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Getting the color right


Calhoun lights

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I am using version 4.2.6 to control a dumb three channel controller. Trying to get a warm light color on the string. I have looked at several different RGB color charts, but setting the DMX intensity scale to their suggestions results in the string having a blue or green tint. Can the hardware effect the colors? Has anyone figured out the DMX settings to the warm white look, or maybe it can't accomplished using LEDS.

Thanks

Calhoun Lights

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It depends somewhat on the strings themselves.  They are NOT all the same.  Generally lights bought in the same batch will look the same, but different types of lights or even the same lights bought at different times often look different.  Here is what I do to get the color the way I want.  How you test this depends on how the lights are controller, so I have several listings.

 

For lights controlled by a LOR controller using LOR networking:

Use the console portion of the hardware utility to vary the individual RGB colors of the light until you get the color you like. 

 

For lights controlled by E1.31:

Use an E1.31 console to vary the individual RGB colors of the lights until you get the desired color.  I use SACNView which primarily is used to monitor E1.31 activity, but can also be used to generate E1.31 commands.

 

For lights controlled over DMX:

Use a DMX console to vary the individual RGB colors of the lights until you get the desired color.  As I don't use DMX, I can't tell you what console to use.

 

Common notes:

This is MUCH easier if you can look at the light in the location where it will be used while controlling the lights.  In my case, I use a laptop out in the front yard and remote into my show computer to control the hardware utility or SACNView.  The reason I specifically state to test this while the lights are in the location that they will be used is because background, or other lighting can affect what the light looks like.  For example, a floodlight shining against a white wall will look radically different than the same floodlight shining up against a red brick wall or my green painted house.  If you have no way to control the console while in the yard, you can teach someone else in your house to control the lights while you are in the yard watching the lights and talking to the person on the computer over a phone or radio (or yell in the window if it's close enough (not for me)).  As a last resort, you can write a sequence that tries various combinations of RGB levels.  The only disadvantage of this is that you may have to try several times to get it right.

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Thank Jim, looks like I have more work to. Good thing it's not my Christmas show, but landscape lighting. So I will just have to work it the settings until the boss (wife of 48 years) is happy.

Thanks

Calhoun Lights

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