Showxpress 6.25 Experts... HELP!!!

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DJMAGNO

DJ
Sep 21, 2010
373
9
DFW Metroplex
I am new to dmx:(. I keep having problems with my MX4s lamp cutting off when in editor mode of Showxpress 6.25. Not only that, but I am unable to add another mx4 fixture unless I completely create a new one? Why can't I just at a fixture from the import list as I did the first MX4 fixture?
 
DJMAGNO said:
I am new to dmx:(. I keep havin problems with my MX4s lamp cutting off when in editor mode of Showxpress 6.25. Not only that but I am unable to add another mx4 fixture unless I completely create a new one? Why can't I just at a fixture from the improt list as I did the first MX4 fixture?
Click to expand...

Mango -

I'm not sure about the import issue... you should be able to add it like any other fixture. I'd have to see that occur to help identify what is happening.

As for the lamp, the MX4 has a "strike" command. Check to make sure the Lamp On/Off channel is either set to on (always) or is inactive. You are likely sending a DMX instruction to shut off the lamp. You can verify this by going to the DMX channel output window to see if that channel is transmitting a value.

Ben
 
Thanks Ben. I figured out the "adding fixture" issue, but notice that everytime i start to adjust the "shutter" channel the mirror moves on its own without me adjusting pan/tilt. LOL...beginning to wonder if there is a ghost in the scanners!

In looking at the shutter channel i have noticed that there are 3 values that "close" the shutters 000, 170 and 235, only one value (255) has "lamp off" on it. After looking at Mikey Mike's video, I cut the 255 level. How will that affect the light?

I also noticed that the 6th channel is "gobo rotate" but it never rotates nor do i think that this scanner has the ability to:(.

Thanks again Ben.
 
UPDATE ODJT family: so Ive been playing around with this Showxpress and reading the manuals for my lights and finally have a better understanding of dmx. Like most who venture into dmx I wanted it to be easy without learning the basics. Now I understand the basics the previous questions have been answered.

NEXT UP: creating scenes!
 
One thing for creating scenes that I did for on the fly stuff rather than programming it all in was to create very simple steps, then just add them together on the fly with the control panel buttons.

I setup a page with buttons for colors. Whatever color I want, I just choose it. Then I setup another set of buttons for gobo. whatever gobo I want, choose it. Then I setup some movement scenes. My old roboscans don't strobe or rotate, but you could add those buttons as well if wanted. I did setup a single button on a totally different page with the strike command to ignite the lamps. Mine can't be shut off with DMX, but you can put that control button on another page as well so you can do it if necessary, but won't on accident.

This way you could easily on the fly adjust colors, gobos, and whatever movement pattern you wanted, and not have to make literally hundreds of programs for all the different combinations you might want to select on the fly.

One more thing..get a touch screen. Makes it WAY faster and easier to select your scenes.

Just my thoughts.
 
cclark65 said:
One thing for creating scenes that I did for on the fly stuff rather than programming it all in was to create very simple steps, then just add them together on the fly with the control panel buttons.

I setup a page with buttons for colors. Whatever color I want, I just choose it. Then I setup another set of buttons for gobo. whatever gobo I want, choose it. Then I setup some movement scenes. My old roboscans don't strobe or rotate, but you could add those buttons as well if wanted. I did setup a single button on a totally different page with the strike command to ignite the lamps. Mine can't be shut off with DMX, but you can put that control button on another page as well so you can do it if necessary, but won't on accident.

This way you could easily on the fly adjust colors, gobos, and whatever movement pattern you wanted, and not have to make literally hundreds of programs for all the different combinations you might want to select on the fly.

One more thing..get a touch screen. Makes it WAY faster and easier to select your scenes.

Just my thoughts.
Click to expand...

What about having a combination of both? It seems that having so many pages of different features would be cumbersome to run while live mixing music for a show.
 
They are all on the same page. Actually, just one section of the page. I think there are 38 buttons on that one page, and I have 4 pages to a screen. It's pretty easy to maneuver around on it. I don't do lights much, I normally just put them on random. Right now I only have 1 pattern programmed, but should work on more.

I have attached a print screen to give you an idea of what I did.
 

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The problem for me is that I use a netbook to run the show live when I am deejaying. I have another laptop I use to edit/create everything but wanna keep my netbook for liveshows. I will eventually transition to a 512 Plus and use an iPad.
 
assign keyboard triggers to them, no mousing around that way, just hit the key and activate or de-activate the buttons.
 
maybe setup with all the selections, then add them together to create macros, and trigger the macro with the keyboard shortcut.
 
UPDATE: ABSOLUTELY LOVING THIS SHOWEXPRESS!!!! I now know how to create, save and import scenes...

Next up: creating my 3D viewer for 2 On Stage LS7720 light trees...

Any suggestions are welcomed...
 
Hmmm...no takers on the 3D and I can certainly see why:(.

I noticed that each time i push a button in Live mode, let's say for my ADJ colorstrip to simply change colors... once a i push a button for my led mushroom to move, the colorstrip cuts off! I can rengage the button and it will come on but i have to do this everytime i want to change the scene for the LED mushroom...

What gives?
 
I use the 3d all the time to view the scenes, it's pretty simple.

make sure all the other faders are disabled in the editor, mainly the ones for the colorstrip, but you should have ALL the faders that you don't want anything changed on to be disabled. if they are enabled, they will reset to the predetermined setting, usually 0 if you moved the slider down thinking it wouldn't do anything.

do this in the scene for the mushroom.
 
I think using the 3D viewer is pretty easy, it's all the time it takes to create it with said lights, stands, trussing, etc that is a nuisance... Lol...

I won't be able to look at my scene until after work but as I understand what u r saying I should disable the faders for all other channels in the scene created for the LED mushroom?
 
DJMAGNO said:
I think using the 3D viewer is pretty easy, it's all the time it takes to create it with said lights, stands, trussing, etc that is a nuisance... Lol...

I won't be able to look at my scene until after work but as I understand what u r saying I should disable the faders for all other channels in the scene created for the LED mushroom?
Click to expand...

yea, if they are enabled they will perform an action. If they are disabled, they will leave the setting as it was.
 
So now that i am getting better at this I have noticed that my MX4s arbitrarily change the gobo color from time to time during a scene! It's really just one in particular... I have set all of the color values correctly...

Please help
 
using real DMX cables and a terminator? moving lights are much more picky about it than dimmer packs or other basic fixtures.

maybe run the scene while watching the DMX meters on the opening screen and see if one changes when it's not supposed to. Doesn't take much of a change on some settings to make the fixture respond. run it in editor mode one step at a time and watch for it maybe?

otherwise it could be an issue with the encoder in the light for the motor that turns the color wheel.

just my first quick thoughts...don't know otherwise.
 
try swapping the one that changes with one that's stable, see if the problem follows the addressed fixture, or stays with the physical one. Then you'll know if it's a software issue or hardware one.
 
cclark65 said:
using real DMX cables and a terminator? moving lights are much more picky about it than dimmer packs or other basic fixtures.

maybe run the scene while watching the DMX meters on the opening screen and see if one changes when it's not supposed to. Doesn't take much of a change on some settings to make the fixture respond. run it in editor mode one step at a time and watch for it maybe?

otherwise it could be an issue with the encoder in the light for the motor that turns the color wheel.

just my first quick thoughts...don't know otherwise.
Click to expand...

I use all accu-cable 3 pin DMX cables. I did have one of my buddies tell me about a terminator.:triconfused:
 
terminator is easy to make. 120 ohm 1/2 watt resistor across pins 2 and 3 of a male XLR connector, put it on the last fixture in the chain.
 
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