I need help programming a Gralab 900

[williaty]

I need some help programming a Gralab 900. I've got the sequential operation down and can program the different stages of my process into different MemLoc registers and get it to advance itself from one to the next at the end of each timing stage. What I can't get it to do is to get back to the first stage after it's reached the end of the process. If I have a 3 stage process, I can program each time into MemLoc 0, MemLoc 1, and MemLoc 2 respectively. Each MemLoc is configured to go Forward at the end and with Reset. This means it waits for me to push the foot pedal to start the stage in MemLoc 0, runs out the timer and sounds the beep, automatically advances to MemLoc 1, waits for me to push the foot pedal, runs out the timer and sounds the beep, automatically advances to MemLoc 2, waits for me to push the foot pedal, and then runs out the timer and sounds the beep. So far, that's exactly what I want to do. The problem is that it gets "stuck" at the end of the sequence. What I need it to do is to go Forward from MemLoc 2 to MemLoc 0 and wait for me to hit the foot pedal. I can't figure out how to do this. The closest I've come is to program all 8 MemLocs with Forward so that it'll progress from MemLoc 7 to MemLoc 0 but it takes a stupid amount of keypresses to do that. Having to program 5 "dummy" stages into the thing every damned time I turn it on does not sound like something that will be mistake-free or even frustration-free on a regular basis.'

Does anyone know how to get it to either go direct from MemLoc 2 to MemLoc 0 (or just keep going forward and skipping MemLocs 3-7 without having to explicitly program that)?

[esearing]

you can download the manual . It has an example of a 3 location program. Instead of selecting fwd you select back which looks like it ends the programming sequence.
http://www.gralab.com/products/index.asp

[williaty]

you can download the manual . It has an example of a 3 location program. Instead of selecting fwd you select back which looks like it ends the programming sequence.
http://www.gralab.com/products/index.asp

I already have the manual.


Using Back doesn't restart the sequence, it just sends it to one lower MemLoc. So in their example, what you're actually going to get is 1-2-3-2-3-2-3-2-3 etc. It never goes back to 1.

[Oren Grad]

I have a 900 but my answer to this question...

Does anyone know how to get it to either go direct from MemLoc 2 to MemLoc 0 (or just keep going forward and skipping MemLocs 3-7 without having to explicitly program that)?

...is "no", or at least I don't. Doesn't solve your problem, but at least you know that some of us are paying attention.

Have you tried calling GraLab? The 900 was discontinued long ago, but in a small company like that you might find someone who's been around long enough to know stuff like this.

[williaty]

I called Gralab. They honestly seemed surprised anyone was wasting their time asking after a timer "that we haven't made since at least the 70s. No one here is old enough to remember anything about it". Looking at it, it does not appear to be 70s technology...

[Oren Grad]

Oh, well.

...a timer "that we haven't made since at least the 70s. No one here is old enough to remember anything about it". Looking at it, it does not appear to be 70s technology...

Well, it was sold at least from the early '80s, so close. But it was carried by dealers well into the '90s - IIRC I bought mine new around 1993. Hard to imagine they made only one production run at the very beginning and then sold it for 15 years, but who knows?

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.

[esearing]

Using Back doesn't restart the sequence, it just sends it to one lower MemLoc. So in their example, what you're actually going to get is 1-2-3-2-3-2-3-2-3 etc. It never goes back to 1.

That actually works with the way I was taught to use a timer. Instead of using 15 seconds I would use 5x3 second bursts which allowed for 3 second dodges of various areas during the primary 15 second exposure, +3 second bursts to burn in corners if needed.
Total: 15 seconds overall, with some areas only receiving only 12 seconds, and 18 seconds in each of the corners if needed.
If it allows you key presses to continue, that gives you an opportunity to change under lens filters or pick up dodging/burning tools between cycles.
Or maybe just breakdown your time into smaller chunks so you use all the locations .