Sirius 24 Dmx Capabilities

[DSA]

Hi,

 

At school we have a zero 88 sirius 24 desk, which operates using the analog outputs, although it does have a DMX output kit fitted.

 

Is it possible to program moving lights (or similar) using this desk with the DMX output, or is it limited to only 24 channels (as one uses with the analog control). I dont really have any experience with DMX.

 

In the 'super user' settings there is a thing called 'output patch' which enables you to softpatch a fader to any of the 512 DMX channels - but does this mean that say by operating channel 12 it would also operate any other softpatched to it? (if so whats the use - and is a way round this)???

 

I realise that programming movers would be slow and tedious on this desk, but just wondered if it were theoretically possible.

 

Thanks,

David

 

P.S. Does anyone know if there is a 'cut and paste' function for memories on this board - I know there is a thing called 'level match', but it takes just as long as manually inputting the scene again!

[smeggie]

hi,

 

it is possible to use a few movers on the board but, as you say, it will be ridiculously slow and you can only use about 2 sets of movers with minimal generics. it can be done - I did it once before I had a forg desk to use. if possible, get hold of one of those to use full DMX with it.

the main problem with the sirius 24 DMX system is that there is no wide mode to use the unused faders when running a show off of submasters.

 

(if experience is a problem, have a play with a xl series desk and the DMX methods will make themselves clear)

in 7 years of op'ing on a s24, I only used movers on it once. try to program the submasters with all generics and on other pages, program the looks you want.

 

afaik, there is no copy/paste function on the s24/48 so it is a pain to use.

 

cheers

andrew

[themadhippy]

have run 4 moves (2 track spots,2 el-cheapo moving heads) off a sirus 48 without too much hassle,well apart from diffrent things happening if you played back the chase via the go button or the fx fader.

cut and pasting cues em sort of,if you programme a cue and transfer it to one of the sub master,then to add it to a cue press programme memory and transfer (above the sub fader the cues in) .which should be set at the level you want, this will copy the contents of the sub and the output state of the b faders into whatever cues in the window.

hope it makes sense,its easy to do but comlicated to explain

[DSA]

try to program the submasters with all generics and on other pages, program the looks you want.

 

What do you mean by this?

 

As for as I am aware there are 24 channels with 24 faders - so if a moving light requires 12 channels the you can have 2 programmed.

 

Am I not understanding this softpatch thing??

 

David

[DSA]

Thanks re the 'cut and paste'.

 

I wondered if this could be done - it would save sooooooooooo much time!!!!!!!!!

 

David

[themadhippy]

soft patch allows you to assign each fader to 1 or more DMX channels,so in theory channel 1 fader on the desk could be controlling sevral DMX chnnels.allowing you to say change all the movers colour with one fader,you lose flexibilaty but save channels

you use the memory + - buttons to scroll through the 512 DMX channels,to assign a fader to a DMX channel push the flash button of the relavent channel

sorry about the crap explanation,putthe board in front of me and id have it done in seconds :)

[DSA]

I see - I think I understand now.

 

Thats quite useful for quite an old desk - although I admit that it sounds very tedious.

 

One day when I get enough money I'll be able to try it out!!

 

David

[themadhippy]

yep its also handy when you cant be arsed to walk down to the dimmers to swop a couple of plugs around,

[DSA]

Ah well thats not a real prob for us, as the dimmers are only about 2m from the desk!!

 

On the point of dimmers - What's the difference between the Zero 88 Betapack (Original) and the new Betapack 2's?

 

David

[James]

OK

 

I've used a 48 with 2 10ch movers 4 4ch movers and 48ch of conventionals at the same time

 

If you have big movers see what you can loose eg - prisims, 2nd gobos etc.

 

If you can get the ch down - see what you can double up between the movers - eg. I don't mind them all having the same gobo.

 

So say I start with 2 10ch movers using up almost all of your channels

 

1 pan

2 tilt

3 gobo A

4 gobo B

5 gobo rotate

6 colour

7 shutter

8 prisim

9 iris

10 bulb state

 

After a bit of creative patching and doubling I end up with

 

1 pan 1

2 tilt 1

3 pan 2

4 tilt 2

5 shutter1

6 shutter2

7 colour 1+2

8 gobo 1+2

9 gobo rotate 1+2

10 iris 1+2

 

There that's 10ch from 20. Almost half- and then see what conventionals you can double on - FOH wash - cyc etc.

 

Does this make sense?

 

And as for programing them - I personaly find it a pain until I get my head round the severly odd chase unit - at which point it comes flooding back and is quite simple realy - Remember you can run 2 chases silmotaniously if you save one as a q and recall it on the memory - that is IIRC :)

 

Oh and be careful with early software versions - This isn't a problem for you but I found a unit with s/w version 1.x where you had to open the desk up to switch split dipless faders on... :P

[themadhippy]

Remember you can run 2 chases silmotaniously if you save one as a q and recall it on the memory - that is IIRC

em 8 if you try hard enought,1 in the fx bit(make it Local and ya can edit it live),6 on the subs and 1 on the memory playback

[James]

em 8 if you try hard enought,1 in the fx bit(make it Local and ya can edit it live),6 on the subs and 1 on the memory playback

 

:)

 

Luckily it's been a while and I wasn't certain if you could move FX as well as states to the subs so I didn't want to get patesdave's hopes up..

 

oooh er mrs, 8 silmoutanious effects with 24 ch - sounds heaven :P

 

 

 

 

 

Grr how go you spell silmoutanious? and why does PHPspell alow it It can't be right can it??

[themadhippy]

yea you have to transfer the chase to the memory first then transfer the cue to the sub :) you cant just transfer from the fx straight to a sub.or at least I cant find a way

[Rob]

well apart from diffrent things happening if you played back the chase via the go button or the fx fader.

 

The major problem with stuff like the sirius and movers is that the DMX output is not very 'clean'. Its not as accurate as other desks which means you can sometimes get weird things happening - Movers often require quite specific channel levels.

[robloxley]

On the point of dimmers - What's the difference between the Zero 88 Betapack (Original) and the new Betapack 2's?

DMX as standard, the DMX address selector is now on the front panel, there are more LEDs, better channel test facilities, MCB option, anti-tamper plate, can set action on loss of DMX, DMX status indication.