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Programming Moving Heads Strobo, linear, Slave

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Jochen
Knows how to turn Lights ON
Posts: 8
Joined: May 15th, 2019, 5:12 pm

Programming Moving Heads Strobo, linear, Slave

Post by Jochen »

Hey everybody,

i´m new to freestyler an i have a question about programming two moving heads.

1. What i want to do is to make some different sequences which are played in a random order by sound to light.
2. I want to control one moving head via freestyler (USB to DMX) and the second moving head as a slave directly via the 1st moving head. Is this possible?

3. Well, my problems is creating easy scenes. I know how to make circles an eights etc. But what i want is a straight line on the x-achse with shutter effect. When i use the pan/light window i have option to choose forms. But what i want to do is just a straight line. --> Moving Head runs from left to right and back for three times. Questions:
a) I only use one snapshot? How do i add repititions Or do i need more snapshots because of 3 repititions?
b) How do i add only a straight line? I can change the circle with the tool but this is complicated...
c) How can i set a degree of the y or x axis?

Thank you in advance and best regards,
Jochen


Rod_Horning
Moderator
Posts: 766
Joined: November 16th, 2016, 2:24 pm
FreeStyler Version: 4.1.6
I Use FreeStyler for: Stage Show

Re: Programming Moving Heads Strobo, linear, Slave

Post by Rod_Horning »

Hopefully others can answer your number 1.

Answering your 2. question. Many fixtures have the ability to act as slaves. This is controlled by an option in the instrument set up and should be documented in the user manual. Be aware that the X,Y axis movements are replicated - meaning that if the movement is from left to right, all slave instruments will move left to right.

Answering your 3. question:

a) In the CUE window You can instruct Freestyler to endlessly repeat a sequence until you stop it. To do so 3 times will most likely require a 6 step sequence. Step 1 L to R, step 2 R to L, step 3 L to R, step 4 R to L, step 5 L to R and step 6 R to L (you may possibly need step 7 to dim out the light).

b) The straight line should be easy as that should just be a change is the PAN channel value. The time it takes to go from left to right or right to left is controlled by (1) the speed of the PAN if there is a setting on the physical instrument and (2) the combination of times you specify in the FADE and SPEED setting in the SEQUENCE editor.

c) I am unclear about your meaning of "a degree of the y or x axis". All of the instruments for which I have developed a fixture have either 2 or 4 channels that control the X,Y axis moves, ie. Pan, Pan fine (16bit), Tilt, Tilt fine (16bit). This provides whatever control the instrument allows. If you mean the limit to the degrees of motion, the Fixture editor allows specification of the maximum degrees of movement of Pan and Tilt. I believe these values condition the smoothing of the generated DMX values when you use the Pan/Tilt window - however, while I have developed quite a few fixture definitions (that work according to the feedback I've received) I have never had access to a physical instrument to test.
Jochen
Knows how to turn Lights ON
Posts: 8
Joined: May 15th, 2019, 5:12 pm

Re: Programming Moving Heads Strobo, linear, Slave

Post by Jochen »

Thank you for your quick answer. I have allready problems in handling the pan/tilt window. I can lock the y axis but how can enter a value for the x axis manualy. I want a quarter circle from e.g. 90 to 180 degrees of the 540 degree possibility. So i think i have to do math 540/90= 6. And 255/6= 42 means i have to set the value for the x-axis from 43 to 85 to make a quarter circle from 90 to 180 degreee?
So far the theoretics but how do i tell this freestyler in the pan/tilt window?
Rod_Horning
Moderator
Posts: 766
Joined: November 16th, 2016, 2:24 pm
FreeStyler Version: 4.1.6
I Use FreeStyler for: Stage Show

Re: Programming Moving Heads Strobo, linear, Slave

Post by Rod_Horning »

To manually set the value for the x axis use the slider for the x axis channel. It is in the upper right hand corner of the Freestyler main window. You must first click on the fixture and then you may need to click on the blue box with the > symbol to expand the slider(s) window.

As you read the following please remember I have not physically used a mover. I have noticed that the Freestyler Fixture Creator defaults to an initial value of 127 for the Pan and Tilt channels. My assumption is that Freestyler expects this value to place the instrument in the center of both the X and Y axis. The math for positioning is, I presume, a proportion problem. The purpose of the Pan Tilt window is to do the math for you. If you can, play with that window and your instrument live so you can see how your instrument reacts to the Window.
Jochen
Knows how to turn Lights ON
Posts: 8
Joined: May 15th, 2019, 5:12 pm

Re: Programming Moving Heads Strobo, linear, Slave

Post by Jochen »

Thank you so much! damn little arrow in the upper corner :-)
I made a line via the rectangel shape. Output Window looks good.I will have a look on my real physic moving head at the weekend!

But i can only configure the blue point and set it as a step. Or is there a way to manual enter more points in on scene?
Otherwise, when i use more steps and every step i move the point a bit. How does it make a smooth move?
Rod_Horning
Moderator
Posts: 766
Joined: November 16th, 2016, 2:24 pm
FreeStyler Version: 4.1.6
I Use FreeStyler for: Stage Show

Re: Programming Moving Heads Strobo, linear, Slave

Post by Rod_Horning »

You can configure Freestyler to automatically expand the sliders (the little arrow).
- Click on Setup -> FreeStyler setup
- Click on Preferences
- Click the check box next to Automatically expand faders when fixture is selected
- Click Save
(I have encountered a glitch where this does not always work but it usually does).

To move from left to right or right to left smoothly should only take 1 step in the sequence. For the purpose of demonstrating this lets set up a 2 step sequence (step 1 is just to set the starting point).
Assume you want to move from position 60 on the X axis to position 200 on the X axis taking 5 seconds to do the move.
- Open the Show Output window and locate the Pan channel of your fixture
- Open the Sequence editor.
- Select the fixture and open at least the Pan Tilt window
- In the Pan Tilt window set the Pan channel graphic to a lightening bolt and the Tilt channel graphic to a red circle with a white dash
- Use the Blue dot to position the X axis to 60 (or close to that value)
- In the Sequence editor set the Speed to 100
- In the Sequence editor click the + to add a step
- In the Pan Tilt window click the Pan graphic until you get a green graphic, keep the Tilt graphic a red circle
- In the Sequence editor set the Fade time and Speed time to 5000
- Use the Blue dot to set the X axis value to 200 (or close to that value)
- Run the sequence

When the sequence runs Freestyler will vary the X axis value smoothly from 60 to 200 across the 5 second time. If you watch the value of the Pan channel in the Show Output window you should see it vary from 60 to 200 across a 5 second time frame.

You can instruct the Sequence Editor to continuously repeat the sequence by clicking the double blue triangles in the lower left of the Sequence editor window. The single blue triangle only runs the sequence once.

If I have not understood your question I apologize.
Jochen
Knows how to turn Lights ON
Posts: 8
Joined: May 15th, 2019, 5:12 pm

Re: Programming Moving Heads Strobo, linear, Slave

Post by Jochen »

Wow- thank you i bring this to work. Thank you very much!
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