Foreword: Is the lighting control system safe and reliable? This problem has always plagued the on-site film and television stage lighting engineer and is also one of the important topics that the system designer of the lighting equipment manufacturer has long explored. In recent years, several sets of insurance schemes have been designed and implemented at home and abroad, but they are always stretched out and there are many flaws. According to the spirit of the "Future Lighting Network Development Seminar" organized by ESTA (American Stage Lighting Association) in 1997 and attended by representatives of world-renowned lighting manufacturers, Strand Lighting of the United Kingdom took the lead in changing this dream Became a reality. In this paper, the value of Strand Lighting "ShowNet" network digital dimming systems, internal structure, features, and domestic and international success stories, etc. for a discussion.
1. Use value and application perspective
Film and television stage lighting is a comprehensive application art, and the lighting language needs to change at any time in accordance with the changes of the plot and the scene; conference lighting requires continuous signal output. As a reliable or not the command center, lighting control system, lighting system, directly affecting the entire meeting was held and smooth lighting effect and quality of the performances of the entire party. To ensure foolproof lighting control, in addition to the choice of technology is mature, stable and reliable product performance dimming outside scientific and reasonable backup control system design is crucial.
In recent years, in order to solve this problem, major domestic and foreign professional lighting manufacturers have designed and implemented several backup modes. The most advanced mode is to place two dimmers with the same function in the same control room to work simultaneously. The output with the highest priority will be given priority. When the main console fails, it will be controlled by the auxiliary console. Since the connection between the main and backup consoles does not have a mutual learning function, it is usually necessary to program the light control program into the main and backup consoles before the performance, which not only wastes resources but also fails to achieve the best tracking backup effect.
TV industry digital, networked, intelligent wave, a strong impetus to the rapid development of professional lighting technology. As early as the early 1990s, the developers of Squande Lighting Company used the superhuman courage, exploration and practice of digital glory and dreams. They built a successful model of lighting control network with international leading technology; they have rich international production management With experience and ISO9001 quality assurance system, the two major production bases in Britain and the United States eventually turned the designer's vision into a mature product, developed "Server" software and "ShowNet Configuration" software, and formed a network system named "ShowNet". This system breaks the traditional lighting control backup system, adopts advanced networked digital dimming technology, and converts the main console Strand 550i (or 530i, 520 i, or 300 series dimming console, etc.) and the backup station Strand 510i (or 530i etc.), 520 I, or 310i via network distributor and network nodes, connected to the dimmer cabinet into a digital lighting control network. The application of the "ShowNet" network digital dimming system technically guarantees the reliability and continuity of the DMX signal output of the light control, and has incomparable use value and broad application prospects.
1. The network technology conforms to the development direction and requirements of digital technology, facilitates the implementation of remote control and technical support, and provides a convenient technical means for the lighting designer’s desktop design computer networking;
2. Each console in the network learns from each other and backs up each other. The backup station is connected to the main control station with a network architecture, and uses the full-track backup mode to learn the main control station, that is, two dimming stations are processed in parallel, and the button on any one of the stations will immediately learn the other. When any one of the stations fails, the other one will automatically switch to the follow-up output. This way can give full play to the role of limited resources, but also to ensure the show or meeting lighting control foolproof;
3. Through the network communication signal interface and the dimmer stander Reporter PC software, the lighting operator can keep abreast of the instant information and working status of the lighting system at any time through the PC computer or console display screen in the lighting control room, so as to timely monitor the lighting of each loop , Intervention or error correction;
4. You can set PC, designer position, remote control, show controller, etc. through the network node, so as to realize point control, multi-point control, portable remote control or unmanned control, to rehearse the program , Production brings transformative convenience;
The network system stability, reasonable programming, in case of a hardware configuration does not change, the software can also be used to upgrade the system. Because the "ShowNet" system uses TCP/IP as the network communication protocol, it is used by most software vendors in the world today, such as Microsoft's Windows O/S, so this "ShowNet" system can share its use with other TCP/IP. The pipeline reduces costs, increases system foresight and compatibility, and lays a good foundation for user management to move towards the information superhighway.
2. Network configuration and technical requirements
Sichuan Deguang's "ShowNet" network system uses the most widely used TCP/IP as its communication protocol.
＊System wiring
"ShowNet" system hardware architecture. The selection of wire can be determined according to the size of the system and the distance between the nodes.
No. Name Type of plug Type of wire Effective distance
1 10Base2 BNC 50ohm coaxial cable 185M
2 10BaseT RJ45 5 type network cable 100M
3 10BaseFL ST or SMA 62.5/125 1KM
As can be seen from the above list, except for the third optical fiber, the farthest effective distance is 10Base2. It is supposed to be the best choice, but when you configure the entire system should pay attention to the issue, "terminals" and distribution lines.
10Base2 typical design, must be added to the end of the line head as the 50ohm load of the entire terminal network segment. The length of the network segment can be up to 185 meters, but the entire network segment must be linear. If there are any gaps in the 185-meter cable laying, the original two segments will be paralyzed. In addition, the interface and cable used are relatively expensive, so if it is not necessary or necessary to connect the two sub-systems, it is generally not recommended.
The connection of 10BaseT is like a star, and the center part is connected by a network distributor (HUBS). The interface is RJ45 similar to a telephone number connector, and the cable is a twisted pair type 5 (100M bit/sec) network cable. This connection has the advantages of simplicity and clarity, material economy and high insurance factor. In case one of the segments is broken, other nodes connected to the network distributor can continue to work. For large-scale stages (see Figure 1 "Shandong Town Hall", Figure 2 "Shandong Small Hall"), large and medium-sized studios (see Figure 3 "CCTV 1000 square meters studio") use this connection method.
As 10BaseFL (optical fiber) compared with the large-scale network system. The general design is the connection between each subsystem. Such as large-scale outdoor performances (see Figure 4 "Sydney Olympics Opening Ceremony"), large theme parks in different theme intervals (see Figure 5 "Shanghai Science and Technology City") can use this connection.
＊System hardware
ShowNet system consists of the following parts:
Ⅰ Dimmer
Ⅱ Network node
Ⅲ PC
Ⅳ Network distributor
The dimming station is the center of the whole system and the operation interface. You can use Strand 500 series or Strand 300 series and other computer dimming consoles with Pentium III processor. The defined modes can be three kinds of main console, backup console and remote control console. The role of the main console is the first of the entire network, and there can be 18000 optical paths and 32 DMX-512 segments to control the entire system. The backup station is connected to the main console with a network architecture, and uses the full tracking backup (Full Tracking Backup) mode to learn from the main console. That is, two dimming stations are processed in parallel, and pressing the button on any one will immediately learn the other. There is no need to program in the host computer and store it in the floppy disk like the traditional backup method, and then put the floppy disk on the backup station to upload. Once the crash occurs in the middle of the show, you need to re-operate in the backup station to affect the performance. The remote control station is the sub-control station of the main control station, which often needs to be handled in large-scale performances. For example, the main unit is controlled by traditional lights, and the sub-control station is controlled by computer lights.
network points can be divided into: SN100, SN102, SN103 and SN104. In addition to providing DMX input/output, SN100 and SN102 can also provide other signals such as color display, Midi, Aux, Reporter, portable remote control and floppy drive. A small type 5 network cable can contain so many signals, which is not possible with traditional DMX cables. N103 and SN104 only as DMX output / input function, wherein the AC power SN103, SN104 to DC24-48V power.
In the whole network, the role of PC is very important. The software that can be loaded on the PC are "Genius Pro", "ShowNet Pro", "Reporter" and "Server", etc.
*system software
Squande Lighting Co., Ltd. is the first lighting manufacturer to apply the future technology to today. After years of practical application in the market and feedback from customers, it has developed and produced software that can be applied in the lighting network digital dimming system. At present, the software widely used on the dimmer is "Genius Pro", "Tracker", "Communique", "Networker", "Reporter", "Server", "Show Net Configuration", etc. Different software has different functions in the entire network.
"Genius Pro" for the entire system or a stand-alone operating system (O / S), all other functions are also about its existence. This software can handle 6000 channels, 8192 silicon channels (Dimmer), 2000 fields (Cue), 1000 groups (Group), 2000 macros (Macros), 600X99 effect steps, 30 effect performances, 3000 time codes (SMPTE), etc. Features. In addition to the dimming station applications, it can also be loaded into the PC to use the PC as backup or offline editing.
Tracker is a scanner control purposes, broadly speaking, it is to control all DMX signal reception equipment is started. Due to the use of a brand new attribute concept to operate, it makes the operation process more intuitive.
Communique is the interface for the dimmer to connect to external signals, such as analog input trigger, SMPTE, Midi and macro trigger.
Networker, as the name implies, is a bridge between stand-alone and network. It is currently running at a speed of 10Mbit/s and can be accelerated to 100Mbit/s if necessary in the future.
"Server" is all centralized console programming, ie, each console can achieve the purpose of sharing resources through the "Server".
The network workstation is installed with the "ShowNet Configuration" software for the PC platform. This software is responsible for the distribution of DMX address codes for the entire system. Its powerful function can combine any loop in the 512 loop of a section (Universal) with any loop of other sections to form another. A new paragraph, this is beyond the reach of other manufacturers DMX distribution methods. The latest version of "ShowNet" "Show Net Pro" has improved the original processing capacity from 16 to 32 segments, that is, 32X512=16384 DMX address codes. These 32 segments are hidden on the network adapter belt called "Netslot" Each channel can be freely matched or defined as an output/input, and reflected in any interface of any SN network node. After the setting is completed, we can switch to the "PC Reporting" reporting software to obtain all the information in all CD80SV dimming stand cabinets, so that the lighting engineer can know the working conditions of the stand cabinet and the situation of the largest power grid.
"ShowNet Configuration" software can use the window to enter the machine interface and remote control, set the input/output, status and monitoring of all SN network nodes. This unique monitoring/control function can be carried out at the same time, bringing world-leading technical means to lighting monitoring and management.
3. Introduction of some successful cases at home and abroad
1. American Disneyland:
Choose Strand 550i computer as the host, Strand 510i as the backup machine, and control 3000 optical channels and 1000 color changers and scanner properties at the same time through software upgrade.
2. Universal Studios Florida:
The Strand 550i computer station is selected as the host, and the Strand 510i is the backup machine. The eight Strand CD80SV dimming cabinets are designed as a "PARKNET" structure. All parks are converted into "PARKNET" workstations using maps. Use the workstations to find maps and write schedules Table mode, monitoring, setting, performance, temporary "STOP PLAYBACK" all performance information in all CD80 processors, to achieve three shifts per day, two people per shift to control all environmental lighting and performance lights within 100 hectares of the park.
3. China Central Television
(1000m2 studio, 800 m2 studio, 600 m2 studio), with Strand 550i as the host, Strand 530i or 520i as the backup machine, plus a remote control, SN103 network node and network distributor to form a networked digital dimming system, Light control is achieved through the Strand CD80SV dimmable vertical cabinet or other digital silicon box. (See Figure 3 "CCTV 1000 m2 Studio")
4. Shanghai Oriental TV Station (1200㎡ studio, 400㎡ studio):
Choose one Strand 550i and one Strand 530i computer dimming console, control 7 Strand CD80SV dimming vertical cabinets and 3 Strand CD80SV dimming vertical cabinets through the network.
5. Hebei Art Center
With Strand 550i computer station as the host and Strand 520i as the backup machine, a digital dimming network system is adopted. The main control station and the auxiliary control station are dual-machine hot backup, which controls 1000 dimming circuits.
6. Beijing Great Hall of the People:
Select two Strand 550i computer stations as the main stage performance and conference lighting host, the third Strand 550i as a public backup machine, using a digital network system, total control of 1300 dimming circuits.
7. Kunming Stone Forest Garden Scenic Area
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TINHAO FLYGEKO
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