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Electronic Theatre Controls Inc

Creating an Effect in Blind in Express

The first step in creating an effect is the same for Stage or Blind.

Following is the procedure for creating the effect in Blind.

Keystrokes: Actions:
1. Press [Blind] [1] [Type]. The blind display defaults to cue selection and you specify cue 1
Prompt reads:
Select fade type (1=Crossfade, 2=Allfade, 3=Effect, 4=Subroutine, 5=Blocking)
2. Press [3]. Specifies an effect type. You are presented with the Blind Effects display.
Prompt reads:
Select step number(s)
(To clear step(s), select step number(s), then press CLEAR)

Following is a table illustrating how to navigate in the Blind Effects display and the resulting feedback.

Navigation and Feedback - Blind Effects Display

  keypad.png softkeys.png upanddown.png leftand right.png plus minus.png
Select a step X.png X.png X.png   X.png
Select a field   X.png   X.png  
White row selected step
Yellow fielda selected field

If the channel field is selected, all channels are highlighted white except for a selected channel, which is colored yellow.

Once you have specified an effect type, you may proceed to specify steps, either one at a time or in ranges, and add channels to them. Specify steps by identifying the next one in sequence or by moving through steps with the up/down arrow keys.

Only steps that contain channels will be active in the effect. Add channels to an effect step in any of the following ways:

  • directly, either individually or in a range
  • in groups, focus points or channels linked to a focus point.86
  • in grouped cues or submasters

86  Channels added in a focus point or linked to a focus point automatically change in the step whenever they change in the focus point.

Notes on working with steps in Blind

  • Steps may be specified one at a time or in ranges.87
  • Channels at Full in the Blind Effects display do not show the level (except when set at a focus point).
  • If you add a channel more than once to a step, it takes the last level assigned.

Adding channels directly

The procedure for creating steps by adding channels to them in the Blind Effects display is shown below.

Keystrokes: Actions:
  1  . Press [S1], Step, and enter the step number. A new step must always have the next highest number, beginning with step 1. Specifies next step to be created.
Prompt reads:
Select step number(s)
(To clear step(s), select step number(s), then press CLEAR)
2. Press [Chan] [1] [Thru] [5]. Specifies channels to be added.
Prompt reads:
Select channel number(s) and press ADD CHANNELS to add to step(s), or press AT to edit existing channel levels
3. Press [S8], Add Channels, [At] [5][0]. Adds channels to step at level 50.
Prompt reads:
Select channel number(s) and press ADD CHANNELS to add to step(s), or press AT to edit existing channel levels
4. Press [Record] [Enter]. Records the channels to the effect

87 Channels, groups, focus points, or grouped channels may be added one at a time or in multiples. If added in multiples and the number to be added exceeds the number of steps specified, they are assigned on a one-to-one basis in a rotating order to all specified steps. For example, adding channels 1 through 10 to steps 1 through 4 results in the following assignment:

Channels  
Step 1 1, 5, 9
Step 2 2, 6, 10
Step 3 3, 7
Step 4 4, 8

Adding groups or focus points

The procedure for creating steps by adding groups or focus points to them in the Blind Effects display is shown below. All channels in a group or focus point are added to the step(s) together but they may be edited individually later.

Keystrokes: Actions:
1. Press [S1], Step, and enter the step number. A new step must always have the next highest number, beginning with step 1. Specifies next step to be created.
Prompt reads:
Select step number(s)
(To clear step(s), select step number(s), then press CLEAR)
2. Press [Group] [5] [Thru] [1][0].a Selects groups 5 through 10.
Prompt reads:
Group mode - Select group(s) and press ADD CHANNELS to add to step(s), or press AT to edit existing channel level(s)
3. Press [S8], Add Channels. Adds groups’ channels to step.
Prompt reads:
Group mode - Select group(s) and press ADD CHANNELS to add to step(s), or press AT to edit existing channel level(s)
4. Press [Record] [Enter]. Records the channels to the effect step.
Prompt reads:
Select cue number
To write effect, press STEP

a  To add focus points rather than groups, press [Focus Point] rather than [Group] in this step.

Adding grouped channels

The procedure for creating steps in the Blind Effects display by adding grouped channels from cues or submasters to them is shown below. All channels in a group or focus point are added to the step(s) together but they may be edited individually later.

Keystrokes: Actions:
1. Press [S1], Step, and enter the step number. A new step must always have the next highest number, beginning with step 1. Specifies next step to be created.
Prompt reads:
Select step number(s)
(To clear step(s), select step number(s), then press CLEAR)
2. Press [Group] [Cue] [5] [Thru] [1][0].a Selects the channels of cues 5 through 10.
Prompt reads:
Group mode - Select focus point(s) and press ADD CHANNELS to add to step(s), or press AT to edit existing channel level(s)
3. Press [S8], Add Channels, [At] [5][0]. Adds channels to step at level 50
Prompt reads:
Group mode - Select focus point(s) and press ADD CHANNELS to add to step(s), or press AT to edit existing channel level(s)
4. Press [Record] [Enter]. Records the channels to the effect step.
Prompt reads:
Select cue number
To write effect, press STEP

a  To add grouped submasters rather than grouped cues, press [Submaster] rather than [Cue] in this step.

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