DMX In

[amoyer]

One thing we have been doing as long as we have had the 550i was to make use of the DMX in on the 4th DMX connector on the back of the console. Occasionally we get shows in that wish to use the house dimmers for some things as well as their own equipment they are touring with. In past the easiest way to handle this has been to turn that 4th DMX connector into a DMX Input and setup a submaster with the DMX Channels In on the console. Is this possible on the new Light Palette series of consoles? I did try using DMX in on a node for one show but things got confusing when there was obvious conflict as to which console was supposed to be outputting to the dimmers.

[GaryDouglas]

Right now Palette supports DMX in via a node, but it's not quite qhat you're used to. Right now you can patch any DMX in from Shownet/Pathport/Artnet to a Variable (macro) in the console. That variable can then be used to run a sub or set levels or do almost anything.

To patch a Variable Page to a Shownet input, first select Display->Variables on the menubar.

In the Variable Page list, you'll see all of the Variable pages in your show. Next to the variable page name, you'll see a Patch column.

To patch the page, type "IS1" into the Patch column. This is short for "Input, Shownet,Slot 1". For Artnet, use IA1, Pathport = IP1 .

Once this is patched, Variable 1 will be cotrolled by Shownet slot 1, 2 by slot 2, and so on.

If you patch the page to "IS2", variable 1 on the page will be controlled by Shownet slot 2 ....

Please note that if Shownet Input is used by a Variable page, you cannot use it for Wyg on the same computer.

I hope this helps out! It's quite powerful and should give you quite a number of features that a simple merged DMX in doesn't.

[amoyer]

Sorry for being a little lost on this. So I have a show come in that wants to use my dimmers for FOH. Let's say 30 fixtures that are patched 1 to 30 in the console. I understand some of the next steps but I think I'm getting a little confused. This isn't really explained in the help or manual.

• I plug the touring console DMX output into a Shownet node which has a port configured for input.
• On the Pallete, I go to the Variables display and for this Variable Page I patch it to IS1 (for input shownet 1).

Do I now need to add a variable so that the node receives a level change that is applied to the corresponding channel? Would I need to add a variable for each DMX input channel? So in this case 30 variables to be able to control each of the 30 fixtures?

I can see this is quite a powerful tool with all of the scripting and macros. Now I just need to get my head thinking in the right direction.

[GaryDouglas]

Here's a show file that does exactly as you've outlined -- it controls fixtures 1 > 30 with Shownet slots 1 > 30

I was incorrect in my previous posting however -- the number in the variable page patch is the slot number, not the universe number, so to patch a variable page to start at Shownet slot 1537, you would use IS1537. I apologize for the mistake and will edit my previous posting.

This number should match the slot address your node is configured for.

BE CAREFUL if your console is also outputting shownet, since the console will listen to its own data! This can result in an ugly feedback loop.

I'd suggest configuring the node to input to Shownet slot 10000 and have the variable page patched to IS10000 . This should avoid any conflicts!

[RobertBell]

Attached here is a similar version built on Gary's which has a Look Page of subs called GuestRig. Using any channels at any level, record them into GuestRig's subs (i.e, Sub 1 could be Warm Fronts at 80%). Then they run DMX1 on their desk and they get Sub1 matched 1:1

[amoyer]

Thank you to both Rob and Greg. I don't know if I could have ever got there on my own. But now that I have seen that, it is a great starting point for progressing into to a lot of different applications for DMX in.

That being said, and considering how much programming would be required if I had to provide access to a lot of channels (or dimmers/looks/etc) would be the ability to import the variables from another show. That way I can build a show ahead of time that has X number of variables and can import them into any show. Any chance of this?

Thanks again.

[GaryDouglas]

This type of import is on the list. Not there yet, but it is planned FS #647 << this is internal for tracking purposes (FYI)

[amoyer]

Glad to hear it!

[TaineGilliam]

Gary,

I noticed you amended the post to say for shownet the number was the netslot not the universe number. For Pathport is it the XDMX number or the universe? Artnet?

Thanks,
Taine

[GaryDouglas]

It's always net slot number.

So for Pathport 1 = Source1 Channel 1, 513 = Source 2 Channel 1 and so on.

Artnet is the same.