# Intelligent Light with ETC Ion



## WVTheatre (Sep 9, 2013)

Our school's auditorium has two intelligent lights mounted on either side of the house that light up the stage quite well. Using these lights, an Ion control console, and a camera, is it possible for the lights to track someone's movement across the stage automatically?

Please advise.
Thanks,
WVTheatre


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## Les (Sep 9, 2013)

I don't think very many people have had much success with this. There has even been an integrated system with this concept in mind where the performer wore a receiver that the light was instructed to follow (with the help of IR transmitters, I believe). I think that pretty well flopped as well because it was costly and error-prone. Not to say things haven't gotten better in recent years -- it's just expensive. 

Not sure how a camera would factor in to your system, but I would be afraid of latency, even if you did get it to work somewhat. 

Is this an educational environment? If so, I'd be weary of it since learning how to use a followspot is a fundamental part of being a technician.

There is this, but it's still pretty unconventional with very little educational value:


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## techieman33 (Sep 9, 2013)

Hmm, my earlier post didn't post I guess. As Les said it's been tried in the past and was pretty much a flop. I've only seen a pair of them one time, and it wasn't pretty. They used 2 of them in the show, and carried 2 extra spares because they were so temperamental. They ended up spending 2 hours calibrating them, swapping around fixtures and positions to try and get 2 to play nice for the day. The tour electricians absolutely hated them.


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## Footer (Sep 9, 2013)

Your looking at am autopilot II system from the now defunct Wybron. I only know of a few people in the country that can actually make the thing work. 

I believe cast lighting had some prototype that uses a camera. Either way it's very expensive and won't involve your ion. 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4


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## WVTheatre (Oct 15, 2013)

Perhaps a joystick to control the pan & tilt?? Rather than the knobs on an ETC Ion Console, which are a pain!



Sent from my SGH-i667 using Tapatalk


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## TheaterEd (Oct 16, 2013)

If you think it's a pain on the ION, you should try it on an Element.


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## KGacho (Oct 30, 2013)

If you have a trackball mouse plugged into the Ion, you can use that to move the lights. The sensitivity can be adjusted as well.


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## lwinters630 (Oct 31, 2013)

a series of auto follow cues can work for simple moves. Sometimes running the fader for manual timing from point a to point b.


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