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Getting Started
but points 1 and 3 can be placed more liberally around the stage,
provided they are not too close to other followspot calibration points.
Press the “Define fixture calibration stagemarks” button and enter the
distances between the points.
STEP 2 - Point each fixture to each calibration point. Again, you have
two options:
i) Use the TrackPod software controls. By pressing on these buttons the
TrackPod’s graphical pan/tilt controller will let you point the light to the
corresponding calibration point.
ii) Use your DMX board and capture its data. If you have a DMX
console connected to the TrackPod you may find it easier to point the
light at the calibration points by using the console’s trackball, touchpad,
tablet, joystick or sliders rather than using the TrackPod software. Once
pointed, simply capture the appropriate pan and tilt data by pressing the
capture buttons.
Tip: you may record preset focus cues for all your fixtures pointing at
the five calibration points. You may then select all the fixtures and the
software will allow you to “capture” all data simultaneously and
calculate all fixtures in one single operation.
Please note that it is very important that the light beam be positioned
exactly over the calibration point. This is particularly difficult for wash
fixtures as their beam is very wide and diffuse. The centre of the beam
must coincide exactly with the followspot calibration points.
STEP 3 - Press the “Calculate” button to let the TrackPod calculate the
three-dimensional position and orientation of the light.
Tip: occasionally the five followspot calibration points chosen have a
geometric relationship to the fixture that produces two solutions and the
software may choose the wrong one. If this happens for a specific
fixture, you can tell immediately because the light will not match the
points when you press the “verify” buttons. If this happens, make sure
that you pointed the light to the correct calibration point numbers. If the
problem persists, repeat the calibration for that fixture only using five
different calibration points; even a small displacement of one or two of
the points may suffice.
You are done! Once fixtures are found they will show up in the correct
location in the 3D world.
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