controlling movingheads using joystick?

[LJ_krede.dk]

Hey.

on Friday I have to do some lights for some comedians (stand up show). I have a Futurelight MH-660 spot in the ceiling and I am considering to use it as spot on the comedian on stage. I have to control the moving head so the comedians always stays in the spotlight. Is there anyone who has some experience to control movingheads live this way? maybe with a joystick? And are the joystick controlling 8 bits or 16 bits movements?

thanks a lot in advance

[dmxlighting]

There have been some fixtures, can't think of the name of them at the moment, that had tracking devices that the performer could wear so it followed them around. Don't think it was too successful.

They are still used alot in theatre and in places where follow spotting is hard to do.


At LJK - Using a joystick not gonna work well but you may have better results with a trackball. It can be done but requires pratice. If the head is 16 bit, be sure to use it in this mode. - Good luck!

[remco_k]

Onge is right. It is extremely hard to do with joystick, as well trackball or any other movement device.

One of the reasons is that some fixtures have some kind of leveling mechanism (that in some fixtures cannot be shut down), so that they move slowly to the point you want them to have if it was a small change. Even when you have moved to that point instantly. Then, when that light is moving so slowly, you (as a human) begin to compensate that by moving your joystick further away. The fixture begins to move faster (as it 'sees' that it needs to go at a bigger distance) and before you know it, the fixture goes right past the point you want it to have and shining nicely to the ceiling.

If LJK really has to use movingheads as follow spots (when all other options fail...) I can only say: make fixed presets from left to right on the stage and program them in the override buttons. Assign those buttons to the keys 1,2,3,....8,9,0 and you have programmed 10 followspot positions, easy to access by just pressing the keys 1,2,3,...8,9,0 on your keyboard.
If possible use 2 or more movingheads to point to your 10 positions slightly shifted.
Ofcourse more than 10 positions is possible...

[LJ_krede.dk]

thank you for all the answers and suggestions.

on the basis of what you all have wrote regarding this issue, i have told the organiser of the arrangement that spotlight isn't possible. anyways i will try to play with the movinghead Thursday an see how your suggestions are working for me. if it works it would just be a nice surprise for the organiser friday

I will write my experience on i this topic after the arrangement.

thanks again

/Kristian

[matt]

I actually find the Trackpad on a laptop smooth for moving lights.
I have actually done this before and it worked out ok... I did it with some DJ Scan's.. not the best idea.. but it worked.

[remco_k]

Scan's are a better idea for this, because they generally respond a lot faster.

[LJ_krede.dk]

ok... I have a PAL1200 i can put up and try out,



thanks again for all the feedback

[cyberb0b]

And, What where your experiences?

[LJ_krede.dk]

sorry i didn't follow up on this topic as promised. the reason was that i did never try it out. We could manage the setup without spotlight and didn't want to use time on it.

[dmxlighting]

And, What where your experiences?

The experice of following spoting with a head or scan is normally not a good one.
Always better to use a real follow spot if possible. There is in truth no other good way to do the job.

[cyberb0b]

Okay thnx for the advice,

But i was more interested if a trackball control of Moving heads better works than a mouse.

Already tried a joystick. But that's not handy also.

[dmxlighting]

Of all the options a trackball is the best one but honestly still avoid if you can!

[cyberb0b]

Its more for my home studio, for programing..

So you say i should stick to my mouse?

[remco_k]

Of all the options a trackball is the best one but honestly still avoid if you can!

Thats a good tip!
You can make it go slower in windows configuration screen, having larger 'resolution'.
People with a trackball should try out.