Is the standard frog 1 capable of using moving lights?

[the-techi]

Is the standard frog 1 capable of using moving lights?

I dont mind if its difficult, just if theres any way possible of doing it?

[johnhuson]

Assuming your talking about the basic Frog with no moving light section then yes it's possible, but won't be easy. How easy depends largely on how many channels your fixtures consume each, you do only have a maximum of 48 control channels.

[skenmy]

the-techi,

 

The problem you're going to have is that each fixture will have to have a slider per DMX channel it requires. This is easily changeable with the DMX patch functions on the Frog series, but the difficulty you are going to have is that the desk won't know it's controlling an "intelligent light" - thus it will be an arduous task programming your movements and whatnot, remembering what slider does what, and getting the sensitive ones in the right place (I know with the Mac 250 Entours, you sometimes have a 2 or 3 out of 255 area that you can send to get a certain effect, with a slider that's nay on impossible (most go 0-100% as opposed to DMX 0-255)).

 

So, short answer, it's totally possible, but expect it to be an arduous and fiddly task programming the things ;)

[ryandell]

Hello,

 

Yes you can

 

but ... firstly how many moving lights you want to use with the desk, as you probably won't have room for many if you were using generics on the desk as well. If push comes to shove then you can do it, as mentioned trying to programme would be a tad fiddly. You might consider addressing the moving lights the same to maximise space on the desk, but then this would mean all the moving lights would move together. Just a few thoughts.

 

Cheers

 

Ryan

[Beaver]

Hi

yes it can be done I have done it with a golden scan.

 

however I would suggest that you pick the functions you need and only soft patch those in I was using one light with pan tilt and a couler wheel. It would become impratical to do much more than that

[Potassium Neuf]

the-techi,

 

... thus it will be an arduous task programming your movements and whatnot, remembering what slider does what, and getting the sensitive ones in the right place (I know with the Mac 250 Entours, you sometimes have a 2 or 3 out of 255 area that you can send to get a certain effect, with a slider that's nay on impossible (most go 0-100% as opposed to DMX 0-255)).

 

Although the sliders are labelled 0-10 (0-100%) they actually generate values from 0-255 internally as you move the fader from zero to full.

 

However, as mentioned in the posts above the Frog desk is not designed to be used with moving lights ... for that you really need the Fat Frog, Leap Frog or Bull Frog which has dedicated controls for moving lights :)

[scjb]

If it was me, I'd be looking at the DMX spec, and then using as many built-in macros as possible. That way, I'd hope that my looks were going to be more consistent.

[heinz57]

It should be possible.

 

It can be done on the old Strand GSX so I'm pretty sure the Frog 1 can do it.

 

You must be careful with the Grand Master though. If the movers have been programed in with the GM at 100% altering the GM may have an effect on the movers

[rossmck]

It can be done on the old Strand GSX so I'm pretty sure the Frog 1 can do it.

 

O/T but I still have and use one of those regularly to control a couple of moving heads (never tried more than two with it admittedly!)

[skenmy]

Although the sliders are labelled 0-10 (0-100%) they actually generate values from 0-255 internally as you move the fader from zero to full.

 

I\'m sorry I didn\'t make that clearer - thanks Potassium Neuf :) What I was getting at was that it\'s an akward conversion to deal with (1% is 2.55, for instance).

[LXbydesign]

Yes you can, but because the desk does not have a dedicated moving light control section , you will have to control each attribute off a fader - which can make it very interesting to program!!

 

Any lighting desk that transmits DMX can control any moving light , but of course life can be made very tricky if using fixtures with more than say 18 control channels!!

 

I remember programming technobeams on a Pulsar MP , but that wasnt tooooo bad as they used 18 control channels and that was the number of faders on the desk "per page". so page 1 was fixture 1 and so on and then meant each fader did the same thing for each fixture. I was a bit lucky on that one!!

 

Worst experience was programming mini-macs (which I hate anyway) on a Sirius 24!! - it took a very long winded chase , slowed right down on Xfade to achieve a nice slow searchlight panning around effect!!!

 

So simple answer is - if u are only using the movers for maybe static or just some gobo work , or a number of specials (which you program to "move on dark") then I would think you can do that on a standerd memory desk without too much faff - but if u need to use them for jazzing things up and seeing the movement then I would suggest hiring in a dedicated moving light control desk or something like a fat frog if you only have a few fixtures.

[the-techi]

Its useful theres only 2 lights

 

Chauvet Intimidators

[Beaver]

Probably helpful to know what else you are running of the desk if you already have 44 channels of generic dimming probably not worth it