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Electronic Theatre Controls Inc

Alphanumeric Keyboard in Express

The Express console does not support an alphanumeric keyboard. However, if you have either a Remote Interface Unit or a Remote Video Interface unit attached to your console, you can attach an alphanumeric keyboard to that peripheral device and achieve the same results.

The keyboard’s function is to allow you to assign labels (also called names) to your show and to elements of it, including cues, submasters, groups, channels, dimmers, time code events and fixtures. Names may have up to 16 characters, composed of letters, numbers or the symbols #, %, &,*, (, ), +, , -, [, ], / as well as the comma and period.

120 See Installing an alphanumeric keyboard, page 314, for installation information.

Labeling procedure

  1. Go to the display in which you want to create a label. For example, go to [Stage] or [Blind] to label cues, submasters, groups or focus points. Go to the Time Code Events display to label an event.
  2. At the console, select the item to label. For example, if you want to label cue 5, press [Cue] [5] [Enter] to make the selection.
  3. Press [F5] on the keyboard to enter label mode. When in label mode, a blue band appears at the upper right corner of the monitor containing a prefix, such as Label, and a blinking cursor.
  4. Type the desired label on the alphanumeric keyboard. You may use the [Home], [End] and [Insert] keys on the keyboard when entering a label. Home and End allow you to move directly to the beginning or end of the name, respectively. Insert is a toggle that allows you to choose between overwriting or inserting text. You may also use [F6] to clear the label from the point of the cursor to the end of the line.
  5. Press [Enter] on the alphanumeric keyboard to record the label, or press [Esc] to quit and return to the original console display screen.
  6. Press [F8] on the alphanumeric keyboard to advance to the next selection, such as the next cue, submaster or group. Press [F7] to go to the previous selection.

Shows

To name a show, press [Setup], and use steps 3-5 of the Labeling Procedure above to enter the show’s name.

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