are powered from there. A standard WORKING WITH theatre type console can be used to MOVING LIGHTS AND program all devices used in a show. DIGITAL ACCESSORIES Each accessory device, (moving light, color changer, etc) has an address, which is the controller’s target when sending out Over the past decade, moving lights have information. This address is changeable, moved from being novelty items for rock and can be reset by the user. When shows to standard items for just about any loading in the show, electricians set the theatre. In the early eighties the address of each device at a specific number technology was brand new, and moving between 001 and 512, depending on what fixture lights were the exclusive domain of the hookup requires. Many multichannel the Vari-Light® corporation. This devices set at a certain address will company didn’t sell their fixtures, but automatically take up whatever following rather rented them to rock and roll tours channel numbers are required to assign a and kept their technology a closely different channel for each attribute. Thus, guarded secret. The High End Systems a 16 channel moving light addressed at Intellibeam® came on the market as an channel 301 will also use all the following alternative. Intellibeams use the same core channels up through 316. This illustrates digital technology, but the mechanical how quickly 512 channels can be taken up systems are very different. In a moving in lighting a show. If more than 512 are fixture light, a motorized yoke allows the required, a second set or universe, can be optical section to pan and tilt so that the added. light beam shines in different directions. An Intellibeam is a moving mirror light, The dimmers in a system most frequently the tilting of its mirror is used to direct use the lowest numbers in universe one, the light beam, and the fixture itself does and are semi-permanently addressed as not move. In the past few years, many devices 001 through 096, 192, 288, or different manufacturers have entered the however many dimmers are in use. As a moving fixture market, prices have result, any accessory device will need to dropped, and the equipment has become have an address higher than this. If much more accessible to theatre groups. moving light addresses are in the zone used by the dimmers, changing dimmer The digital age has made other sorts of values will inadvertently affect the fixture. equipment more controllable. Color When no more addresses are available in changers are motorized strings of gel color the first universe, the second must be used. on a scroll, which can be rotated across the The address numbering system starts over front of a lighting instrument so that the again in the second universe. The next position of the string determines the color address after universe 1, #512 is universe 2, of the filter in the light. Gobo rotators are #001. A single universe cannot recognize tiny motorized units that spin the gobo in a number higher than 512. its slot. In early versions, these pieces of equipment were controlled entirely by an Restarting the address number after 512 analog 0 – 10 volt signal from a separate works perfectly well for individual controller. Now however, a digital signal universes that do not interact with one is sent to a control unit, and the motors another, but the control board must communicate with every universe, and a 1 different numbering system must be used input when its particular section of the so that each address in each universe has a data stream (its address) tells it to do so. unique channel number for cuing Information for other devices can run purposes. Channels for the first universe through it without difficulty. The end are numbers 001 through 512, the second device in the chain should have a are 513 through 1024, the third 1025 terminator on it to end the signal. A through 1536, and so forth. The terminator is an XLR connector with a hardware outputs on the board should resistor placed across two of the terminals. reflect those numbers, but it is important to remember that they are not used in If an Emphasis system is in use, nodes are addressing the device. This is made easier used to distribute the DMX signal rather to remember by the fact that accessories than the outputs on the back of the have only a three digit address capability. console. Nodes must be properly On the board, an address of universe 3, configured for the universe that the #276 will be controlled by channel 1301. address will be in. The Node Configuration Editor is used to assign the node output to a particular universe of addresses. The node itself gets its information from the server via Ethernet connection. Understanding the methods used to address equipment is very important in completing the first task that must be done in programming a show, creating the patch. The patch is determined by information supplied by the designer on the hook-up sheet. In some cases, if visualization software has been used, it may be possible to do this digitally inside the computer itself. If not, the numbers must be entered manually. Each board manufacturer has a specific To configure a light or other device to the series of keystrokes to achieve a patch, but third universe, a cable must be run from in general terms this means entering a that port to the first fixture in the line. dimmer number, then entering the Most DMX operated devices have both an channel number that will control it. The input and output for the DMX signal so lighting designer should put the dimmers that up to 32 of them can be run from into an order that makes sense from a one board output by daisy chaining them design standpoint, and create a hookup together. The output cable runs from the sheet listing each channel and what should console to the input of the first light. be patched into it. As a result, patching From that point a jumper runs the signal for the technician means the process of from the output of the first light to the entering that data into the computer. input of the second light. This continues Before starting, it is important to clear out until all of the fixtures are hooked up. A any old data so that the patch is set at 1 to DMX controlled device will only take 1, meaning that each channel has a direct 2 correlation to a dimmer number. Channel the cues. Coarse pan numbers for four 1 = dimmer 1, ch2 = dim2, and so forth. moving lights would be 301, 321, 331, If this is not done, any unassigned and 341. Coarse tilt numbers would be channels may later pop up in an 303, 323, 333, and 343. Randomly unintended and unfortunate way. chosen numbers would be much more difficult to work with. Digital equipment does not need to be patched in the same manner, because Moving lights contain attributes, which is setting the address has already done that a name used to describe the different for you. The channel number will be the controllable properties of the light. As same as the address number, with an discussed earlier, a moving light requires a adjustment for the universe location as large number of channels to operate. If a mentioned previously. Assuming that the light requires 16 channels of the DMX patch was reset at 1 to 1 to clean the slate, signal, it has 16 different attributes. Each the following associated channels for a channel controls one specific attribute, moving light’s attributes will be which in turn controls what the light automatically designated. As an example, looks like on stage. Setting a value for the if the address number is of a moving light channel affects the appearance of the light is 301, the first attribute (most likely beam by changing color, shape, intensity, coarse pan) will be channel 301. The etc, or by seeing the light move through second (most likely fine pan) will be 302, space. Setting cues for moving lights the third (most likely coarse tilt) will be requires that levels be entered for the 303, and so forth until the entire 16 different channels/attributes so that the channels are used. desired look is achieved. Just four lights could mean up to 64 channels, so special An additional moving light can be techniques are required to make the job assigned 321 as its address, and the same easier. method of automatically assigning channels will follow. This actually leaves Newer ETC consoles have encoders that 4 unused channels between the fixtures use personalities to make it easier to when using a 16 channel fixture. The manipulate the channels and thus to pan, attributes of each type of moving light tilt, change color, etc. The encoders are have the same place in line for each similar knobs to the right of the board that the fixture so that 1 is always pan, 3 is always operator can rotate to change values. A tilt, etc, and after working with them for a personality is digital information about a while you will remember what they are. specific make and model of fixture that Each equipment manufacturer publishes a tells the computer and the encoders what sheet describing the attributes of its should happen when the knobs are fixtures, what channel number each is, adjusted. Personalities for the different and what level must be entered for a fixture types can be downloaded from the specific effect to take place.