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Choosing USB-DMX interface and software


BAAL

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For our next performance I would like controlling the lights life from stage using a tablet.

The idea is sending OSC commands via any of the available android OSC-Apps to a PC, running a USB-DMX lighting software listening to OSC commands and send out the DMX control over the USB-DMX interface.

So far I've no experience with USB-DMX interfaces, but I do have some experience in controlling mapping via OSC commands sent over mobile phones.In sight of the briefly described needs, the questions are:

  • Is there any particular USB-DMX interface I should consider. I was thinking about the ENNTEC PRO, since it seems to have a quite good support and is widely compatible with existing softwares, but maybe someone here has a better advice.
  • Is there any software (at best free) I could use that can listen to OSC commands? Could MAGICQ do that?
  • Can any of those "controlling" softwares also be used to make a proper light design?

Thanks

Edited by BAAL
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First up, I can't get mine to work!But I have an entec basic USB/DMX and am tryinging to run it on an iMac that's about a year old.Don't know why

But there are several packages that do allow lighting design/simulation and operation (in theory) if only the bloody interface would work.

I have a rather old windows seven machine that I will try at some point. It's not a high priority for me at the moment. And I don't know about tablet remotes. There are several YouTube videos that might help

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@Dave m andalistermorton.Thanks for the info. Actually using the tablet should not be the problem. I could send the OSC commands to the PC using a different software (eg. PureData). The two things I need to know are:

  1. Is there any software I could use that's able to retreive data sent over an open port.?
  2. Does that software require a particular USB-DMX interface.

Dave: I hope you manage to get the interface working. Could give me some of the package names allowing design/simulation (and control ;-) )Alistermorton: I'll check the MagicQ remote app. If it does what I need, it should be defintely easier than my workaround.

 

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Are you completely set on using OSC?

 

Most manufacturers have some sort of remote for their consoles that will work via a tablet and wifi - some use proprietary protocols, some use OSC.

 

I wouldn't personally want to rely on that (wifi) for running a show, but it could be done. Like most people, I and the rest of our team use the phone app to control our ETC desk during focussing and set up, for example, and it works identically when the console software is running on a PC. So you could run a show from the phone/tablet.

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One option you could look at is to use Open Stage Control to act as a bridge between your tablets/phones and your console/PC running lighting software. There's an online demo of the software, if you've got the Chrome browser.

 

I've been trying to use it as a multi-user riggers remote for our ETC Element. I've got the software running on an old rackmount PC, running a lightweight version of Linux. The phones/tablets only need to connect to our lighting network via wifi, and then use their web browser to access the Open Stage Control software. No third party apps need to be installed.

 

The only issue I've got at the moment is that EOS needs some configuration OSC messages sent to it before it gives fader control via OSC. On the version of the software I've been using there does seem to be an easy way to do this.

 

Edit: As for which DMX widget to use, you could avoid driver and software compatibility issues by using an Artnet/sACN to DMX box. It only requires a network port on your pc/laptop, however it is likely to be more expensive than many USB/DMX solutions.

Edited by gyro_gearloose
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To alistermorton: No, I'm not completely set on using OSC, it's just that I've got a bit experience with it, but I'm open to any reliable option.Regarding the "wifi" option, I understand your point, however, in this case I am performing on stage as well and having the console on stage is not an option. The alternative would be a long cable :-). Anyway I think there's not too much to be afraid of. Nowadays wifi connections are pretty stable. I'm not planning using the internet, just a wifi connection between tablet/phone and Notebook/PC. As long as the connection is up, the amount of data to be transmitted should definitely not be an issue. The other thing is that I don't own any console. We're always performing at different venues, so I need the USB-DMX box or as gyro-gearloose suggested Artnet-DMX box to do the job.

Gyro-gearloose: Is the OpenStageControl locally installed somewhere or does it require www access in order to run. In the second case I think I would not add any innecessary risk to my setup.

 

So basically I guess I'm still in search of a Lighting software that I can somehow access via wifi (could be OSC commands or any other), a compatible USB-DMX or Artnet/sACN-DMX box - and in case It's not OSC, I would need the corresponding App/Widget.

 

Anyway it's a pleasure reading your comments. Thanks for taking your time. I should make a decissionover the next two weeks. I'll keep you up to date.

 

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In my Open Stage Control setup I've got an old rackmount PC running Linux plugged into a router/wifi access point. This machine is running the Open Stage Control software. Our lighting console is also plugged into the router. It doesn't need internet access and is a completely self-contained network.
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Lots of people like the freedom of wifi for the set up, BUT like to be hard wired for the show simply because most audiences will have a wifi device in their pocket just hogging the local wireless bands. Lots of folk have found a (especially a young) audience to hog wifi and mobile broadband to make show needs suffer from delay and dropouts.
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So basically I guess I'm still in search of a Lighting software that I can somehow access via wifi (could be OSC commands or any other), a compatible USB-DMX or Artnet/sACN-DMX box - and in case It's not OSC, I would need the corresponding App/Widget.

 

Have a look at the control software from Enttec. Either D-PRO or DMXIS.

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  • 4 weeks later...

After being quiet for some time, I thing I might try the following:

  • The Enttec ODE MK2
  • QLC+ Software on a PC
  • Any of the available OSC apps available for Android (probably TouchOSC)

The Enttec ODE Mk2 is what an enttec salesman recommended for my purpose. The ethernet connectivity is surely superior to usb. The ability to output OR listen to DMX is ok, but I don't think I need it. I might end up with a different interface.The QLC+ looks impressive and it also has the ability to trigger video/audio, wich I might use as well. I also like the 3D visualiser, since it helps me with the design (right now I'm using LXFree as light design software wich is a bit frustrating after having used wysiwyg, but that was not on my own PC and I can't afford the license right now) .Regarding TouchOSC, there are some other similar apps around, but this one allows configuring your own layout, which is something I like. The bad thing is that I've read that it has some connectivity issues in TCP and that support is not responding to any queries (it seems as if not even the forum is available, since it requires admin approval, and admin seems to be missing).

 

So these are my choices so far, in case anyone is interested. I decided to pay a bit more for the hardware (there are 10€ solution in Aliexpress) and go cheap/free for the software

 

Thanks to anyone who replied to my initial query. Happy to get any further comments.

 

 

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I'm not sure why you think ethernet is superior to usb for DMX. The main reason to use ethernet for DMX is to get multiple universes without having to run lots of cables. Or if you want the DMX a long way from your control device and have network cabling available. Otherwise USB is better having less things to go wrong.
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I'm not sure why you think Ethernet is superior to USB for DMX. The main reason to use ethernet for DMX is to get multiple universes without having to run lots of cables. Or if you want the DMX a long way from your control device and have network cabling available. Otherwise, USB is better having fewer things to go wrong.

 

Hi. Not being an expert, my thought was that USB is heavily depending on drivers and is more prone to incompatibilities than ethernet, since its protocols (TCP / UDP) are well defined and universal, consequently I thought ethernet would be the better-supported option in the long term (if any is going to be dropped).In any case, I guess you're right in that for most cases USB is very straight forward to set up, whereas ethernet requires some configuration.

Once set up is done, is there anything else that could go wrong over ethernet? I'm not specially bound to choosing ethernet. It was mainly because of the recommendation of the Enttec salesman. So if you could elaborate a bit more on why you would choose USB over ethernet, I might change my mind. For now, I'm not planning to use more than one universe and I've used sound XLR wiring from stage to control (which is almost always available at any venue) for DMX usage. So the possible Ethernet advantages you point out, won't be a big deal.

Thanks

 

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If you are experienced with networking you should not run into any problems with ethernet... But if not there can be lots of confusion with getting ip addresses and subnets in the correct range so the computer can "see" the network device. Windows firewall (and other bits of Windows) can sometimes block the network packets unexpectedly.

 

Whereas USB should just be plug and play.

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If you are experienced with networking you should not run into any problems with ethernet... But if not there can be lots of confusion with getting ip addresses and subnets in the correct range so the computer can "see" the network device. Windows firewall (and other bits of Windows) can sometimes block the network packets unexpectedly.

 

Whereas USB should just be plug and play.

 

Oups... I've just noticed I figured out I missed a posibly important advantage of the ethernet version (at least of the ODE MK2). It allows to store a show in the interface and run it wirelessly from a tablet (which is what I plan now) without requiring a computer attached to the interface. On the other side, it requires a router.

I'll see if I can get some manuals and read through them in order to foresee possible networking/configuration issues.

Thanks again

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