holds for 2 sec and the second step sets to the first function (ie. DMX 0).

Then in Titan I would create a macro that selects the fixture numerically and applies the fixture macro (probably with a clear at the beginning and end).

You could do this entirely within Titan but to achieve the 2 seconds would require recording in real time and this would therefore include the time taken to clear and select the fixture etc.

Re: Control CO2 cannon

Posted: 07 Dec 2017, 17:49
by Gregory
This sort of thing has been done before using a cue list with two steps, one with the level at full the other at zero, the zero cue is set to Go automatically After Previous Cue after a set length of time e.g. 2 seconds. The cue list can either be on in the Playbacks window or on one of the Macro and Executors buttons and should use the Latch key profile (which will be the default). For cue lists the Latch key profile will also trigger the list to Go when pressed.

Re: Control CO2 cannon

Posted: 07 Dec 2017, 22:14
by DaveBatistig
A cue list...this looks like the solution I am looking for. I tried it with a chase but a chase wants to keep "chasing"...I want it to fire once and thats it, until the go button is pressed again.

I'll set up a cue list as you describe and see if that works as I need it to.

Thanks for your help!!!

Re: Control CO2 cannon

Posted: 22 Dec 2017, 12:46
by chien0721
If you are using chase, perhaps just turn off the loop function in the playback option and it will stop at the last step of the chase.

Re: Control CO2 cannon

Posted: 25 Mar 2018, 14:50
by ljmartijnw
Is there a way in the desk to hook a dmx channel with a safety channel? Just to protect accidental firing of CO2 or pyro stuff.

Re: Control CO2 cannon

Posted: 25 Mar 2018, 15:52
by niclights
ljmartijnw wrote:Is there a way in the desk to hook a dmx channel with a safety channel? Just to protect accidental firing of CO2 or pyro stuff.


Usually these sort of fixtures are already implemented with two separately addressable controls where one is a safety.

Re: Control CO2 cannon

Posted: 27 Mar 2018, 09:33
by ljmartijnw
True, but sometimes there not and I was just wondering if the desk had an option for this. Maybe doable with a virtual channel in the fixture builder or something like that. #featurerequest?