[LCtalk] Theatre cues explained

[Fokko van Duin]

Hello all,

Now we got improved theatre firmware v2.06, it's time to show an 
example of theatre cues, and refresh the possibilities:

Below a typical cuelist with 5 cues for theatre applications:

10.1   -- MyCues
       --
       --
       --
10.5   show d05 for 0.05s, split fading in for 5.1s
       show previous for ever, split fading out for 30s
       --
       --
       --
10.10  show d10 for ever, crossfading for 10s
       --
       --
       --
       --
10.15  show d15 for 10s, split fading out for 2.0m
       show previous for ever, split fading in for 20s
       --
       --
       --
10.20  show d20 for 3.0s, split fading in for 5.1s
       show previous for ever, split fading out for 15s
       --
       --
       --

     :d05
         1[000]    2[000]    3[200]    4[064]    5[128]    6[160]

     :d10
         1[255]    2[000]    3[200]    4[050]    5[128]    6[160]

     :d15
         1[000]    2[255]    3[128]    4[128]    5[128]    6[160]

     :d20
         1[255]    2[255]    3[200]    4[050]    5[128]    6[160]


This cuelist makes it clear why you need to use previous -cue- 
(shortcut alt-cmd -, or alt-pageDwn) instead of previous step. If you 
are on 10.20 and hit prev -step-, it goes back to 10.16, but it 
should go back to 10.15, the begin of your cue! For the definition of 
a "cue", see also the tutorial.

Still, if you are going back because you accidently hit the space bar 
(Next step) too early, you had the problem that it took 2 minutes to 
fade out to your original DMX values (and 20sec to fade in).

With firmware v2.06 you can go back with the manual fader speed and 
fade type. e.g. If you set the manual fade type to cross fade for 1.0 
sec, go previous will go back to the -end- of your previous cue, but 
with a cross fade of 1 second. So the mistake is fast -and- smoothly 
undone.

Another new feature of firmware v2.06 is "soft reset" (shortcut u, 
enter), also only working when the manual fader is not Off. This 
feature solves two other theatre issues:

1. While you where waiting in e.g. cue 10.10, you changed manual some 
light channels, but that was not a good idea. Now you can restore the 
original values softly by pressing u, enter. It uses the manual fade 
time to reset to the original values.

2. While a long fade is going (like fade out of cue 10.15), you can 
change it to a new fade time by setting manual fade time, and hit u, 
enter.

I hope I have made the usage of previous cue a bit more clear.

Fokko van Duin,
CDS advanced technology bv,
http://www.lanbox.com/