Tracking On The Magicq - ChamSys MagicQ User Manual

ChamSys Ltd
However, some other consoles utilise a tracking mode to reduce show storage whereby only the changes
made since the last Cue was recorded are stored into a Cue. This is often very confusing, since if you
jump around in Cue Stacks they may not playback as they were programmed. Busking live shows can be
particularly difficult, as it can be more difficult to predict what is going to happen.
The MagicQ has a significant amount of in-built memory and a multi Gigabyte disk, so show size is not a
major concern. The MagicQ also has powerful editing modes that enable changes to be made to multiple
Cues simultaneously – thus overcoming any benefits tracking mode might have for storing Cues in
separate parts.
The MagicQ supports a tracking mode, which can be turned on through View Settings in the Setup
Window. We recommend that all but "die hard" tracking mode users utilise the console in its default,
"non tracking" mode.
13.4.1

Tracking on the MagicQ

The easiest way to change between tracking and non tracking is to change the "Programming Mode" by
pressing the B soft button in the Setup Window and choosing one of the modes – Normal, Theatre Non-
Tracking, Theatre Tracking or Hog II Warp.
Changing the "Programming Mode" affects the "Programmer Tracking" option in the Setup Window and
also the defaults for tracking ("Track","Zero old HTP" , "Zero old FX", "Rel old chans") on the Cues
Stack options. The "Programmer Tracking" option by itself determines how Cues are recorded - it does
not affect how they are played back.
When programmer tracking mode is off, then the entire contents of the programmer is recorded into Cues
regardless of whether attributes have been change since the last Cue was recorded.
When programmer tracking mode is on, then only attributes that have been modified since the Cue was
recorded are stored into the new Cue. Attributes are determined as modified if their value had been
changed using an encoder, using keypad entry, using a range button, using a palette or by a locate fixture.
Note that modifying an attribute to a new value and then returning it to its old value counts as modified.
Whilst in programmer tracking mode it is possible to force a record of the whole of the programmer by
selecting the ENTIRE STATE record option. Record options are configured by pressing SHIFT and
RECORD; whereupon the Record Options window is opened. Pressing any Window select button hides
the display option and returns to the appropriate Window.
As a Cue Stack is executed, it keeps track of channels that have been used in previous Cues but are not
used in the current Cue. How these channels are handled depends on the following settings on each Cue
in the Cue Stack – there are three options which are shown in the Track field.
H Track HTP
L Track LTP
F Track FX
MagicQ User Manual
(Defaults Yes in tracking mode)
(Defaults Yes in all modes)
(Defaults Yes in tracking mode)
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Version 1.4.9.0