Fat Frog Lamp-on command

[Alexb_01]

Hiya,

 

Having searched the manual I can't find the answers to my questions, I'm hoping someone can help me out. I'm trying to activate the lamp-on command for MAC 250 Wash fixture from a Fat Frog desk.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Alex

[ed_]

I don't know about the Frog (horrible thing) but set the shutter channel to 91% (DMX 232). If it resets when you reach 82% then you can always disable this on the head, I like to set DRES and DLOF (under the PERS menu) to OFF to avoid plunging the venue into darkness if I push the shutter wheel too far.

 

And there's always PERS/ALON to automatically strike on powering the fixture if you really want it, but if you care about lamp life then you have to make sure they aren't left on all night or powered up 10 hours before the gig when the cleaner comes in. And there is another problem if you've got many units on the same breaker, the striking spike may trip it, especially if you're on B type breakers.

[gareth]

I like to set DRES and DLOF (under the PERS menu) to OFF

Nooo! The ability to send a reset to a head from the desk, or kill the lamps during a meal break, is something that you shouldn't sacrifice. You mention 'caring about lamp life' - you can't care that much if you can't douse the lamps and therefore leave them burning during meal breaks, etc.!

[timtheenchanteruk]

it will be the same place, we had some 250 profiles last year, on the shutter under 91 re-sets, on the fat frog we had to use the first shutter open slot, about 10-15% to stop it resetting on slow fades on the FF.

 

luckily this year we have just got a 520i, so shouldnt have those problems!

 

it should be in the mnanual somewhere, theres usually a list of channels and commands at the back.

 

manual here P26 89-93% lamp on 97-100 Lamp off 94-96 shutter open.

[johnhuson]

Nooo! The ability to send a reset to a head from the desk, or kill the lamps during a meal break, is something that you shouldn't sacrifice. You mention 'caring about lamp life' - you can't care that much if you can't douse the lamps and therefore leave them burning during meal breaks, etc.!

I really couldn't agree more about disabling Lamp Off and DMX Reset, particularly DMX reset! However I think it's worth mentioning that if it's a short break (or a tea break) it's actually kinder to the lamp to leave it burning. Striking a lamp is pretty hard on it and will reduce lamp life more than leaving it burning for an hour or so. I was once given (from a reliable source at a manufacturer) the figure of a reduction in lamp life of around 4 hours every strike but I have no recorded evidence to back that up.

 

I like to set DRES and DLOF (under the PERS menu) to OFF to avoid plunging the venue into darkness if I push the shutter wheel too far.

I don't see a reason why you would need to be using the shutter wheel during a show, any recall of shutter value should surely be done via a palette/focus or a playback if you've programmed properly. If you happen to reset a fixture or douse a lamp during programming/rehearsals I can't see how that would plunge a venue into catastrophic darkness, surely you have house lights/generics as a backup?

 

And there's always PERS/ALON to automatically strike on powering the fixture if you really want it, but if you care about lamp life then you have to make sure they aren't left on all night or powered up 10 hours before the gig when the cleaner comes in. And there is another problem if you've got many units on the same breaker, the striking spike may trip it, especially if you're on B type breakers.

Again I don't like having the Auto lamp on set either, I much prefer to be able to strike my lamps from the console when I choose to rather than automatically shortly after power up. However it can be a useful function in some circumstances, such as when using a console like a Fat Frog that doesn't have any easy way of striking the lamp other than dialling in the correct channel values for the fixture.

 

Also worth noting that a lot of fixtures can use their DMX address to define a delay between lamp strikes to avoid the whole rig striking at the same time when set to auto lamp on. As for B type breakers I'd recommend that breakers for hot power be C type rather than B to avoid this in any circumstances. Moving lights aren't the only type of fixture/appliance in the entertainment industry that have a high inrush current which makes C type breakers more suitable.

 

EDIT: For a typo.

[Alexb_01]

Ahh thanks for the help so far. My original thoughts about the 250 wash I'm referring to was that the lamp had gone but wanted to check the lamp-on or off command first.

 

I was playing with the shutter today so it makes me think that I might have pushed it too far into the lamp-off region.

 

Anyway with all this knowledge in mind I'll be able to test it all out tommorow.

 

I'll let you know how it goes,

 

Thanks,

 

Alex

[LXbydesign]

Agreed with all above.

 

I would only turn off the lamps on movers if they are to be "in-active" for more than 90 minutes. Less than that, then its better to leave them on - but always if u can to leave them on in "home" position. If this isnt possible at least make sure all colours / FX are out , leaving just the shutter closed

[Lxdoc]

make sure all colours / FX are out , leaving just the shutter closed

 

The only reason to leave shutters closed is if the fixture has some sort of "power saving mode" like some of the MAC range and even then this can be accessed directly on the control channel.

 

Its better to leave shutters open to prevent excessive heat build up.

 

Some older Clay Paky fixtures perform partial resets of some of their functions when at intensity zero.

 

VL shutters are very susceptible to heat build up distortion

[gareth]

I really couldn't agree more about disabling Lamp Off and DMX Reset, particularly DMX reset! However I think it's worth mentioning that if it's a short break (or a tea break) it's actually kinder to the lamp to leave it burning. Striking a lamp is pretty hard on it and will reduce lamp life more than leaving it burning for an hour or so. I was once given (from a reliable source at a manufacturer) the figure of a reduction in lamp life of around 4 hours every strike but I have no recorded evidence to back that up.

Absolutely - that's why I made specific mention of meal breaks, as opposed to coffee breaks or whatever. During shorter breaks in programming/rehearsal, the units should be left open (no colour, no gobo, no effects, shutter open) to minimise heat issues.

[ed_]

I like to set DRES and DLOF (under the PERS menu) to OFF

Nooo! The ability to send a reset to a head from the desk, or kill the lamps during a meal break, is something that you shouldn't sacrifice. You mention 'caring about lamp life' - you can't care that much if you can't douse the lamps and therefore leave them burning during meal breaks, etc.!

 

You don't sacrifice the ability to reset or kill the lamp. It just requires you to set a combination of colours/gobos unlikely to ever be used in a normal show before a DMX reset or lamp off will be accepted. For example on Martin wash fixtures with CMY it's usually something like set C, M and Y to 92% closed - i.e. not very much light coming out at all, so a useless colour that would never be created by accident.

 

That's why if you run the lamp off macro on a Mac from a Pearl, it sets a funny colour in the head.

 

johnhuson - I agree completely, ALON should be set off in normal use, but may make life easier on a new op with a less than desirable desk.

 

Regarding manual use of the shutter wheel - I also agree, I was just remembering the original Frog software and manual which didn't really do palettes. The software has come on a lot, and it's still not a brilliant desk but for the price it is hard to argue (although IMHO Chamsys PC based stuff with a wing is the way to go for that money).

 

I know the new Avo switchable RCD racks (conceivably to be used for hot power) use at least D breakers, and I could swear I've seen K breakers in use - and not even for motors...

[LXbydesign]

The only reason to leave shutters closed is if the fixture has some sort of "power saving mode" like some of the MAC range and even then this can be accessed directly on the control channel.

 

I totally agree. However, I said that meaning in the worst case scenareo where it may not be permissable to have the open beams showing!!! - at least have everything else internal "open".