RGB fixture "master dimmer""

[htevents]

Hello All,

I have 6 5x5 matrix panels running in 75 channel mode to control each pixel with R, G, and B, but it doesn''t have a master dimmer.
I would like to control the presence of the fixture with a playback fader when running a pixel map FX or something like that.
Example: I have text scrolling thru the panels and I want to dim them or even shut them, instead of releasing each cue because multiple fx can run at the same time (text, dot falling, etc.)
Is there a workaround to dim all output from a single (or selected) fixtures, like a master does for everything? I think it must be a LTP dim, because the RGB is LTP.

Hope someone can help me with this. If it is in the wrong section of the forum, feel free to move it to the right place.

I am using Titan One PC Suite V10

[htevents]

well, found the group master function, but now, I have a blind and strobe playback on the panels and they are dimmed too now when pulling the fader down, so can I set priority above the group dimmer for only the playbacks that need priority?

[niclights]

I'm slightly confused since a scale (group) master will not help if the fixture does not have a dimmer.

I'm not sure which fixtures these are or which personality you are using but normally in a simple 25x RGB personality like this you would setup a virtual dimmer on the mode used for the cells. This will then work like a normal dimmer.

[htevents]

Ok, I use the following:
- 6x Beamz MadMax 25 cob matrix (I use the Elation Cuepix panel 75 chnl mode personality)

What I found is that I can (even while the ficture doesn''t have a master dimmer in that mode) record an intensity cue to a playback and dim it when using the color pallets.
Now, that''s a start.
But when playing a cue with pixel map information in it, I have to record every single pixel map cue to a playback before I can dim the output.
I was used to work with Chamsys and had a Media dimmer (controlled all media output for that fixture, even when using multible media cues at the same time)and a normal dimmer (controlling the rgb output when using single color/pallets).

What I want to achieve is:
1. when having the matrix red, blue, green or what ever color in the color pallet is selected, I want to be able to dim it/kill the output. This works with normal dimming functions, so this works.
2. when a pixel map cue fired, like text scrolling or smometing, I want to be able to control the intensity of the output of the media, regarding what media cue I fired (like I can do on the Chamsys)
3. having a color pallet running on the matrix (so the whole panel is let's say red) and running media
like scrolling tekst at the same time. (I can do this now, but if I fire a media cue, the intensity of the whole panel increases to 100% and it ignores the dimmerfunction
discribed at point 1, so if the dimmer is at 30% output, the red should stay at 30% and not jumping to 100%). Will setting the dimmer playback to high priority do the trick?
4. not related to the above, but how can I create a VU meter style (green at the bottom, orange in the middle and red at the top bouncing random) pixel map effect?

[niclights]

I might have misunderstood but when I try this with the same personality it seems to work ok (testing using Titan 10.1 PC Suite)

For example:

- New show
- Patch 10x Elation Cuepix Panel, 75 DMX with option [Preset Palettes on Workspaces Enabled] (fastest way to get some colour palettes to test with)
- Select fixtures, double-tap on an empty group handle to create a new group for pixel mapping (note we could also have used the auto-group here)
- [Shapes And Effects]/ [Pixel Mapper]/ [Edit Group Layout]/<select group> (opens Layout Editor)
- Select Layout Editor context menu option 'Arrange Fixtures' (opens 'Arrange Fixtures' softkey menu)
- [Height = 1]/ [Ok] (automatically arranges fixtures in a straight line in the group ready for pixel mapping)
- Open Capture to visualise (move fixtures closer to camera, orientate so I can see all the pixels, spread out a bit so they aren't overlapping, turn off throws light and rotate Y 270 degrees so that the cell layout matches with cell 1 in the top-left corner)
- Select group and locate (fixtures light in white)
- Set intensity at 100%, record to a playback fader (by channel), clear and fire (fixtures light in white and intensity is controlled by the intensity playback fader)
- Select blue palette (fixtures light in blue which we can use temporarily as a background colour while we test pixel mapping - as no fixtures were selected this is applied as quick palette and is not in the programmer)
- Select our group/ [Shapes And Effects]/ [Pixel Mapper]/ [Create Effect] (opens Effect Editor window)
- In Effect Editor select add element button ('+')/ select square element (the four fixtures in the middle light in white)
- Lower/ raise intensity playback fader = proportionally adjusts intensity of background blue and white effect
- Record to an empty playback fader by channel
- Clear (effect is removed and we're left with just blue again)
- Lower the intensity playback to zero (all fixtures are off)
- Raise effect playback (still no output)
- Raise intensity playback to full (blue background and white effect proporitionally fade in together)
- Lower effect playback (white effect proportionally adjusts according to fader level)

Note that I have used 'Channel' mode when recording playbacks. This only records controls that are in the programmer.

Depending on what you want to achieve you might find it useful to assign one or more Pixel Map Layer masters (RECORD/ [Create Master]/ [Pixel Mapper]/ [Layer x]/ <select destination handle>). If you then turn on the 'Use Master' switch for the associated layer in the Effect Editor all of the layer parameters can be controlled from the master instead. These function in much the same way as a fixture where you select them and then can adjust the parameters by wheel or in the Attribute Editor with the option to record and recall these values in palettes or cues. This provides a way to adjust not only intensity but also things like the effect colour live, for example with timed palettes.


For VU meter one way is to use a photo or drawing application to create a simple jpeg image or similar with a filled green rectangle then a filled orange rectangle above and finally a filled red rectangle on top. Save this somewhere you can find it.
- Using the above setup lift the intensity playback, select the group and change all of the colour components to zero (= black)
- Clear
- Select group/ [Shapes And Effects]/ [Pixel Mapper]/ [Create Effect] (opens Effect Editor window)
- In Effect Editor select add element button ('+')/ select folder icon (opens browser)
- Navigate to your jpeg image and select it and then select the 'tick' button at the bottom-right of the browser window (some of the fixtures should light, depending on the initial scaling of the image)
- Adjust the width, height and zoom parameters until all of your fixtures have the green/orange/red showing correctly
- Select the add element button again (automatically reveals the 'Animations' options)
- Select the linear gradient from 'Visual Effects'
- Click on the compass button next to the direction parameter until it reads 0 degrees
- Raise and lower the Y parameter to fade in/out according to height (you can also play with the length, offset, start and end opacity to fine-tune the effect and limit ranges etc.)

By separating this effect into individual columns/ fixtures/ groups of and making some chases with different parameters for the linear gradient you should be able to create some fairly convincing VU meter action (for example try making a chase with 6 steps representing no pixels on, just the bottom row, then two rows etc. and set the chase to random direction).

Alternatively you could also achieve very similar results using intensity chases over a static pixel map image or even without pixel mapping at all and just setting the various pixels to the required colours.

[htevents]

Thank you very much for your help, at the moment it seems to work the way I want it.

[htevents]

Back again,

I tried it the way you discribed and it works like you explaind, however, my effect output is still controlled by the intensity playback of the cuepix. Is there a way to control both the intensity of the main (background) colors and the layer master separate? Lets say I want a scrolling text in blue, I select my cue that scrolls the text, set the layer master to full anc blue, blue text is scrolling now. Now I want a red background color covering all the panels, but not at full intensity. Can it be done?

[niclights]

Try making two layers in the effect (one with the text and one with the background colour) with two separate layer masters. I've not tested this but I think it should work. Note the layer order determines priorities.