Chauvet Scorpion Storm RG

[digitalfx]

Hello Everyone,

I'm just starting to dive into the DMX sea and I'm loving it so far. I'm a mobile DJ and recently bought a Chauvet Scorpion Storm RG, I hooked it up to FreeStyler with a generic fixture but was difficult to control. I decided to make it myself. So here's my firs attempt!, pardon any mistakes and please let me know about them so I can correct them. I tested it and worked fine.

I'd like some feedback please let me know how it goes...

Victor from Boston

[GaryBonaducci]

Hi Victor! That's a pretty good fixture file for your first try. Love the custom graphics!

When looking at the profile in Fixture Creator, I noticed you left the "Shutter ch." values blank. I recommend you use the values "1" for Channel, "64" for Open, and "0" for Closed. This will help you two ways. First, it will let the fixture respond to the Blackout command in FreeStyler by letting the program know to send DMX value "0" to channel "1" to turn it off. Second, in FreeStyler it will enable the use of the Lamp palette, which is probably the most basic fixture control window when programming lights.

By using the value "64" for the Open command, this will turn on both the red and green lasers. You may want to experiment and use other values here such as "5" (to turn on only the red laser), "34" (to turn on only the green laser), or even "237" which will put it into Sound Active mode when pressing the "Open" button. You can even leave this field blank, and that will render the Open button non-operational.

On a complex lighting fixture such as this, I would recommend placing everything onto the Macro palette. In this particular case, it would simply involve duplicating all the controls from the Gobo palette onto the Macro palette. Additionally, I'd recommend putting some "spacers" (non-functioning blank buttons) in the Macros list to have the buttons grouped in a logical manner.

To explain this, in FreeStyler, take a look at the Chauvet ColorStrip macro window that Shannon D created. If you will notice, Shannon took advantage of the Macro window's ten-wide standard spacing and laid out the macro buttons in a way that is clear and logical to use. Next, take a look at the ColorStrip's fixture file in Fixture Creator. On the "Macros" tab, you'll see that Shannon strategically placed "blanks" at macros # 9-10, 17-20, 29-30, 39-40, 49-50, 59-60, and so forth. If you can see the connection here, that's how Shannon achieved creating the very clean look of the ColorStrip's Macro window in FreeStyler.

Also, notice that a Macro window set up this way allows the lighting programmer to use only the Macro control for a large majority of situations. If one needs to fine-tune any DMX value, one can easily do so using the fly-out window on the upper right.

[remco_k]

Hi digitalfx,

Thank you for your work.
For the next time, please attach the *.pff file, not the *.pff in a zip file.
I removed the zip and attached the pff for you.

[digitalfx]

Hello GaryBonaducci,

Thank you for your recommendations and encouragement. I've followed your advice and made all the changes to the fixture. Any other suggestions I would appreciate them.

Thank you once again

Victor

[LJ_krede.dk]

Hello GaryBonaducci,

Thank you for your recommendations and encouragement. I've followed your advice and made all the changes to the fixture. Any other suggestions I would appreciate them.

Thank you once again

Victor

I liked the old one better regarding using the gobo wheel channel i'm using bcf2000 midicontroller when i'm programming my lights "online" (when i'm having my lights conected to FS). you cant control macro's via midi so having the patterns channel for gobo (or color for that matter) works perfect.

i'm not saying your changes is wrong, or the old fixture file is right, this just shows how different people want to control their lights and that where the fixture creator comes in handy you can modify as you want instead of a standard you have to use. so make the fixture as you want it


(thats why i always make my fixtures myself instead of downloading them from the forum or having other to make them for me)

I really like the images you did for the laser,, it really looks great

[GaryBonaducci]

...I liked the old one better regarding using the gobo wheel channel i'm using bcf2000 midicontroller when i'm programming my lights "online" (when i'm having my lights conected to FS). you cant control macro's via midi so having the patterns channel for gobo (or color for that matter) works perfect....

Aha! Learned something new today... I never thought of using Gobos that way!

I haven't had the chance yet to open and examine the new fixture file, but it should be able to contain both Gobo and Macro control, right?