Automated lighting fixtures are very complex robotic devices filled with mechanical and electrical features commanded by comprehensive software. The manufacturers of these fixtures fill them with many useful features, some of which are lesser known or understood. A good automated lighting programmer will take the time to learn the capabilities of his/her luminaires by reading the user manuals and DMX protocols/maps. Furthermore, some features are simple menu settings or DMX values that may not be included in the console’s fixture library. The following obscure fixture features can be found in many common lighting fixtures and are useful tools for creating original and dynamic lighting programming.
Quickest Path
Almost all automated lighting fixtures utilize some sort of wheels to provide a multitude of effects from the light. For instance, fixed color wheels, gobo wheels, and some color mixing systems are all accomplished by allowing a rotation of a wheel built with different segments. From our lighting desks, we send specific DMX values to change from red to green or gobo 1 to gobo 2. However, there is always an odd condition when the DMX commands initiate a change that does not look desirable on stage. For instance, let’s say you have a fixed color wheel with 6 colors plus open. The current DMX value is 25 for the first color on the wheel (red). Now you want to go to the last color on the wheel (blue), which is DMX 255. When you change the DMX value from 25 to 255, you might notice the wheel turns through all the colors on the color wheel. This occurs because the wheel simply followed the commands and turned the “normal” direction to change from red to blue.
If your luminaire has a feature called “quickest path” or “snap,” and it is enabled, then you will instead see the color wheel turn the other direction and go from red to white to blue. In this case, the wheel has turned in the direction that gets to the new result in the fastest manner. The quickest path setting is usually selected in a control channel or by selecting a discreet value for each position on the wheel that indicates you want the quickest path versus normal path. You can toggle the path setting as needed during your programming, thus allowing more creative choices in how parameters change.
Movement Speed
Have you ever selected a group of lights and moved them from one position to another and notice that one or two get to the new position much faster than the others? I always check for this when I first get my hands on a rig, as it is a common problem. Many luminaires have a setting that can allow for normal or fast pan/tilt speeds. When enabled, the fixture may move faster than other units but also may be a bit louder or shaky during slow movements. This is why the manufacturer included the speed option as opposed to having the fast speed as standard — so that their fixture moves perfectly most of the time. Some fixtures allow this as a toggle from the fixture’s DMX protocol (usually in the control channel), while others are simple menu settings. To ensure that your movements look properly coordinated, it is best to set all the fixtures in your rig to the same speed setting. This is also why I always test my fixtures before programming to ensure they are all moving at the same speed.
Color Space
New LED color mixing units often have the ability to operate in a standard or calibrated color space. Much like other settings, this is usually found in the DMX protocol for the luminaire and acts as a toggle. When calibration is enabled, all the fixtures from that manufacturer will operate their colors in the same color range. This ensures that all the fixtures (and pixels of the fixtures) match perfectly regardless of the LED type or binning. Usually the manufacturer will define this color space within a range that they can assure that all their products can reach.
You can tell with calibration is enabled by looking at the output. For instance, if you turn up the red LEDs you might notice the blue LEDs also come on at a low level. This is so that the full “red” level matches the red defined in the color space. If you truly want the pure red LEDs at full, you need to turn off the calibration. Now, when you turn up the red, you will get only the red LEDs, but there is no guarantee that the red color will match other fixtures from the same manufacturer. As a side note, there is a very interesting movement by PLASA to create an industry standard color space that will allow fixtures from different manufacturers to match color. When this becomes standard and implemented in fixtures, then it will be yet another color space you will be able to select when programming.
Dimming Settings
Automated lighting fixtures offer a multitude of different settings related to the dimming of the fixtures. Dimming is an essential feature that is used on every type of production and the fixture manufacturers want to offer as many possibilities as they can. It is common for fixtures to offer a variety of dimming curves. A dimming curve is the algorithm used to control the mechanics of dimming as the DMX values change. Some curves will be a linear scaling, while others may allow for more or less output at lower levels. By changing the dimming curve, you can produce a different appearance as the light fades in or out. Some designers want automated luminaires to match their conventional fixtures or simply have their own preferences.
Another common dimming setting assists with quick bumps of intensity as opposed to dimming. Often called “dim-snap” or “flash”, this feature will use the fixture’s strobe blades instead of its dimming wheel/flags for instantaneous changes of a dimmer value from 0 to 255 or vice versa. This is extremely useful when flashing lights on and off in a chase or on flash keys. Because the strobe blades are built to move in and out of the beam exceedingly fast, they can provide a better response than the dimming mechanism. Because it is a DMX controlled toggle, you can program this setting into the specific flash keys or chases to ensure your dimming cues are unaffected.
More Obscurity
Of course there are many more obscure fixture features. Any good programmer will take the time to read the user manuals for fixtures and especially the DMX protocols/maps. These documents are created to provide full information as to the capabilities and uses of the luminaires. Because many console fixture libraries are missing some of these obscure settings, it is important that you understand what is missing and have it added to the libraries. Only then can you have the full control of all the possible options. Once you have the power of the features, then you can put them to use in your productions to further enhance the capabilities of your fixtures. The manufacturers put these features in their lights for you to use, so why not learn about them and use them as needed?
