Art-net set-up

[SBLD]

I am sure this is entirely possible, but without setting everything up to find out it doesn't work, I was wondering:

 

Is it possible to send Art-net out of a console (Tiger Touch for example) and the signal to be split between

a network processor/buffer box controlling the rig, and another computer running WYSIWYG or similar CAD package.

 

Would this just require a network hub and a cross over cable going to the WYSIWYG machine and straight ether-net

going to the rig? What configuration works best?

 

Thanks,

Simon

[gyro_gearloose]

You could send the Artnet data to as many devices (lights, dimmers, WYSIWYG systems, etc) as you like. Its no different to a network of PCs. Just connect your Tiger to your hub (with a patch cable, not a crossover cable. All they are used for is connecting two PCs together without using a hub), and then connect your hub to your rig, and your WYSIWYG machine.

[dbuckley]

Is it possible to send Art-net out of a console (Tiger Touch for example) and the signal to be split

 

The signal won't be "split", Artnet is "broadcast" so all devices on the same "network" will receive it.

 

I need to be just a little clearer what I mean by "network"; I actually mean "subnet", so the devices all need to have a compatible addressing scheme configured into them.

[SBLD]

Ok so now having the physical set up in our demo room I have found that the Tiger Touch talks to the Luminex box

fine giving me control of my rig, and if I plug in a CAT 5 direct to WYSIWYG that also works fine. The problem comes

when trying to run art-net through a netgear switch. When I do this I only have control of the rig and WYG doesn't respond.

It connects ok but there just isn't any output.

 

Anyone got any bright ideas? Networking is not my strong point! It can't be an IP or sub net issue can it? Would a crossover cable

make any difference?

[Shez]

Whilst a lot of networking gear is tolerant of crossover cables, once you start using switches rather than connecting directly from one computer to another, using normal (non-crossover) cables would be wise.

[timsabre]

Art net can be funny with intelligent switches. A boring old hub works better.

[SBLD]

When I say 'switch' I think I actually mean boring hub. This one certainly isn't intelligent. The only way I have managed to fudge this

is to double patch physical DMX lines and Art-net over ethernet which kind of works but isn't the networking solution I was hoping for.

[timsabre]

When I say 'switch' I think I actually mean boring hub.

 

It's often difficult to tell, people use the terms hub and switch interchangeably but they aren't the same thing.

If it sends all the packets to all the ports then it's a hub. If it knows which device is on each port and only sends the packets for that device to the port, then it's a switch, and Artnet might have trouble.

[SBLD]

I'm going for hub. It's not intelligent as far as I can tell....

[smalljoshua]

It is possible to have "dumb" switches too. That's the difference between Managed and Unmanaged switches. If you don't know which it is, then it's likely a Unmanaged switch. "Hubs" in the traditional sense haven't been common for a few years now.

 

E2A, you're running all your machines on a 2.0.0.0/8 network? So the desk is 2.0.0.1 with a subnet of 255.0.0.0? Luminex box with 2.0.0.2 and the same subnet and so on?

 

I know that 2.0.0.0/8 is a public network but it's the only thing Artnet fully works on! (Sound bitter? You would be too if you'd been fighting with ArtTimecode for a week!)

 

Josh

[SBLD]

I'm pretty sure it's unmanaged. Currently I have art-net out-putting on 2.0.0.2 subnet 255.0.0.0 with the Luminex box on the same addresses,

for some reason the DMX universes are only working when set to the same IP as the box. I also have wyg set to 2.0.0.4 255.0.0.0

Everything talks to everything else fine, just not all at the same time!

[alistermorton]

I'm pretty sure it's unmanaged. Currently I have art-net out-putting on 2.0.0.2 subnet 255.0.0.0 with the Luminex box on the same addresses,

for some reason the DMX universes are only working when set to the same IP as the box. I also have wyg set to 2.0.0.4 255.0.0.0

Everything talks to everything else fine, just not all at the same time!

 

If you have multiple devices on the same network with the same IP address you're going to have problems. Each device needs its own unique address within the subnet.

[mark_s]

Art net can be funny with intelligent switches. A boring old hub works better.

 

I've yet to have a problem with Artnet and unmanaged switches, and there've been plenty of opportunities! The potential is there to cause issues if you're using managed switches without the requisite knowledge to configure them, but there should be no practical difference between an unmanaged switch and a hub as far as Artnet is concerned.

 

I'm assuming that by 'intelligent' you mean managed.

[mac.calder]

One thing to check is that you are broadcasting your ArtNet data - some systems will allow you to send ArtNet to a specific device (IP) as opposed to broadcasting it to everyone - where other systems just assume you want to broadcast.

 

To broadcast, you want to have either no "target" (terminology varies) set or you want the target IP to be 2.255.255.255 or 255.255.255.255.

[timsabre]

Art net can be funny with intelligent switches. A boring old hub works better.

 

I've yet to have a problem with Artnet and unmanaged switches, and there've been plenty of opportunities! The potential is there to cause issues if you're using managed switches without the requisite knowledge to configure them, but there should be no practical difference between an unmanaged switch and a hub as far as Artnet is concerned.

 

I'm assuming that by 'intelligent' you mean managed.

 

It's never happened to me, but I've heard of Artnet and ACN packets being blocked or dropped by switches because of the repetitive nature of the packets.