[LCtalk] Re: lanbox

[Philippe Amand]

Hello Dave

> I am using the Lanbox II (I think that is what it is called) Anyway 
> when I build a show I go though scene by scene and turn click on 
> each light turn them on or off lights I need, point the yoke 
> fixtures to the right places then save the cue and go to the next cue.

You should try to use presets. For example, with the beam preset, you 
can point the yoke fixtures to the places you need, and record a 
different preset for each place, then when recording cues you just 
have to select the preset you need for that cue. You can also combine 
your pre-recorded beam presets: you can select a fixture on the stage 
window, choose one of your recorded presets and then select another 
fixture, choose another preset to combine different beam positions 
for a new cue. When using color scrollers or moving lights with 
colors you can do the same with the color preset. You can find the 
preset buttons on the control panel window (ps-pb-pc-po = shutter - 
beam - color - other)

> I hear people talk about putting fixtures in groups which I have 
> never tried. and why you would want to do that anyway. I have seen 
> this done on a real light board where he had it programmed to take 
> all their yoke fixtures and put them center stage. Well that's 
> great if I want them all at center stage. To me that sounds like a 
> cue step.

You can use several stage windows. Let's say 2 windows, one for your 
fixtures and the other one for moving lights or yokes or scrollers 
etc...

As they use different DMX channels, you can try to use 2 layers, one 
for the normal fixtures and the other one for the yokes.

So you can record cues on the top layer combined with other cues of 
the second layer.

What is the advantage to do that? You can record you moving lights 
cues independently of your normal cues. You can for example, run a 20 
seconds crossfade cue that start one of your moving lights cues when 
it reaches 10 seconds of the crossfade. That way you have more 
possibilities. You can have more layers, and make more 
combinations... it's really funny... I love layers. That is one of 
the best features of the Lanbox. One important thing: you must use 2 
cuelists, one for the normal cues and the other one for your yokes. 
You then have to use the "Go to step:  xx" + "of cuelist xx" + "of 
layer xx" command to run your recorded cues of the second layer 
(let's say layer B) from the top layer (normally layer A).

> I tried the layers version for a week and just could not figure it 
> out.
> Im not sure what I want to ask, maybe other then what is the 
> difference from a standard model light board that you can buy today 
> and the Lanbox with layers.

As you are a SAMSC user, you can try to control your different layers 
with MSC. You just have to select a different MSC ID for each layer. 
That way it's even easier to use layers because you don't have to use 
the "Go to step:  " + "of cuelist" + "of layer" command to run cues 
of the other layers.

> Why or how does putting say a simple 4 channel scanner, (pan, tilt, 
> color, gobo) into 4 different layers going to make life easier for me?

Try it and have fun.

Philippe