Master Intensity will not control all fixtures [SOLVED] [IB]

[Narfman96]

I'm having problems controlling two of my fixtures with the master intensity through midi. All of the other 12 fixture types work flawlessly. One of the two is a Chauvet ColorSplash 200B that has the dimmer channel settings where 255 is the dim setting and 0 is the full brightness setting. Freestyler does not seem to control this backwards intensity setup. Does anyone know of a workaround? I have tried inverting the DMX channel and several other attempts at fooling the software into controlling this fixture. The second fixtures are Chinese 86 LED lights that are 4 channel. The first channel goes from 0 as dimmest to 127 full brightness. 128 to 255 are strobes from slow to fast. Master intensity will not affect these two lights. Any ideas???

[Partyman]

I believe you have to set up lamp channel in the fixture creator. on position, off, strobe, ...

[Jan_K]

Upload the two fixture files then we can have a look and see if they a correct.

/Jan

[Narfman96]

Chinese_4 ch Par.zip

Chauvet_Narf!_200B.zip

Here are the 2 files in question. I have the lamp channel setup in the fixture creator. It doesn't seem to make any difference.

I must say this is an awesome software program that lets me remove and add fixtures without messing up the sequences and cues that were already created. Kudos!!!

[Jan_K]

I just had a look on the Chauvet fixture.

If I remove the Lamp channal then the problem is gone.
It looks like the master intensity don't like the double configuration of that channel.


I noticed that you have inversed the dimmer channel compared to the dmx table.
(I may be wrong)


I have attached a new fixture file where these things is corrected. You can give it a try.


I don't have the fixture so here is how I tested it.

I opened the "output monitor" and looked on the dimmer channal.

I then set shutter to "open" (Dimmer channel showed 255)
Then I adjusted the Master intensity fader and saw that the intensity channel changed.

Chauvet_jan_k_200B.pff

[Jan_K]

Or you may try this one.

Chauvet_LED_splash_200B_6ch.pff

/Jan

[Narfman96]

I got to spend some more time with this today. I really like the ColorSplash profile you uploaded with all of the macros. The pulse mode is neat and the icons you included are even better!

Good news. I got the Chinese 4ch Pars to work with master intensity. The box for ignore was checked. Duh!!! These control from 127 down to 0 from full bright to dark. 128 to 255 strobe. Perfect!

Same old. The profiles you uploaded will not work unless I reverse the numbers for intensity and the shutter. The dim setting for this light is 255 and full brightness is 0. I can't for the life of me figure out why Chauvet did this??? Why would they make the intensity run backwards from everyone else? As near as I can figure Freestyler cannot control intensity from 0 (full bright) to 255 (dim). Unless I'm doing something wrong? I created a sequence with two 5 second steps where a 3 second fade varies from dim to bright and that runs fine. If I stop the sequence or even when it is running the master intensity control will not affect the light.

Then I added the Chinese 4ch Pars to the sequence and they dim to master intensity whether the sequence is running or not. I cannot make these brighter using the master intensity so therefore I believe that this control can only subtract from the value of the DMX channel output. If the channel is 0 (full brightness for the ColorSplash) then master intensity has no effect. I also tried inverting this DMX channel and then the master intensity will not affect it. Does this backwards brightness scheme mess with Freestyler?

[Jan_K]

Hej again

It looks like Freestyler don't like the inverse channel at all in the latest version.


However there is a work around.
If you use the fixture I uploaded where max is 255 and then in Freestyler inverse the channel.

You select the fixture.
In right side of Freestyler the are a fader / slider panel.
Right-click on the dimmer fader and select "inverse channel"
And you should be up running.



/Jan

Inverse_dimmer_1.jpg

[Jan_K]

I have made a bug report on this one.

[Narfman96]

Awesome! I learned a few more tricks today... Thank you for the tip about being able to right click the slider panel. Worked like a charm. I have about 150 sequences created so it took a bit to change the lamp to on for the ColorSplash. Most are only 1 or 2 steps but a few have as many as 30.

I have 15 LED washes and flood fixtures and now master intensity works for all. An ADJ dimmer pack in switch mode for two Agressor derbies. A Mini Kinta DMX derby and a Chauvet Sweeper. No moving head or scanners yet. I buy these LED stage lights as non-working and repair them. Usually the problem is a bad solder connection. The Chauvet Sweeper I had to re-solder the entire power supply but considering I have $24.00 US total in it no biggie. I'm a keyboard player in a vintage rock band. I'm still learning this whole light show thing but it's starting to make sense. Our sound and light guy is going to flip out when he sees the 6 pages of 16 cues each and the 4 pages of 32 overrides. One of our guitarist's has a degree in photography and lighting I hope he likes it.

One more question before I give a big thanks for all the help. Does "blackout" have a way to customize the commands it send to DMX? It no longer works for the ColorSplash. Also it will not work for the Venue Thin Pars when they are in strobe mode. This is not a real big deal because I have a blackout sequence I can run using release all and disable overrides in a Cue. This sequence shuts off everything. I also have a disable override and a release all button on my Novation Remote LE midi controller.

Thank you some much for taking the time to help out. I will not forget. This is an awesome program and as I learn more maybe I can help out around here.... Fran

[Jan_K]

I will have a look on the blackout Sunday or Monday. I will be out on jobs.

Normally I uses an override for blackout because not all my fixture have a shutter channal and which is needed for the blackout to work.

If your fixtures don't has a shutter channal then i may be the reason.

/Jan

[Spirit]

hi

just some info about blackout for jan_k and ofcourse for narfman96


blackout has a order with fixture channels how it works.

blackout will work as follow.

1) if there is a Shutter channels (shutter closed), it will be blackout.
2) if there is no shutter channels assinged , Dimmer (dimmer min) channel will become the blackout. (dimmers)
3) if there is no Shutter and dimmer channel assigned, then RGB (dmx value"0") channels will become the blackout.(led cans without master dimmer or shutter closed)

/spirit

[Jan_K]

Hej Spirit

Some of the fixtures just use the gobo wheel for blackout
Also I want to be able to make blackout / close only parts of the light and that is why I place my blackout on override buttons.

Back to the narfman96 black out.
It works on the fixture I upload (The one where you have to inverse the channel manually).
I have just checked it.

The way Freestyler does the blackout is as Spirit say, it sets the shutter to closed.
Is you look what you "Shutter closed" value are in the fixture then Black out should set the same.
The easy for you to check it is to open the DMX monitor and the have a look on the dimmer / shutter channel when you press "black out"

/Jan

[Adler]

I've got the same problem with my moving head and the master intensity and have not found a solution

Dimmer intensity 0% -100% CH6: 134-8

http://media.steinigke.de/documents/00078194.pdf

for a tip I would be grateful

[Spirit]

hi can you add the .pff file so we can take a look at it and jan_k can add it to the complete FS libary

[Jan_K]

I just had a look in the dmx table for the eurolite fixture.
The dimmer channel is also used for shutter so there is no workaround for this fixture. (That I can see)

You have to wait until Raphael fixes this bug.

But still as Spirit says upload the pff file so we can add it to the collection.