There are some cases where a complex show can be run without requiring a DMX controller. Most of the time, these “stand-alone” configurations work best in simple single fixture locations with requirements of repeatability. Imagine a retail store with a few fixtures designed to move around and add excitement or project custom gobos. In this case, a controller is not really needed and just becomes another item sitting on a shelf confusing the sales staff. Some small nightclubs or bars will often have their fixtures set for pre-set playback and just repeat the same cues all night long. The actual details of programming pre-sets directly on a fixture vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, but they all follow the same basic principles. Generally, you will use the on-screen display and menu keys built into the front of the fixture. Look for a menu section titled “Pre-sets” or “Playback.” Here you will find the ability to create scenes or looks. Once you select a scene to edit, you are presented with the various parameters of the fixture and a method to edit each. Typically, you use the menu to edit each scene, and then create several scenes to make a program or sequence. If you want to enable a loop between specific scenes, there is usually a method to mark a scene or step as an “end” that tells the fixture to loop back to the first scene.
—Brad Schiller, from “Feeding the Machines,” PLSN, Sept. 2011
