"Virtual" HTP dimmer channel for RGB fixtures

[bckeeping]

Hi Guys,

This is a bit of an unusual one, but it might be good feature for the mid-range market that freestyler is aimed at.

Many RGB fixtures do not provide you with a seperate dimmer channel, which can make it difficult to operate them in band rig type environments. They dont respond to submaster faders etc and it is impossible to superimpose dimmer chases and the like on top of colour looks.

How about a freestyler/fixture creator feature which allows the user to define a "virtual" dimmer channel in fixture creator, which does not actually exist on the fixture itself. Freestyler could then scale the RGB values by the value of this channel, allowing full dimmer type functionality in the software, regardless of the channels on the fixture.

Does that sound feasible/desirable? I would think it would be a unique selling point for the software, I haven't seen it anywhere else and it could provide a lot more creative possibilities using the lower end fixtures that are common for freestyler users

Alternatively, does anyone know of a way of getting the same effect?

Sound good? B.

[Mattotone]

i have also requested this feature not sure if its coming thou.
The Intencity submasters use to work on my RGB cans il have to recheck on the latest version

[bckeeping]

It would be a pretty useful feature I think. make a lot of cheaper kit seem like their more expensive counterparts.

I have 5 cans with a dimmer channel and 4 without, would be great if they could be made to work in a similar way ;o)

[bckeeping]

True, but it would seem ideal in this market place...

You'd think those using more expensive s/w would also have the more expensive kit

[Milo]

This is exact, what I intended to wish. It would be great help in Live Lighting with a band.

[reg]

Hi there,

Yes, I think that this would be a great feature. I have been struggling just recently. We have some stairville LED PAR56 cans that do not have a dimmer channel. I also have 7 Eurolite LED bars, and these have a dimmer channel. To try and make scenes with these two lights in the rig makes for a lot of hard work.

Basically I have a lot of sequences that I would like to combine with different colours. If I could set up the colours on one set of scenes and then control the function of the lights (brightness esp.) with another set of scenes that would be amazing.

Reg

[reg]

I noticed in the 3.1.2 update there was a comemnt that RGB fixtures with no intensity can now be controlled with the master intensity feature. Is this right? I would still love to see a virtual intensity for each RGB fixture, or is this already possible?

Reg

[LJ_krede.dk]

I noticed in the 3.1.2 update there was a comemnt that RGB fixtures with no intensity can now be controlled with the master intensity feature. Is this right?

that is correct!

I would still love to see a virtual intensity for each RGB fixture, or is this already possible?

No, this is not possible. I asked Raph about it for some time ago and he answered that it is currently impossible

[dmxlighting]

It is kind of possible in submasters. If each fixture was individualy addresses and individualy programmed then the sm intensity would allow individual fixture dimming. Very fiddly I know but it would work if you REALY need it.

[bckeeping]

Indeed, but you'd need to have the colours mapped as HTP channels then wouldn't you?

So you'd end up with you colour chases and overrides not working so well?

[buttza]

I know this is an Older Thread but I was wondering if the Virtual Intensity channel idea was revisited at all.

I just wanted to list a few reasons why it would be great:

1. RGB Par's can run in 3 Channel Mode allowing for more available DMX channels.

2. Alot of LED Bars segments use RGB channel allocations for each segment only and have no intensity per segment. This makes creating an effect manually time consuming.

3. If there was Virtual Intensity then the FX generator would work better for creating Color wipes etc on LED Bar segments. (It takes a while to create a color wipe on 3x24 LED Bars using RGB mixing Color as intensity control.


I hope this idea would be approched again. I have seen this function on a few consoles now.

If anyone else has any other good reasons to have or not to have this option I would love to here it.

Also I just wanna say I love Freestyler and all the work that everyone has put into it to make it such a great piece of Lighting software.

[Robin_N-Zone]

I second this, I would really love a virtual dimmer channel, and also if possible a a strobe function with it, its basically the same thing then so

It would be so much easier and faster to create sequences for ledbars and such that doesnt have a dimmer channel. Now I have to make a sequence for each color I wanna use.. Although, that gives me the ability to run multiple sequences with different colors at the same time, but that is not excluded because you have e dimmer channel.

I´m buying more LED pars now, that have a dimmer and a strobe channel, partly for this reason:)

So, if a virtual dimmer/shutter/strobe channel/function would be possible, it would be fantastic

[Spirit]

hi to all

i recommend to post this on the Bug tracker as a Feature request.
because the Devolper doesnt look on the Forum.
so its pointless to do it here.

and a Virtual Strobe whats the point of that.
the reason why Fixture got there own Strobe channel is because DMX512 is to slow to Create a Storbe effect with values.

/spirit

[Jan_K]

Hej Spirit

It is already there http://www.freestylersupport.com/bugs/view.php?id=259.

But It may be an idea to raise the priority / attention to this request as it pops up more and more times.

/Jan

[Robin_N-Zone]

Spirit, of course your right about the strobe, I didnt think about the fact that dmx is so "slow"..

Is there any workaround for this? I saw the part about using submasters for it, but really only gives a manual dimmer function, doesnt it? It could not be used to program chases and such that are not colordependant?

Blackout works for my ledbars, but not on an individual segment basis, atleast not when using RGB segments.
But I did just get an idea, I´ve already tried to use individual fixtures for the segments in my ledbars, and those fixtures only have 3 rgb channel, nothing else defined, but I belive blackout still works for them, would it then be possible to use the shutter function or something in FX creator to create a chase, that are not colorspecific? Or does that only use channels that one has defined in fixturecreator on those channels? Blackout maybe works without that if no shutter is defined, and RGB channels are?
I had to define shutter on my lasers to get them to work with blackout so:P

Maybe not possible to do it that way? could that be changed somehow?;) Personally I´m more interrested in shutter functionality, but full virtual dimmer would of course be better

Btw, have I missed something about how to use RGB segments, how is it planned to be used? Since it doesnt work with FX, or are midi assignable, I´d really like to know how it should be used to its full potential:) I´ve used it to program a few chases, and it did of course work, just not as quick and practical as multiple fixtures, but then I only have 3 segment ledbars
Please enlighten me:)

[Spirit]

Spirit, of course your right about the strobe, I didnt think about the fact that dmx is so "slow"..

this can happin to all of us.

Is there any workaround for this? I saw the part about using submasters for it, but really only gives a manual dimmer function, doesnt it? It could not be used to program chases and such that are not colordependant?

the intensitie slider from the submaster works as a Drightness controll it can be used for 1step Sequences or multi step sequences. and it will works on a Intesitie channel or RGB channel.

Blackout works for my ledbars, but not on an individual segment basis, atleast not when using RGB segments.
But I did just get an idea, I´ve already tried to use individual fixtures for the segments in my ledbars, and those fixtures only have 3 rgb channel, nothing else defined, but I belive blackout still works for them, would it then be possible to use the shutter function or something in FX creator to create a chase, that are not colorspecific? Or does that only use channels that one has defined in fixturecreator on those channels? Blackout maybe works without that if no shutter is defined, and RGB channels are?
I had to define shutter on my lasers to get them to work with blackout so:P

the blackout can be a little bit confusing because there a 3 Ways.
If the fixture only got a RGB channels then the RGB will blackout.
if the fixture got a Dimmer and RGB then the Dimmer will blackout.
and otherwise the Shutter will work as Blackout.

can you tell me which RGB segement fixture you use?

Btw, have I missed something about how to use RGB segments, how is it planned to be used? Since it doesnt work with FX, or are midi assignable, I´d really like to know how it should be used to its full potential:) I´ve used it to program a few chases, and it did of course work, just not as quick and practical as multiple fixtures, but then I only have 3 segment ledbars
Please enlighten me:)

no this is how it will be. i also add multiple fixtures because this works the best.
i also ask the Devolper about the FX but he is not able to change this..

/spirit

[buttza]

"no this is how it will be. i also add multiple fixtures because this works the best.
i also ask the Devolper about the FX but he is not able to change this.."

Would this be because we would need that VI Channel?