mnorwood

No, Linux Show Player's show-files use the extension .lsp, and are json-formatted text. Three questions come to mind: What is it that the "someone" that gave you the file expect you to do with it, and do you trust the "someone" enough to be confident that the file is safe to interact with? Is it possible to ask the "original tech" what program they used, or what type of machine it ran on (Windows, macOS, Linux, iPad)? (Or get someone or the "someone" to ask for you.) When you say it "has audio files in", do you mean that the .SHOW file acts an archive and contains the audio files within itself, or merely references to media files that are held external to the .SHOW file?

You might get better results asking on the ETC forums. You'll also need to specify which Control you wish to Change the value of. As @neilalexrose pointed out, Control Change messages are not MSC (MIDI Show Control), but a type of MIDI Voice Message. EOS permits sending these via what it calls "MIDI Raw Strings", either (as Neil suggested) as part of a Macro if the command to be sent is always the same, or as part of the Execute functionality on a cue if the command differs each time. The appropriate part of the Manual [Tab 100] is the section "Show Control", subsection "MIDI Raw". For sending a specific message on a specific cue, see this page. The page describing the macro method is, IMO, spectacularly unhelpful (could do with usage examples, along with descriptions of/comparisons between the "MIDI", "MIDI_Raw", "MIDI_String", and "Send_MIDI_Raw" commands), but as a guess (without an actual desk in front of me) the macro contents should be something like "Send_MIDI_Raw <your_message>" (e.g. I'd expect "Send_MIDI_Raw B0 01 0C" to set Control 2 on Channel 1 to a Value of 12).

You've stated that you wish the lamps either On or Off with no dimming. Does the ghosting occur if you put the device into "switch mode" as per the instructions in the manual? (Assuming it's not already in that mode...)

To me it seems like the Maplin branding has been sub-licensed to Switch Electronics for the purpose of selling to the "Professional" market. There exists https://www.maplin.co.uk which doesn't share the same theme, has the following as the opening to their Terms of Service: and, most damningly, at the bottom to the page, the link to "Professional Supplies"* points to https://pro.maplin.co.uk. As to https://pro.maplin.co.uk, it's Terms and Conditions reads: It could be clearer, but I think that brand sub-licensing or service sub-contracting** is what we're seeing here. * - "Professional Supplies" in this case appears to be components, wires, tools, and parts: the main www.maplin.co.uk site seems to only sell what one might term "finished" products - those aimed at an End User, rather than those that a hobbyist, electrician, or technician might seek. ** - As Switch Electronics' business model appears to based around supplying components to hobbyists and small businesses, it makes sense for Digital-First to sub-contract that side of the Maplin business out to them instead of competing with them. (If you can't beat 'em, join 'em get 'em to do the work for you.)

It's also a no-go with the Audio-Technica beltpacks at one of the venues I run shows at. I reckon I could probably get my rechargeable AAs into them with the use of a small rubber mallet, and back out again with a set of pliers, but I really don't want do that! Mind you: I've also labelled all my batteries so I can identify/keep track of them, which doesn't help in that regard... I have three sets of 32 batteries (96 in total, all Ni-MH), swapping after every other performance run (as each pair lasts 8+ hours), with each set being a different make (Eneloop, Ansmann, Ikea) and sourced from a different retailer (Battery Logic, CPC, Ikea). Each set is colour coded and each battery is numbered, so I know where each battery should be at any given time, and also to make sure the same batteries end up in the same beltpack night after night (so if there is a problem, it doesn't leapfrog around the cast). Like cedd above, I also use JapCell's 16-way chargers (model BL-16000) and agree they work well. I also have some Technoline BL-700N 4-way chargers "at home", which have a built-in "test" function (charges and then discharges each battery at a constant rate, then spits out an approximation of that battery's capacity) the results of which I keep in a database (having each battery uniquely identifiable really helps here), and from which I get charts that highlight potential problems and (should eventually) show battery degradation over time. As to passing the cost on to a group that's employing me to run sound for them (as I never hire or loan the batteries out to others): I roughly calculate how much it would have cost to have used single-use batteries, based on prices on CPC at the time of putting together the invoice, and charge them that. Thus, it's no more expensive for them than it would have been otherwise (and they get to feel good for being "Green").

Hmm. Not sure if it's what you're suffering from, but one of the venues I work at has an Altair wireless basestation along with both wired Tecpro Series 2 and ASL beltpacks. We've observed that turning on the "Remote Mutes: Buzzers" switch on the front of the Altair basestation causes everyone on a Tecpro beltpack to hear a sort repeated bouncy-whoosh sound, along with hearing everyone else sounding like they're talking through a fan (e.g. choppy). Those on ASL or the wireless Altair beltpacks are not affected. (Nor am I when I'm using my rack-mounted Tecpro Series 1 headset station.) The current running theory is that the switch places a regular pulsed signal onto the audio line that, whilst outside of human hearing, causes a volume limiter inside the Tecpro2 beltpacks to duck the incoming audio repeatedly. The solution we've found is to not engage the switch. Then hope no one presses the "call" button from any beltpack, as it causes the Altair wireless beltpacks to emit an audible beep-beep-beep (and no: not into the headset - which would make sense - but out loud for everyone backstage and in the audience to hear...). (Yes: you can turn the buzzer off on each beltpack individually, but its very easy to re-enable again by mistake.)

I've not tried it myself, however I'm aware that Hencilla Canworth offer "Media Freelancer Insurance" which includes kit-cover both in own-premises and away on hire. The policy wording (found at the bottom of this page) seems to imply (at least to me: admittedly not a lawyer) that they might cover equipment left in a van, so long as the kit is hidden from sight and the vehicle is locked and otherwise secured. Plus, if you're a member of Bectu, you get a discount.

According to this article from 2021, the applicable patent number (which doesn't appear to be silkscreened or otherwise printed on the product) is US9479870B2. My electronics know-how is insufficient to tell whether or not it makes sense.

I think it's not so much that people don't like the idea of being informed about emergencies, it's that they're sceptical about this (to them: "New") System or those perceived to run it, and/or they don't know enough about it or why it's needed instead of using preexisting systems. Or to put it another way: at the moment people see it as yet another Government Scheme that Costs The Taxpayer and Inconveniences The General Public. I would imagine that the first time it is used "for real" in this country will be the point at which most people form their first proper impression of it. If that is a situation where it is seen to be of help and clearly saves lives, then folks will start to think favourable of it. If it is seen to just sow confusion and/or panic, then not so much.

Hold on: this is something that you don't appear to have mentioned previously. Let's get this straight - the original complaint was that fixtures were failing well before their life expectancy, and now we find out that there are sometimes "violent electrical storms" that have been known in the past to take out (hirers') fixtures[*]! Forgive me if I'm missing something or this is a stupid question: but has it been completely ruled out that the storms are not causing the venue's equipment failure woes? ([*] - And in a play-season prior to the requirement for hirers to use different power sockets came into force if I'm getting the chronology correct; implying that surges are not being stopped/mitigated by the house power distro racks.) It would help in this regard to have a better idea of where the power sockets are in relation to the lights. @Heptagon do you have a diagram (e.g. a lighting plot that shows positions of fixtures (both venue and hired) and power sockets) that you might care to share with us?

One of the configuration options listed for the DMX Scene Controller, mentioned on this page of the manual for the EchoAccess App, is a "DMX Active Action" with possible values of "Preset, Off, Sequence, None". It doesn't elaborate on what the "Off" action actually does, however. (Does it turn whatever sequences or presets are running at the time off? Turn preset/sequence recall off? Turn the DMX output off? Turn all Echo-attached devices off? Or just all devices that identify themselves as lights off? Turn itself off?) You could try asking on the ETC Community Forums. There does exist this five-year old topic with a reply (from an ETC employee) that states that "The DMX input is only for setup of the scenes that are stored in the controller". Thus - unless ETC have added the functionality to the firmware in the intervening years - it is possible that what you want is not available. It might be the solution here is sticking a DMX merger/switcher in between the Echo DMX Scene Controller and the ArcSystem Driver(s), with a preference for the feed from the lighting desk. (Alternatively, there exists a "Keyswitch Station": one of its configurable capabilities is to lock out the button stations in a space when activated, preventing recall of any presets until deactivated again. Bit of a faff having to remember to do it manually (and you have a key to keep track of), but if you frequently suffer outside hirers bringing in their own consoles who plug into the house-DMX lines before patching the houselights (causing the auditorium to suddenly plunge into darkness) it might help ameliorate the situation.)

If the laptop in question has the physical connections for two external video outputs then (in theory) you should be able to tell Windows/Powerpoint to use one for the presenter view and the other for the slides. You might need to deactivate the laptop's built-in screen (within Windows' display settings) to force the presenter view to show up on an external screen; and it might need some testing to make sure that the two views are fed to the correct destinations. But yeah: it might be easier just to split the main output. Does the presenter need the presenter view (e.g. to read notes)?

Personally, I maintain a plain-text file with events written in the form specified by RFC5545 ("Internet Calendaring Specification"), which I then upload to a web host. This then gives me a URI that I can "subscribe" to within various calendar applications (MS Outlook, Apple iCal, etc.) as needed. I try to remember to re-upload the file every time I update it locally, and Outlook et al. poll the URI occasionally and keep themselves up to date. As simple as it gets, really - although this approach admittedly does require a certain familiarity with RFC5545 syntax. But ultimately what I have is just a file on a web server - no Google (or Microsoft), no calendaring software required to update it, no additional financial expense (I'm paying for the web hosting anyway).

To quote a relevant article on the ETC support website:

@jturner8, as we can't see the unit in front of you - and the manual appears to be incorrect - could you perhaps tell us what menu options you do have? (e.g. what are the differences from the chart shown on page 6 of the manual?)