Fat frog and Pilot 150 (wheels not working)!

[com]

Hello,

 

We have a Fat Frog 88 with the latest update installed, and the fixture libraries downloaded onto a floppy from the Zero 88 website.

 

We have 4 Pilot 150 moving head lights and have set up the channels and options correctly on the lights, and added plus patched them correctly into the desk.

 

We are using the Fat Frog for generic lights too.

 

The problem is that when we select fixtures the wheels don't work to control the lights, even if we do everything correctly.

 

The lights have a green LED to show the addressing is OK, and the fixture buttons on the Frog are lit to show they are recognised.

 

Can anyone help here on why the wheels arn't working?

 

Thanks so much for your help, we really need this by Monday (29th June)!

[theatrcymraeglampy]

Are the fixtures in the same DMX mode as the fixture personality on the desk?

[com]

Are the fixtures in the same DMX mode as the fixture personality on the desk?

 

By this do you mean 8 bit or 16 bit? If so, yes, if not, could you explain what you mean?

[Davethsparky]

Are the fixtures in the same DMX mode as the fixture personality on the desk?

 

By this do you mean 8 bit or 16 bit? If so, yes, if not, could you explain what you mean?

 

Most moving heads have different modes (1,2,3,......) that they can be set to, each mode has a slightly different personality. Should be in the manual for your heads.

 

Do the dimmers respond to the desk?

 

Check blackout buttons and grand masters etc on the desk.

 

Check power and data connections to the fixtures.

 

Do the fixtures show any signs of response to the desk?

 

Check that the fixture has been patched correctly and that the fixture itself is set up correctly.

 

Try patching the fixture channels as dimmer channels and see if you can control it using the faders, this will prove that the DMX connection to the fixture is ok and the problem lies in the desk somewhere

 

Take a DMX line using a cable you have proven to be good straight from desk to a fixture and try it, this will help identify if there is a problem in the DMX line.

 

If the gear is hired then call the hire company for advice.

 

If the gear belongs to the venue then get the resident technician to help.

 

Fill in your profile info.

 

Look at/search for simmilar topics on this forum.

[GRisdale]

Does anything come up in the LCD display above the wheels? Just to check the obvious, you say that the LEDs on the fixture buttons are on, but beyond that you need to tag the fixtures (press the fixture buttons) to get control of them. Additionally, make sure you've selected a relevent attribute to control - such as the dimmer/brightness (some fixtures don't have all attributes which will make the wheels do nothing).

 

Other than that, check the DMX is coming out of the correct universe for the patch - Wouldn't be the first time the two sockets got mixed up in a dark lighting box and would explain the fixtures showing a good data light.

 

Gareth.

[Graham NZ]

Hi

 

The obvious one is that having assigned the fixtures to the desk have you also patched them and do the patch address on the console match those on the fixtures.

[chrishandcock]

Other than that, check the DMX is coming out of the correct universe for the patch

 

Just to note, although the fat frog has 2 DMX outputs, they are both the same universe.

[GRisdale]

Just to note, although the fat frog has 2 DMX outputs, they are both the same universe.

Quite right - I'm confusing the Fat Frog and and the Bull Frog again (which does have two universes) - Thanks Chris.

 

Gareth.

 

Edit: Typo.

[com]

OK,

 

thanks for your help, I will answer your questions now in the hope we can get this sorted later.

 

yes: the generics and dimmers work

yes: the numbers change on the LCD display above the wheels but the lights do not respond

yes: the movingheads have been set into the correct mode

no: the blackout buttons are not on

 

We will try patching to the faders and therefore using wide mode. This worked for one of the lights but we really needed the wheels!

 

Thanks for all your help, we will continue to try

[peter]

Hi Charlie

 

Can I suggest you give us a call at the Zero 88 office today - 01633 833100 - we'll be able to talk you through fault finding these problems and getting your desk up and running.

 

Kind Regards,

 

 

Peter

[Davethsparky]

We will try patching to the faders and therefore using wide mode. This worked for one of the lights but we really needed the wheels!

 

I was only suggesting patching to the faders as a means of testing whether the DMX line to the fixture was ok, I wasn't suggesting you try and run the show with it patched this way. And since it worked for one of them working like this then that shows that the DMX line is ok and the problem lies within the desk. next step, call zero88 as detailed above

[com]

OK, thanks again for your help, I will call tomorrow. Can anyone give me a run through of exactly how to set up moving head lights with the fat frog so I can check if I have done anything wrong?

 

Thanks again.

[aidso]

once you have the fixtures assigned got back into desk setup and DMX patch then manual patch. right at the bottom after channel 48 is fixture 1-4 make sure the address's here are the same as the fixtures.

 

One thing to note the zero 88 personalities for PR stuff arn't great. If you can write your own. I had problems with the 250s and dimmers not working right cause the personality sets the shutter as default to 255 which bypasses the dimmer channel. So if you can download the frog fixture editor and write your ow personality. very easy to do will take you about 20mins.

[com]

Thanks again for your help, we have dimmers from channels 1-24 therefore the lights, which we have done are on 25, 33, and 42.

 

With the personalities I wrote my own that looked like the one they made - and mine didn't work for some reason it couldn't be found on the disk. I will look at the personalities and see if there's anything wrong. Will try again tomorrow and ring up if needed.