Auto Spot tab is where you configure the following properties of a fixture to better mimic a human follow spot operator.
Fixture Settings - Auto Spot tab
Auto Spot Mode Settings
Auto Spot Mode is where a fixture simulates the behavior of a manual follow spot. In normal operation, moving fixtures will lock on to a Trackable and follow all movement, even if the movement is very slight. This has the possibility of making the fixture’s light look shaky or jittery. In Auto Spot Mode, when a Trackable is relatively still, the following fixture will freeze in place. When the Trackable starts to make larger movements, and/or attempt to exit the frozen light beam, the fixture will unfreeze and continue following tightly.
There are two different follow spot modes to choose from. They can be used independently or together. The different auto spot modes are:
- Local Damping: The system will ignore small movements on all axis. Select the Enable Local Damping Mode checkbox to display Radius and Enter Time.
- Radius: Click on the Radius scroll box to adjust the size of the movement. Refer to the diagram below.
- When a given Trackable is only moving within this value, in relation to the Enter Time, the fixture will freeze in place. A secondary radius will be built around this radius, which extends past the bounds of the first radius by half the size of the specified radius setting.
- If the Trackable moves outside of the original first radius but still within the secondary radius, the fixture slowly readjusts to the new position, and the first radius moves to the new position.
- If the Trackable moves outside of the secondary radius, the fixture resumes tracking as normal, responding to small movements again.
- Diagram:
- Enter Time: Click on the Enter Time scroll box to adjust the length of time that a Trackable must be within the Radius for the setting to become engaged. The longer the time that the Trackable is within the radius, the slower the fixture responds to movements until eventually all movement is ignored.
- Radius: Click on the Radius scroll box to adjust the size of the movement. Refer to the diagram below.
- Z-Damping: The system will ignore small vertical movements on the Z axis. Select the Enable Z-Damping Mode checkbox to display Damping Time.
- If the Trackable stays within a constant range, over the specified time, Z movements slow down until eventually Z movements are ignored within the distance traveled.
- If the Trackable moves outside of the distance measured over the course of the specified Dampening Time, a new distance range is set.
Note: Auto Spot Mode is determined per fixture, per Chapter.
To enable auto spot mode for a fixture
- In the Chapter widget, select the chapter the fixture is in.
- On the center pane, click on the Trackable the fixture is assigned to.
- On the bottom pane, click on the Fixture Icon to select the fixture.
- Result: The settings of the selected fixture will be displayed in the Fixture Settings widget.
- With the Fixture Icon selected, go to the Fixture Settings widget.
- Under the Auto Spot Mode section, select the checkbox next to the desired Auto Spot Mode(s).
- For the changes to take effect, click Apply Changes.