User manual DIGITAL ART SYSTEM SUNLITE 2004

Sunlite 2004 Manual © 1989-2004 Digital Art System Table of Contents Part I Preface Part II Contents and installation Part 1 2 1 How to................................................................................................................................... 3 install the USB-DMX 512 ................................................................................................................................... 6 2 How to install Sunlite Suite 2004 8 III Getting start manual ................................................................................................................................... 9 1 Customizing the user screen ................................................................................................................................... 11 2 First approach Let us start with 6 SPOT 575 ......................................................................................................................................................... 11 Using ou ......................................................................................................................................................... 21 first page ................................................................................................................................... 26 3 Creating our first show What is the difference between a scene and a switch ......................................................................................................................................................... 26 How to make a fade between two scenes ......................................................................................................................................................... 27 How to program a "Scene" or a "Switch" ......................................................................................................................................................... 30 The "Editor" screen .................................................................................................................................................. 31 What is the difference between dimmer and On/Off modes .................................................................................................................................................. 32 "EasyTime" .................................................................................................................................................. 32 How to use "EasyTime" ........................................................................................................................................... 32 How to use "EasyTime" for movement ........................................................................................................................................... 34 Tools and........................................................................................................................................... 36 options Programming a scene with Easy Step .................................................................................................................................................. 37 "Racks" .................................................................................................................................................. 39 How to create a "wave" or a rainbow effect .................................................................................................................................................. 40 Changing......................................................................................................................................................... 42 the SPEED, SIZE or the DIMMER of my scene How to use our fixtures independently ......................................................................................................................................................... 44 How to program groups .................................................................................................................................................. 45 How to use groups with both main and editor screens .................................................................................................................................................. 46 How to create a Cue ......................................................................................................................................................... 48 Part IV Advanced software features 50 ................................................................................................................................... 50 1 Playing with the outputs window Display modes ......................................................................................................................................................... 51 Setting channel level manually ......................................................................................................................................................... 52 ................................................................................................................................... 53 2 External triggering MIDI features ......................................................................................................................................................... 53 MIDI TIME CODE input .................................................................................................................................................. 53 MIDI TIME CODE output .................................................................................................................................................. 53 MIDI Notes (ON-OFF trigerring) .................................................................................................................................................. 54 MIDI Notes (Velocity) .................................................................................................................................................. 54 How to trigger my show with PC clock and calendar ......................................................................................................................................................... 55 ................................................................................................................................... 56 3 Multimedia features Easy Multimedia ......................................................................................................................................................... 56 The Multimedia files ......................................................................................................................................................... 58 Part V How to create my own fixture profile 59 Part ................................................................................................................................... 60 1 How to create a new fixture ................................................................................................................................... 61 2 How to create a channel ................................................................................................................................... 62 3 How to create a preset 68 VI How to visualize my show in 3D © 1989-2004 Digital Art System 1 Stage ................................................................................................................................... 69 settings Simple objects editor ......................................................................................................................................................... 70 How to setup textures, size and color of my stage ......................................................................................................................................................... 71 How to add/delete/move my objects and fixtures ......................................................................................................................................................... 72 Part ................................................................................................................................... 74 2 Camera ................................................................................................................................... 75 3 Various options and features 76 VII Easy Show software ................................................................................................................................... 76 1 Presentation of the Easy Show software ................................................................................................................................... 77 2 Creating times lines and bins ................................................................................................................................... 79 3 Creating and playing a show 81 VIII Appendix Part 1 2 3 4 ................................................................................................................................... 81 Commands summary ................................................................................................................................... 83 Connecting the USB-DMX512 interface ................................................................................................................................... 84 Troubleshooting ................................................................................................................................... 85 How to replace the DMX driver chipset © 1989-2004 Digital Art System 1 1 Preface Welcome. If you belong to those people who are familiar with and keen on, software systems and/or computerized light-controllers, then you must be very similar to us... If you have an eager inquiring mind and if you wish to rapidly create some "effects" then, once again, you are very similar to us, you would probably rather enjoy discovering up-to-date software functions and potentialities than read a thick instructions-manual. Thank you for selecting Sunlite Suite 2004 package. Since the original versions were released on the market, we have constantly been working to electronically improve our products and software programs. This product is sold in more than 40 countries and over several thousands items have been sold so far. We have been investing much time and energy to equip our software with a most accessible, easy-to-use interface. However, under its cover, there is an extremely powerful runtime software that is capable of running 5120 light-fixtures or DMX channels. It also allows you to pilot numerous exclusive and/or simultaneous scenes, to control fade-racks, to change colors and/or to pilot moving lights. We are confident that much satisfaction will be derived from this product. Should any of our products fail to bring you full satisfaction, please let us know about your possible problems or remarks. By being constantly attentive to our users we have been able to upgrade the quality of our products. Any suggestion or experimental comment will be welcome to significantly improve our product-range. Warning Reading this manual and programming this software require some general knowledge of PC-type computers. In particular, it is necessary that such notions as "software", "files", "folder", "save", "desktop browsing" should be acquired. This new version optimizes the potentials of an up-to-date PC. It also uses such notions as "multiplewindows", "drag &drop", "dialog-boxes", "instant help" and so forth... To sum up, good command of Windows interface is desirable if not essential to fully optimize the multiple potentials offered. Likewise, reading this guide-book and programming require good command and handling of light-fixtures, faders, moving lights and more generally of light-equipment. © 1989-2004 Digital Art System 2 2 Contents and installation This package contains : · "step-by-step" manual, · CDROM, · USB-DMX512 interface. To be fully operational, this package should be used with a PC having the following features : · Laptop or desktop computer with USB port · Windows ME, XP or any up-to-date version · 800x600 screen resolution (1280x1024 recommended) · 256Mb Memory (512 Mb recommended) · Clock frequency : 800 Mhz (1.5 Ghz recommended) · a 32Mb RAM video card to use the"3D software" software (ATI 9600 or GeForce 5700FX for best results) The software is made available in accordance with user's requirements and comes out in several versions with various interface models. In order to meet all possible situations for instant working-order guaranteed, two installations have been made distinct : Step one : Installing the DMX 512 interface. Step two : installing the software. In both cases installation is carried out via Windows interface and should be easy to complete... DMX 512 INTERFACE The USB-style interface is a small translucent box which is connected to your PC's USB port (see photo below).The software uses the DMX512 protocol to control lighting equipment. This protocol is universal, which is a bonus. Interfaces have a 3-pin XLR-type connector. If your equipment uses a 5-pin XLR connector, it will be necessary to replace the 3 pin connector or purchase an XLR3/XLR5 adaptor. Make sure the connection is properly made (pin 1 to pin 1, pin 2 to pin 2...) when building your own adaptor cable. REMARKS The USB/DMX interface is specifically equipped with a memory which allows it to work in Stand Alone mode in case of PC-failure or restricted use. In Stand Alone mode the USB/DMX is equipped with a connector which allows it to be externally-powered (9.0Vdc). In Stand Alone mode, the interface can recall up to 255 scenes which will be called back in numerical order by pressing the "Previous" or "Next" buttons on the top of the interface box. To program the Stand Alone mode, Easy Stand Alone software is necessary and should be installed from the CDrom. Even though it is easy to use, its own instruction booklet has been enclosed within. © 1989-2004 Digital Art System 3 2.1 How to install the USB-DMX 512 OVERVIEW The USB standard defines a new type of serial-communication as well as a new type of connector. This standard was introduced in 1997 and has been spreading ever since 1999. It offers many advantages in comparison with former standards. For instance, it allows devices to be directly powered via the USB port as well the simultaneous use of several devices at once. Plug and play is also made possible. The USB-DMX interface is a world's first innovation. It thoroughly respects the USB protocol specification and DMX512 for output. It is directly powered via the USB port and controls all 512 potential channels of a DMX line. If the 512 channels are not sufficient, the software can run up to 10 USB interfaces simultaneously, i.e. 5,120 channels altogether. If simultaneous use of several interfaces is made, a USB hub is a necessary and normally obtainable from any distributor. USB INSTALLATION The USB interface is set and ready to use. When using one for the first time, it is necessary that the USB drivers should be installed. Actually, when first installing them, the files required to use the interface will be installed inside your PC, whether using a laptop or a desktop computer. In order to install USB interface, just connect it to your PC even if it is switched on. Your computer will automatically detect any new device and you will be prompted to load a driver for it (via a Window wizard). If you use Windows XP, you will find this type of wizard : © 1989-2004 Digital Art System 4 Then insert the CDrom into your PC and click on Next. Windows will find the appropriate driver. Although Microsoft does not numerically register this driver, there is no risk of incompatibility. Click "Next" and carry on the driver installation. © 1989-2004 Digital Art System 5 That's it, you are away ! Your USB-DMX is now operational ! If this window does not appear or if any other problem arises, which is very unlikely to happen, please contact your retailer. Sunlite Suite 2004 software is operational up to 10 simultaneous interfaces, that is 5120 channels as a whole. However beware that the more interfaces you use, the more computer resources are requested. A performant computer would then be needed. Connect all interfaces before starting on your computer in order to proceed to programming. If not so, the cards order could be inverted next time your computer get started. Your programming would consequently lose coherence. Would you proceed to computer or interface reinstallation, prefer to start again computer before opening software. Please read carefully the following preventive measures: 1. Place a DMX insulator between interface and DMX fixtures (e.g. Botex DD2, Elation DMX Branch/4) in order to protect them both from any interference and from overvoltage. 2. We advise you to have an available spare RS485 driver IC. This is an 8 pin electronic IC component that has been set inside the interface box for the purpose of "driving" the DMX512 line. It is available under several references ISL83483IP, MAX3483CPA, SP3483EP, SP3481, SP3485... 3. Create stand alone scenes in your interface in order to lessen the impact of any potential computer breakdown. In this case connect interface via an external power supply. 4. As with any other DMX controller, keep aside an independent backup system, as this is the only way to be on the safe side when faced with any type of problem. 5. Save all scene programs and keep aside a CDrom software version: restoring the whole show only takes a few minutes !! © 1989-2004 Digital Art System 6 2.2 How to install Sunlite Suite 2004 In this chapter, you will find step-by-step guidance to install the software. First step : insert the CDrom. The "CD-Rom setup" dialog-box automatically appears on the screen. Before setting up your Sunlite Suite 2004 software on your computer, whatever its operating system, the DAS-OCX software should be installed first. To do so, just click on the OCX icon so as to start the installation. Once DAS-OCX installation is complete, you can initiate the Sunlite Suite 2004 software installation. DAS OCX is not a software program as such and cannot be installed. Just consider it as a "plug-in" device, which allows the use of Microsoft Active-X technology features of the software (i.e. sound analysis, ...). Now you can install Sunlite Suite 2004 software : © 1989-2004 Digital Art System 7 Click on 2004-icon to start software installation. A wizard will prompt you to proceed as follows : Language selection : English by default is suggested by the wizard. Selection of installation-folder : By default "C:\SL2004 is suggested. Once installation has been completed, you can easily start the software by clicking on the Windows"Start" button. On launching the application, you can see the following screen. If the interface has been properly installed, its reference can be found back: "1SL512FC" here, for instance. Otherwise, the software will work in demo-mode. You will still be able to call this screen back later by clicking on " About..." in the menu. It is possible to install a disk several times, which a show-organizer may find useful and convenient to save different configurations. To archieve this, a different file should be selected each time, when installing the software. Each disk will then be displaying in Windows "Start Program" menu. © 1989-2004 Digital Art System 8 3 Getting start manual This step-by-step manual has been written especially for you. It describes the main functions and presents the specific features of our product and will be used as a step-by-step guide when implementing the system for the first time. Our goal was to write out a most concise, efficient and clear guide-book, keeping in mind what would be most useful to the new user. This manual is not an exhaustive description of this software's potentials. It has been designed for you to have all the prerequisites to implement your creations in light-control. We have selected the main functions and features in order to grant you some autonomy. (i.e. so as not to have one hand on the key-board and the other flipping through the instructionsmanual). To clearly understand this lighting program, you must understand the purpose of each function: Pages The page is what defines what fixture is being used. Basically you can have one page for one kind of fixture. A page shows all the function available on your fixture (colors, gobos...) and contains the following buttons: Scenes A scene is basically a cue and can be dynamic (movement...) or static. The software creates pre-programmed scenes allowing to control your fixtures without programming. We will see later how to create our own scenes. When you call a scene, the previous one (in the same page) is automatically released. Switches The switches can be used simultaneously and comprise a click "activates/deactivates" click. Indeed, several of them can be activated at once and you just have to click so as to toggle from active to inactive position and vice versa. They could be compared to contact breakers wired up in parallel. They can be used to change a color, a gobo, reset your fixtures... Cycles A cycle is basically a cue list made programmed with switches and scenes. A cycle can also be used to synchronize a sound track (WAV, MP3...) with your lights. Thanks to this hand-book, we truly hope you will quickly become proficient in the use of the software. Enjoy your reading! © 1989-2004 Digital Art System 9 3.1 Customizing the user screen When used for the first time, the software can be visualized as a button grid. Utilizing the icons in the toolbar, the screen can be divided in several areas : Displays window to visualize "Pages " Displays window to visualize "Cycles" Displays window to visualize "Outputs" Displays the "Groups" toolbar Allows visualization of fading windows Starts the 3D software Starts "Easy Show" software Starts "Easy Multimedia" plug-in Starts "ScanLibrary" editor © 1989-2004 Digital Art System 10 These windows can be moved into a re-sizeable and/or hidden floating window. Such notions as "pages" and "cycles" will be defined later, but first of all, let's have a look at the main area, that is the button grid. Activation of these buttons will allow you to conduct your lighting-control. Some of them are gray, blank and will remain un-activated until they are assigned a specific mode. You can make a "page" visible or not, but it does not mean that the page is activated (or not). It only means that you can make a page visible as a window or keep it activated but not displayed. In the "Pages" window, visible pages are written in bold. There are several ways to make a page visible or not : · you can go to the "Page" menu and click on "Display the page" · from the "Pages" window, right-click on the page name and select "Display the page" · from the "Pages window", click on the small eye (left of page name, see below). © 1989-2004 Digital Art System 11 3.2 3.2.1 First approach Let us start with 6 SPOT 575 Here we are creating our first show with 6 SPOT 575. We just need to know the DMX address of our first fixture and the software will be automatically inserting our 6 moving heads with their correct address. In a few minutes, we will able to control our fixtures with a real efficiency. Let us start creating our first page now, and see how easy it is to use our fixtures with Sunlite Suite 2004. Once the software has been started, we must create a page with our 6 SPOT 575. Nothing is simpler. First, we must launch the "New Page" wizard which will guide us during the creation of our page. To do that, we must click on the "Page" menu and select "New page" or click on the "Create a new page" icon from the standard toolbar as shown below. Then, the following window appears and two choices are possible. We can create a page with the wizard (1st choice) or create a page manually (2nd choice) for conventional lighting. We must select the first choice to create our 6 fixtures. Then, we have to select the profile of our fixtures from the "ScanLibrary". So, we click on explore to browse the "ScanLibrary" directory. © 1989-2004 Digital Art System 12 Let us browse the ScanLibrary to find our SPOT 575 profile. We must open the folder of the manufacturer and select the correct library. © 1989-2004 Digital Art System 13 Once the library has been selected, we can click on "Next" button to open the next step. Here we must enter the DMX address of our first fixture. So, we specify 1 for our first SPOT 575. © 1989-2004 Digital Art System 14 Then, we specify the number of fixtures (6 for us) and we click on "Next" button to open the next step. Here we should be able to see the beams of our SPOT 575 and select "Yes" before to click on "Next" button. If we can not see the beams, we must select "No" to check the settings of our fixtures. © 1989-2004 Digital Art System 15 We decide not to change the highest X&Y amplitude for our first page. This means we will be using the maximum amplitudes of our SPOT 575. Then, we click on "Next" to go to the next step. © 1989-2004 Digital Art System 16 Here is one the most important thing. Sunlite Suite 2004 will create pre-programmed buttons (scenes, switchs) which will be allowing us to control our moving heads before programing. So, we select "Yes" to be able to use those buttons. Then, we click on "Next" to go to the next step. © 1989-2004 Digital Art System 17 Here we can test each pre-programmed scene with our fixtures and then decide to include it or not in our new page. By default, all the pre-programmed scenes use the same area (80% of their maximum amplitude). However, it might be very important to modify this setting to make our 6 SPOT 575 always move in the wished area (e.g dance-floor...). So, we select "Customize area" and click on the associated button to open the following window. We are now testing the "@Pan Move 2" scene with our moving heads. We can run the scene independently on each fixture or with all of them by selecting "Same For all". In this example, we will be modifying the moving-area for only one of our SPOT 575. © 1989-2004 Digital Art System