Chroma Q Cascade Colour Mixing Scrollers and Sirius 24

[tom_the_LD]

Hi there, I hope you all are well.

 

I was just wandering if it is possible to run 6 Chroma Q scrollers on the Sirius 24 without major stress. I think it should be possible, even if not the easiest task in the world, but I just wanted to check. Would link these by going - dimmer to dimmer to dimmer to dimmer to scrollers. Then soft patching on the desk so that the scrollers appear on the last 6 channels (2 channels for 2 scrollers - ie gel roll number 1 on 2 of the scrollers on channel 19 and the other gel roll for the 2 scrollers on say channel 20)

Have I got this completely wrong!?

 

 

Thanks for reading and I hope to hear

 

 

Tom

 

EDIT: Hopefully making it a little bit easier to understand

[paulears]

It would work, but there is one serious disadvantage. You can't use the masters or bo - because if you bring the master down, the scroller will change colour. Same with blackouts. as soon as the lights go out, the scrollers will whirr like mad!

 

If you can live with that - ok, but it is a big handycap.

[themadhippy]

not 100% sure what you mean by

so that the scrollers appear on the last 6 channels (2 channels a scroller I assume as 1 channel per scroll??)

but if you mean soft patch the last 6 channels to the scroller channells then yep,or just address the scrollers to the appropiate desk channells,the patching is the easy bit,the fun starts when you get into the programing.

[tom_the_LD]

That was one thing which had crossed my mind, however if I run the show off the "GO" button this, as far as I know but please correct, wouldn't be a problem as I could program it so all the intensity channels are down and leave the scroller channels up.

 

Would also put tape over the scroller flash buttons :P

 

I have a manual but as far as I know there isnt anyway of excuding channels, still, might be worth a check

 

EDIT: not being able to spell

[Tom Baldwin]

From the post title, it seems the OP is using the Cascade colour mixing version of a Chroma Q, (similar to a Wybron CXi), which does need two channels, one per scroll within each scroller.

 

To fit six of these onto six channels does require exactly the doubling up that he suggests.

 

not 100% sure what you mean by

so that the scrollers appear on the last 6 channels (2 channels a scroller I assume as 1 channel per scroll??)

but if you mean soft patch the last 6 channels to the scroller channells then yep,or just address the scrollers to the appropiate desk channells,the patching is the easy bit,the fun starts when you get into the programing.

[tom_the_LD]

Thanks guys for your replies. Another question thinking about it, in running these scrollers from a sirius 24, would the channels with the scrollers on need to be at half WHEN TURNING THE DESK ON, as I am assuming this is where the "clear" position is; would having the channels at set to zero cause damage to the scrollers, I'm sorry if this is the most ridiculous question ever!

 

Cheers

 

Tom

 

 

 

EDIT: For typing with eyes closed!

[Tom Baldwin]

would the channels with the scrollers on need to be at half, as I am assuming this is where the "clear" position is; would having the channels at set to zero cause damage to the scrollers

 

You won't cause damage to the scrollers by having both channels at full.

 

Open white is both channels at 50%; if both channels are at 0, you'll get a very saturated colour - similarly if both are at full, you'll get a different saturated colour.

 

This sort of links back to what other posters have said: if you had the scrolls set to O/W, and then used the grand master to fade everything out, then the scrollers would change colour as the lights were dimming too, as their channels would also be heading towards zero. It won't be a problem if you use the cue stack.

 

If you've got spare time, look up LTP & HTP in the Wiki - they're different modes of operation for a channel on a desk, and it should make it clearer how larger desks make using scrollers (and movers) easier than it is on the Sirius.

 

HTH,

 

Tom

[tom_the_LD]

Hi Tom

 

That LTP and HTP has helped me =] I have now edited my post because I missed out a piece of info which I must have deleted whilst improving my post, I meant would it be OK TO TUN THE DESK ON with the scroller channels at 0 - I am sorry sorry about this

[Tom Baldwin]

Yep, that'd be fine.

 

There's pretty much nothing you can send from the desk that'll hurt the scrollers - although if you thrashed them from end to end repeatedly, you'd increase the chances of the scrolls coming off their rollers. But that's more like abuse than use!

[tom_the_LD]

Cheers Tom that has now made me happy :D

 

Programming is going to be fun - especially programmng a chase. (I would like the scrollers to change colour whilst this chase is going on; I could be busy for quite some time!)

[JimWebber]

Hi Tom,

 

Just a piece of advice when programming the Sirius...

 

After programming a cue, (complete with scrol positions) go to the previous cue and edit in the scroller channels (Use the edit/flash buttons) - Do the same with the following cue.

 

This will stop the scrolls moving as the lights fade.

 

I have done this on a larger scale, using four six-channel el-cheapo moving lights, and two scrollers - I hardly touched the "Program Memory" button, and relied entirely on the edit buttons to program a cue.

 

HTH

 

Jim

 

EDIT - Try putting the scroller chase on to the audio drive???

[tom_the_LD]

Jim,

 

I am not 100% sure what you mean. Would it be poss to wack a PM across in my direction?

 

From what I understand (and am probably completely wrong), do you mean that when programming a cue do not program in the scroller positions and then go back and add the scroller positions in after the cue(s) have been recorded??

 

 

Cheers

 

 

Tom

[Neil Hampson]

Jim,

 

I am not 100% sure what you mean. Would it be poss to wack a PM across in my direction?

 

From what I understand (and am probably completely wrong), do you mean that when programming a cue do not program in the scroller positions and then go back and add the scroller positions in after the cue(s) have been recorded??

 

 

Cheers

 

 

Tom

 

Tom, On the Sirrius there is two ways to record a cue, the first one is to set up the cue on the blue faders and then press 'program memory', I think this is the way you know, however if you wish to change one or two of the levels in a previously programmed cue, move to the cue you wish to edit so that the 'next memory' window shows the correct No. then select the new level of any channels that you want to edit, for example you may wish to increse the level of channel 10 to 90%, set the new level for channel 10, and instead of pressing 'program memory' (which would re-record the whole state on the blue faders), just press the flash button for channel 10, this will record the new position of ch.10, without affecting any other recorded levels. this can be done for as many channels as you wish.

 

I use a Sirrius with 4 ChromaQs (M2) and I use the above method. each blackout usually invoves two steps, the first has the intensity go out, but I use the edit command to record only the scroller positions, the second blackout cue records only the scroller positions of the next cue (I record the next cue first and go back to use the same method)

 

It's a bit heavy on the memory as you only get 198 states in the stack, but it can be done and it does ensure that you don't get unintentional live scrolls.

[JimWebber]

What he said! /\ /\

 

The thing to remember is that, normally, as the intensity of the lantern fades, the scroll will tend to move. This leads to an unwanted (But actually rather pretty) colour change. To stop this, add the scroller position to the previous, and following cue.

 

Jim

[Frag_Me]

Having just done a show involving several scanners on a HTP board I feel your pain! I was lucky to be using a Jester rather than a sirius though. Meticulous programming is the only thing which will get you through it. Make sure you don't need to do any busking on the actual nights because you can be sure that something will go awry.

 

Also, explain to your actors and director before the tech run that things might not go as planned when doing this sort of thing. During the tech run for the aforementioned show the people I told just wouldn't listen (one of the delights of amdram ¬_¬) and I had a colour changing lantern which was reading DMX values backwards (0=255, 255=0) which meant that when I did a blackout the whole stage went bright red. I must have said to them about 5 times "Don't worry, I know that there is meant to be a blackout there, there's just a problem with one of the lights", but every single time I'd get "No, it's meant to be dark, not red!" or "can we lose that red?!".

 

But I digress, just make sure you allow yourself more time than usual for programming and perhaps ask for an extra dress run in which you can tell the actors to expect the lighting to malfunction at times.