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MRM LFP Quick Start Manual

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LFP
CONTROLLER
Quick Start Guide
Document version: LFP-QSG-20160421 MSA-21 v6.14
Part number: MRMC-1168-02

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  • Page 1 CONTROLLER Quick Start Guide Document version: LFP-QSG-20160421 MSA-21 v6.14 Part number: MRMC-1168-02...
  • Page 2 LFP Quick Start Guide Document version: LFP-QSG-20160421 MSA-21 v6.14 Part number: MRMC-1168-02 © 2016 Mark Roberts Motion Control Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, or translated by any means — graphical, electronic, or mechanical — including...

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Safety..................1 Overview ................. 1 Connecting the cables ............3 Powering up and loading the head ........4 Turning off the LFP and head ........6 The LFP controls ..............6 Setting the control directions ..........8 Zeroing the axes ..............10 Zeroing the axes manually.........11...
  • Page 4 Typical symptoms, causes, and actions ......53 Working with Local Area Networks ........56 Introduction to LAN addresses ........56 Managing LAN addresses with the LFP ....58 Managing LAN addresses with Flair......61 Zeroing lens axes with external Lens Control Motors ..64 Axes directions............64 Zeroing a lens ring with a hard stop......66...

  • Page 5: Chapter 1 Quick Start

    (pan, tilt, and roll), position (if on a rail) and camera functions (focus, zoom, and iris). You can also plug additional controls into the LFP such as focus and zoom lens controls, and pan bars.
  • Page 6 LFP Quick Start Guide • Record and Playback of moves, including camera synchronization - You can create, store, play back, and modify up to 174 axis-minutes of head movements, including lens control movements. • A-B moves – To define start and end points and automatically create a smooth move between them.

  • Page 7: Connecting The Cables

    LFP Quick Start Guide Connecting the cables Put the BOOT MODE switch to Up position. 3-hole plug, Attach the power cables last. 24 Volts DC ETHERNET POWER IN See also Back panel and accessories on page 70. Example head: AFC...

  • Page 8: Powering Up And Loading The Head

    It is recommended that you do not use the POWER OUT socket on the LFP to power the head if you are using an Ethernet connection to the head. If you do so then powering up the LFP will simultaneously...
  • Page 9 Press the SELECT knob to load the operating system into the head. This is called “loading the head”. If the load is successful, the screen on the LFP displays a message similar to the following, and you will be able to move the head with the joystick: ETHERNET MODE CAM FPS: 0.00...

  • Page 10: Turning Off The Lfp And Head

    LFP Quick Start Guide Turning off the LFP and head As there is no power switch on the LFP or head, to turn these off you simply remove the power cable. All MRMC controllers and heads have robust electronics that are designed to withstand the rigours of connection and disconnection to live power cables.
  • Page 11 LFP Quick Start Guide (smoothing of jerkiness in the controls), input exponential and scale (sensitivity). The LFP has two main modes of operation: • Broadcast mode, in which you can store and recall static camera positions. This is described in Chapter 2.

  • Page 12: Setting The Control Directions

    LFP Quick Start Guide Setting the control directions In the LFP you need to specify the directions of the focus, zoom and joystick controls for your particular head, lens gearing attachments, and preference. For example, some people prefer the camera to point upward when the joystick is pulled back, while others prefer the opposite logic whereby pushing forward (“up”) on the joystick targets the camera...
  • Page 13 LFP Quick Start Guide Menu option Description FOCUS AUX Auxiliary focus control plugged into the LFP. ZOOM AUX Auxiliary zoom control plugged into the LFP.

  • Page 14: Zeroing The Axes

    This defines a base position at which all head positions and lens settings are set to zero (0) in the LFP. All limits, lens controls, preset positions, and moves that are stored in the LFP are measured relative to this base position.

  • Page 15: Zeroing The Axes Manually

    If you have a lens with external motors, set the focus to infinity (∞), zoom to wide-angle (zoomed out all the way), and iris/aperture to wide open. Do this either with the LFP controls or by moving the gears by hand. Also see Zeroing lens axes with external Lens Control Motors on page 64.

  • Page 16: Zeroing The Axes By Homing

    (if you are in Film mode) HOME AXES ALL AXES The menu panel on the LFP prompts you to move the lens controls (focus, zoom, and iris as applicable) to their zero points: IF USING LCMs FOCUS ON INFINITY, OPEN THE IRIS, ZOOM...

  • Page 17: Setting The Soft Limits

    Zeroing lens axes with external Lens Control Motors on page 64. Press SELECT. The head moves its axes to their home positions and all LFP axes settings are zeroed. Any stored limits, presets, and moves are now operational. Setting the soft limits...
  • Page 18 LFP Quick Start Guide PAN SL: ENABLED MAX: 203923 MIN: -202148 TILT SL: ENABLED MAX: 80365 MIN: -90008 FOCUS SL: ENABLED MAX: 187614 MIN: 0 ZOOM SL: ENABLED MAX: 149113 MIN: 0 IRIS SL: ENABLED MAX: 65522 MIN: 0 The numbers in the menu options refer to physical positions of the head or lens axes, relative to the zero point that was set earlier.

  • Page 19: Session Summary

    For subsequent sessions at the same site you typically need to do the following at the start of every session. Attach the power cables to the head and LFP. Load the head (page 4). Zero the axes (page 10).

  • Page 20: Chapter 2 Using Broadcast Mode To Record And Re-Use Static Camera Positions

    The panel shows that you are now in Record mode: SHOTBOX RECORD If you haven’t done so already, use the LFP controls to go to the head direction and position, and lens focus, zoom, and iris settings that you want to record.

  • Page 21: Using A Preset

    LFP Quick Start Guide As long as you stay in Record mode (panel showing SHOTBOX RECORD pressing one of the white PRESETS buttons will store the current settings to that button, overwriting the previous settings for that button. Using a preset In Broadcast mode, press the PLAY button.
  • Page 22 LFP Quick Start Guide The new fine-tuned settings overwrite the previous settings for that button.

  • Page 23: Chapter 3 Using Film Mode To Record And Play Back Camera Movements

    4 axes simultaneously, the total time storage capacity is about 43 minutes. The LFP remembers the stored moves even if you power off, and even if you change modes and then come back to Film mode. To go into Film mode: ♦...

  • Page 24: Using The Emergency Stop Button

    LFP Quick Start Guide Using the Emergency Stop button Some variants of the LFP are supplied with an E STOP (Emergency Stop) button. ♦ Pressing the E STOP button once stops all playback immediately, disables all controls on the LFP, and makes the head hold its current position.
  • Page 25 LFP Quick Start Guide • setting controls how the LFP triggers the camera ENABLE when you play back a move. Possible settings are: – - This option only applies to MOMENTARY controllers that have a separate CAMERA trigger button, such as the MSA-20 Handwheels, Joystick Controller, and Mini MSA.
  • Page 26 INTERNAL – - the controller expects the sync signal to MSA GPI 1 come in through the General Purpose Input connector. This does not apply to the LFP. – - (Not operational in this version.) MSA VIDEO – - the controller expects the sync signal to come in...

  • Page 27: Creating A Move By Defining Start And End Points

    LFP Quick Start Guide Hint All synchronization sources are rising-edge triggered. For information on how the sync facility interacts with playback, camera triggering, and bloop light triggering, see Summary of playback events on page 30. Creating a move by defining start and end points In Film mode, choose menu option >...
  • Page 28 READY TO SHOOT begin playing the move. (When playing a move, the panel displays SHOOTING Hint If the LFP is set to wait for a sync signal ( > CAMERA SETUP , see page 22) then the controller displays the message SYNC...

  • Page 29: Creating A Move By Live Recording

    Move the head and lens controls to the start positions of the move. Press SELECT to start the recording. Hint If the LFP is set to wait for a sync signal ( CAMERA > , see page 22) then the controller...

  • Page 30: Playing Back A Move - Simple Method

    Hint In the context of the LFP and this manual, the term “Playback” refers only to the move that is being played by the LFP. The camera itself is either broadcasting or recording pictures or video, while the LFP is “playing back” its move.
  • Page 31 When the panel displays READY TO SHOOT playing the move. (When playing a move, the panel displays SHOOTING Hint If the LFP is set to wait for a sync signal ( CAMERA > , see page 22) then the controller SETUP...

  • Page 32: Playing Back A Move - Advanced Method

    LFP Quick Start Guide Playing back a move - advanced method In Film mode, choose menu option > > REC-PLAY AXES PLAYBACK SELECT PLAY MOVE Use the SELECT knob to choose which move you want to play. For example, move #7:...
  • Page 33 (second column) as the number of frames per second that the camera is actually using when the move is played back. If these are different, the LFP will automatically adjust the speed of the playback a proportionate amount so that the overall move still contains the same number of frames, taken at exactly the same head positions and lens settings.

  • Page 34: Summary Of Playback Events

    LFP Quick Start Guide Summary of playback events If camera sync is disabled (page 22), the sequence of events when you try to play a move is as follows: READY TO GOTO SELECT PERFORMING GOTO READY TO SHOOT SELECT (Controller simultaneously starts the move, sends a SHOOTING camera trigger signal, and sends a bloop trigger signal.)

  • Page 35: Using Time-Lapse Playback

    LFP Quick Start Guide Using time-lapse playback When you play back a move on the LFP using the time-lapse facility, the head and lens perform the same motions as during normal playback, but the LFP sends a camera trigger pulse to take a frame (single exposure) at regular time intervals along the way.
  • Page 36 The head and lens axes essentially perform a go-to at each frame, then stop and hold position while the frame is exposed. If you choose this option, the LFP also calculates and displays a value. The that you specify above...

  • Page 37: Modifying A Move

    To modify a move you play it back in a special way, replacing one or more of the axes with live controls. The original move remains unchanged in the LFP and the modified move is stored as a complete new move. You typically use this facility to manually correct a lens setting, such as focus.
  • Page 38 When the panel displays READY TO SHOOT playing the move. (When playing a move, the panel displays SHOOTING Hint If the LFP is set to wait for a sync signal ( CAMERA > , see page 22) then the controller SETUP...

  • Page 39: Assigning Moves To The Preset Buttons

    The head immediately goes to the start of the move. Press SELECT to start the move. Hint If the LFP is set to wait for a sync signal ( > CAMERA SETUP , see page 22) then the controller displays the message...

  • Page 40: Deleting A Move

    LFP Quick Start Guide After the move finishes you can press SELECT to return to the start of the move for another replay, or press another PRESETS button. Deleting a move In Film mode, choose menu option > > REC-PLAY AXES...

  • Page 41: Chapter 4 Speed Controls

    The following is a summary of the controls that have an effect on the speed of the rig. • SPEED knob on the LFP. This controls the general speed of the head movement when using manual controls. It has no effect on playback speed, and no effect on the lens controls (focus, zoom, or iris).
  • Page 42 LFP Quick Start Guide Off (no exponential) = linear gradient. The resulting speed is directly proportional to how far you move the control. High exponential. The speed is extra slow in the lower half of the controller movement range, but increases dramatically in the upper half.
  • Page 43 LFP Quick Start Guide limit. The higher the value, the closer the axis gets to the soft limit before it starts slowing down to come to a stop. • Goto speed in Broadcast mode, or SET GOTO SPEED % >...

  • Page 44: Appendix 1 Menu Reference

    The names of the controls, as they appear in the menu, can vary depending on which specific controller model you’ve got and how it has been configured for accessories. For example, the LFP is typically set up for the following controls:...
  • Page 45 LFP Quick Start Guide (Pan Bars 2) PB 2 (Pan Bars 3) PB 3 (Pan Bars 4) PB 4 The menu listings in this section abbreviate the above list as “(Controls)” instead of repeating the entire list each time. The names of the axes, as they appear in the menu, can vary in how they are assigned to the controls, depending on how the controller has been configured for your particular head, requirements, and preferences.

  • Page 46: Broadcast Mode

    LFP Quick Start Guide Broadcast mode Menu sequence Description and (Broadcast mode) possible settings DIRECT ZERO ALL Zero all axes at their current position or their home position. See page 10. HOME ALL AXES (Axes) SET SOFT the limits ENABLE DISABLE >...
  • Page 47 LFP Quick Start Guide Menu sequence Description and (Broadcast mode) possible settings > (Controls) SET DAMPING % The amount of smoothing to be applied to the controls, to filter out sudden jerks and twitches. See page 37. SET MAX ACCEL...

  • Page 48: Film Mode

    LFP Quick Start Guide Film mode Menu sequence Description and (Film mode) possible settings CAMERA Camera speed, in Frames Per Second. > SETUP See page 20. Lines Per Frame for the servo or stepper motors. See page 20. ENABLE The type of signal used to trigger the camera during playback.
  • Page 49 LFP Quick Start Guide Menu sequence Description and (Film mode) possible settings (Axes) GENERAL SET SOFT ENABLE DISABLE > > SETUP LIMITS limits of travel for each axis, and specify those limits. The value must be larger (or more positive) than the value.
  • Page 50 LFP Quick Start Guide Menu sequence Description and (Film mode) possible settings GENERAL SET GOTO (Axes) The speed of the axes, as > SETUP > SPEED % a percentage of top speed, when going to a (continued) preset position (in...
  • Page 51 LFP Quick Start Guide Menu sequence Description and (Film mode) possible settings GENERAL Link two axes so that > SETUP > BACK-PAN PAN AXIS when one rotates, the other compensates to BP AXIS (continued) keep the camera on BP SCALE target.
  • Page 52 LFP Quick Start Guide Menu sequence Description and (Film mode) possible settings HOME ALL AXES Zero the axes > AXES SELECT automatically, all at once (Axes) > AXIS or one at a time, using the homing facility if your head has it.
  • Page 53 LFP Quick Start Guide Menu sequence Description and (Film mode) possible settings REC- A->B POS A Create a move by > PLAY WAYPOINT POSITIONS POS B defining its start > > AXES MOVE and end points. SET MOVE MOVE >...
  • Page 54 LFP Quick Start Guide Menu sequence Description and (Film mode) possible settings > REC- RECORD SELECT (Axes) Select which axes > PLAY REC AXES you want to AXES > include in the (contin recording. ued) See page 25. RECORD Record a move.
  • Page 55 LFP Quick Start Guide Menu sequence Description and (Film mode) possible settings REC- TIME- SELECT TL PLAY MOVE Run a move as > PLAY LAPSE FRAMES normal but trigger AXES > > OPTIONS the camera at FRAME TIME (contin regular time...
  • Page 56 LFP Quick Start Guide Menu sequence Description and (Film mode) possible settings DIAGNOSE INPUT (Controls) The current values being > > AXES VALUES output by the controls, updated continuously as you use the controls. AXIS (Axes) The current values of the >...

  • Page 57: Appendix 2 Troubleshooting

    Quick Start Guide Typical symptoms, causes, and actions Symptoms or message Cause and/or action The LFP failed to load the operating system HEAD DID NOT LOAD into the head. HEAD NOT LOADED Check that all cables are connected, and all LOAD FAIL devices have power.
  • Page 58 LFP Quick Start Guide Symptoms or message Cause and/or action Limits are being The axes have not been zeroed. You must do ignored or causing the this at the beginning of each session just after head to oscillate when you load the head (page 10).
  • Page 59 LFP Quick Start Guide Symptoms or message Cause and/or action Move playback fails to The option > CAMERA SETUP CAM SYNC start. using a setting other than and the DISABLED controller has not yet received a sync signal AWAITIING CAM...

  • Page 60: Working With Local Area Networks

    LFP Quick Start Guide Working with Local Area Networks If you are using an Ethernet connection between the LFP and the head, they communicate with each other through an Ethernet Local Area Network (LAN). The LFP and head are devices on the network. Under...
  • Page 61 IP address must be unique for each device. All other numbers and addresses must be identical. The LAN addresses of the LFP and head are static. That is, they will stay the same unless you explicitly change them. Hint...

  • Page 62: Managing Lan Addresses With The Lfp

    LFP Quick Start Guide You can use the LFP to inspect and edit all of the above stored IP addresses using the procedure given in the next section, Managing LAN addresses with the LFP. If you want, you can also use Flair Motion Control Software to inspect and edit the actual IP address of a head with an unknown history.
  • Page 63 IP address. If you are looking at the MSA IP address (that is, the IP address of the LFP) then you can inspect or edit it here to make sure the IP address is unique on the network.
  • Page 64 FILM MODE 10. Unplug the LFP power cable, then plug it back in. 11. Press SELECT to load the head when prompted. When the head has been loaded successfully you can use the LFP to control the head, lens, and camera.

  • Page 65: Managing Lan Addresses With Flair

    The factory-set IP address of a head is printed on a sticker on the head. If the IP address of a head has been changed to an unknown value so you can’t load the head from the LFP, you can find out the head’s IP address either by using the...
  • Page 66 LFP Quick Start Guide The Network Setup window, Connection tab, lists the Nodes (head connections) that Flair is looking for, as defined in the NetworkDirect.ini file. Any changes that you make and Save in the Network Setup window are saved in the NetworkDirect.ini file. You can also edit this file by using the menu option Help >...
  • Page 67 To change the IP address stored in the head you can use either the LFP or Flair. If you want to use Flair to change the head’s IP address, or to inspect or change the SN or GW addresses, follow the sub-steps below: 9.1 Enter the head’s existing IP address (as shown in the...

  • Page 68: Zeroing Lens Axes With External Lens Control Motors

    If you are using a lens with external LCMs, you need to make sure that when you move the lens controls (focus, zoom, and iris), the axis values (as displayed on the LFP) increase in the correct direction. To check this: Choose menu option:...
  • Page 69 LFP Quick Start Guide If any of the axes increase in the wrong direction then this will cause problems with limits and stored positions and moves. You can fix the problem by following the remainder of this procedure. Press BACK several times to return to the top of the menu tree, then choose >...

  • Page 70: Zeroing A Lens Ring With A Hard Stop

    LFP Quick Start Guide Zeroing a lens ring with a hard stop For any lens ring that has a hard physical stop at the end of its range (for example zoom or iris) you have a choice of configuring the lens to be zeroed manually or homed automatically.

  • Page 71: Zeroing A Lens Ring With A Slip Clutch

    LFP Quick Start Guide Adjust the > value to a suitable HOME AXES SET HOMING POWER setting (usually 30% to 70%). The power needs to be high enough to move the lens ring but not so high that the motor jumps out of mesh when it reaches the hard limit of the lens ring.

  • Page 72: Using A Fiz Pot

    (page 64), then adjust the direction setting of the FIZ pot control for that axis (page 8). A FIZ pot differs from the controls on your LFP, in that a FIZ pot has hard stops that limit its rotation range to about 355°. This has several consequences, described below.
  • Page 73 LFP Quick Start Guide Enter the PIN (given to you by MRMC support) to access the Engineering menu. Caution Engineering mode is for advanced users, as applying the wrong settings here can stop the system from working. Apply the settings carefully, and make a note of the changes so you can revert to the previous settings if the system stops working.

  • Page 74: Appendix 3 Back Panel And Accessories

    MSA Archiver software connecting via the SERIAL B port). • Centre position = Flair mode. The LFP only operates as a slave mimic device and boots up from Flair Motion Control Software, either directly from a PC running Flair (over an...
  • Page 75 Auxiliary connectors for Focus and Zoom on page 76 Pan Bars connector on page 77 11. POWER IN connector. The LFP requires a 3-pin, 24 Volt DC power supply. For pin-out information see Power In connector on page 78.
  • Page 76 It is recommended that you do not use the POWER OUT socket to power the head if you are using an Ethernet connection to the head. If you do so then powering up the LFP will simultaneously power up the head, and in this instance powering up two Ethernet devices at the same time on the same network can cause communication problems between them.

  • Page 77: Connector Pin-Out Information

    LFP Quick Start Guide Connector pin-out information Camera trigger out When you play a move on the LFP, it outputs a camera trigger signal (Trigger 1) from the appropriate connector on the attached head. For example: • Pin 2 of the TRIGGER connector on an AFC head, Quad-box...

  • Page 78: Camera Sync In

    22. Data In connector The Data In (DataLink In) connector is used to connect the LFP to an RT-12 or RT-14 interface box when the LFP is booted up in Flair mode and used only as a slave mimic device. For usage see page 71. Bit rate 10Mbps.

  • Page 79: Data Out Connector

    The Data Out (DataLink Out) connector is used to connect the LFP to a head when the LFP is booted up in Flair mode and used only as a slave mimic device. For usage see page 71. Bit rate 10Mbps.

  • Page 80: Serial B Connector

    LFP Quick Start Guide Serial B connector Serial A is an RS232 port used for copying moves to and from a PC that is running MSA Archiver software. The copying is controlled in both directions from the MSA Archiver software. The Baud rate is 38.4kbps.

  • Page 81: Pan Bars Connector

    LFP Quick Start Guide Pan Bars connector PB1A+ PB1B+ PB2A+ PB2B+ PB3A+ PB3B+ PB4A+ PB4B+ GPO6 10. GPO7 11. GPO8 12. GPO9 13. +12V 14. PB1A– 15. PB1B– 16. PB2A– 17. PB2B– 18. PB3A– 19. PB3B– 20. PB4A– 21. PB4B–...

  • Page 82: Power In Connector

    It is recommended that you do not use the POWER OUT socket on the LFP to power the head if you are using an Ethernet connection to the head. If you do so then powering up the LFP will simultaneously...

  • Page 83: Appendix 4 Specifications

    LFP Quick Start Guide Appendix 4 Specifications LFP Quick Start Guide Quick Start Guide Weight: 2.4 Kg Power requirements: 24 Volts DC / 100-240 Volts AC Temperature range: 0-45 °C (32-113 °F) Humidity tolerance: 0% to 85% relative humidity, non-condensing...

  • Page 84: Index Of Menu Options

    LFP Quick Start Guide Index of menu options LFP Quick Start Guide A->B WAYPOINT MOVE PLAYBACK ANY SPEED ALL AXES AUTO ENABLE PLAYBACK SAME SPEED AXIS POSITIONS POS A BP AXIS POS B BP SCALE REC. SPEED BROADCAST MODE RECORD...
  • Page 85 LFP Quick Start Guide TL OPTIONS TL PLAYBACK TYPE UP FAIRING ZEROING METHOD ZRS MASTER ZRS SCALE...

  • Page 86: Index

    LFP Quick Start Guide Index LFP Quick Start Guide DataLink In (DATA IN) See also: Index of menu options connector 71 on page 80. pin-outs 74 DataLink Out (DATA OUT) connector 71 acceleration 37 pin-outs 75 auto-focus 21, 73 deleting moves 36...
  • Page 87 LFP Quick Start Guide IP address 57 playing moves advanced method 28 simple method 26 Lens Control Motors, zeroing 64 time-lapse 31 limits, soft 13 playing preset camera loading the head 4 positions 17 POWER IN connector 71 pin-outs 78...
  • Page 88 LFP Quick Start Guide SN address 57 soft limits 13 specifications 79 speed 37 go-to 38 zoom related 38 SPEED knob 37 static camera positions, recording and using 16 switching off 6 switching on 4 sync, camera 22 order of events 30...
  • Page 89 LFP Quick Start Guide Notes...
  • Page 90 LFP Quick Start Guide Notes...
  • Page 91 LFP Quick Start Guide Notes...
  • Page 92 Mark Roberts Motion Control Ltd. Unit 3, South East Studios, Blindley Heath, Surrey RH7 6JP United Kingdom Telephone: +44 (0) 1342 838000 info@mrmoco.com www.mrmoco.com...

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