User Guide

14. Changes in the latest Pearl software - Page 61
Pearl 2004 Manual v1 - 27th August 2004
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
14. Changes in the latest Pearl software
If you are used to using the Avolites Pearl console, this section gives
you a quick rundown of the differences between the Pearl you know
and love and the new version of software. There are some exciting new
features.
14.1 Wheel acceleration
16 bit attributes now always work in 16 bit mode. If you spin the
wheels faster, the Pearl will skip values to change the attribute faster.
If you spin the wheels slowly the attribute will change with maximum
resolution. You can change the acceleration factor on the wheels, see
page 194.
14.2 Preset Focuses are now Palettes
Preset Focuses are now called Palettes, in line with other Avolites
consoles (except for the “Focus” button, which remains stubbornly
engraved).
You can now recall Palettes from the softkeys by pressing the Focus
button and the display shows you what the palette contains. This is
similar to the Palette displays on the Sapphire, if you’re used to that
console.
You can apply a palette to all fixtures, without having to select them. If
you recall a palette with no fixtures selected it will be applied to all
fixtures (but the palette is not entered into the programmer).
You can apply a palette to all fixtures in a memory, by holding down
the button for the palette and then pressing the memory’s Swop
button. Again the palette is not entered into the programmer.
Each page of fixtures now has a separate page of palettes accessible
from the handle “Flash” buttons. (previously the same 30
palettes/focuses appeared on all fixture pages). This option needs to be
enabled in the user settings, see page 196.
14.3 Chases can include shapes
You can now include shapes in a chase and in cues of the Theatre
Stack. Each step can include different shape settings. If the shape is
also present with unchanged parameters in the next step, it will
continue, otherwise it will stop at the end of the step time.
14.4 Intelligent Attribute display
The display above the wheels can now show the attribute value name;
for example, on a colour wheel you may see “Open”, “Red” etc
displayed as you turn the wheel.
This function requires Range information to be supported by the
personality file for the fixture. If an updated personality file including
the Range information becomes available, there is a function to update
the Range table for the patched personalities in the console, so you
don’t have to repatch. This is in the Utilities section of the System