Useful phone numbers:Avolites England
sales and service (+44) (0) 181 965 8522
service out of hours (+44) (0) 831 17 88 88
fax (+44) (0) 181 965 0290
modem/bulletin board (+44) (0) 181 961 4838
Avolites America
sales and service (+1) 615 938 2057
fax (+1) 615 938 2059
The latest version of this manual (in Microsoft Word 97 or PDF) and
Diamond II Software can be downloaded by modem on the above modem num ber
You can also download the latest personality disks.
No Liability for Consequential Damages
Avolites has a polic y of c onti nuous produc t and doc um entat ion im provem ent . A s s uch t he detai l within t his
manual may not match the operation of the Diamond II or ot her products.
In no event shall A volit es be liabl e for any direc t, indirec t, s pecial , inc ident al, or c ons equential dam ages or
loss whatsoever (incl uding, without limitation, dam ages for loss of profits , business interruption, or other
pecuniary loss) arising out of t he use or inability t o use an Avolites product even if Avolites Ltd. has been
advised of the possibility of such damages. Because some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or
limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages, the above limitation may not apply to you.
DIAMOND II OPERATORS MANUAL
CONTENTS
1. OVERVIEW 7
2. BEFORE TURNING ON 7
3. CONVENTIONS USED IN THIS MANUAL 7
4. THE KEYSWITCH 8
5. PATCHING 8
6. EASY START DIMMER 1:1 PATCH 8
7. WIPE ALL AND SELECTING THE NUMBER OF HTP CHANNELS
REQUIRED 9
8. PATCHING FROM SCRATCH 9
9. PATCHING DIMMERS 10
10. TO PATCH INSTRUMENTS (ANYTHING WHICH IS NOT A GENERIC
DIMMER) 11
11. PATCHING INSTRUMENTS WHICH USE A SEPARATE DIMMER. 12
12. TO PATCH AN INTENSITY LTP CHANNEL 12
13. TO CREATE A REDUCTION FADER 12
14. TO DELETE A DIMMER WHICH HAS BEEN PATCHED WITH AN
INSTRUMENT 12
15. TO INVERT A CHANNEL 13
16. CHANGING PAGE 13
17. SETTING THE PAGE SIZE (BLOCK SIZE) 13
18. INSERT AND DELETE WITH LOCKED MASTERS 14
19. THE PROGRAMMER 14
20. TO PROGRAM OR EDIT A MEMORY 15
21. EXPLANATION OF CLEAR 15
22. WHICH CHANNELS ARE RECORDED 15
23. TO SET THE FADE TIME FOR A MEMORY 15
24. SETTING THE MEMORY REPLAY MODE 16
25. TO VIEW, SELECT OR CHANGE THE MEMORY MODE 18
26. TO PROGRAM A CHASE 18
27. TO SET A CHASE SPEED, USING THE KEYPAD 18
28. TO SET A CHASE SPEED USING A WHEEL 19
29. TO SET AN INDIVIDUAL STEP TIME, MAKING IT A COMPLEX STEP 19
30. TO CHANGE A STEP BACK TO USING SIMPLE TIMES ONCE IT HAS
BEEN MADE A COMPLEX STEP. 20
31. TO EDIT A CHASE STEP 20
32. TO EDIT THE TIMES OF THE LIVE STEP ON A CONNECTED CHASE
OR SEQUENCE. 20
33. TO GO TO ANY CHASE STEP 20
34. SETTING THE CHASE PARAMETERS 21
35. INCLUDE 22
36. DELETING 22
37. INSERT 23
38. LINKING AND DUPLICATING MEMORIES AND CHASES 24
39. TO CONNECT TO THE SEQUENCE CONTROL 25
40. TO RECORD A GROUP 25
41. TO USE A GROUP 25
42. TO STORE A FOCUS 25
43. TO APPLY A FOCUS 26
44. FOCUS TIPS 26
45. EXPLANATION OF THE MIMIC LED’S 27
46. TO SET INSTRUMENTS ON MIMICS 28
47. UNFOLD 28
48. TO ALTER LEGENDS 28
49. MOVING LIGHT FUNCTIONS 28
50. USING ANIMATE 30
51. CHANGING CHANNELS ON AN INSTRUMENT FROM FADE TO
INSTANT 31
52. HOW TO TURN 'ON' AND TURN 'OFF' CHANNELS 31
53. TO CREATE A TABLE 32
54. TO USE A TABLE 33
55. TO SAVE A TABLE TO DISK 34
56. THEATRE STYLE CHANNEL EDITING 34
57. BLIND PROGRAMMING 35
58. BLIND PROGRAMMING AND QUICK BLIND EDIT 36
59. DISK 37
60. VIEWING DIFFERENT SCREENS 37
61. TO CHANGE ACTIVE SCREEN 38
62. THE STAGE REMOTE 39
63. USER SETTINGS AND PREFERENCES 41
64. USING THE GRAPHIC TABLET 42
65. KILLING DMX CHANNELS IN AN EMERGENCY AND THEN REVIVING
THEM AGAIN 46
66. SERVICE OPTIONS 46
67. UPGRADES 47
68. CHANGING FROM EL SCREEN TO VGA CRT 47
69. POWER UP MESSAGES 48
70. TO LOAD SOFTWARE FROM DISK INTO FLASH MEMORY 48
71. ADDITIONAL EL OR CRT SCREENS AND DRIVER BOARDS 49
72. PATCHING LTP CHANNELS FOR DIMMERS 51
73. 51
73. HELP 52
74. AUTO FUNCTIONS IN A CHASE 53
75. KNOWN PROBLEMS IN VERSION 3 SOFTWARE 54
AVOLITES DIAMOND II OPERATORS MANUAL
1. OVERVIEW
The Avolites DIAMOND II uses the latest technolog y to create a lighting and moving
light control desk with feat ur es unequalled elsewhere. Combining the qualities of a
traditional 'preset' lighting control desk, with all the advantages of programming
directly from the preset faders, together with powerful theatre editing, using a keypad
to select channels and set levels.
Eight rotary wheels allow easy control of moving light parameters, either directly, or
using look up tables, which, for inst ance allow selection of colour by name. The desk
resolves what is required to actually make an instrument select that colour.
When patching instruments you need only select the DMX line and number, then
press a button to place the instrument. Again the desk resolves how channels are
actually allocated with its personality system.
The ANIMATE moving light funct ion allows creation of complicated effects at the
touch of a few buttons, where previously hours of programming would be required.
These effects can then be edit ed to make them uniquely yours.
The moving light TRACKING function allows easy positioning of instruments, with
automatic orientation of inst ruments - no need to reverse PAN or TILT - and allows
the wheels to operate in true up-down and left-right of st age.
The optional GRAPHIC TABLET enhances these features allowing ‘follow spot’ type
operation of a number of m oving lights, colour mix and selection of groups, focuses,
gobos etc.
2. BEFORE TURNI NG ON
Before you turn the desk on mak e sur e t he power-supply is selected t o t he correct
mains voltage. Failure to do this may cause permanent damage! The voltage
selector is near the mains inlet plug. Pr ior to turning the desk on you should also
connect the video screen. This may be either a solid state 'EL' scr een, or a VGA
CRT screen. The EL screen will be found in the middle desk drawer together with its
support rod and cable.
3. CONVENTIONS USED IN THIS M ANUAL
• A dot like this indicates that you what follows is an instruct ion on what to do.
Indented text like this describes the result of what you are doing or gives
additional information on the previous instruct ions.
♦ A diamond like this is used t o show that there are a number of options and you
have to select one of them or give an explanation to a number of items.
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[A] Square brackets like these indicate the name of a button, in this case button A
on the program panel.
4. THE KEYSWITCH
The KEYSWITCH which is mounted to the right of the program panel or above the
master faders depending on the ser ial num ber of your desk.
RUN MODE
When the Key is in RUN mode no programming is allowed, this may be considered
the SAFE mode.
PROGRAM MODE
When the Key is turned t o PROGRAM, memories, chases and sequences may be
recorded, the patch may be changed and disk operat ions ar e allowed.
SYSTEM MODE
The third position of the Key is SYST EM, when the key is in this posit ion you may
enter the diagnostic and service options.
5. PATCHING
Before any dimmers or instrument s can be controlled you must first patch the DMX
output. Until a channel is patched it is not shown on the screen, LED m imic or
output.
DETAIL ON HOW THE PATCH WORKS
♦ The Diamond II pat ch works in two ways, firstly the HANDLE (a preset
fader and the swop/add button associated with it) is patched int er nally,
then the DMX channel is patched.
♦ This is all done automat ically but an under st anding of this will help should
you have to alter the patch later on.
♦ The internal patch num ber is used by the desk as a reference, by doing
this it is possible to change handles or change DMX numbers without
having to change the contents of m em or ies r ecor ded which would be
difficult because memories can reference items such as focuses and
tables.
6. EASY START DIMMER 1:1 PATCH
A quick dimmer 1:1 patch can be cr eat ed with the following key sequence.
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• Turn the key to SYSTEM.
• Press [A] then [F] then button [ C].
After this all memories chases et c. will be erased and the desk will be ready for
programming.
The first 180 dimmers will be patched onto faders 1 to 180 in that DMX order, using
DMX line 1.
7. WI PE ALL AND SELECTING THE NUMBER OF HTP
CHANNELS REQUIRED
A WIPEALL restores the desks memory to the factory setting s, r emoving any
programming you may have done. Do a backup onto disk if you wish to keep
previous programming.
When doing a WIPE ALL you will be prompted to enter how many HTP channels you
will require.
You require 1 HTP channel for each dim m er, remembering that each moving light
requires one dimmer channel. It is always best to allow a fe w more HTP channels
than you actually require since this number cannot easily be changed. The maximum
number of HTP channels is 450 and the minimum is 1.
You can view the number of HTP channels, LTP channels, and how many are in use
by selecting CHANNEL STATISTI CS from the VIEW m enu.
You set the number of HTP channels after doing a WI PE ALL. To do a wipe all do
the following.
• Turn the key to SYSTEM
• Press button [A], SERVICE
• Press button [F], WIPE ALL
• Press button [A], EXECUT E WIPEALL
Once you press this you are past the point of no retur n! A wipe all has been
done, however you must now configure the desk regarding the number of
HTP (dimmer) channels you requir e. This may be in the range of 1 to 450. All
the remaining channels are allocated as LTP channels. ( I f you require more
than 450 dimmer channels see the section on LTP FADE channels.)
• Enter the number of dimm er channels you require, or if you require 180 press
[ENTER]
• Turn the key back to RUN or PROGRAM as required.
8. PATCHING FROM SCRATCH
Before patching you may wish to do a DISK Backup and WIPE ALL.
The WIPE ALL will erase everything so make a disk if you wish to keep previously
programmed infor m at ion.
To make a DISK backup.
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• Place a blank formatted disk in the disk drive.
• Press the [DISK] button.
• Now press button [A], SAVE TO DISK.
• Now press button [F], CONFIRM.
See section 59 for more infor m ation on the disk system.
You are now prompted on the main screen to enter the num ber of HTP
channels required. This can be any number between 1 and 450. By default
the desk will assign 180 HTP channels.
• Enter the number of HT P channels or pr ess ENTER to use the default of 180.
• Turn the key back to PROGRAM.
To start patching instruments or dimmers
• Press [PATCH]
• Then press the [Bank 1] button.
• The menu on the built in screen now prompts
Select a DMX line 1..8
•Select a DMX line by pressing 1..8 on keypad.
For 1024 channel desks only two DMX lines are available, so only 1 and 2
are valid button presses.
The menu now prompts
[A] Dimmer
[B] Choose an Instrument
[C] Intensity LTP
[D] Reduction
[E] Delete Pending Dimmer
[F] Invert a channel
You are now ready to patch dimmers or instruments and the following sections
describe how to do this.
9. PATCHING DIMMERS
Use this function for patching a generic dimmer. - Meaning a simple dimmer channel.
When using Colour Changers and instruments requiring a separate dim mer use the
CHOOSE AN INSTRUMENT patch option. Th is allows the use of focuses, tables and
other moving light feat ur es.
PATCHING A DIMMER
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•From the patch menu press button [A] m ar ked DIMMER.
You are now presented with the first free DMX number work ing upwards from
DMX 1, on the line you selected.
You may use this number or select a diff erent DMX number from the
[KEYPAD].
•Press a preset fader [SWOP] button to patch the dimmer. You may immediately
use the fader to bring up t hat dim mer.
The ADD and SWO P but tons are now ready to be used to patch another
dimmer. Take care not t o press one of these by accident whilst you are
patching.
Whilst pat ching you may also set the dimmer curve and the dimmer patch level.
•Press button [A] marked LEVEL, before pressing the SW O P but t on as above.
A menu requesting a the level is presented.
•Press [ENTER] the set the level required from the [KEYPAD].
The patch level is now shown next to button A on the screen.
This level is kept for patching future dimmers until you alter it.
• Setting the dimmer curves.
• Press button [B] from t he dimmer patch menu, marked CURVE.
• The curve numbers and descriptions are listed on the LCD screen.
• Select the curve number you wish to use.
• Press [EXIT] to leave the patch system.
10. TO PATCH INSTRUMENTS (ANYTHING WHICH IS NOT A
GENERIC DIMME R)
•From the patch menu press button [B].
A list of instruments is now provided on buttons [A]..[F] button [G] allows
more instruments to be presented.
If you have a system disk in the disk drive instruments will be read from this.
If there is no disk in drive a list of instrument types already patched will be
presented. (This is faster than reading the disk.)
•Select the required instrument by pressing its associated button.
Various information is then presented on the LCD screen about the
instrument.
The desk now calculates the first free DMX slot working down from DMX512.
You may use this or select a new number from the [KEYPAD].
•Select the correct preset bank. Normally this will be bank 1.
The instrument can be patched on any of the 12 banks giving the ability to
control 2,160 instruments. g enerally it is simpler to only use bank 1 unless
you require control of larg e num ber s of instruments..
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•Finally press a preset fader [SWOP] button to patch the instrum ent .
11. PATCHING INSTRUMENTS WHICH USE A SEPARATE DI MMER.
When an instrument requires a separate dimmer channel, such as the Vari*lig ht VL5,
a special dimmer channel is allocated as the instrument is pat ched. This is called a
PENDING DIMMER.
A pending dimmer is allocated to ensure all channels associated with an instr um ent
are connected together, so tables and preset focuses are recalled correctly.
When a dimme r is subsequently patched, with the PATCH DIMMER option the
pending dimmer is converted into a real dimmer channel.
Typical examples of instruments which patch PENDING DI MMERS are colour
scrollers, moving yokes, the VL5's etc.
See section 14 for details of how to delet e a PENDI NG DIMMER.
12. TO PATCH AN INTENSITY LTP CHANNEL
The Intensity LTP channel allows control of dim m er s but on a LATEST takes
Precedence basis, rather than HIGHEST takes precedence.
This will make all fades DIPLESS even between memory master s, however only one
memory master can control a channel.
13. TO CREATE A REDUCTION FADER
• From the patch menu press button [D].
• Now on the [KEYPAD] select the DMX number you wish to have reduction applied
to.
• Select the correct preset bank. We recommend bank 12.
• Finally press a preset [SW O P] button.
14. TO DELETE A DIMMER WHICH HAS BEEN PATCHED WITH AN
INSTRUMENT
DELETE A PENDING DIMMER
When an instrument such as a scroller is patched, an HTP channel is also patched.
This is called the PENDING DIMMER. At some later t ime the PENDING DIMMER
can be exchanged for an actual dimmer channel.
Since these PENDING DIMMER channels reduce the number of available HTP
channels you may wish to delete them if you do not need to associate a dimmer
channel with the instrument.
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To delete a PENDING DIMMER.
• Press button [E], delete a pending dim m er.
• Press the confirm button.
• Finally press the preset fader SWOP button.
WARNING Use this function with care since once the dimmer is deleted from the
instrument the only way to put it back is to delete the whole instrum ent , then repatch
it.
If you should have to do this then only delete one instrument at a t im e and
immediately repatch it, failure to follow this sequence may result in previously
programmed memories not work ing with that instrument since the internal channel
will number will be lost
15. TO INVERT A CHANNEL
This function is not available until version 4.
16. CHANGING PAGE
The Yellow page select buttons are arranged in t wo columns. The left hand column
is the page bank and the right hand colum n the index into the page.
To select page 35
•Press the left column [3]
This will light up and the right column LEDs will go out
•Then press the right hand column button [5]
This will light up
To change from page 35 to page 38
• Press the right hand button [8]
To go forward or back one page
Press the grey [NEXT PAGE] and [LAST PAGE] buttons.
17. SETTING THE PAGE SIZE (BLOCK SIZE)
It is often useful t o have the same m em ories or sequences on every page. In
previous Avolites consoles this was achieved by setting the block size, or recording
the memory into every page with the page cue lock on.
The DIAMOND II has a more powerful way of lock ing memories which allows any
memory or sequence to be locked on all pages.
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• First turn the key to SYSTEM.
• Then press button [F] marked LOCK MASTERS.
Any locked memories are shown by flashing LOCK on display above the
memory fader.
•Pressing [GRAB] locks or unlock s a m em or y or sequence.
If necessary select the page which contains the memory you wish to lock,
then press the [MEMORY FADER SWOP] button.
18. INSERT AND DELETE WITH LOCKED MASTERS
Locked masters are jumped over when INSERTING and DELETING.
Locked memories may be DUPLICATED as norm al, the duplication will NOT be
locked.
Edits made on a locked master will appear on all pages.
19. THE PROGRAMMER
The PROGRAMMER is the name given to the internal part of t he console which
contains edits, it may be thought of as a special memory playback.
It is special because it has total priority on any channels which it contains in such a
way that a channel contained in the programmer cannot be controlled from a normal
playback.
A channel is placed in the programmer in one of the following ways:-
♦ By moving a fader in PROGRAM or TAKE-OVER RUN mode
♦ By selecting a channel on the keypad AND moving its associated wheel.
♦ By selecting an instrument and recalling a FOCUS.
Channels controlled by the programmer are indicat ed on t he output screen with an
'm' between the channel number and its level.
A channel can be removed from the programmer by:-
♦ Pr essing its wheel control ON button until both the RED and GREEN LEDs are
off. This may req uire one, two or three button presses.
♦ Double pr essing the channels [ADD] button. This clears all the channels for that
instrument.
♦ Double pr ess t he [CLEAR] button. THIS CLEARS EVERY CHANNEL IN THE
PROGRAMMER.
Turning the key to RUN, with t he r un m ode set to NORMAL, again this clears all
channels in the programmer.
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20. TO PROGRAM OR EDIT A MEMORY
•Set up the memory on the presets, with the Grand Master, Preset Master and
Memory Master at full.
• Press the [MEMORY] button.
• Press [MEMORY FADER SWOP] button
To see the memory
• Put the Memory fader to full.
• Double press [CLEAR].
This clears the programmer .
•Lower the preset faders.
The next section explains the CLEAR function in more detail.
21. EXPLANATION OF CLEAR
Clear releases channels from the wheels, or empties t he programmer.
Since the programmer has maximum prior it y, before you can see any of your
programmed memories the programmer muse be cleared.
To clear the programmer double press [CLEAR].
To release channels from the wheels press [CLEAR] once.
22. WHICH CHANNELS ARE RECORDED
♦ Dim m er only channels (i.e. those patched with the patch dimmer option) are
recorded on a 'what you see is what you get' - if the lamp is on stage it will be
recorded.
♦ LTP channels are only recorded if they are in the PROGRAMMER.
For further information on LTP channels see section 63 item 5 on, record by channel,
instrument or all channels.
23. TO SET THE FADE TIME FOR A MEMORY
• Press [TIMES]
• Press [MEMORY FADER GRAB] above the memory to set the time on
The Set time menu now appears.
Use the keypad to enter the various times which are
[A] Wait up
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[B] Wait down
[C] Fade up
[D] Fade down
[E] LTP fade
[F] LTP wait
For times longer than 60 seconds use the decimal point.
For example, to set the Fade up time to 1.5 minut es, pr ess t he following buttons.
• [1]
• [.] [.] (The first '.' is for parts of a second, and the second is for minutes)
• [3] [0]
• [C]
• To save the new setting press [ENTER]
When a f ade is running under a fader the top four charact ers of the display alternate
between the legend and FADE.
♦ If you wish to use fade down times select mem or y mode 2. The following section
describes memory modes.
24. SETTING THE MEMORY REPLAY MODE
Memories may be created so they replay in a number of diff er ent ways. This is called
the MEMORY REPLAY MODE or just MEMORY MODE.
You can check which memory mode has been recorded onto a memory by pressing,
and holding, the MEM MODE button on the page and chase select panel. The
memory mode is then displayed above the playback faders.
The MEMORY MODES are
♦MODE 0 This is the basic memor y. I t may have a fade up time but not a fade
down time.
HTP channels are controlled by the fader level.
LTP channels are triggered as t he fader moves above zero.
This mode has the fastest SWOP and ADD button responses.
♦MODE 1 This allows fade up and f ade down times.
HTP channels fade up when the fader is moved in the up direct ion and down
when the fader is moved in the down direction.
LTP channels are triggered when the fader moves above the trigger point.
The trigger point can be set from the user settings..
Use this mode when you wish HTP channels to fade up and down to time as
you move the fader.
♦MODE 2 This memor y mode allows the fader to control the LTP channels, HTP
channels are controlled in the same way as MODE 1.
LTP channels follow the fader movement, as the fader is moved up they will
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move from whatever position they are towards the new position. If the fader is
moved down they will move back to the original position.
Use this mode to control LTP channels with the fader. Useful if you wish to
change between two colours, or move to a particular pan and tilt position and
then back again.
When using this mode you should make sure that any fade is com plete
before changing direction of the fader, ot her wise the instruments may not
return to the correct position.
♦MODE 3 This is a CROSS FADE mode for HTP channels.
This mode allows a memory master to become a cross fade master. as the
memory master moves above the trigger point .
The output from the desk is taken as the source state and all other memory
masters are then made inactive. These stay so until they are moved to zero.
The fade on the MODE 3 master now follows the f ader position, or its times, like
MODE 1 crosfading from the sour ce state to the new memory. If the fader is
moved down the fade will move down to the original source.
Once the fader reaches f ull, it is made into a normal memory master, as opposed
to a cross fade master, and fading it down fades out the memory, leaving the
stage in blackout.
Use this mode to fade everything to a new state with a dipless cross fade.
This includes any running chases etc. which will stop and must be restarted
by moving the relevant fader to zero.
The memory mode is selected after t he [MEMORY] is pressed but before the
memory is recorded by pressing the [MEMORY SW OP] button. The following section
describes how to change or view the memory mode.
New memories default to mode 0 unless the mode is specified.
Using the ADD with memory modes.
The ADD and SWOP buttons mimic fader movement in that pressing the ADD button
causes is equivalent to moving the fader up.
The SWOP button is similar in that it controls the fader s, and so lowers them, using
the times provided, except in mode 3.
In mode 3 the SWOP and ADD buttons do the same thing, on releasing t hem t he
stage will fade to black.
In all memory modes using a time the fader level controls what percentage of the
time will run.
For example if a fader with a 10 second fade tim e is stopped at 50%, the timer will
perform a 5 second fade. When the fader is moved to full, the fade will continue over
5 seconds.
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