Visual output from a Desk

[ben.suffolk]

Ok,

 

So just thinking about the intensity channels I have mocked up 2 different displays that a user could choose. One is purely number based, and the other is a bar graph. The bar graph one takes up twice the space, and so obviously that choice comes at a cost for the user as to how many channels could be displayed. Both use the theme of colours mentioned for indicating state, although the actual colours here are just R G & B to see what it might look like.

 

I'd be interested in some feedback to see if this captures what's required for an intensity channels. Size wise its a direct screen grab so is in its real size. Is it big enough, to big, right size ?

 

http://www.usbdmx.com/intensity1.jpeg

 

http://www.usbdmx.com/intensity2.jpeg

 

I'd give the option of percentage as well as actual DMX value.

 

Regards

 

Ben

[dwh]

To be honest with you, I know the scale of DMX values (0-255), and seeing a box which says "51" tells me that it's got a fifth of a bar complete, the bar is just adding space. And looking at it (or rather, thinking about how I'd be looking at it in a dark-ish control room during a show), I'm not sure there's enough contrast between "filled in" and "not filled in" that at a glance the bar would provide me with any additional info.

 

Being able to specify "I want this channel as DMX", "I want this channel as %" might be handy though...

[Dmills]

Percentage please, which will let you make the value field a little narrower (Present 100% as F (For full)). If you are implementing tracking, don't forget that 0 is different to not selected!

Personally, I cannot ever see using the bargraph mode, it just comes at too high a price in information density.

 

I would use the ability to have text in colours other then black for additional state, and make the channel number field bigger (That matters almost as much as the level)!

 

Note that black on white/grey is crap for this application, make the overall background black please, it throws less light into the house if operating from there and also does less horrid things to the operators vision when lighting a dim scene.

 

Finally, given the choice between things in pretty boxes, and having another 20 channels or so on screen, give me the channels.

 

Why not talk the chief LX at a few of the local theatres into letting you sit in on a plotting session, find someone with strand, ETC... Have a look at a few different styles of board, a phone call mid week when a show is mid run is normally better then calling during a production week or on opening or closing night (which will get you snapped at).

 

Regards, Dan.

[peternewman]

Not directly related to the original question, but I'm currently stuck with an ETC on panto. I don't know what you're intending to do regarding physical interfaces, but I'm currently really missing the small LCD panel you get on the Strand's which tell you the cue number, and the ones by the softkeys too.

 

Also regarding moves, a bit of a pet hate is any desk that doesn't display and snap to the friendly name for the attribute, so a colour wheel would snap from red to blue as you altered it, and display those names not meaningless values. Also if you're going to choose to display percentages rather than actual DMX values, provide easy ways to switch back to DMX values and to enter DMX. I may have just not found the option but it's a PITA when trying to reset a fixture having to do a calculation to find the relevant percentage from the actual DMX value in the specification.

[mac.calder]

I would prefer to see the change in shade indicate % of move/colour change/intensity change/etc complete during a cue change. So it illustrates how far through that fixtures sequence it is, and by extension shows which fixtures are not changed (because they are 100% complete the entire time)

 

If there is a number, I don't think graphical representation is needed as well.

[pete LD]

Any Lighting designer I have plotted for, and myself tend to say to the programmer "group 10 at 50.......at 60 ..........at 65......split the difference..... . So for that I would just want the channel number and the % underneath. one thing I would find useful is some way of knowing what group the channel is in, so when the LD asks "what level is group 7.5?" I wouldn't have to look what channels 7.5 controls on paper and then look on the monitor. suppose I could just press group 7.5 * and that would highlight it!

:blink: <_<