Playback Control Priority
Control priority determines which playback devices control the output. The control priority
affects spot parameters and scrollers. Channels always operate in HTP (Highest Takes
Precedence) mode.
Spark’s playback devices work under a rigid control priority hierarchy or in LTP (Latest
Takes Precedence) mode. Control priority refers to playback devices only. The editor
always has priority.
Playback Device Control Hierarchy
Controllers/chasers
1 – 20
The control priority is descending from controller 1 with
controller 20 having the lowest priority.
Crossfader A/B A/B always has the lowest control priority. All controllers
override the output from A/B.
In the example below all the listed playback devices are active.
Example of hierarchical Control Priority:
Playback Device Assignment Current output
Controller 1 spot 1 gobo 6 spot 1 gobo 6
Controller 8 spot 1 gobo 2
spot 2 cw 2
none
spot 2 cw 2
A/B spot 1 gobo 4
spot 2 cw 5
none
none
Following the example above: If you take controller 1 to 0 the output becomes spot 1 gobo
2 (from controller 8) and spots 1 & 2 at cw 2 (from controller 8). Now bring controller 8 to
0 and controller 1 to full. Spot 1 is output with gobo 6 spot 2 with cw 5.
You can exploit this function to change, for example, the gobo or color for a chaser running
on a lower priority playback device. Taking the example above, let’s say that a position
chase with gobo 4 is looping on controller 6. By assigning a different gobo to controller 1
you can change the gobo look of the chaser.