Elation show designer 3 User manual

Software Revision 1.12

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OVERVIEW.............................................................................................................................................................1
REAR PANEL CONNECTIONS ..........................................................................................................................................1
TOP PANEL ..........................................................................................................................................................................1
MENU AND SETUP FUNCTIONS............................................................................................3
CHOOSE FIXTURES............................................................................................................................................................3
PATCH FIXTURES ..............................................................................................................................................................4
PATCH CONVENTIONAL DIMMERS...............................................................................................................................4
COPY FIXTURE...................................................................................................................................................................5
LOAD FIXTURE PROFILE FROM CF................................................................................................................................5
LOAD FIXTURE PROFILE FROM COM PORT ................................................................................................................5
REMOVE FIXTURE PROFILE............................................................................................................................................5
SELECT FLEX FADER MODE ...........................................................................................................................................6
SELECT PLAYBACK MODES............................................................................................................................................6
SELECT HOME SCENE.......................................................................................................................................................6
PAN AND TILT INVERT.....................................................................................................................................................6
MODIFY FIXTURE..............................................................................................................................................................6
MULTI FIXTURE.................................................................................................................................................................8
VIEW MEMORY SIZE.........................................................................................................................................................9
SAVE MEMORY FILE TO CF.............................................................................................................................................9
SAVE MEMORY FILE TO COM PORT .............................................................................................................................9
LOAD MEMORY FILE FROM CF ......................................................................................................................................9
LOAD MEMORY FILE FROM COM PORT.......................................................................................................................9
SET MIDI CHANNEL ..........................................................................................................................................................9
UPDATE SOFTWARE .........................................................................................................................................................9
LOCK/UNLOCK MEMORY (hidden)................................................................................................................................10
ERASE ALL MEMORY (hidden) .......................................................................................................................................10
CONTROLLING MOVING LIGHT FIXTURES....................................................11
NUMBER SWITCHES 1-48 and FUNCTION SWITCHES...............................................................................................11
FIXTURE SWITCH ............................................................................................................................................................11
FIXTURE GROUP ..............................................................................................................................................................11
USING THE DATA WHEELS TO CONTROL FIXTURE CHANNELS..........................................................................12
USING THE FLEX FADERS TO CONTROL FIXTURE CHANNELS............................................................................12
JOYSTICK...........................................................................................................................................................................13
FINE SWITCH....................................................................................................................................................................13
SOLO SWITCH...................................................................................................................................................................13
CONTROLLING CONVENTIONAL DIMMERS.................................................14
DIMMER CONTROL USING A KEYBOARD..................................................................................................................14
CREATING A DIMMER PLAYBACK (Proportional Dimmer Patch)...............................................................................14
WORKING WITH MEMORIES...................................................................................................15
RECORD SWITCH .............................................................................................................................................................15
SOLO SWITCH...................................................................................................................................................................15
CLEAR ALL CHANNEL FUNCTION...............................................................................................................................15
SCENES.......................................................................................................................................................................15
RECALLING SCENES .......................................................................................................................................................16
RECALLING SCENES (solo mode) ...................................................................................................................................16
RECALLING SCENES (preview mode) .............................................................................................................................16
RECALLING SCENES WITH PLAYBACK MASTERS...................................................................................................16
TURN OFF SCENE.............................................................................................................................................................17
ERASE SCENE ...................................................................................................................................................................17

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PRESETS....................................................................................................................................................................18
FACTORY PROGRAMMED PRESETS ............................................................................................................................18
CREATING AND RECORDING PRESETS......................................................................................................................18
RECALLING PRESETS......................................................................................................................................................19
RECALLING PRESETS WITH PLAYBACK MASTERS.................................................................................................19
ERASE PRESET..................................................................................................................................................................19
EDITING PRESETS............................................................................................................................................................19
COMBINING PRESETS.....................................................................................................................................................20
CHASES......................................................................................................................................................................21
RECORDING CHASES ......................................................................................................................................................21
SHAPE CHASE...................................................................................................................................................................21
SIMPLE FLASH CHASE....................................................................................................................................................22
COMPLEX FLASH CHASE...............................................................................................................................................23
COMPLEX CHANNEL CHASE.........................................................................................................................................23
COLOR CHASE..................................................................................................................................................................24
GOBO CHASE....................................................................................................................................................................25
COLOR MIX CHASE .........................................................................................................................................................25
EDITING CHASES THAT ARE ALREADY SAVED.......................................................................................................25
ERASE CHASE...................................................................................................................................................................25
RECALLING CHASES.......................................................................................................................................................26
RECALLING CHASES WITH PLAYBACK MASTERS..................................................................................................26
SHOWS........................................................................................................................................................................27
RECORDING SHOWS........................................................................................................................................................27
ERASE SHOW....................................................................................................................................................................28
EDITING EXISTING SHOWS ...........................................................................................................................................28
PLAYING SHOWS .............................................................................................................................................................28
PERFORMANCE CONTROLS.....................................................................................................30
PREVIEW............................................................................................................................................................................30
BACK SWITCH..................................................................................................................................................................30
STOP SWITCH ...................................................................................................................................................................30
GO SWITCH .......................................................................................................................................................................30
FINE SWITCH....................................................................................................................................................................30
AUDIO SWITCH ................................................................................................................................................................30
BEAT SWITCH...................................................................................................................................................................31
BLACKOUT SWITCH........................................................................................................................................................31
GRAND MASTER FADER ................................................................................................................................................31
FLEX MASTER FADER.....................................................................................................................................................31
PLAYBACK MASTERS........................................................................................................................32
ASSIGNING A MEMORY TO A PLAYBACK .................................................................................................................32
USING THE PLAYBACKS ................................................................................................................................................32
LTP X/Y Mode....................................................................................................................................................................32
HTP Dimmer Mode..............................................................................................................................................................33
MIDI.................................................................................................................................................................................34
USING THE COMPACT FLASH DRIVE........................................................................35
MEMORY BACKUP...........................................................................................................................................................35
MEMORY RESTORE.........................................................................................................................................................35
SOFTWARE UPDATE .......................................................................................................................................................35
INSTALL FIXTURE PROFILES........................................................................................................................................36

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USING THE COMPUTER PORT (RS-232).................................................................37
CONFIGURING YOU COMPUTER..................................................................................................................................37
MEMORY BACKUP USING THE COMPUTER PORT...................................................................................................37
MEMORY RESTORE USING THE COMPUTER PORT .................................................................................................37
UPDATING THE SOFTWARE..........................................................................................................................................37
LOAD FIXTURE PROFILE................................................................................................................................................38
FIXTURE LIBRARY..................................................................................................................................39

1
OVERVIEW
The Show Designer 3 is a lighting controller based on the successful and simple to use Show Designer 1
and Show Designer 2. The Show Designer 3 expands on the existing features of these controllers and adds
many others. The approach of this controller is to simplify the programming process as much as possible
while still offering a high level of control at a low cost. If you are already familiar with the SD1 and SD2
then you find the SD3 to be a simple step forward.
Control of up to 1536 DMX lighting channels is possible using three DMX 512 outputs. 48 moving light
fixtures of up to 32 channels each as well as 128 conventional dimmers can be controlled. Support of
Elation and American DJ lighting fixtures as well as other popular brands is included in the setup menu.
Additional lighting fixture profiles can also be downloaded from the Elation web site.
The operating system of the Show Designer 3 uses flash memory so that the software can be updated using
a computer connected to the RS-232 port or with the compact flash drive. Software updates are available
on the Elation web site at www.elationlighting.com.
REAR PANEL CONNECTIONS
The rear panel of the Show Designer 3 features the following:
AC input using a standard 3 prong AC cord. A switch is provided for 115-230V selection. The power
switch is also located near the AC input.
Three DMX 512 outputs each with a 3 pin and a 5 pin XLR connector.
MIDI in - used for calling scenes in an automated installation.
9 pin RS-232 connector - used for connection to a PC to update the software, backup the memory or
download fixture profiles.
Keyboard connector – used to attach a PC keyboard for data entry. This uses a PS2 style keyboard.
Audio input - used for syncing chases to an external audio source. This is a line level input for
connection to the line output of a mixing console. Do not connect speaker level signals to this.
Compact Flash Drive - This allows you to back up the memory, install lighting fixture profiles or
update the software with a CF card.
TOP PANEL
The top panel of the SD3 is divided into four sections. The upper left section contains the flex faders with
their flash and page select buttons. The upper right section contains the 48 multi-purpose number switches
with their function select switches just above. The lower left section contains the playback masters with
their flash and page select buttons. The lower right section contains the display with its cursor buttons, the
joystick, the data wheels and the performance control switches.

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The following is a brief summary of the top panel features of the Show Designer 3:
Programming and memory switch section featuring 48 multi purpose switches for assigning and
recalling memories using the function select switches just above these.
Display control section featuring 8 menu control buttons above an 80 character display used for data
entry and most programming functions.
Joystick for controlling pan and tilt on moving light fixtures.
4 rotary encoder wheels for data entry and moving light fixture channel control.
Live performance control section featuring 8 switches for various playback functions.
Flex fader section featuring eight 100mm fadersfor control of moving light fixture channels,
conventional dimmers or for use as additional playbacks.
Playback masters featuring eight 100mm faders that are assignable as playbacks for any of the
memories.
Grand master fader for overall control of conventional dimmers and dimming channels.
Flex master fader for control of conventional dimmers.

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MENU AND SETUP FUNCTIONS
The menu switch, which is located just above the display, is used to access the menus that allow you to
configure the Show Designer 3 for your particular lighting setup. Pressing the menu switch displays the
message “Select a menu item then press enter” on the top line of the display. You will be given a choice of
menu items on the bottom line of the display. You can cycle through the choices using the + and -
switches or the first data wheel. Press “enter” to select the desired menu item. The data wheels also have a
built in switch that duplicates the “enter” switch by pressing down on the wheel.
After selecting a menu item, the cursor switches will allow you to select a field on the display to edit and
the + and - switches will allow you to change the value in that field. An underline cursor shows the selected
field. You can also use one of the four data wheels under each field to make changes. (The wheels don’t
require you to select a field using the cursor switches). The “enter” switch must be pressed following any
change made to a menu item to make it permanent. This allows you to look at all of the possible choices
first. If a menu requires more than one page to display all of the programming options, use the right cursor
to continue past the last field on the right of the display and a new page will be displayed.
NOTE: Several of the menu choices are hidden to prevent unauthorized or accidental changes to the
memory. The “memory lock/unlock” function is hidden as well as the “erase all memory” function. These
choices can only be selected by pressing and holding down the “add” switch while cycling through the last
items from the menu list. This is a safety feature for the benefit of installers who wish to protect the
memory from unauthorized tampering.
The various menu items are explained in the following paragraphs as they appear in order.
CHOOSE FIXTURES
This allows you to select from a list of lighting fixtures in the fixture library. First use the + or -switch or
the #1 data wheel to select the fixture number (from 1 to 48), then select the type of fixture with the #2
data wheel or move the cursor to the fixture type and use the + or - switch. You must press “enter” to
record the choice. Press “erase” to select “No Fixture” or as a shortcut back to the start of the list. After
selecting a fixture type, a warning will appear telling you that some DMX start addresses may be changed if
auto patch is enabled. Press “yes” or “enter” to confirm or “no” to exit. After confirming, the message
“DONE” will appear for 1 second. If auto patch is enabled, the start addresses of any fixtures above the
selected fixture will be adjusted to accommodate the new fixture.
The Show Designer 3 has a built in list of fixtures to choose from. You can also load in “fixture profiles”
that contain more detailed information about a particular lighting fixture than what is offered by the built
in list. Fixture profiles are small files that can be downloaded from elationlighting.com. They can then be
loaded into the Show Designer 3 using the compact flash drive or through the RS-232 port. Read the
sections on loading fixture profiles for more information.
When selecting fixtures from the list, any fixture using a profile will be followed by the word “profile” in
the display. It is possible to have the same fixture available as a profile as well as from the internal list. For
greatest flexibility and programming power, use profiles whenever possible.

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PATCH FIXTURES
This menu allows you to turn auto patch on and off, change the DMX output and set the DMX starting
address for each moving light fixture. Auto patch must be turned off to change the start address or output
number. To turn auto patch on or off, place the cursor under the words “ON” or “OFF” below
“Autopatch”, then use the + or - switch or use data wheel #4 to make the change. You must press “enter”
for the change to take effect. If you are turning auto patch on, a warning will appear telling you that some
DMX starting addresses may change. Press “yes” to proceed or “no” to exit. Auto patch will assign an
address to each moving light fixture in ascending order with each DMX address immediately following the
last channel of the previous fixture. The first fixture will be assigned to DMX output port 1 at address 1.
After 512 channels have been used, DMX output port 2 and then port 3 will be used for any remaining
fixtures.
Using data wheel #1 you can select fixtures 1-48 and see the starting address and port assigned to each
fixture. You can move the cursor under any of the three digits of the channel number or use data wheel #3
to select a new starting address as long as auto patch is turned off. You must press “enter” to record any
change. The message “DONE” will appear for 1 second to confirm.
NOTE: If autopatch is enabled and any conventional dimmers are found to have their DMX addresses
overlapping those of any moving light fixtures, the conventional dimmer DMX addresses will be moved to
a location just above the last moving light fixture. If the dimmers are patched at an address already higher
than any moving light fixture they will not be changed.
PATCH CONVENTIONAL DIMMERS
The Show Designer 3 supports up to 128 conventional dimmers, these can be dimmer modules that are
wired to par cans, house lights or even fog machines. Once patched, conventional dimmers are controlled
using the flex faders or by typing values with an external keyboard. Please read the chapter on conventional
dimmers for more info regarding programming.
Each dimmer can be assigned to one of eight faders on one of sixteen pages of the flex faders. Each
dimmer can also control up to eight consecutive DMX channels allowing you to assign a group of DMX
channels to a single fader. Those DMX channels will all be locked to the same dimmer level as set by the
fader. This is useful when you are treating house lights or whole sections of stage dimmers as a single unit.
In addition to selecting the DMX channel and number of dimmers, you can also choose to put the dimmer
into manual mode so that it can only be controlled using its fader or flash button (good for fog machines).
You can also select the flash button to operate as momentary flash or latching on/off and you can enter a
text name for the dimmer. These last three items are done by using the second page of the dimmer
patching menu. Move the underline cursor on the display to the right to get to the second page.
On the first page of the menu, using data wheel #1, select the fader number and page for the dimmer. You
can also press the flash button over the flex fader as long as the flex faders are configured for conventional
dimmers. If the dimmer is not patched, all of the other fields will be blank. Use data wheel #2 to select the
DMX out and data wheel #3 to select the DMX channel for the dimmer. As soon as you move one of
these wheels the next available DMX address will appear in the field. You can then select a different
address if needed. Use data wheel #4 to select the number of consecutive DMX addresses to be controlled
by this dimmer. In most cases this will be 1. Use the right arrow switch to move the underline cursor all the
way to the right side of the display then continue on to call the second page of the menu. On the second

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page of the menu, use data wheel #1 to select the operation mode for this dimmer. “Memory” allows the
dimmer to be included in and controlled by any memory, “Manual” will exclude the dimmer from memory
functions and only allow it to be controlled using its fader or flash switch. Use data wheel #2 to select how
the flash button will function, either as momentary flash or latching on/off. You can also enter a name for
this dimmer by moving the cursor under the “name” field and by using data wheels 3 and 4 to enter
characters or you can use the external keyboard. After all fields have been entered, you must press “enter”
to save.
COPY FIXTURE
This menu is used to copy the fixture type and attributes from one moving light fixture number to another.
This feature saves time by letting you copy the fixture choice rather than searching through the list for each
fixture. Use this when you modify or create your own fixture and want to duplicate it. Use the + and -
switches or data wheels #1 and #2 to select a fixture number to copy from and to. You must press “enter”
to complete the copy process. If auto patch is enabled you will be given the warning that some addresses
may change. Press “yes” to continue or “no” to exit. If a fixture is already set up at the “copy to” location,
you will be asked if you want to copy over the existing fixture, press “yes” to copy over it or “no” to exit.
LOAD FIXTURE PROFILE FROM CF
This menu allows you to load fixture profiles into the Show Designer 3 from the compact flash drive.
Fixture profiles are small files that are available from elationlighting.com that contain detailed information
about a lighting fixture such as the name and function of each of the channels as well as the name and
DMX values of steps within a channel. Once loaded, a profile can be selected from the fixture list when
choosing fixtures. Fixture profiles are most useful when using the data wheels to program moving light
channels. The display will be able to show the function and current setting for a channel. The wheels will
be able to select preprogrammed steps within a channel such as the colors on a color wheel. These channel
steps can also be called from presets that are explained in more detail in a later section.
When this menu item is selected the message “Select fixture file, then press enter” will appear on the top
line of the display. The bottom line of the display will show the first fixture profile found on the CF card,
use the + or – switch or data wheel 1 to select a profile (if there is more that one profile on the disk) then
press “enter”. The profile will be loaded into memory and can then be selected using the “choose fixtures”
menu. Up to 256 fixture profiles can be loaded into memory.
LOAD FIXTURE PROFILE FROM COM PORT
This menu allows you to load fixture profiles into the Show Designer 3 from a PC using the COM port.
When this menu item is selected the message “Ready to receive fixture profile” will appear. You must send
the fixture file from your PC to the Show Designer using the “SD backup” program which is available
from elationlighting.com. The profile will be loaded into memory and can then be selected using the
“choose fixtures” menu. Read the section later in this manual on how to use the computer port for more
information on this topic.
REMOVE FIXTURE PROFILE
This menu allows you to remove individual profiles from memory to free up memory space. When you
enter this menu the message “Select profile to remove, press enter” will appear on the top line of the
display. The first profile found in memory will appear on the bottom line, use the + or – switch or data
wheel 1 to select from the list of profiles. Press, “enter” to remove that profile.

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SELECT FLEX FADER MODE
The flex fader section can operate in three different ways; to control moving light channels, to control
conventional dimmers, or as additional playback masters. Select the desired operation mode and press
“enter”. None of the programming information will be lost when switching back and forth between
modes.
SELECT PLAYBACK MODES
From this menu you can set the playback faders to operate in LTP or HTP mode. You can also set the
playback flash buttons to operate as “momentary flash”, “latching on/off” or “go”. The flex fader section
can be set differently than the regular playback section. Consult the chapter on playback faders for a
complete explanation of each of the playback modes. Use the data wheels to make each selection and press
“enter” to save.
NOTE: “Go” mode is not available for the flash button when the fader is set to LTP mode.
SELECT HOME SCENE
This allows you to select a home scene that will be called automatically whenever you use the “clear all”
function by holding down the “black” switch for 2 seconds. This can be used to call up a default lighting
configuration such as all beams centered, full intensity at white when building a new scene. Use the menu
switches or data wheels 1 and 2 to select the desired page and scene number then press “enter”. You must
of course first create the scene and save it before you do this. You can use any saved scene as the home
scene.
PAN AND TILT INVERT
This menu allows you to invert the output of any of the pan or tilt channels for moving light fixtures. With
this menu displayed, use the + and - switches or data wheel #1 to select the fixture then use data wheels
#2 or #3 to set the invert states for pan or for tilt. You must press “enter” to save the selection.
MODIFY FIXTURE
This menu allows you modify some of the channel attributes of a fixture. These attributes are first set when
you select a fixture from the library. You can also use this menu to create a new fixture that isn’t in the
library by modifying an existing one. First select a fixture as described above in the “Choose Fixture”
section. When trying to create a new fixture, start with “32 DMX Channels” which is the first choice from
the internal list. You can later use the “Copy Fixture” feature as described in the next section to duplicate
the new fixture. You will not be able to enter individual names for each channel when creating a new
fixture. The channel names will be displayed as “chan 1, 2, 3 etc.” You can also create a fixture profile by
downloading the fixture profile editor from the Elation web site. It can be found in the downloads section
and is labeled “SD2 Library Creator”.
With this menu there are fourteen fixture attributes that can be modified. The attributes are: fixture name,
number of channels, black channel, black value, dimmer channel, shutter channel, pan channel, pan fine
channel, tilt channel, tilt fine channel, cyan channel, magenta channel, yellow channel and crossfade mode.
Use the cursorswitches to move the underline cursor to the fixture number or use data wheel #1 to select
the fixture you want to modify. Next move the cursor to the “attribute” which is displayed immediately to
the right or use data wheel #2 to select the attribute. Next move the cursor to the “value” line of the
display or use data wheel #3 to select the value for the attribute you are changing. You must press “enter”

7
to record the changes you make to each attribute. The message “DONE” will appear in the display when
the change has been recorded. The fixture attributes are described in the following paragraphs:
NAME is the fixture name that appears whenever you select a moving light fixture. You may want to
modify this attribute on each of your fixtures to show fixture purpose or location. You must place the
underline cursor on the character you want to edit or you can use an external keyboard to enter the fixture
name.
CHANNELSis the total number of channels for the fixture. This can be any number from 1 to 32. When
you change the number of channels be aware that other things such as fixture addresses and number of
multi fixtures can be automatically changed when you do this. Fixture attributes such as black channel, pan
or tilt will also be automatically disabled if you select a number that is smaller than the channel numbers
that are already assigned to those attributes. For example if you already assigned pan to channel 8 and you
reduce the total number of channels for the fixture to 4, pan will automatically be set to “none”. Likewise if
you increase the number of channels from 8 to 9 and you had previously set up 4 multi fixtures using all 32
channels, the multi fixture setting will automatically be reset back to 1.
BLACK CHANNELis the channel that will be affected when the “blackout” switch is pressed. You can
choose any available fixture channel as well as “ALL” which will force all channels to the selected black
value. Normally you would choose the shutter or dimmer channel for this.
BLACK VALUE is the DMX value that will be used for blackout on the selected black channel(s). This
will accommodate fixtures that use the gobo wheel for blackout with a value other than 0 needed for a
blackout. You may also want to blackout all channels to a value other than 0 since this is sometimes used
as a reset by some fixtures. For some fixtures a value of 1 will achieve the same result as a value of 0.
DIMMER CHANNEL is the channel used by the fixture for the dimmer if it has one. This will only
work for a fixture that has a full range (0 to 255) dimmer channel. If not, set this to “none”. The grand
master fader will use this channel as well as the playback faders when in HTP mode and also by the flash
chase effects.
SHUTTER CHANNEL is used by the flash chase effects to flash the fixture on and off. The shutter
must operate using a value of 0 as fully closed and 255 as fully open for this to work properly.
PAN CHANNEL is the channel used by the fixture for pan. This can also be set to “none” if the fixture
does not have a pan feature. This is also the pan coarse channel or pan high byte channel for those fixtures
that use two channels to control pan. This directs the joystick output as well as other pan functions such as
shape chases.
PAN FINE is for fixtures that use two channels to control pan. This is also referred to sometimes as the
pan “low byte” channel. Set this to “none” if the fixture uses only one channel for pan. The joystick will
control this channel with “fine” mode turned on.
TILT CHANNEL is the same as described above for pan channel except that it controls tilt.
TILT FINEis the same as described above for pan fine except that it controls tilt.
CYAN CHANNEL is used to create color chase effects.

8
MAGENTA CHANNEL is used to create color chase effects.
YELLOW CHANNEL is used to create color chase effects.
FADE MODE is used to set the crossfade method for each of the fixture’s channels. Use the + and -
switches or data wheel #2 to select the channel number. Once the channel is selected move the cursor to
the value or use data wheel #3 to select the crossfade mode. The choices are “crossfade”, “snap before
fade” and “snap after fade”. You must press “enter” after each channel has been programmed.
“Crossfade” will cause a channel to smoothly fade from one scene to another when changing scenes. The
crossfade time will vary from scene to scene depending on how that scene was programmed. Use this
setting for channels that control functions like pan and tilt or dimming to achieve a smooth transition from
scene to scene. If you use this setting for gobo or color wheel channels, this will cause the wheels to step
through all positions between the start and end positions of a long fade. This is usually the default setting
for pan, tilt and dimmer channels.
“Snap before fade” will cause the channel to jump immediately to the next scene level as soon as the new
scene is called. Use this setting for channels that control motor speed so that pan and tilt will move at the
correct speed during the fade. You can also use thissetting for wheel channels that you want to change at
the start of long crossfades. This is usually the default setting for speed and mode channels.
“Snap after fade” will cause the channel to jump immediately to the next scene level at the end of a
crossfade. Use this setting for wheels and effects that you want to take effect after a long crossfade is
complete. This is usually the default setting for color and effects wheels.
MULTI FIXTURE
Show Designer 3 supports moving light fixtures that use up to 32 DMX channels. Since many fixtures use
fewer than 32 channels, Show Designer 3 will allow you to configure a group of fixtures that are of the
same type, under a single fixture number. For example if you have selected a 4 channel scanner for fixture
number 1, you can set “multi” to 8. When fixture 1 is selected you will be able to use all 32 channels
available for fixture 1 to control these 8 scanners. This feature is for controlling large numbers of small 1,
2, 3 or 4 channel fixtures to prevent wasting fixture numbers on many small fixtures.
You will be able to control the channels of each individual fixture by using the flex faders or the data
wheels. When using the joystick, all of the multi fixtures within that fixture number will respond if they
have a pan and tilt feature. To control individual pan and tilt levels you will have to use the faders or the
wheels.
Move the cursor to the fixture number and use the + and - switches or data wheel #1 to select a fixture.
Move the cursor to the multi number or use data wheel #2 to increment or decrement this value. You can
only choose numbers between 1 and the maximum number of fixtures that will fit into 32 channels. If it is
a 4 channel fixture the multi value can be no higher than 8. Press “enter” to record the change. If auto
patch is enabled you will be given the warning that some addresses may change. Press “yes” to continue or
“no” to exit.

9
VIEW MEMORY SIZE
This allows you to see how much memory is left for scenes, shows, etc. It is displayed as the percentage of
memory remaining. Memory usage varies depending on the size and complexity of the scenes.
SAVE MEMORY FILE TO CF
This allows you to back up the memory on a compact flash card. The message “Press enter to save file to
CF” will appear on the top line of the display. The default file name will appear on the bottom line. You
can use the data wheel or an external keyboard to enter a new file name. Insert a formatted CF card in the
slot on the rear of the SD3 and press “enter”. The message “File has been saved to disk” will appear when
finished. The content of the entire memory is backed up including all menu settings, scenes, presets, chases
and shows. The file is a binary file with the file extension .sdm and is compatible with Windows as long as
you adhere to Window’s file naming rules. The file name can use up to 8 characters. You do not need to
add the extension when typing in the file name. Read the section at the end of this manual on using the CF
drive for more information.
SAVE MEMORY FILE TO COM PORT
This allows you to back up the SD3 memory on a PC using the RS-232 port. Press “enter” to start the data
transmission. The contents of the memory are encoded in text format and can be recorded by a PC
connected to the RS-232 port running the SD Backup software. Read the section at the end of this manual
on using the computer port for more information on how to back up the memory this way.
LOAD MEMORY FILE FROM CF
This allows you to restore the memory from your backup CF card. Pressing, “enter” displays the message
“Select memory file, then press enter” on the top line of the display. The name of the first Show Designer
3 memory file found on the card will appear on the bottom line of the display, use the + or - switch or data
wheel 1 to select the desired file. Press “enter” to load the file. Warning: the current memory will be
overwritten. Read the section at the end of this manual on using the CF drive for more information.
LOAD MEMORY FILE FROM COM PORT
This allows you to restore the memory from a backup that was made using the RS-232 port and a PC.
Pressing “enter” configures the RS-232 port for memory restore and waits for the file to be sent from a
PC. Read the section at the end of this manual on using the computer port for details on how to back up
and restore the memory this way. The only way to exit or abort this menu is to turn the SD3 power off.
SET MIDI CHANNEL
This allows you to select the MIDI channel that Show Designer 3 will receive on. Select channels 1-16
using the + or – switches or use data wheel #1 then pre ss “enter”. Read the section on MIDI for more
info.
UPDATE SOFTWARE
This allows you to update the Show Designer 3 software using the compact flash drive or a computer
connected to the RS-232 port. The message “DOWNLOAD NEW SOFTWARE OR INSERT CARD”
will appear when you press “enter”. The SD3 will wait until it detects a CF card with the correct file on it
or for the correct type of file to be sent from a PC. The message “RECEIVING NEW PROGRAM” will
appear as the new software file is installed. Upon completion, the system will reboot. The only way to exit

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or abort this menu is to turn the power off. You can also call this menu on power up by pressing and
holding “menu” and “erase” together while turning on the power.
LOCK/UNLOCK MEMORY (hidden)
This is one of the hidden menus that can only be selected while holding the “add” switch when cycling
through the menu selections. This feature allows you to lock the memory to prevent someone from
changing or erasing anything that has been recorded. The message “MEMORY LOCKED, CAN’T
RECORD” will appear if the memory is locked and anyone presses the record switch. All other menu
items will also be locked out in order to protect the memory.
To lock or unlock the memory from this menu, use the + and - switches or data wheel #1 to select the
desired state, then press “enter”.
ERASE ALL MEMORY (hidden)
This is another one of the hidden menus that can only be selected while holding the “add” switch when
cycling through the menu selections. This menu allows you to clear the entire memory of the Show
Designer 3. This erases the scene, preset, chase and show data as well as the system parameters such as
fixture assignments. The message “This will erase the entire memory. To erase, hold yes for 5 seconds” will
appear in the display. Press and hold “yes” until the system reboots or press “no” to exit.

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CONTROLLING MOVING LIGHT FIXTURES
The SD3 allows you to take direct control of moving light fixture channels at any time. There is no “edit
mode” as with some lighting controllers. In essence you are always in edit mode and can instantly save the
current stage settings as a scene. This is one reason the Show Designer controllers are so quick and easy to
program.
NUMBER SWITCHES 1-48 and FUNCTION SWITCHES
The large group of switches on the upper right section of the top panel that are numbered 1-48 are multi-
purpose. The row of 6 switches that are just above these allow you to select their function. Only one
function is selected at a time and the LED for the particular function will be lit when selected. These
switches let you select moving light fixtures as well as address various memory functions such as saving and
recalling scenes, which will be explained later.
FIXTURE SWITCH
This switch allows you to select moving light fixtures for control of their channels. With the “fixture”
switch LED lit, the number switches 1-48 are used to select a fixture. When a fixture is selected it’s
channels can be directly controlled using the flex faders, the wheels or the joystick. If a fixture is not
selected it will only be disconnected from these manual controls, the fixture is not turned off or disabled. A
fixture does not have to be selected to be controlled by the memories during playback operations.
When a fixture is selected its name will appear in the display followed by the first 4 channels and the
current values of those channels. The four data wheels can then be used to adjust the levels of each
channel. Pressing the “fixture” switch at any time will enable the channel wheel display and the channel
wheels. If a fixture profile is installed for this fixture the display will show the names of the channels as well
as the current channel values as defined by the fixture profile. Use the left or right arrow switch above the
display to view the next group of four channels in the fixture.
If the “Solo” LED is lit when selecting a fixture, the fixture will move to center (pan and tilt at 128 and the
dimmer and shutter at full).
FIXTURE GROUP
The fixture group switch allows you to select combinations of fixtures with one switch press. To create a
fixture group press “record” then “fixture group”, both LEDs will flash. Next press “fixture” to select
which fixtures will be included in the group. Use the number switches to turn the desired fixture LEDs on
or off. Next press the “fixture” switch again to turn off its LED. If you want to name the group, use the
cursor switches to place the underline cursor under the character of the name and use the data wheel to
select characters or use the external keyboard. Finally select the group number by pressing one of the
number switches from 1-48. If a number switch LED is already lit it means that a group is already recorded
there. After you are finished recording, press “record” to exit.
Fixture groups are selected by pressing “fixture group” then selecting the desired group from 1-48. You
can select a single group or any combination of groups. After a group has been selected, the display will
show the channel values for the first member of the group. Adjusting the channel wheels will affect all
members of the group as long as they are the same fixture type.

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To edit a fixture group that has already been recorded, first select the group then press “record” and
proceed as described in the preceding paragraphs. Make any changes to the group then resave it.
If the “Solo” LED is lit when selecting a group, all of the fixtures in the group will move to center (pan
and tilt at 128 and the dimmer and shutter channels at full).
USING THE DATA WHEELS TO CONTROL FIXTURE CHANNELS
The data wheels are used to increment or decrement the values in the display fields directly above each
wheel. They are used for adjusting the channel values of the lighting fixtures as well as for general-purpose
programming. Pressing “fixture” or “fixture group” as described in the previous paragraphs will bring up
the channel control display if there are any fixtures currently selected. Even though you can only view and
change 4 channels at a time with the 4 wheels, you can access more channels by pressing the left or right
arrow switches. Pressing the left switch while the lowest channel number is displayed will show the selected
fixture number and its name. Because only one fixture’s values can be displayed at a time, the last selected
fixture is the one displayed when more than one fixture is active. If a “fixture group” is selected, the lowest
numbered fixture in the group is displayed.
NOTE: When more that one fixture is selected, only the fixtures of the same typethat match the fixture
in the display will be affected by the wheels. This assures that the display correctly matches the output.
Fixtures that are selected that don’t match the type in the display will not be changed. To select a new type
of fixture to edit with the wheels, toggle the fixture number off and then back on to update the display to
match that fixture. This does not apply to the flex faders when controlling moving light channels as
explained in the next section.
Show Designer 3 will display the channel names for most fixtures that are in the built in library. If a fixture
profile has been installed, some channels will also display the names of each step within the channel, like
colors and gobos. Use fixture profiles instead of the internal fixture list whenever possible to take full
advantage of this feature.
USING THE FLEX FADERS TO CONTROL FIXTURE CHANNELS
The upper left section of the top panel contains the flex faders. These faders can be used for three different
functions depending on your personal preference. You can change the function back and forth on these at
any time without loosing anything that you have previously programmed. Use the menu “Select Flex Fader
Mode” as explained in the previous chapter to configure the flex faders as fixture channel controls. You
can address up to 32 channels per fixture by using 4 pages of 8 faders. The page switch to the upper left of
the faders is used to select which page of 8 channels is currently active. For example the first fader can
control channels 1, 9, 17 or 25 depending on which page is selected. If a fixture has less than 32 channels
then some pages and some faders will not be used. Before the flex faders can control a fixture, that fixture
must be selected. Any number of fixtures can be controlled at once. If for example all fixtures are enabled,
moving fader 1 on page 1 will change channel 1 on every fixture.
If you are using the “multi fixture” feature of Show Designer 3, the channel faders can be used to control
each channel of every fixture within the multi fixture group. If for example you have programmed 8
fixtures having 4 channels each, faders 1-4 will control the first fixture of the multi fixture group, faders 5-8
the second and so on.

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JOYSTICK
The joystick controls pan and tilt on all selected fixtures that have a pan or tilt feature. The joystick is the
“return to center” type so it operates by moving it in the desired direction. The greater the joystick angle
the faster the pan or tilt movement will be. The state of the “fine” mode switch also determines the speed
of the pan or tilt movement. If a fixture uses two channels for pan or tilt (16 bit), the joystick will affect the
fine channel with “fine” mode on. If the fixture only uses 1 channel for pan or tilt, the movement will be
slower allowing more precise control with “fine” turned on.
FINE SWITCH
The “fine” switch affects the way the joystick and the data wheels operate. With “fine” mode on, they will
increment or decrement by the smallest possible amount. With “fine” mode off, they will increment or
decrement by larger amounts. If a fixture profile is installed for a selected fixture, selecting fine mode will
switch the channel wheel display to number values for channels instead of name values such as color or
gobo names. This can be useful for setting color or gobo wheels halfway.
SOLO SWITCH
The “solo” switch can be used to locate or center moving light fixtures. When the “solo” LED is lit, a
fixture will be centered with its dimmer and shutter channel set to full when selected. This works when
selecting individual fixtures or fixture groups.

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CONTROLLING CONVENTIONAL DIMMERS
The Show Designer 3 allows control of up to 128 conventional dimmers. These can be controlled from the
flex faders or by entering percentage values with an external keyboard. Before dimmers can be addressed
they must first be patched using the “Patch Conventional Dimmers” menu as explained in the previous
menu section. To use the flex faders as dimmer controls, you must configure them from the “Select Flex
Fader Mode” menu. You can switch the flex fader mode at any time without losing anything you have
already programmed. The flex faders provide 16 pages of 8 faders for a total of 128 dimmers. You can
freely switch pages using the page up and down buttons and use any fader that is patched to a dimmer.
NOTE: The flex master fader and the grand master fader must be at maximum in order to get the full
range of output for conventional dimmers. All conventional dimmers will be scaled by first the flex master
and finally the grand master faders. All conventional dimmer outputs will also be set to 0 whenever a
blackout is in effect.
DIMMER CONTROL USING A KEYBOARD
If you have a PS2 keyboard attached to the SD3 you can set dimmer levels using the numeric keypad. To
do this first press the F12 key on the keyboard to enable dimmer entry on the display. “Dimmer:” will be
displayed on the top line of the display followed by a blank space. Enter a dimmer number from 1 to 128,
you will have to convert the page and fader number to a single number. For example, dimmer fader 1 on
page 3 will be dimmer 17. Press “enter” on the keyboard, “Level:” will appear next to the dimmer number.
Enter a percentage value from 0 to 100 followed by the “enter” key. Do not press the percent key. If you
want to select a range of dimmers, type a minus sign (-) between the first and last dimmer number. For
example Dimmer: 1-10, followed by “enter” then followed by the level and then “enter”. You can only
select a single dimmer or a range of consecutive dimmers, you can’t select a mixture of single dimmers that
aren’t consecutive.
To exit the dimmer entry display, press F12 on the keyboard or press any function switch on the SD3
when you are ready to do something else.
As when entering moving light channel values, the SD3 will keep track of any changes you make so that
you can save the current stage look as a scene at some point in the future.
CREATING A DIMMER PLAYBACK (Proportional Dimmer Patch)
To put a group of dimmers on one fader for playback purposes do the following:
Clear the scene edit memory by pressing and holding the blackout switch until the LED goes out.
Select the dimmers to be included by moving the flex faders (in dimmer mode) or by entering the dimmer
values using a keyboard as described above.
Record this as a scene; press “record” then “scene” followed by an available scene number button.
Assign this scene to a playback; press “record” followed by any playback flash button, then “scene”
followed by the scene number you just saved. If you want to use the flex faders for playback, switch the
flex fader mode to playback before assigning the scene to the fader. Make sure the playback is running in
“HTP mode”. Refer to the following sections regarding scenes and playbacks for more information.

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WORKING WITH MEMORIES
The SD3 provides four types of memories: presets, chases, scenes and shows. Presets and chases are used
as building blocks along with static channel levels to create scenes. Shows are simply scene lists. All four
memory types can be assigned to playback faders or called up directly by selecting the corresponding
memory number switch and page.
RECORD SWITCH
To the far right of the six function switches is the record switch. This is used to start the record process for
all of the memories types as well as playbacks. The LED above the record switch will flash whenever you
are in record mode.
SOLO SWITCH
To the left of the record switch is the solo switch. This switch’s function will depend on the type of
memory you are working with. Currently this switch only affects scenes as explained in the scene playback
section below.
CLEAR ALL CHANNEL FUNCTION
When starting a new scene it is usually a good idea to clear out the scene edit memory and zero all of the
channels. To do this press the “blackout” switch and hold it down for about a second until the LED goes
out. Use this function often when you are programming scenes in order to clear the slate. If you have
programmed a “home scene”, it will be loaded into the scene buffer automatically after the “clear all” has
taken place. A home scene is useful for creating a starting point for a new scene by pointing the moving
lights to center with dimmers and shutters open. Refer to the Menu chapter for more information on how
to select a home scene.
SCENES
A “scene” is a recording of the state of the entire stage. Show Designer keeps track of all the actions you
perform to make the stage appear as it does. All of the actions that affect the look of the stage such as
changing channel levels, calling a chase or calling a preset, are saved in the scene buffer so that you can
later record these actions as a scene. This method of programming also allows you to recall a recorded
scene, modify it and then resave it as a new scene or resave it to the same location allowing quick edits.
There is no special edit mode on the SD3, you are always in edit mode for scenes.
Once you have a look on stage that you want to save as a scene, press “record”, its LED will flash. Next
press “scene”, its LED will also flash. The page display will light and any number locations that already
contain scenes will also light. You can at this time enter a name for the scene as well as a crossfade time.
Use the cursor switches to move the cursor under each character of the name, then use the + or - switch or
data wheel #1 or #2 to modify the name characters. You can also use an external keyboard to enter the
scene name. Move the cursor under the fade time or use data wheel #3 to change the crossfade time for
this scene. You can also use a keyboard to enter the fade time. Fade times are in minutes, seconds, and
tenths of a second, displayed as MM:SS.T, where MM is minutes, SS is seconds and T is tenths of a second.
The maximum fade time is 99:50:9 or just under 100 minutes.

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Torecord the scene, select the page and scene number. You can use the page switches to select from pages
1 to 99 and the number switches from 1 to 48 allowing you to store up to 4752 scenes. If you select a scene
number that is already lit, a message will appear asking if you want to write over the existing scene. Press
“yes” or “no”.
If at any time you wish to exit record mode without recording anything, press the “record” switch and you
will exit record mode.
RECALLING SCENES
To play a scene, turn on the “scene” LED by pressing the “scene” switch. Select the page if necessary and
then press the number switch for that scene. When a scene is called, any moving light fixture channels as
well as any conventional dimmer channels that are included in the new scene will crossfade using the
recorded fade time to the new scene values. Any chases and presets that are part of the scene will also be
called.
There is no limit to number of scenes that can be running at one time as long as each scene is controlling
different channels. A scene’s LED will remain lit until its channels have been overridden by any new
scenes. When a scene is called, channels that are not part of the new scene will be left in their current
positions and any chases that were running will keep running as long as the new scene does not override
the channels in the chase. This method of playback allows channels from previous scenes to track through
to the next scene as long as the new scene doesn’t change those channels. This is also referred to as “track
through” or “pile on” by some controllers.
You can use this to combine several scenes into one scene. To do this, call any number of scenes that do
not conflict with each other than press record and save as a new scene.
RECALLING SCENES (solo mode)
To solo a scene, turn on the solo switch before calling the scene. Any channels that are not included in the
scene will be set to 0 and any other scenes that are currently on will be turned off.
RECALLING SCENES (preview mode)
Preview mode lets you see the name and adjust the fade time of a scene before calling it. The “go” switch
is used to start the scene. Activate preview mode by pressing the “preview” switch and turning on its LED.
While in preview mode, you can also select scenes with an external keyboard, the + or – switches or the
wheels before calling the scene with the “go” switch. You can also adjust the fade time before calling the
scene. If you are using an external keyboard to select scenes, move the cursor on the display using the left
or right arrow keys to choose page, scene or fade time. You can enter numbers from the keyboard and
then use the enter key on the keyboard or press the “go” switch on the SD3 to call the scene. The “go”
LED will light up when a valid scene number has been selected, indicating that the “go” switch is ready to
call the scene.
RECALLING SCENES WITH PLAYBACK MASTERS
You can assign a scene to a playback master then use the playback fader or its switch to call the scene. The
playbacks offer several different playback modes. Read the section on playback masters for more detailed
information on how they work.