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pile on

English translation: combine

13:16 Dec 2, 2005
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Electronics / Elect Eng / lighting
English term or phrase: pile on
about theatrical lighting

"Preset scenes may be “piled on” in any combination"

...increased?
Elena Ghetti
Italy
Local time: 00:30
Selected answer:combine
Explanation:
This has a very specific meaning in this particualr context.

Anna is not wrong, of course --- it does basically mean 'to add' --- but with a subtle connotation.

A 'preset' is a list of lights, together with the brightness levels at which they are set; different presets will be used for different scenes, different lighting states, etc.

Normally, one changes from one preset to another --- maybe by cross-fading, or a snap (instantaneous) change.

Let's suppose that in preset A, lamp 1 is at 30%, whilst in preset B, this same lamp is at 50%.

If you do a conventional cross-fade from A to B, the visible effect will be that lamp 1 will fade up from 30 to 50%

But if you 'pile add' (or 'pile on') Preset B on top of Preset A, lamp 1 will go to 30% + 50% = 80%

Although at first sight this facility might appear redundant, in actual fact it is an extremely useful, indeed, vital tool for the lighting designer and operator --- it is a way of, for example, keeping some lamps the same but adding or modifying others, without having to recreate a whole new preset for them (a lot of work / time where 100s of lamps are involved!)

I hope my horribly simplified explanation will be enough to help you understand what is going on here!



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs 57 mins (2005-12-02 17:13:54 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

There are several modes possible: some add the lamp percentages as I've described above, others use a 'highest takes precedence' logic, and of course, there are other possibilities too.


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs 58 mins (2005-12-02 17:15:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sometimes it's even possible to 'pile on' 2 presets, and then save the result as a fresh preset --- a great time-saver, that one!
Selected response from:

Tony M
France
Local time: 00:30
Grading comment
many thanks!! Thanks also to Anna Maria
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +4added
Anna Maria Augustine (X)
4 +3combine
Tony M


  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
added


Explanation:
*

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 mins (2005-12-02 13:18:46 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

one on top of the other

Anna Maria Augustine (X)
France
Local time: 00:30
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Mikhail Kropotov
19 mins
  -> Thank you
agree  Enza Longo
24 mins
  -> Thank you
agree  Jo Macdonald
35 mins
agree  Alfa Trans (X)
4 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
combine


Explanation:
This has a very specific meaning in this particualr context.

Anna is not wrong, of course --- it does basically mean 'to add' --- but with a subtle connotation.

A 'preset' is a list of lights, together with the brightness levels at which they are set; different presets will be used for different scenes, different lighting states, etc.

Normally, one changes from one preset to another --- maybe by cross-fading, or a snap (instantaneous) change.

Let's suppose that in preset A, lamp 1 is at 30%, whilst in preset B, this same lamp is at 50%.

If you do a conventional cross-fade from A to B, the visible effect will be that lamp 1 will fade up from 30 to 50%

But if you 'pile add' (or 'pile on') Preset B on top of Preset A, lamp 1 will go to 30% + 50% = 80%

Although at first sight this facility might appear redundant, in actual fact it is an extremely useful, indeed, vital tool for the lighting designer and operator --- it is a way of, for example, keeping some lamps the same but adding or modifying others, without having to recreate a whole new preset for them (a lot of work / time where 100s of lamps are involved!)

I hope my horribly simplified explanation will be enough to help you understand what is going on here!



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs 57 mins (2005-12-02 17:13:54 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

There are several modes possible: some add the lamp percentages as I've described above, others use a 'highest takes precedence' logic, and of course, there are other possibilities too.


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs 58 mins (2005-12-02 17:15:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sometimes it's even possible to 'pile on' 2 presets, and then save the result as a fresh preset --- a great time-saver, that one!

Tony M
France
Local time: 00:30
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 304
Grading comment
many thanks!! Thanks also to Anna Maria

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Nikos Mastrakoulis
27 mins
  -> Thanks, Nikos!
agree  Will Matter
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, Will!
agree  Romanian Translator (X)
3 hrs
  -> Thanks, Awana!
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