Problems with MagicQ using ENTTEC DMX-USB Pro mk2

[harrison110]

Hello there, first post and its something that has been vexing me for the past 2 days...

A good friend recommended I post here and to put as much information as possible so sorry if this a bit too in depth!

Please note this is all the kit I have available to me, anything else will need to be bought before the show tomorrow evening.

 

I cannot get the lights in the venue to work using my setup, however the GLP showdesigner in the venue does work (though only partially as someone has pulled all the sliders off...).

 

I am using the latest stable version of MagicQ on my Macbook Pro (running Mountain Lion and using the MagicQ without the visualiser) and outputting through an ENTTEC USB Pro mk2. The software runs (sometimes sits for a minute or so then resumes but once it gets going its fine). I have ran the robedemo sample shows that were suppled and I have had fun playing around with them in the visualiser version.

 

The Pro mk2 dongle is brand new and the LED functions so I presume it is fully functional. I am running from the 3-plug breakout cable on it through DMX1 out (5-pin female), through a neutrik 5 pin male to 3 pin female converter and into a 3 pin male which snakes up to the lights above the stage. Due to the venue being part of a university building (not my uni, but anothers) I cannot even go near a step ladder and check what is on the end of that cable or examine the lights myself (they are 12 battered looking par cans) but it does all work bar one blown bulb.

 

I have had a series of very silly problems first of all:

I didnt know to enable universe 1 in MagicQ and set the output type to Enttec Pro. (I wondered why the blue LED on the box didnt change...) So I e-mailed ENTTEC and they sent a reply which didnt really answer my question but did help. So I phoned up the MagicQ people and they helped me out there.

Then, being new to the software I had problems patching the dimmers but eventually I got there... So now here I am.

I am running the 48-channel desk demo program that is in the demo file when I go to load show, and when I bring up 1 THRU 100 @ FULL not a single par can goes on despite the software saying that they should be. (I even double checked by going to the intensity window in the software and seeing all the sliders up full)

 

The LED on the usb box is flashing blue-green, (Blue being "standalone" and green being "DMX 1" as indicated on the device) The ENTTEC guys said I quote: "green indicates its sending DMX" and I have read elsewhere flashing green indicates sending a DMX signal but blue/green flashing, is that the same thing?

 

So I have what seems to be a functioning MagicQ, a DMX-USB that looks like its doing something but I cannot figure out what, and a set of 12 par cans that wont.

 

Any ideas as to if something is wrong here or am I missing something fundamental?

 

If anybody needs to know more, I'll be watching this thread intently!

[alistermorton]

Hi.

 

Is your dimmer rack indicating that it is receiving good DMX?

[harrison110]

Hi.

 

Is your dimmer rack indicating that it is receiving good DMX?

 

The GLP one that they have there works the lights ok, I would think the answer to that would be yes for GLP and no for my setup unless there is more to it than that???

 

Unfortunately I am not allowed to go anywhere the dimmer racks might be, they are likely one of 3 places but all of those places I am not allowed access to!

 

Thanks for the suggestion though, I will see if I can get more leniency tomorrow before the show and see if I can have a look.

[Tom Baldwin]

Two things to check:

1) DMX on 3 pin connectors sometimes has problems with pins 2 and 3 being swapped (cables should be 1:1, but some devices are wired oddly, so you need a phase change cable). It won't do any damage to try this, and it might work. Either make up a 3 pin cable yourself (and insert it inline with your MagicQ rig), or borrow a phase change cable from any tame soundies you can find. Pinout is 1:1, 2:3, 3:2.

2) are you sure you have the right DMX addresses in your MagicQ patch? You might find it worthwhile downloading the GLP manual from here and looking at the addresses to which it thinks the lights are patched, and making sure that your desk has the same patch.

 

HTH

 

Tom

[harrison110]

Two things to check:

1) DMX on 3 pin connectors sometimes has problems with pins 2 and 3 being swapped (cables should be 1:1, but some devices are wired oddly, so you need a phase change cable). It won't do any damage to try this, and it might work. Either make up a 3 pin cable yourself (and insert it inline with your MagicQ rig), or borrow a phase change cable from any tame soundies you can find. Pinout is 1:1, 2:3, 3:2.

2) are you sure you have the right DMX addresses in your MagicQ patch? You might find it worthwhile downloading the GLP manual from here and looking at the addresses to which it thinks the lights are patched, and making sure that your desk has the same patch.

 

HTH

 

Tom

 

Thanks for the reply, I think there actually is a cable with swapped pins somewhere (it behaved oddly when I wired the GLP to it and only gave me 5 or so out of the 12 cans)... if not I have my trusty leatherman!

 

As for the DMX addresses? This is where my knowledge becomes a bit hazy... I hate to ask stupid questions but won't all desks/whatever use 1 - n number of ports? If you are talking about what I think you are talking about, I tried setting up with 200 dimmers and did 1>200 at full and still got nothing. Unless I am missing your point here??

[acoppenolle]

I think starting from 1.5.5 you can't use USB>DMX interfaces anymore because Chamsys can't garantuee the stability. Best thing you can do is buying an artnet node (the enttec version is like $140 if you search well).

 

If you want to use the USB dongle you just have to downgrade to 1.5.4 or 1.5.3 (I'm not sure, if you want to be sure take 1.5.3).

 

Edit: something like this: Open DMX Ethernet

[harrison110]

I think starting from 1.5.5 you can't use USB>DMX interfaces anymore because Chamsys can't garantuee the stability. Best thing you can do is buying an artnet node (the enttec version is like $140 if you search well).

 

If you want to use the USB dongle you just have to downgrade to 1.5.4 or 1.5.3 (I'm not sure, if you want to be sure take 1.5.3).

 

Edit: something like this: Open DMX Ethernet

 

Well thats weird because the chamsys guys I rang up said that the USB-DMX interfaces were fully supported on the latest stable build. The ENTTEC even uses the same chipset thats the MagicQ Wings have.

 

Also I don't have that much of my own kit and nowhere I have been uses ARTNET around here. Thanks for the suggestion but its not really feasable unfortunately.

 

Had a good look around and I am going to try two different things:

 

- Update the firmware in the dongle

 

- Bootcamp a version of XP (I dont have 7) and try it on that

 

 

Any more suggestions would be brilliant!!!

[Richard CSL]

I think pins 2 &3 reversing might be the issue here. Or DMX address for the "unknown " dimmers. If Chamsys say it should work, then it should work.

[timsabre]

As for the DMX addresses? This is where my knowledge becomes a bit hazy... I hate to ask stupid questions but won't all desks/whatever use 1 - n number of ports?

 

No... the dimmers could be anywhere from DMX address 1 to 512.

So your 1-200 could have missed where the dimmers are set. You need to find that out to help in your fault finding. If the dimmers are set to address 1, at least that eliminates a possible problem. If you know how to work the GLP console, that will be able to tell you where the dimmers are patched.

[musht]

 

Any ideas as to if something is wrong here or am I missing something fundamental?

 

 

Starting with too many unknowns?

 

Great use for the now humble LED parcan, basic DMX tester plug in, set to address 1, plug questionable control appliance bring up address 1.

 

Then you can be sure you are actually transmitting DMX.

 

For dimmers patched at random address 1thru512@100 should find them....

[harrison110]

So, show over and problem fixed.

 

Turns out the polarity was swapped, thanks for the RS guy here for re-soldering a DMX for me... also the channels were 418,421,424 etc... why is a good question but one that I won't delve into.

 

Thanks for the help everyone. Its been a bit of a nightmare using something else than a good old strand desk in familiar halls but 5 mins before the show everything came together and it worked out not too bad.