User's Manual

Getting Started With Patching 8
Getting Started With Patching
To be able to control the lighting fixtures in your system you need to assign each fixture (or a
group of dimmers) to a channel fader. The channel fader can then be used to set intensity of a
fixture. The channel also becomes a way to select that fixture for other types of control like color
changes, or adjustment of other parameters (in the case of a moving fixture, for example). The
fixtures in your lighting system are controlled using the DMX, streaming ACN, or Art-Net
protocols, and each dimmer or fixture uses a DMX address (or set of addresses) to communicate
with the console.
The Patch is used to associate a channel with DMX addresses and device types. Once a channel
is patched to an address or addresses, and the output is connected to a device (for example a
dimmer, moving fixture, or accessory), the channel will then control that device.
To access the Patch functions, press Setup >Patch.
Note: If your patch stays the same between shows, you can save time by saving a default
show, which will load your patch automatically for you.
Patch
Displays the patching screen and controls.
Patching associates a console channel number with an address or block of addresses on the
DMX output. You must ensure that the address on the fixture, dimmer, or device matches the
address that you setup in Patch. To patch a basic device, press Add Dimmer.
Complex devices with several parameters, such as position, color, or beam controls, are
described by a personality . Select the make and type of device to match the actual connected
device. Some devices have modes that must also match on the device and in the patch list.
Lighting devices with RDM available and enabled are found automatically and added to the list
of devices, but must still be assigned to channel numbers. Use Add Device to patch a complex
device that is not automatically found by RDM.
Note: Custom fixture personalities can be loaded. Please see Loading a Fixture Personality for
instructions.
During patching you may add tags to each fixture, dimmer, or device to aid in convenient
grouping on the Quick Select screen.