Lighting and control
ETC ColorSource 20
Prepare the standard CS20 and check why manual control, recorded looks and mixed playback colors can behave differently.
Ask about rental or purchase with a date, venue and description of the intended operation, even with an incomplete fixture list.
Model and purpose
- Manufacturer
- ETC
- Model
- ETC ColorSource 20
- Variant / software scope
- CS20 standard, not AV; manual 3.4.0
- Control surface / capacity
- 20 channel/playback faders; up to 80 control channels/devices in the cited version
- Connections
- 1 DMX/RDM 5-pin port; 1 USB port
- Power
- ETC external supply; 12 VDC, 3.4 A console input per setup guide
A compact console for direct lighting control, stored looks, cue lists and effects. A control channel may represent a complete multiparameter fixture; it is not the same as a DMX slot. Check the fixture footprint against the available DMX output as well as the device allowance.
Assess the desk for the room and its operator
For a defined room or stage setup, start with the fixtures to control and how it will be operated: direct levels, stored looks or a cue sequence. The standard ColorSource 20 can be assessed against that list and its personalities; counting faders does not establish fixture capacity, DMX footprint or functions. If AV-model connections are needed, assess that requirement before choosing a desk.
- Prepare a provisional fixture/mode list, or label photos if model names are missing. Compare each profile, address and footprint with the available output, and check software/library versions without assuming brand-level compatibility.
- Define the operator and what needs to be prepared. A recorded look and manual control may depend on different masters; include a test of the actions the operator will actually use.
- Keep the original show and plan an external copy: internal Save As and Export to USB are different actions. Check the file and recovery outside the active show, without deleting or loading over the original.
Questions to define your proposal
- Which fixtures and modes must the venue control?
- Will operation use direct levels, prepared looks or a cue sequence?
- Who operates the console, and what preparation is needed?
- Are AV functions required, or lighting control only?
A solution to assess with GLMedia
We can assess standard ColorSource 20 with patch, looks and operator handover. Use the fixture list and a representative sequence to compare event rental or recurring use. If AV features or another workflow are required, assess a suitable platform with programming and training scope.
Features and connections
The standard model provides wired DMX/RDM and USB show storage. Ethernet lighting output, HDMI, audio and Amigo are AV model features; they are not added to a standard desk by a USB adapter.
Touchscreen controls provide a stage map, fixture parameters and color selection. The faders can control channels or recorded playbacks; configurable masters govern different playback sections. Prepare correct personalities, addresses, signal cables and external storage.
Prepare the system
- Confirm CS20 hardware, installed software and library in Setup > Settings > General. This guide uses 3.4.0. Check Simple or Complete mode before assuming that cue lists or additional channel pages are available.
- Use the ETC recommended supply and protective earth; keep vents clear. Connect the matching DMX line and test one isolated fixture at a safe level. RDM discovery still requires assigning the device to a control channel.
- Save a separate name with Setup > Files > Save As, then export the show to USB through Files > Shows > Export. Wait for completion before removing power. Internal saving and an external recovery copy serve different purposes.
Questions and troubleshooting
Manual light control works but a recorded look is black: which master controls it?
The recorded sections have their own masters. Read the labels and actual assignments rather than assuming the fader’s position identifies its function.
- Compare the same fixture in manual control and the recorded look on an isolated test circuit. Check which section is expected to supply intensity.
- Inspect the top masters for Cues and Playbacks. If a function is missing, open Setup > Settings > Console and assign the intended master. A blank assignment is not evidence that the function is unrestricted.
- Bring only the required master to an agreed test level and compare output. Preserve the prior settings; do not raise every fader, erase memories or reset the desk to restore recorded control.
Record the look being recalled and visible master assignments before editing the file. We can help distinguish playback inhibition from patch trouble; working manual control is a clue, not a reason to erase the show.
Why do two playback colors combine instead of replacing one another?
The manual describes HTP combination for playback intensity and color. Overlapping color content can produce a mixture; this is different from a latest-playback-wins workflow.
- On one isolated color fixture, compare each stored look alone, then the pair together. Record which playbacks and cue content are contributing.
- Compare the included color content and sources that remain active to distinguish the mix from a cable or personality problem. Rehearse transitions that release the previous color contribution rather than leaving conflicting looks active.
- Keep the original looks and test edited copies. Do not generalize the color rule to every position or beam parameter, and do not use Solo or a full-rig blackout as an unplanned way to clean up the mix.
A fixture responds but its colors or movement are wrong: how do I check the personality?
Match the exact fixture, active mode and console personality before changing addresses or recording compensating cues.
- In Setup > Patch, compare make, model, mode and starting address with the fixture’s own menu and DMX chart. Review occupied addresses for overlap.
- Use Add Device for a multiparameter fixture rather than treating it as a single dimmer. If a required personality is absent, obtain or prepare the exact documented profile before relying on it.
- For a custom profile, the manual uses userlib.jlib at the USB root and Add Device > Source > User Library. Confirm software compatibility first; save the show after patching the profile and export a backup. Test each required attribute on the isolated fixture.
Can it be prepared for a venue operator to run a simple event?
We can plan clear reception, presentation and closing looks, labeled controls and a practical handover. Console choice also depends on fixtures, profiles and the changes the event requires. For a few static looks, Simple mode provides 4 memories, with no cue list or fader paging; it is not a complete show sequence.
- The scope can include patch, look programming, transition rehearsal and an operating guide for the actual file. Check presenter/camera levels separately from decorative color.
- Include a test of each look with the actual fixtures. ETC explains that Simple playbacks cannot use a fader to vary individual pan or tilt parameters; color mixes differently. If that control is required, we assess Complete mode and operator preparation, without changing modes during the event as an improvised fix.
- For complex improvisation, many simultaneous effects or a visiting operator with another workflow, compare another control solution or include technical operation. Test a representative sequence with the intended operator to assess the interface and required controls.
Does standard ColorSource also trigger video, audio and network lighting?
This page covers standard ColorSource 20. ETC distinguishes the AV versions’ network, audio and video features; do not assume a USB adapter transforms the standard model.
- Define lighting-only operation or an entrance coordinated with audiovisual playback. Separate systems with agreed operator calls and a shared rehearsal can be proposed.
- If automatic integration is required, assess a platform with documented connections and functions for that task. Define playback, control, programming and the operator in the proposal, along with the formats and files to check on that platform.
Should the console be rented for an event or considered for recurring venue use?
We can compare both scopes against frequency, fixtures, programming changes and available staff. Console price alone is insufficient: consider who maintains the file and operates the system.
- For a single event, scope rental with show preparation and operation as needed. For recurring use, review regular looks, profiles and functions the venue actually requires.
- A purchase proposal can include commissioning, initial programming, training and recovery copies. Define who will maintain the file and what support the operator needs, then check the required functions against the standard or AV model before choosing.
- For more complex future shows or uncovered requirements, compare another platform or retain rental. Use the same test program so the client can compare operation and results.
Quick reference
| Item | Confirm before use |
|---|---|
| Hardware | Standard CS20 and correct external supply |
| Patch | Control channel, personality, fixture mode and DMX address |
| Playback | Active source, master assignment and contributing colors |
Precautions
- Keep the desk dry, stable and ventilated. A correct grounded power supply matters for reliable touchscreen operation; erratic touch is not a reason to bypass earth.
- Changes to profiles, RDM identification and playback controls can move or flash fixtures. Use the agreed test area and retain the original show.
- Do not interrupt a save or start a firmware change during an active show. Verify the installed version before applying a procedure or assuming the capacity of current documentation.
Terms on this page
- DMX
- A data protocol controlling lighting functions; each model defines what its channels mean.
- RDM
- Management communication for querying or configuring compatible equipment over a compatible path.
- Patch
- Assignment of fixture, profile, address and universe in the control system.
- Personality
- A console profile that maps a fixture’s DMX channels and functions for a specific operating mode.
Help configuring this equipment
- ColorSource standard manual — 3.4.0 — etcconnect.com
Start with the model instructions and match the edition to the unit you will use.
- Fixture personality support — support.etcconnect.com
Match the profile to the model, mode and control platform.
- ETC: document the system before troubleshooting — support.etcconnect.com
Record models, modes, versions and the signal path to describe the problem precisely.
Documentation and sources
- ColorSource model comparison — etcconnect.com
- ColorSource datasheet — H, 2026 — etcconnect.com
- Release notes — 3.4.0 — etcconnect.com
- Standard console setup guide — C — etcconnect.com
- Recorded control and masters — support.etcconnect.com
- Unassigned master faders — support.etcconnect.com
Use the standard 3.4.0 manual with the software and library versions installed on the console. Before preparing the show, check the hardware, required functions and master assignments; if an older document differs, confirm which edition applies to that unit.
Guides to plan your system
Help us improve this guide
Is an explanation missing, did you find an error, or did you solve something differently? Tell us on WhatsApp.
WhatsApp opens with an editable draft. Review it and send it if you choose. Do not include passwords, keys or client information. Contributions are reviewed before being added to guides; they are not published automatically.