Strand Lighting 300 Series Quick Start Manual

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Strand 300 Series
Channel Control
Quick Start
Groups
The console defaults to channel mode. So just start by taking channel 1 to 100%.
1 ON: Channel 1 to the ON level – Full 1 [FULL]: Channel 1 to Full. (FULL is a softkey accessed
by the arrow keys below the LCD screen) Now let’s take another channel to another level. 2 @ 5 *: Channel 2 at 50%. The asterisk is the ENTER key. The ENTER key finishes off most commands. 3 THRU 7 @ 75 *: The THRU key allows you to do ranges. Assign levels to channels until you have the look you want. To release channel 3 type 3 UNDO, to release all UNDO *
Cue Recording
To store the look you want, record it as a cue. RECORD 1 *: This command stores the entire lighting state as a cue to be played back in the default time of 5. (The Record function defaults to Cue.) Just repeat the process of assigning levels to channels (see Channel Control above) and record to any cue number you want from Cue 1 to Cue 600. You can also use point cues if you need a cue between whole numbers. RECORD 1.5 *: This will store the entire lighting state as Cue 1.5. You can use any point number from .1 to .9.
Cue Editing Live
When you want to edit a cue live that is already recorded, the first step is to be in the cue. GOTO 1 *: This puts the cue on stage in a snap count. Now just edit your channel levels (see Channel Control above) and update the cue. UPDATE *: This will take all channels whose levels are red and store their new levels in the current cue.
Where Update is valuable is that it ignores level from subs and effects.
Time
Now let’s change the time of Cue 1. TIME 3 *: This changes time on the current cue. To change time on a cue that is not live just type, CUE 2 TIME 2/5 *: This changes the time of a non-live cue. The slash key assigned it a split time. This means that all levels that are going up will fade in a 2 count. Levels that are going down will fade in a 5.
To add a label to Cue 1 while in Cue 1, just type TEXT (CUE 1 TEXT will show up on the command line) and just enter the label from the keyboard. To label a non-live cue just type CUE 2 TEXT LIGHTS UP *
Groups allow you to put multiple channels at different levels into a single item. Set some channels at different levels. RECORD GROUP 1 *: This stores the entire lighting state as Group 1. Repeat for any collection of channels that you want quick access to. GROUP 1 ON: This will put all channels in group 1 on stage at their recorded levels. GROUP 1 * ON: This will highlight all channels in Group 1 and then set them to the ON level.
(Note: This is actually 2 commands)
Submasters
Subs allow you to put multiple channels at different levels onto a slider for manual control. Set some channels at different levels. RECORD SUB 1 *: This stores the entire lighting state as Submaster 1. Once recorded, the light above the appropriate sub will be on. Just slide the submaster up and down as needed. Repeat for any collection of channels that you want to control by a slider. The last fader panel (immediately to the left of the channel control panel) is your submaster panel.
Patch
[PATCH] allows you to change dimmer assignment to different channels. The default patch is a 1 to 1 patch. This means that dimmer 1 is patched to channel 1 and the numerical match continues for the capacity of the console. (The capacity can be seen from the upper right hand corner of the patch screen.) To start fresh by unpatching all dimmers, type 1 THRU 100 @ ENTER (where 100 is the last channel number) All channel numbers will now be dark grey. This means that all channels are still within the system but they have no patch. The patching syntax is “Dimmer @ Channel”. For example, 2 @ 5 will patch dimmer 2 to channel 5. (@ will show up as @PATCH). As you go through and patch, notice that the channel numbers change from dark grey to cyan. This is the LightPalette color for a conventional channel that has a patch. Continue this process until the show is patched.
Dimmer Check
From the Live or Patch screen, enter DIMMER 1 ON. This will take dimmer 1 to the ON level. A red flag will appear on the bottom right hand corner of the screen that says DIMMERS UNPATCHED. This means a dimmer has been given a hard level. You can now use NEXT / LAST to move up / down the dimmer list. This will take the previous dimmer out and advance to the next/last dimmer. When you are done with the dimmer check, just press DIMMER
DIMMER to repatch all unpatched dimmers.
Shutdown
{REPORT} [EXIT] [SHUTDOWN] or [EXIT AND RESTART]
for Software version 2.8.6 HARD KEY [SOFT KEY] {DISPLAY KEY} Page 1 of 2
Channel Check
From the Live screen, you can enter 1 ON. This will take channel 1 to the ON level. Use NEXT / LAST to advance up / down the channels that are in your system.
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Strand 300 Series
Modes
Quick Start
Undo Macro
The 300 series console has the unique ability to change Modes. Press the MODE key above Playback 1. (That’s the left set of playbacks.) The softkeys give you the options. [1 SCENE WITH SUBS], [2 SCENE WITH SUBS], [1 SCENE NO SUBS], [2 SCENE NO SUBS], [AUTO MODE], [MANUAL MODE]. The active mode will display in the middle of the right side of the cue list screen. Choosing [1 SCENE WITH SUBS] will assign channels to faders, 1 to 1, for the capacity of the desk, keeping the last fader panel for submasters. The left slider of the left playback fader will act as a master for scene 1. When in 1 scene mode, all LEDs above the faders will show in red as will the appropriate scene master’s LED. If you have a 300 desk with 4 panels (3 fader and 1 channel control) then 2 panels (48 faders) will be dedicated to scene 1 while the last panel will be dedicated to 24 submasters. Switch this to [2 SCENE WITH SUBS] and you now have 2 scenes controlling 24 faders each. (Note: that the appropriate master must be up to allow faders to output.) The 2 modes without subs allow the last fader panel to be used for faders rather than subs. [AUTO FADE] mode is the default of the desk. This allows the desk to function as a computer console to store and playback cues. [MAN FADE] mode allows recording of cues that playback with manual fades.
Preset Modes with Cues
You can use whatever macro you want but I will recommend the USER key. To record this macro live, type, MACRO USER [LEARN] [LEARN] now you get a red flag that flashes MACRO LEARN to let you know that everything that you type will now be recorded. Type… 1 THRU 100 UNDO (Remember that 100 should be replaced with the last channel in your system). Now type MACRO MACRO to exit the edit mode.
Note: Do not confuse the Macro action button (top right) with the Macro display key (with the other display keys).
Creating an FX
FX are created and edited in the FX display. {FX}. The FX list is shown with a blank FX 1. To create a new FX, type FX 2 * or just press the [EDIT STEPS] softkey to edit steps for FX 1. To create a simple 4 step FX, there must be 4 steps. Press [APPEND STEP] until all 4 steps are created. They will appear as “FX.STEP”. (1.1, 1.2, 1.3…and so on). Use the trackball to highlight the first step and let’s put channel 1 to full. 1 ON. Trackball down to step 2 and let’s put channel 2 at full. 2 ON. Repeat this process until all 4 steps have channels 1 thru 4. Let’s go back to {LIVE} and run the FX. FX 1 FXGO. The FX will now run and the FX’s channel levels will appear in grey boxes with white text. This will let you know these levels are coming from an FX.
Many operators want to combine the flexibility of Preset Modes with the power of Auto Mode. There are a few simple steps to accomplish this. First, select t he Preset Mode that is preferred. MODE. Then select the appropriate softkey. Now we need to turn the second playback on so that you can run cues from Playback 2. {REPORT} [ADV SETUP] [SHOW SETUP]. The second option from the top left is Playbacks. Choose Split Single and go back to {LIVE}. Now Playback 1 will master the preset scenes and Playback 2’s GO will be used to run cues.
Writing Cues using Preset Modes
Writing cues in preset mode is easy. Just advance the faders to the appropriate levels to set your look. Notice that all levels are in white. This indicates that levels are coming from faders rather than channel control. Now record a cue. RECORD 1 * will record this state as Cue 1. Notice that all levels are now in cyan. This indicates that the levels are coming from a cue rather than faders. The faders won’t function to change these levels until the channels are no longer controlled by the cue. Just undo all channels back to fader control with this command. 1 THRU 100 UNDO (where 100 is your highest channel number). Now all the channel levels are back to white and consequently controlled by the faders. Just adjust for your next look and record!
Displaying the FX Playbacks
I recommend having the FX Playbacks displayed anytime FXs are running. Just hold down the SHIFT key and toggle {LIVE} until you have a screen split with cues and FXs.
Starting and Stopping FX from Cues
To have a cue fire an FX, type CUE 1 FX 1 *. To have a cue stop an FX, type CUE 2 FX – 1 *.
Naming Your Show
Go to the {ARCHIVE} screen, type TEXT (SHOWTEXT will appear) and type the name of the show. The name will appear at the top of the screen.
Saving Your Show on the Console
Go to the {ARCHIVE} screen, press [SAVE SHOW] [SAVE SHOW] This will save the disk onto the console’s drive
noted by the “LOCAL DISK C:\SHOWS” in the black bar in the middle of the screen. Look for the new showfile below.
Saving the Show to the Floppy Drive
Go to the {ARCHIVE} screen, press [BROWSE FILES>] trackball down to the A: drive (Note: have disk in drive) and press * (ENTER) The red flag should now say “Floppy Drive”, press [BACK] to get the cursor to the top half of the screen and now you have your softkeys. Press [SAVE SHOW] [SAVE SHOW]. Watch the progress in the bottom right hand corner.
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