moving head lights

[redshadow750]

Well hello and thanks to all the posters that I have been reading....
I am new to this this year and it is a lot to learn... which program to use .. etc.
what type controllers to have and the best ones...Etc.
ok so i happened along some "moving head lights" that are also RGB. they have a couple of stand alone modes / voice-sound activated and console controlled... like 5 channel mode - 13 channel modes. Can anyone help me to digest all this and get it into the program so that I can actually have control over them and set them to do what I want ...when I want?
Sorry but I will need this in as easy to understand info as possible.
I attached a copy of the instruction sheet to maybe help someone understand how to help me

thanks G

[flyinverted]

xLights can control 15+ DMX channels per model so you'll have enough channels to control most moving heads.

You'll need vertical, lateral movements taking 2 channels. RGB itself is 3 channels.  So with just 5 channels you can control most moving heads.  Some of the other channels in moving heads as you've posted are built in macro channels like multi-color strobe.  That could be useful in some parts of a sequence.  Also as you've posted in there are macros that just cycle the colors through a fixed set of predetermined colors. This is most useful for background wall washes at a wedding reception/etc.

Forget the sound / voice activated modes they are a novelty thing and more suited for a party or  non-sequenced type of use.

Do you have a DMX cable for your light to the controller?  Once you get that cable connected to your controller the most learning will come from your late nights just using the sliders in the DMX effect to see what you can do.

I can offer this one tip though.   On my light, when no DMX command is given, the head moves to a home position of lamp down and centered.   If at some point in the song you want a red light at 45 degrees up, you'll miss that because the head needs time to move. What I do is a few seconds before I need the light to come on, I use the DMX effect to move the head into position, then when the time comes, I just turn on the light.  Pre-position the head is the key.

Good luck!

[Gilrock]

Are you trying to create a light show for a Christmas display or something else?  You need to get a controller with a DMX output and we need to know the purpose and/or what other capabilities you may need to recommend a controller.

[redshadow750]

Well I guess I forgot that part ... Yes this is for Christmas light show.. with sequences (I hope)
these moving head lights will be part of the display at some point in the show Yes,
I have 3 lights  2 set to slave and one will be the master... then I will hook that to the controller, which will run off X-lights/Nutcracker.   this will be the rest I hope to time it with certain parts of vivid parts of the songs. 
I at current have 6 LOR controllers 16 channel
4 DMX for the singing trees
1 DMS for the leaping arches
2- 8 channel controllers for the shooting stars and the dancing snowflakes
2 DMX controllers for the LED lights around the windows and doors
so I guess what controller would work best with the moving head lights and how to set up the channels so they correspond with the program.

thanks to you all

G

[Gilrock]

I think it should work with any DMX output.  I use one of the serial outputs on a Falcon F16v2 and I hacked up a microphone XLR cable to create my cable between the controller and the light.  I wrote the code for the DMX effect in xLights.  It's really simple just map a model to be the start channel of the DMX output you use and the DMX effect can be used to set a 0-255 value for each channel.  Click the ramp checkbox to make a value ramp between two values.  Some people have created a second model that maps to just the red, green, and blue channels which allowed them to drop normal effects on the model to create the color output to the light.  It would probably be easiest to learn the program and make a normal light work before tackling the DMX light.  Not sure how much you've used the program yet but whatever you do we should be able to get you up and running.

[redshadow750]

Thanks Gilrock,
it is starting to make a little sense... I have not officially used the x-lights in any show as I just got it this year.
So that said.. I am not real good at its understanding... I played with LOR for all of last year trying different things with it.... it is just so confusing... build it in one program/ make props/ see it another/ sequence it yet another/etc.
x-lights seemed more user friendly. only I cant get the view house window to show me actual color use or to change it just shows white all the time... (don't know what I am doing very well)
I along with the moving head lights want a matrix of 10 rows with 50 RGB pixel nodes... don't know yet how to get any thing to display on that, again it just show up in all white.
have you heard of "Holiday Lights" a lighting design program? any good?
so moving head lights... I need to set up a model (moving head)..... assign it for DMX..... set to be how many channels.  looking at the sheet sent with the light... a 5 channel program each channel need to be able to go to 0-255 address? 
All I can say is thanks to you for any and all your help as I really want to learn this... wish I could take a class with real hands on experienced persons ... there is so much reading to do and one thing just leads to another and yet another... seems I get just plain ole lost..
thanks G

[Gilrock]

Do you mean this software?
http://www.holidaysoft.com/

Yes I've heard of it and it looked pretty cool but I got the feeling it wasn't a big hit so I'm not sure its being supported.  Also it seemed geared towards LOR users.  I did like the 3D aspect of the preview and kinda wanted to buy a copy just to get ideas.

[Phrog30]

Do you mean this software?
http://www.holidaysoft.com/

Yes I've heard of it and it looked pretty cool but I got the feeling it wasn't a big hit so I'm not sure its being supported.  Also it seemed geared towards LOR users.  I did like the 3D aspect of the preview and kinda wanted to buy a copy just to get ideas.

I used that software. It was frustrating to use in my opinion. Selecting multiple items was way too hard.

Gil, you can have my copy, if that's allowed. I will never use it again.

James

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[croberts]

Hi all, I am also new to the world of pixel controlled lights. I jumped in ready to have something ready for next Christmas when my wife asked if I could use them on our luau party that was this weekend. I got my moving lights a couple weeks ago and with no directions I had to figure it out for myself.

I was pleased to have one song Margaretville that amazed our audience. I had a large grid of lights, two smaller grids and on top of the grid I had two moving lights.

They are CREE 15Watt RGBW and came with no directions other than the channel list. I was able to get them to work with xlights and work well although it was difficult at first.

I used the ON command for each of the 13 channels then add fades to control vertical and horizontal as well as other controls as I went on. Once you have a few second blocks done you can copy and pasted it then just change what you want down the line.

This is a few second block.

[Gilrock]

Yeah using the On effect for DMX was the old school way to do it before I added the DMX effect.

[croberts]

I did look at the DMX option but did not find a way to customize it to show what each of the channels were controlling.  Using the old school method worked and I could not find where anyone else using moving lights shared how to use them.  I was in a hurry to make my moving lights work so I just went with what I got to work for me.

I do appreciate everything your group has done with this software and looking at the newest version of the manual there are so many things Xlights can do I am overwhelmed.

I guess I was so excited that I got them to work well and the guests at my party were amazed at what I showed them that I would share how I did it for the OP.

[Gilrock]

The whole reason there is a DMX effect is because people using the On effect were complaining that the setting went from 0 to 100 instead of 0 to 255.  So not being able to name the channel kept you from being able to use it?  Now I've heard everything.