Feature Request: Fixed Zoom in the FX Rack

[bd97]

Loving my Wolfmix controller so far! After about a month of testing, one feature I feel would be greatly beneficial is an option to control fixture zoom independently in the FX Rack. On the latest firmware, (0.6.4) there is an option to control "feature" in the Beam FX menu. However, this only automates the zoom in and out repeatedly. It doesn't give you finite control over the fixed zoom level between 0-100%.

A proposed solution to this would be tapping the encoder in the Beam FX menu to change from "size" to "zoom" — and then allowing a 0-100% setting.

This was tested using the Chauvet R1x Wash, which is a flexible wash fixture with an 11 to 48 degree zoom. On the tight end, it is respectably spotty, but on the wide end, it's an expansive wash. The zoom level obviously has a major impact on the appearance of the beam, and is a huge appeal of this particular fixture and many others. So it would make sense for zoom level to be its own fixed parameter in the Beam FX page. Currently, the only other way I'm able to manually adjust the zoom level of this fixture is via live edit.

Fixed zoom control would also be useful in the static position picker. Perhaps you want to zoom in on a distant mirror ball or wedding cake. Perhaps you want to have your fixtures washing a very broad area. You get the picture!

Can I remap the focus level (in the static position picker) to control zoom instead?

Cheers!

[bd97]

After typing this out, it got me thinking: couldn't I just create a live edit and leave everything blank except the zoom level? Turns out you can!

So now I have a live edit with 0% zoom for the tightest possible beam angle, and a live edit with 100% zoom for the widest beam angle. Leaving the rest of the parameters blank defaults them back to whatever the FX Racks are doing. So problem solved!

I will leave this post up in case anybody else runs into the same issue

[Simon]

Can I remap the focus level (in the static position picker) to control zoom instead?

Yep! It was what I was about to suggest actually. It's a new feature in 0.6.x.

Go to DMX values.
Hit the settings icon in the top right. This opens the beam editor which allows for you to adjust the mappings.
Select your fixture with the first encoder
Scroll to Focus with the second encoder
Tap the second encoder and then select the channel (within the fixture)
Use the 3rd encoder to select the min and max DMX values of the 'focus' (zoom)

We're thinking of other (easier) ways to adjust certain parameters like zoom on the fly without a live edit....

[bd97]

Thanks for the response! I will definitely have to give that a try. Looking forward to seeing what "easier ways" to control zoom eventually evolve into firmware updates. But for now, the live edit trick is totally sufficient! Just one of its many practical uses

[nox]

but cut possible in the "position" mode to do the Zoom from a Position, can replace the "focus" funktion for washlights to Zoom?
then i can save the zoom in a position, the i don't need a extra button.
I know the Lights hanging on diffrent distence to a Objekt, but then ist approximantly the Beam size adjust and saved.

[Simon]

Yes, this is what I described above.

[leesinthemix]

One of the answers would be to open up the Wolfmix to MIDI support

A section in WTOOLS like the Traktor Controller Manager for example, with the ability to map any DMX function on any fixture (or group of) to a fader, button or encoder.

This solution also then this gives Wolfmix the freedom to release a dedicated add-on MIDI controller in the future hehe.