Need a recommendation about a mover joystick control

[kittmaster]

I have two adj xmove led 25r's and while I fully understand that I can control the movers from the little blue ball, but I don't have time to screw around with that live, I know that I'm not going to get super precision moving around the head, it would be used for things like, spotting the room entrance doors, or highlighting the wedding cake, just basic movements to light up stuff with a "spot"....it won't be used to follow people or anything like that. I'm also looking for something where I can possibly control the overall speed so I don't have to play "the claw" game of the fixture jumping around going forward and back to try and get the target point.

I'm looking for actual experience of someone who may have used it if possible of the recommended joystick, unless you have full confidence in your suggestion, I prefer not to have to "experiment" with my money if possible.

Thanks to anyone who may be able to help.

[Nathanrs93]

Hey,

I have a bit of experience within this field as I've tried it myself with a logitech joystick. I can't stay it went well for me as I realised that when I let go of the joystick, if it was on the entrance door for example it would go back to the middle, causing the moving heads to go back to "their" middle position.

I'm not sure if all joysticks do this but we were planning on taking the springs out so it didn't move from it's last position, so I would have to move the stick again. I've NOT tried this as I didn't have time with me being busy doing other things.

I would say that it is really sensitive like you wouldn't believe though, it only needs a knock and it can be at the other side of the room.

Good luck
/Nathan

[dmxlighting]

Id say not to use a joystick as most will reset the position as soon as it returns to the middle default position. This will occur as soon as you let go of the stick.
The best method is to use a BCF000 of the Korg Nano thing witht the faders on it.

[kittmaster]

Id say not to use a joystick as most will reset the position as soon as it returns to the middle default position. This will occur as soon as you let go of the stick.
The best method is to use a BCF000 of the Korg Nano thing witht the faders on it.

I don't know the piece you are describing.....is it this:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/nanoPAD2bk/

???

Thanks for the tips guys....if a joystick is not a good way to go, then I'm open to some type of CHEAP controller to move the XY easily....



thanks!

[Nathanrs93]

Hey,

I think you'll find he's referring to this

http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/BCF2000.aspx

/Nathan

[kittmaster]

Ok that is what I thought, but wasn't sure, so I'd be using faders instead of a stick for X and Y?

I have full access to any Numark/Alesis/Akai gear.....would anything in those lines work?

[Nathanrs93]

Hey,

In regards to your questions and midi, it would be best to ask spirit He's the best person when it comes to this subject.

/Nathan

[DJDaveSA]

Numark and Akai make plenty of Midi Controllers. Have a look and see what best suits you.

David

[kittmaster]

Well I guess that is where I guess my questions are, I can see in the settings that it says "enable" joystick, which I assume it looks for a joystick driver in the system, how exactly does the midi come into play to be able to control the mover?

Is there any tutorial on how to map the midi to the mover to use as suggested?

That is where my confusion lies with this aspect of freestyler as I've never done anything with a joystick to real time response thing.

Thanks guys....

Chris

[Spirit]

hi

i never used a Joystick but many poeple say thats a Tiny movement on the joystick makes the MH goes all over the place.

and with midi you can Map this in 2 way's.

you can use MIDI TO DMX. so you can assign a Midi fader/Encder to a DMX chaneel.
Or you can use the Pan/Tilt commando , this will only work on the Current selected Fixture.

/spirit

[kittmaster]

the midi to dmx seems like the way to go, what i don't get, if I have the midi value for each the pan and the tilt that I want to use from the unit......and it converts it to the required channel, if the range of each pot is lets say 0-127, where do i "set" that option so the software knows what the limits are for the fader control? Is that put into the "page" box as 0-127???

[Spirit]

whoo no clue what you means but take a look at this.

http://www.freestylersupport.com/wiki/e ... idi_to_dmx

and on the wiki you can find allot more info about Midi.

/spirit

[kittmaster]

I read through that, what I'm saying is this:

If DMX channel 1 is mover tilt, and I want to use fader 1 on controller to move tilt from limit to limit....the range of the fader has to be known. So usually with midi controllers, 0 is fader is off, 127 value is fader is at max. So when you move the fader up and down, the mover tilt will go from end to end.

My question is more like, if the range of the mover is 0-255, and my fader is 0-127 (unmappable), can I tell the software to do an approximation?

[Spirit]

DMX value "0" = Midi Velocity "0" and
DMX value "255" = Midi Velocity "127"

so Each 1 Velocity will increase 2 DMX value's

[kittmaster]

exactly, but where does that get plugged into the midi to dmx? The choices are "note" "page" and "channel" in the midi setup dialog area.

That is where my confusion is..... Thanks for the help..

Chris

[Spirit]

this goes automaticly.

as Midi 0 = MIN and 127 MAX and DMX 0 = Min and 255 = MAX.
and a NOTE can be a Button, encoder or slider.
a PAGE is a page that the FS devolper made so you can use 6 differnt pages to asssign your buttons, encoder or sliders to.
and CHANNEL is the DMX channel you like to control.

you dont need to do anything with the Velocity..becuase thats the Range a Button, encoder or slider can have.
So for a Button 0 = Off and 127 = ON
and a Slider uses MIN 0,1,2,3,4,5,~, 123,124,125,126,127. MAX

or in HEX button OFF=00 and ON=7F
and a slider MIN 00,01,02,03,04,05,~,7A,7B,7C,7D,7E,7F. MAX

/spirit

[dmxlighting]

If you have an ipad or iPhone I will be uploading some new tools which will allow you to control pan / tilt and more. Mean while you can also use the official iOS app for FS which is available in the App Store.

[kittmaster]

I don't have either, I have ipod video, 1st gen nano.....not an apple fan, to bad it wasn't for android, I have a bunch of those devices.......

[dmxlighting]

apparently this is available for Android too!

https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... r.touchosc