ADB ISIS: Integrated Software for Intelligent Systems [Discontinued]
A complete lighting software package with full functionality
ISIS is a completely new, evolutionary software platform, able to control up to 6144 channels fully patchable to 16 DMX universes (8192 DMX addresses), designed with the most advanced development techniques, characterised by a perfectly structured architecture and open to further expansion and innovation for many years to come.
ISIS runs on a powerful real-time 32-bit operating system providing multi-user and pre-emptive multitasking capabilities with very short boot-up time. ISIS can be installed as an upgrade on all previous Vision 10 consoles and systems.
ISIS provides all operating functions one would expect from a high performance lighting control system, and in particular:
- Integrated extended Ethernet functions, utilising the industry-standard ArtNet Ethernet protocol
- Integrated colour & motion control capabilites
- Unrestricted allocation of luminaires, colour changers and moving lights to channels and DMX outputs.
Hence a 20-parameter instrument requires 20 DMX outputs but only one control channel - Each individual intelligent fixture can be operated in HTP, FTP, or LTP mode, or in combination
- Sophisticated Move In Black options for intelligent fixtures
- All channels / parameters can run different fade times simultaneously
- Powerful set of managers
- Advanced editing and tracking functions
- Pre-programmed and user-programmable device definitions
- Sophisticated concept of libraries for colour changers and moving lights
- DMX512 inputs with smart patch for injecting / merging values for allocation to luminaires, colour changers and moving lights
- Pop-up menus, windows and dialogue boxes to browse and configure a multitude of options and give access to a plethora of functions
- Support of MIDI, MIDI Time Code and MIDI Show Control
- ADB Full Ethernet for networking and backup applications
- Software and on-line help with hypertext links in several languages
- PC-compatible off-line editor available.
ISIS brings a major advance to the operator and end-user, as all operating functions are built in to the software package from the beginning. There is thus no additional cost for advanced functions such as remote operation, effects, backup and motion control. All software for the optional ADB Ethernet networking is included in the ISIS system, and is simply enabled with a security key.
ADB Ethernet Networking
ISIS provides, as standard, full ethernet networking capability to the lighting control system. The ADB Ethernet has been specifically designed to cover the needs for a wide range of users and applications. This provides a number of advantages to the user, and benefits to the lighting system as a whole:
- High speed Ethernet data link based on the full duplex TCP/IP protocol
- Infinite number of nodes on the network (consoles, fileservers, printers, Ethernet-to-DMX convertors, remote monitors, ...)
- Two or more operators can simultaneously program the same show; this show can then be run from a single ISIS console or laptop
- Up to 16 independent DMX universes (8192 addresses)
- Infinite number of remote screens
- Infinite number of Netgates, Netports or other ArtNet Ethernet/DMX gateways
- File exchange between all servers connected to the network
- User-friendly dialogues for Ethernet configuration
- Utilisation of the ArtNet Ethernet protocol allows use of other ArtNet compatible products
- Hard patching of DMX universes is replaced by soft patching at the DMX-Ethernet Gateways; 16 universes are available (8192 DMX addresses).
ADB provides two gateway units: the Netgate range and the Netport range.
Motion Control Operating Modes
Highest Takes Precedence (HTP) is the mode normally used with conventional lights, as they only have one parameter - intensity. This mode is used in ADB and most other manufacturer's lighting control desks. In this case, the highest level being generated by the working fields is the value sent to the output of the desk.
However with moving lights or scrollers, this mode is - in most cases - unsuitable. For this reason, ADB introduced an order of priority through the working fields, enabling a system of control to be implemented with the parameters. This mode of control is known as First Takes Precedence (FTP) within the ISIS software. The value sent to the output of the desk will originate from the first working field in the priority list. If the level of this field goes to zero, output will jump to the next field in the list.
FTP is a reasonable mode for motion control, but in some cases this is not powerful enough for the moving light programmer. In this instance, Latest Takes Precedence (LTP) is the solution. The value sent to the output of the desk in LTP mode will be from the last working field used. If the level of the working field goes to zero, this will be the output of the desk until another working field is used.
The strength of ISIS is in the combination of these three modes. Every channel (standard, colour changer, or moving light) can be individually configured in one of the three modes. In addition, each individual parameter of an instrument definition can be configured independently into HTP, FTP or LTP.
