Strobe effect - CF50D

[Coop]

Besides shimmer or a  motion effect is there an easy way in S5 to turn on/enable strobe effect on a CF50D? For example pick a color and then turn "Strobe ON" on?

 

[Mega Arch]

yes - set up each flood up with 5 channels. Channels 1,2,3 as rgb channels, 4 is worthless - don't use it, channel 5 is strobe on. Select your colors in 1,2,3, and select channel 5 as well. This won't show up in the Visualizer - will just show your colors are on. But hook up a flood and be amazed!

 

[MattBrown]

An easy way to get the strobe channels created in Preview Design:

1) Click the "Add Item" button

2) Double click on "Add a Light-O-Rama Device"

3) From the drop-down list, select "CF50D Flood"

Matt

[Coop]

Matt,

All the floods are added. Now what?

[MattBrown]

See page 11 of the CF50D manual to see how the strobe channels behave:

http://www1.lightorama.com/PDF/CF50D_UF50D_UserMan_Web.pdf

Matt

[Mega Arch]

3 hours ago, Mega Arch said:

yes - set up each flood up with 5 channels. Channels 1,2,3 as rgb channels, 4 is worthless - don't use it, channel 5 is strobe on. Select your colors in 1,2,3, and select channel 5 as well. This won't show up in the Visualizer - will just show your colors are on. But hook up a flood and be amazed!

 

I misspoke - channel 5 is strobe off as Matt pointed out. But my meaning is still the same. Unless you are a lighting technician, I have found zero reason to use channel 4. This short clip below I made in 2015 demonstrates it. The first flashes and etc you see are using shimmer and twinkle. About 5 secs from the end, about the 30 sec mark, I have colors selected in 1,2&3 and then just filled in the channel 5 solid (ON)- which creates a nice strobing effect. Depending on the song, the easiest way to program is to use the floods as a washing effect. Then, to add the pop you're wanting, copy your strobe channel and paste into channel 5. Then the floods strobe at the same time your strobes do, in whatever color you've chosen.

https://youtu.be/8MXqirrO_ws

 

[foboybbq]

Matt, are you working in 5.1.4?  I'm new to RGB, but my floods are working fine and just can't seem to get them to strobe.  I have channels 1-3 populated with a color, channel 4 is "strobe on" and is filled in, and nothing in channel 5 "stobe off".  I've tried flipping 4 and 5 but it doesn't seem to do anything different.  Thoughts?

[Mega Arch]

3 minutes ago, foboybbq said:

Matt, are you working in 5.1.4?  I'm new to RGB, but my floods are working fine and just can't seem to get them to strobe.  I have channels 1-3 populated with a color, channel 4 is "strobe on" and is filled in, and nothing in channel 5 "stobe off".  I've tried flipping 4 and 5 but it doesn't seem to do anything different.  Thoughts?

Are you looking in Vis? Or do you actually have the floods hooked up?

I ask as Vis still doesn't support the strobing portion of the floods.

And I always leave channel 4 blank. Always. Populate colors on 1,2,3 & 5 when strobing is desired.

 

 

[foboybbq]

I thought I had tested with the strobes every which way possible, but just did it again per your instructions and was successful.  Thank you!

[Mega Arch]

8 minutes ago, foboybbq said:

I thought I had tested with the strobes every which way possible, but just did it again per your instructions and was successful.  Thank you!

Glad you figured it out. I love mine. 

[DocBrown86]

Can someone explain what the instructions are talking about when it says switch the Strobe Off time between 1% and 2% for a realistic lightning effect? Are they saying quickly going back-and-forth would allow for more sporadic flashing rather than timed flashes?

Also If I’m understanding correctly, wouldn’t you just want to keep strobe on to a 1% minimum at all times so it’s ready to go? Or would this be bad for some reason?

[Mega Arch]

14 hours ago, DocBrown86 said:

Can someone explain what the instructions are talking about when it says switch the Strobe Off time between 1% and 2% for a realistic lightning effect? Are they saying quickly going back-and-forth would allow for more sporadic flashing rather than timed flashes?

Also If I’m understanding correctly, wouldn’t you just want to keep strobe on to a 1% minimum at all times so it’s ready to go? Or would this be bad for some reason?

The standard setting on channel 5 is fine for strobing our yard shows. You would have to be doing some kind of theatrical show before split seconds really matter. Just don't mess with the settings. Choose your colors on channels 1, 2 & 3. Then highlight channel 5 when you want/need the flood to strobe.

Keep it easy/peasy...