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Fixture Modes let one fixture definition cover multiple channel-count configurations

Fact L2First instrument I · VJing, projection mapping, LED/DMX & video

Many intelligent fixtures operate with different numbers of channels depending on their DIP switch configuration. One fixture definition in QLC+ handles this with Modes: each Mode specifies the active channels and their order, and optionally overrides physical properties (pan/tilt range). When a fixture is added to a workspace, the operator selects the matching mode. Different modes expose different heads and capabilities. Common example: 8-channel mode (coarse pan/tilt only) versus 16-channel mode (fine pan/tilt for smoother movement).

Examples

A scanner has Mode A (8ch: coarse only) and Mode B (16ch: adds fine pan/tilt channels for 16-bit movement precision).

Assessment

Why choose a 16-channel mode over an 8-channel mode for a moving head show requiring smooth, precise movement? What is the DMX address space tradeoff?

Prerequisites — understand these first

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Sources

“Many manufacturers design their intelligent lights in such a way that they can be configured to understand different sets of channels. For example, a scanner might have two configuration options: one for only 8bit movement channels (1x pan, 1x tilt) and another one for 16bit movement channels (2x pan, 2x tilt).”
corpus · qlc-user-manual-open-source-dmx-lighting-control · chunk 2

Taught in modules

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