Need some DMX help

[pdarnett]

I'm getting increasingly frustrated with programming my dmx effects, I have 4 abstract XP's a martin efx500 4 led pars and 4 mobile colour changers on my rig at the moment and controller wise i own a Transcension DMX baby, a Smart Director and have a usb to dmx interface to my laptop with freestyler and masterpeace.

My intention was to create my scenes on the laptop then store them on the director, but with so many heads its so complex as you have to set up all the heads, then save as a scene, then move all the heads then save a scene etc repeat until fade, then set the fade time and the scene time. there must be an easier way and even after hours of programming the scenes just look jerky and crap. plus i think i was mis sold the director as i believed it would store dmx data in real time so i could mix the light scenes in real time and it would record it ready to replay later, but no, you have to feed it in scene by scene again so no easier path there.

Is there an easier way or do i just put everthing on auto and put up with spin and puke?

[groovy-nights]

Not sure on how the smart director works.I found the easyest way to program to set my lights at random then save the seane til i had about 20 sences saved then save them in the chase at random.
Jerky check your speed setting.
Not sure if this helps

[pdarnett]

trying to get some nice fluid movements and program some nice "first dance" sequences.

It would be good if you could program the scenes for the scans then layer that scene over a scene for the colour changers etc, rather than have to program every single effect at the same time.

[groovy-nights]

just had a quick read of the dmx baby manual.It says on page 12 that you can mix programs.So hopefully you could be running one program for the scans and a different program for pars and colour changers

[pdarnett]

problem is there only 4 programs, sorry i meant if you could layer scenes up and then save as one scene. so i could do all the scan scenes, then all the colour change scenes etc then combine them to use in a program. it usually ends up with me scripting the entire scene on paper listing what fixture is supposed to be doing at what point etc

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I have 4 abstract XP's a martin efx500 4 led pars and 4 mobile colour changers on my rig at the moment

I thought you were downsizing Paul, hence the Bose?

[pdarnett]

I am, the xp's are going up for sale soon(now i've finally got them sorted by Abstract)