midi note trigger Midi note Signal Not Always being Received

[NikoS]

I’m currently running a show on watchout receiving MIDI note through qlab. Qlab is just sending go cues to the main timeline. I am having issues where watchout is not always receiving the go from qlab while running a show. The problem however is not consistent and it occurs at various points. There is no other control cue within ten seconds of the cue. Trying to trouble shoot since currently having to have an operator run the show as backup if it doesn’t fire but since it is time coded with qlab it means some cues are not precise. Any help is greatly appreciated. Just looking for a reliable way for QLab to run the show with simple go cues to watchout.

[jfk]

6 hours ago, NikoS said:

I’m currently running a show on watchout receiving MIDI note through qlab. Qlab is just sending go cues to the main timeline.

Need to better understand what you mean by that.

If i wanted to provide a blind go to the Main Timeline triggered from a MIDI note, I would create an Aux timeline with the MIDI note in the trigger field. The makeup of that Aux timeline would have a lot to do with how it functions.

Also, the WATCHOUT version could make a difference depending on mode (Paused vs Stopped) and time position of the Control Cue, as that behavior changed at some point. Although that is probably not the issue here.

If I were to do it that way (and I probably would not). The Aux Timeline would have one Control Cue at time 0 which simply told the main timeline to Run, immediately followed at time 0.010 by another Control Cue which told the containing Aux timeline to Stop, so that it is immediately ready to function again. If the Aux timeline is allowed to run for any length of time, then while that runout is taking place, it would appear to ignore the MIDI note trigger. It would not actually ignore it, it would appear that way as telling a running aux timeline to run would appear to have no effect., 

6 hours ago, NikoS said:

... Just looking for a reliable way for QLab to run the show with simple go cues to watchout.

A blind go would never seem to be a "reliable" method. Can QLab send MIDI Show Control cues?

[NikoS]

12 hours ago, jfk said:

Need to better understand what you mean by that.

If i wanted to provide a blind go to the Main Timeline triggered from a MIDI note, I would create an Aux timeline with the MIDI note in the trigger field. The makeup of that Aux timeline would have a lot to do with how it functions.

Also, the WATCHOUT version could make a difference depending on mode (Paused vs Stopped) and time position of the Control Cue, as that behavior changed at some point. Although that is probably not the issue here.

If I were to do it that way (and I probably would not). The Aux Timeline would have one Control Cue at time 0 which simply told the main timeline to Run, immediately followed at time 0.010 by another Control Cue which told the containing Aux timeline to Stop, so that it is immediately ready to function again. If the Aux timeline is allowed to run for any length of time, then while that runout is taking place, it would appear to ignore the MIDI note trigger. It would not actually ignore it, it would appear that way as telling a running aux timeline to run would appear to have no effect., 

A blind go would never seem to be a "reliable" method. Can QLab send MIDI Show Control cues?

The show is being run on Watchout 6.5. QLab is currently sending a go cue via midinote to the watchout computer. We are not having consistent issues, just intermittent problems. When doing training we were told not to use auxilary timelines in a theatrical setting. It is basically just sending a space bar go each time the QLab triggers. If there is a better device to do that I'd be interested to know. This is only used for theatrical purposes so true time coding is not exactly how a show runs and QLab is operating all sound. I just want QLab to tell Watchout when to basically play so that there is one operator running both.

[jfk]

2 hours ago, NikoS said:

The show is being run on Watchout 6.5. QLab is currently sending a go cue via midinote to the watchout computer. We are not having consistent issues, just intermittent problems. When doing training we were told not to use auxilary timelines in a theatrical setting. It is basically just sending a space bar go each time the QLab triggers. If there is a better device to do that I'd be interested to know. This is only used for theatrical purposes so true time coding is not exactly how a show runs and QLab is operating all sound. I just want QLab to tell Watchout when to basically play so that there is one operator running both.

Understood. You never answered my question. Can QLab send MIDI Show Control cues?

You want it reliable, operate in Cluster mode, not Production mode. (puts on nomex suit)

Assuming Qlab can send MSC, the best way to accomplish 'one operator running both' is to send MIDI show Control 'Go cue number' cues. Not blind Go, but timeline position specific Go. i.e. 1, 2, 2.0, 2.00, 12.67,  15.2.3 are all examples of acceptable arguments for the MIDI Show Control 'Go cue number' command accepted by WATCHOUT. Pick any numbering system that suits you. Each pause cue in your timeline that is a waiting point for a Go, is given a cue number as its Name. I would assume QLab can distinguish between each cue point and provide a Cue number related to each Go position. Then you do not need to worry about getting them synced up, etc. Anytime you send a valid 'Go cue number' it will immediately synch. Even if a cue were somehow missed, the next cue would resynch automatically.

So a Display Computer in read only mode responding to specific position go commands will make the WATCHOUT system transparent to the operator. Repeatable. Reliable.