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Home > Applications > Quad Ektagraphic Projecter Controller

Quad Ektagraphic Projector Controller
Quad Ektagraphic Projector Controller can control up to four slide projectors using MIDI messages.

Mouse over the buttons, LEDs, and potentiometer to see what they do.
Lock Capture Page Up Channel AAV Save Down Lock Increment/Decriment Relay 1 Relay 2 Relay 3 Relay 4 Relay 5 Relay 6 Relay 7 Relay 8 Dimmer 1 Dimmer 2 Dimmer 3 Dimmer 4 SysEx overload MIDI overload AAV

HOW DO I...

…CONNECT THE EQUIPMENT?
Connect a MIDI cable from the MIDItool MIDI OUT to the Dimmer Module MIDI IN. Connect the Projector Cable between the MIDItool (1/4" stereo male plug), the Dimmer Module (polarized Edison 2-prong male plug), and the Projector (Kodak-compatible 7-pin male plug). One projector cable is required for each projector. Four projectors can be connected in this manner, using Dimmers 1-4. Up to two additional projectors (lamps only) can be connected to dimmer channels 5 and 6.

!!WARNING!! -The projectors MUST be connected to the same AC wall circuit as the Dimmer Module, as the projectors supply AC power through the Dimmer Module and back into the projector lamp. Electrovoce suggests placing a warning sticker on the Dimmer Module's AC cord, and plug the projectors and the Dimmer Module into the same surge-protected power strip. The MIDItools®' power supply may be plugged into any circuit.

PLEASE NOTE: The Dimmer Module supplied with the Quad Projector Controller is specially modified for this system. The user manual is enclosed, but the dimmer will not work with regular lamps. You may follow the manual for setting the MIDI channel and controller numbers.

…SET THE GLOBAL MIDI RCIEVE CHANNEL?
Press the CHAN key until the desired MIDI receive channel is selected; the LCD will display the channel. Set the Dimmer Module to the same MIDI channel and controller numbers.

…TURN ON THE AUTO ADVANCE FEATURE (AAV)?
Press the AAV key. Each projector will automatically select the next slide (FORWARD) when its lamp is dimmed to OFF (when its MIDI controller value = 0). Press the key again to disable the AAV function. The LCD shows the AAV status, and the AAV status LED lights when the AAV function is on. The AAV function affects Dimmers 1-4 only.

…SELECT A SLIDE CONTROLL RELAY TO CONFIGURE?
Select the relay you want to configure by tapping the PAGE key until the desired relay is displayed. Relay 1 controls Projector 1 forward motion, Relay 2 controls Projector 1 reverse motion; Relay 3 controls Projector 2 forward motion, Relay 4 controls Projector 2 reverse motion; and so on.

…ASSIGN A MIDI MESSAGE TO EACH RELAY?
Select the desired relay. The MIDI message (Note or Controller) used to control the selected relay is assigned with the +/- keys and/or the VALUE fader. For proper operation, each relay should be assigned a unique message.

…USE MIDI MESSAGES TO AUTOMATICALLY MOVE THE SLIDES?
A Note On message (with nonzero velocity) or a Controller message (with value>63) will toggle the relay closed and then open, changing the slide. The corresponding RELAY STATUS LED lights while the slide is being moved. The On-Time duration of the relay pulse can be changed via a SysEx message.

…CONFIGURE THE DIMMER MODULE?
Press the PAGE key until Dimmer #1 is displayed on the LCD. The MIDI Controller Number assigned to Dimmer 1 is assigned using the +/- keys and/or the VALUE fader. Set the Controller Number for Dimmer 1 on the Dimmer Module to the same number per the Dimmer Module insstructions. Dimmers 2-6 will respond to consecutive Controller Numbers automatically. Dimmer 1 controls Projector 1, Dimmer 2 controls Projecor 2, etc.

…USE MIDI MESSAGES TO AUTOMATICALLY DIM THE LAMPS?
A MIDI Controller message will turn the lamp on to the level specified by the Controller Value (value=0 turns the lamp OFF; value=127 turns the lamp to maximum intensity). The corresponding DIMMER STATUS LED (for Projectors 1-4 only) lights while the lamp is ON.

…SAVE ALL THE PARAMETERS?
Press the SAVE key. All parameters will be stored in nonvolatile EEPROM and will be retored on powerup.

…LOCK OUT THE DISPLAY?
To prevent inadvertant parameter changes, press the LOCK key. To reallow changes, press it again. While locked, the LOCK STATUS LED is lit.

…LOAD A DIMMER CURVE VIA SYSEX?
Press the CAPTURE key. The display is locked out. A System Execlusive message can be sent with the controller curve "map" desired. You can also set the relay pulse On-Time. Message format is:

F0H 7DH V0 V1 V2 … V126 V127 OT F7H

Where F0H = System Exclusive status byte
7DH = MIDItools® Sys Ex ID number (educational product)

[all 129 of the following variables must be supplied in the SysEx message]
V0 = dim value for controller value =0 (0-127, in hex)
V1 = dim value for controller =1 (0-127, in hex)

V127 = dim value for controller value =127 (0-127, in hex)
OT = relay pulse On-Time parameter (0-127, in hex)

F7H = End of System Exclusive byte

You can exit SysEx load mode by pressing CAPTURE at any time. If the SYSEX OVERLOAD LED comes on, try slowing down the transmission of SysEx data. NOTE: when programming a custom dimmer curve, be aware that more than one "zero" dim value may cause the Auto Advance feature to behave unpredictably.

…BYPASS THE DIMMER CURVE?
If your sequencer is rapidly sending large amounts of controller data, and the MIDItools® unit or Dimmer Module has MIDI data overload, then you may wish to bypass the MIDItools® dimmer curve. Plug the MIDI cable to the Dimmer Module from the MIDItools® THRU port, and set the controller numbers for the dimmers on the MIDItools® display so they are all different from the controller numbers set by the DIP switches on the Dimmer Module.

…KNOW IF THERE IS A MIDI MESSAGE OVERLOAD?
The MIDI OVERLOAD LED will come on. Data may be lost. The MIDItools® Device may need to be turned off and on again to reset the device.

BUTTONS AND LEDs:

Buttons:
------------ -------------- ---------- -------------
| LOCK | CAPTURE | PAGE | UP |
------------ -------------- ----------- -----------
| CHAN | AAV | SAVE | DOWN |
------------ -------------- ---------- ------------

LEDs:
/-RELAY-\ /-DIM-\
o 1 o 5 o 1 o Lock
o 2 o 6 o 2 o SYSEX OVELOAD
o 3 o 7 o 3 o MIDI OVERLOAD
o 4 o 8 o 4 o AAV

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LCD Screen:

| CH AAV ffffff #n |
| cc ggg hhhhh=bbb |

ffffff = "RELAY" or "DIMMER", where n = 1-8
cc = 1-16, ggg = "ON" or "OFF", hhhhh= "CNTRL" or "NOTE", bbb = 0-127

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