Keeping full intensity with variable speed on dimmer shapes

[Jamtastic3]

Hi there.

Can anyone tell me how to keep the intensity of a fixture's dimmer at 100% when altering the speed of the dimmer chase on playbacks?
Everytime I drop the PB fader to change the dimmer shape speed rate, the intensity decreases.

Cheers!

[niclights]

Set size to static/fixed.

[Jamtastic3]

I've tried this Nic, but no luck. I'm on a Pearl 04 by the way.

What I've done in the past is overlapped a 'master' open white with dimmer shapes where the pb fader is less than 100%. So 20-80% or 45-55% etc. It doesn't always work and it gets messy because it voids a pb with strobe only at 100% and when there is no shape, the master open white is set at it's varied value.

[niclights]

It does work.

[Edit Times]/Select playback
Toggle until [Mode = 2]
<enter>
[Shape Generator]
[Playback Parameters]/Select playback
Toggle [Size] until 'Size = Static'
Toggle [Speed] until 'Speed = Timed'
Exit

When the playback is fired the dimmer shape will run at full regardless of fader level. Fader level will master speed only.

[Jamtastic3]

I'm still trying to work this out but no luck.

I'm using CP Miniscan HPE's where the dimmer channel also strobes, between 55% and 95ish%. If I use a pulse shape, no real problems. But using a dimmer shape at full causes the shape to come on to full, then strobe, then to full, then to strobe, then b/o. I've overcome this by reducing the the shape from 255 to 128 and raised the dimmer to 28. This makes the dimmer shape work but when I bring the fader up or down, the speed changes but the intensity fades (Size set to static)....

Any other ideas?

[niclights]

Ok, I suspect the problem here is the origin value fading, rather than the shape.

Without an origin the shape will be irregular or not achieve full values.
You could provide the origin from another playback or palette but this is not ideal. Instead, I would suggest a custom shape:

This requires a custom pattern that only works as a positive offset. The limitations in Classic of max +/- 127 mean this is normally not practical but the Miniscan's conveniently only need 127 so this can work. Where the standard Sin pattern is a single sinewave cycle from -127 to + 127 and back to -127 you need one that runs from 0 to + 127 and back to 0.

Applied with full size and an origin of zero this will then give a smooth dimmer shape for the Miniscan.

[Jamtastic3]

Thanks for the advice,

So how do I achieve this? Do I need to create the new shape? What are teh steps I need to do?

[niclights]

You need to edit the file SG.DAT on a PC with a text editor and make a new pattern and shape. You then load this into the console from the system menu.

There's no official documentation but if you look at the file you should be able to see what's going on. Pattern values are in hex where the preceding 'ff' denotes minus.

If you search this forum there should be plenty of examples and information.