Float Pins

Float Pins are controls that go from 0 to 1.

Float Pins are represented in Hippotizer most commonly as faders.

They can also be number boxes.

In both cases, the underlying pin is from 0 – 1 and the User Interface is converting the value into a more readable format.

As the DMX component connects directly to the pin, it must always map from 0-1 regardless of how the pin is displayed in the user interface.

Bit Depth

Unlike Integers, Floats do not have a set bit depth (or number of DMX channels per parameter). Any float can be controlled with 1 DMX Channel (8-bit), 2 Channels (16-bit) or 3 Channels (24-bit). As the parameter will only ever go from 0 – 1, additional bit depth equates to more DMX steps so greater precision and smoother fades.

The decision of which bit depth to use for each parameter depends on what is being controlled. For the factory personalities, Green Hippo followed these rules:

• Intensities and colour (Layer, Effects etc.) are set at 8-bit as this matches the bit depth of underlying video colour channels. Any additional precision would not make a noticeable difference.
• Effect and Notch parameters are set to 8-bit. The primary reason was balancing benefit with the significant increase in channel count per layer.
• Geometry and Keystone controls are set to 16-bit to ensure high precision and smooth fades.
• No Floats presently are set to 24-bit by default.

These values can be modified in custom personalities as required.

Center Point

For many controls the center point of the float is very important. For example, in Geometry/Position a float value of 0.5 is the default layer state.

In order to ensure the value of exactly 0.5 corresponds correctly to DMX, Green Hippo sets manual centre points in the personality.

This is important as there are 256 steps in a single DMX channel, therefore 0.5 would fall between two steps if it is not defined.

In the above example, the centre value of 0.5 has been exaggerated allowing for input values of 32767 – 32769.

Floats with specific mappings.

In addition to setting a center point, some floats require additional special consideration.

• All colour / effects / Notch parameters have centers set.
• Geometry/Rotation combines rotation speed and the continuous bool pin into a single 16-bit DMX channel.
• Media speed is set with 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 defined in the mapping.
• 16-bit floats in Geometry have exaggerated centre points.