BCF2000

Richard CSL · Post by **Richard CSL** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 10:13 am

Ok just got my BCF2000, been playing around with it , really like it, however when I store a set of fader positions for control of pan and tilt, and then store a fresh set on another preset.

yes the sliders move but the new set of positions is not transmitted until a fader is moved, or you have to press preset back, and edit, buttons for snapshot send information for the new preset via misd to the software.

am I missing the point here.
Help anyone.?

Post by **simonB** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 11:06 am

Hi Richard

You could try software such as MIDIMon, this shows all incoming signals and you could check to see if the BCF sends out any signals when you hit the next preset. If so, we know it could be a daslight issue. I have a BCF2000 but won't have access to it until March, I can have a play around with it then.

I have controlled a behringer digital mixer by MIDI before. This used MIDI controller messages to change the faders/buttons but MIDI program change messages to change the presets, so have a look with MIDI mon to see if it is sending out a different type of MIDI message that is perhaps not supported with Daslight.

Behringer also have a piece of software to go with the BCF, maybe you could change a hardware setting in there...

Richard CSL · Post by **Richard CSL** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 11:17 am

Simon after spending quite a lot of time implimenting the BCF I have a request.

And when you start using yours you will see the logic in this.

In live mode I wish to assign increment up and down to the pan and tilt sliders. with 2 midi buttons. one for up and one for down.

this way in live mode you can pan a moving head easily to adjust a preselected position.

Alternatively. when using midi to control a pan ch slider. could it be possible that when midi is used it takes priority. ie LTP. but as soon as a new scene change instruction from DVC comes along it reasseses control.

Hope I explained that well enough.

The big advantage of the BCF is that a slider for pan can be assigned between 2 values, so the whole of the BCF slider can be used for moving a moving head just a small distance. therefore allowing the MH to be used as a follow spot.

I know this next bit is off topic but please read.

Also it would be fantastic to have multiple master assignable dimmer option. ie one master dimmer for scanners, another for moving heads, another for par 56 dimming, another for led.

this is the tricky one because it needs to be master over RGB maximum levels in proportion to channel values,again linked to midi.

and when you have several hundred scenes as I do a group colour option so the screen does not look like a sea of grey and orange.

looking forward hopefully to seeing some of these implemented in the next release.

Regards Richard Coastal Sound and Light.- Tenerife.

Post by **simonB** » Mon Feb 22, 2010 9:42 am

Hi Richard

All those suggestions make perfect sense. I use them all the time with my BCF. I'll pass all your suggestions to the developers but as you know the MIDI functionality in Daslight is very limited, I think the first step would be to simply control the dimmer or speed of a scene by midi.

Richard CSL · Post by **Richard CSL** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 9:50 am

I have recently been playing with an alternative software(fereestyler), just to evaluate differences.

Firstly no matter how hard I try I cannot get my head around submasters, and I note you are talking about them for DVC3. so can you explain what you would use them for. and how would you apply them to dvc.

the good thing in FS is that the software sends back info for the moving sliders, this would be fantastic for pan and tilt and allowing positioning adjustments.

Midi feedback would also be good for theatrical dimmers. as overriding a set level would be easy and the software at the next scene change takes control again.

Post by **simonB** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 4:22 pm

A submaster is channel that controls a group of channels. I create a sub master to control the dimmer of all my scanners, and another for the dimmer of my LED pars at the back of the stage. I usually set my sub masters so they take priority over everything else (except for the grand master). So if the sub master dimmer isn't up, nothing will be seen.

the good thing in FS is that the software sends back info for the moving sliders

I've been nagging the Sunlite developers to put this into Sunlite for years and they finally have done. I now need to nag the Daslight developers... ill suggest it next week

Andre · Post by **Andre** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 5:27 pm

simonB wrote:A submaster is channel that controls a group of channels. I create a sub master to control the dimmer of all my scanners, and another for the dimmer of my LED pars at the back of the stage. I usually set my sub masters so they take priority over everything else (except for the grand master). So if the sub master dimmer isn't up, nothing will be seen.

the good thing in FS is that the software sends back info for the moving sliders

I've been nagging the Sunlite developers to put this into Sunlite for years and they finally have done. I now need to nag the Daslight developers... ill suggest it next week

There are many definitions of uses for submasters. Just as simonB has described here to having full blown theatre stacks on a submaster. The submaster acts as a dimmer for the "scenes/cues" on the submaster and then using go, back, pause buttons attached to that submaster allows you to go forward/backwards to next/previous "scene/cue" or pause the current "scene/cue". They can even be used to control the speed of chases attached to the submaster.

I am sure there are many more uses of submasters that have been implemented in various software and hardware lighting consoles.

I do hope if this is implemented it will not just be a "Group" dimmer submaster, even though that would be a nice feature as well.

For more info on Submasters and other lighting stuff click here.