Run / Program mode switching?

[nishrigo]

A theatre in Bangalore (India) recently upgraded it's lighting system and got in a Pearl Expert Pro. I went in to run a show, but faced a problem of switching from System to Run to Program on it as it does not have a key any more.

I figured how to get into the SYSTEM mode, and also found the place where I should be able switch between RUN and PROGRAM. But that does not happen, and I cannot run sub-masters and channel faders in tandem - The programmer still stays active when I am supposed to be in the RUN mode. I can keep clearing the programmer when running my own show, but not everybody would be able to remember to do the same.

Please help me solve this problem as soon as possible.

The console is running on Titan v7.4

[niclights]

Hi,

Unfortunately I'm not aware of any way to access run mode on consoles without a physical switch.

I have proposed that a solution is required, either to provide switching by other means (for example macros) or to provide a setting that toggles whether preset faders enter the programmer or not.

In the meantime all I can suggest is to create a new page with playbacks in place of the fixtures where each playback contains just one dimmer at full. Obviously this means you need to understand you need to use one page for running a show and one for programming but it will solve the programmer issue during operation. If programming is not required at all then you could move the fixtures to the fixtures workspace where they will be out of the way.

[nishrigo]

Thanks for the work-around Nic. I had already thought of that as a solution, but the problem lies in the fact that the Technical Director (or anybody working) in the theatre does not know the console well enough to do something like this. There is also the fact that there are only a handful of people here who can confidently programme the console, or try and find alternative means to solve this problem.

Out of curiosity, why was the toggle key removed?

[niclights]

Historically the keys could get lost/broken or the switch would not work properly leaving people stuck in whatever mode the key was last in. The keyswitch was a legacy function brought over from the Classic Pearls and used primarily as a security device. Since then Titan has evolved and this has been replaced by a software lock function meaning the physical keyswitch is no longer required. In the Classic software there was also a bigger difference between behaviour (for example in program mode the playback swop and flash buttons acted as copy) but in Titan it was causing more confusion than good. However it did provide access to some unique functions (ie. single press softkey toggle between the last two key profiles and preset faders not entering programmer) which have not yet been replaced.