User Manual Version 3.0.1 C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 1 . E le c tr o n i c T h e a t r e C o n t r o l s , I n c . All Rights reserved. P r o d u c t in f o r m a t i on a n d s p e c i f i c a t i o n s s u bj e c t t o c h a n g e . Part Number: 7219M1220-3.0.
E T C i n t e n d s t h i s d o c u m e n t , w h e t h e r p r i n t ed o r e l e c tr o n i c , to b e p r o v id e d i n i t s e n ti r e t y . E T C pe r m i t s t h e r e p r o d u c t i o n o f m a t e r i a l s i n th i s m a n u a l o n l y f o r n o n - c o m m e r c i a l p u r p o s e s . A l l o t h e r r i g h ts ar e reserved by ETC.
Table of Contents Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Using this Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Text Conventions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Help from ETC Technical Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Installation Procedures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ii SmartSoft v3.0.
Introduction Congratulations on your download of the SmartSoft lighting software. SmartSoft provides a graphical user interface to all consoles in the SmartFade family, and an offline editing tool. This chapter contains the following sections: Introduction • Using this Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 • Help from ETC Technical Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 • Installation Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using thi s Manual Congratulations on your download of the SmartSoft software. This manual will hopefully get you up and running in no time. The functionality of SmartFade consoles is described in the manuals of these consoles. This manual covers the functionality of this software in general. These are the manual conventions. Instructions Instructions are written next to an image of the software display. There are numbers in frames or arrows indicating areas, and a list of available functions in that area.
Help from ETC Technical Services If you are having difficulties, your most convenient resources are the references given in this user manual. To search more widely, try the ETC Web site at www.etcconnect.com. You can ask other users for advice on the ETC forums at www.etcconnect.com/community. If none of these resources is sufficient, contact ETC Technical Services directly at one of the offices identified below. Emergency service is available from all ETC offices outside of normal business hours.
Installation Procedures Install SmartSoft SmartSoft is compatible with PCs running the Windows 7, Windows XP or Windows Vista operating systems. SmartSoft is also available for Mac OS X systems 10.4 and later. • Download the software from www.etcconnect.com • Install in your computer Windows 7 The security system in Windows 7 will not allow you to install SmartSoft directly from a USB memory stick. You will get a warning.
Updating the console A compatible version of console software is included with the SmartSoft download, but this version may not be the most recent version of console software. Please check the ETC Web site for software updates. Hold the menu button and press ON until the display enters the self-test mode. Press Enter until the memory test is complete. At end of mem test turn dial to Update Software [YES] and press OK.
6 SmartSoft v3.0.
Chapter 1 General Functionality This chapter gives you the general information you need to get started. This chapter contains the following sections: 1 • General Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 • Status Bar & Tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 • Console Simulator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
General Information SmartSoft is an on-line and off-line viewer and editor for SmartFade and SmartFade ML consoles. When used on it’s own it allows you to simulate any of the SmartFade consoles. When used with a real console SmartSoft provides live views into the stored data and offers facilities to add text labels for show items and see the positions of fader levels to simplify level matching and ensure seamless operation.
Status Bar & Tabs The top of all screens is a Status Bar with some general information and selection of the tabs. This is all there is to navigating SmartSoft. Click on a tab to select it. 1. Software name 2. Name of loaded show file 3. Toggle Console Simulator (see below) 4. Open Help documentation folder 5. Exit SmartSoft 6. Currently selected tab AND subselection drop down menu 7. Tabs (see next chapter) Text Formatting All objects can have a text added in SmartSoft (Groups, Pages, Mems etc.).
Console Simulator Included is a console simulator allowing the software to be operated as if a real console were attached. The simulator may be used for training and practice and to see the results of shows built or edited off-line. To launch this console, click on the console symbol in the status bar at the top. SmartFade 1248/1296 SmartFade 2496 SmartFadeML 10 SmartSoft v3.0.
Chapter 2 Tabs All of the functions in SmartSoft are accessed from the different tabs shown in the Status Bar. This chapter contains the following sections: 2 Tabs • Playback Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 • Live Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 • Page Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 • Mem Edit Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Pl ayback Tab This screen is the primary user interface when running a show. You can see output levels, the current selection set and its names, the fader positions and the master status. Click on a button to change mode, click on a text area to edit a name. The screen consists of 5 main zones. 1. Output mimic zone Displays the levels of intensities. 2. Cue list zone Displays the Stack and Timeline of the current Stack Step. This is also the area where the effects editor is displayed.
Live Tab These are the values on the live output, post-patch. You can see output levels, and device parameters. The screen has the same Output Mimic Zone as the Playback tab in the top half. In addition to this, there is information about the parameters of each device, right under the intensity of that device 1. Device Information Focus, Color and Beam parameters are displayed. If more device parameter rows are present than can be fitted on-screen a vertical scroll bar appears.
Page Tab These are all memories and sequences as recorded into the 12 pages. Memories are displayed in red and sequences in yellow. You can set/edit names for each Page, memory and sequence. Click on names to edit. 1. Page The current page is highlighted on the left. 2. Memory Active memories are shown in bright red, inactive in dim red. Mems are allowed to exist under sequences and may be revealed and hidden with the Sm/Ms buttons on the title bar.
Mem Edit Tab This is a tab for editing the content of any memory. It is identical in layout to the live tab, however it displays only data recorded into the selected memory. Channels or devices without a level for intensity and/or parameters have no information recorded in that memory.. The memory number (Page and Fader) on the title bar operates a drop-down list to select a memory for editing. To the right of the number is the Mem name and time. 2 Tabs • Click on names and values to edit.
Stack/Seq Edit Tab This tab is for editing the content of any sequence or the Stack. The top left section is identical to the Cue List Zone of the Playback Tab. The right half is identical to the Page Tab, you can double-click on a sequence to select it for viewing. The faders are 13-24 since sequences only exist on these faders. The Stack/Sequence number on the title bar operates a drop-down list to select a sequence for editing. • Click on names and values to edit. 1.
• 2 Tabs Click on a step and drag to move to a new position between two other steps. You will get a popup where you can choose to insert as any whole or point cue possible.
Effects Edi t Tab This tab is for editing the content of any shape, linear or color effect. There are 11 Effect slots of each kind. The Effect Name on the title bar operates a dropdown list to select shape, linear or color effects for editing. 18 • Click on names and values to edit. • Click in the first row in each or the three effect types (shape, linear, color) to get a dropdown for selecting a specific effect. SmartSoft v3.0.
Groups Tab This tab is for editing the content of any group. 2 Tabs • Click on names to edit. • Double-click on a device to toggle it on/off in the corresponding group.
Pal ettes Tab This tab is for viewing/editing the content of any focus, color or beam palette. The palette number displayed with the title on the tab bar operates a drop-down list allowing selection of any palette. When a palette number is selected all palettes (Focus, Color and Beam) are shown. Parameter icons are displayed if that parameter exists on a device.
Patch Tab This tab is for viewing/editing the patch. All patching is performed by dragging between the top section and slots in one of the universes. • Hover the mouse over any cell to see the patch for that item. • Drag any item to the un-patch bin to the right to un-patch it. Intensity Channels Click on the intensity level and drag a channel to a DMX cell or click and drag a DMX cell to a channel.
Color codes DMX are colour coded according to what they are connected to. Unpatched = Black with white text Device parameter = Tan with white text Device start channel = Light grey with black text Intensity = Green with white text Overlapping cells = Red with black text Independents Click on and Independent level and drag to a DMX cell or click and drag a DMX cell to an Independent level. There is no UNDO for this! Click and edit values to set levels and set bump and GM modes. 22 SmartSoft v3.0.
DMX Outputs Tab This tab is a mimic of all levels being output on the two universes of DMX512. It is mainly intended for troubleshooting. No values may be altered on-screen.
System Tab This tab is for opening & saving show files. If a console is connected the same show will be loaded to the console. Make sure you have saved your data before loading or connecting. A show that is opened from the console can be saved in the PC from here. 24 SmartSoft v3.0.
Index B O BEAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 OFF-LINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 OPENING & SAVING SHOW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 OVERLAPPING CELLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 C COLOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18, 20 CONSOLE SIMULATOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 CONSOLE SYMBOL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 CONTACT ETC TECHNICAL SERVICES . . . . . .
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