Ynot Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 I'm looking at maybe purchasing the full version of Screen Monkey which has some DMX input (via Artnet?) control capabilities.Anyone any real world experience of using the beast in this way? Is there anything else that;s needed to interface or is it just an Ethernet link to the desk (in my case an ETC Ion)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niclights Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 DMX control is Art-net. Just an ethernet link is needed. I only have experience of testing it in this configuration. I have not used it for any shows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shez Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 I used it with MagicQ for the logo & titles projections for Les Mis last year. I never managed to get really smooth fades out of it despite it managing OK when faded with SM's own faders. I think the laptop was a little underpowered for the job which didn't help. I never succeeded in getting thumbnails to appear in MagicQ either - not a deal breaker in that instance but puzzling nonetheless. I don't know whether that was an issue with SM, it's laptop, MagicQ, it's PC or something network related in the middle. I do recall a lot of messing about with Win7's network settings before the laptop would even receive Artnet. I found a really useful piece of software called Artnetominator - great for seeing what's going on. Very useful to have in the toolbox. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted November 20, 2013 Author Share Posted November 20, 2013 Bumping an old topic - still looking for some more actual experienced users for comment. Is it worth spending the £145 that they're asking (which does seem a LOT higher than when I last looked..) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thelxbloke Posted November 20, 2013 Share Posted November 20, 2013 We've been using it for three years for projected set. Outputting to a Matrox DualHead2Go (span of 2560x1024) and a control monitor, controled from an ION via Art-Net, not had any problems relating to the software or interface, only the computer struggling to put out such a hi-res video stream on what is rather underspeced hardware (mainly hard drive read times, I think its Parralell SCSI!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Pearce Posted November 20, 2013 Share Posted November 20, 2013 I've used it a few times on artnet, with Avo desks. It does what it is asked to, CITP works, fade quality is dependent on hardware power (CPU, drive speed, and graphics). I haven't found anything out there that will beat it at that price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossmck Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 Just to throw another option in the mix, and only useful if you have a mac, but I often use Katrin. Documentation is a bit spare but it's a completely free Art-Net capable media server - http://katrin.logvinov.org/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indyld Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 Just to throw another option in the mix, and only useful if you have a mac, but I often use Katrin. Documentation is a bit spare but it's a completely free Art-Net capable media server - http://katrin.logvinov.org/ I have found Katrin a bit flaky and, as you say, it's the kind of thing that is great for free so long as you understand how you go about using a media server and controlling it via ArtNet as a fixture. It's a wee bit obscure for your average walk-up user particularly as the documentation is sparse and with the possibility of having to create/alter fixture personalities etc. I didn't really know that Screen Monkey did CITP. Does that mean thumbnail support via MSEX? (Edit: Ooo, the SM website also says sACN too now...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niclights Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 I didn't really know that Screen Monkey did CITP. Does that mean thumbnail support via MSEX?Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 OK, bit the bullet and invested in the upgrade. However, there doesn't seem to be a great deal of documentation on how to get the link set up between the LX desk (in our case an Ion) and the SM software. Have found the DMX protocol document but struggling to figure the 'how to' at the moment. Am casting through the SM forum topics and seems others have also had similar issues, but will keep on trucking over there, but if anyone HAS linked an Eos family console to SM, please shout up as that may save me some time. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Pearce Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 It runs via artnet. You'll need to set up an artnet universe on your Ion, then patch the screen monkey fixture to that universe. Then make sure the computer running screenmonkey is on the same network, and receiving data. I seem to remember that there is very little config to do at the screenmonkey end other than setting the address. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 OK - which means I need to have a little read of Artnet universes etc on the Ion then... :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shez Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 There's a useful free piece of software called artnetominator which can show you exactly what's going on with artnet on your network. I found it really helpful when troubleshooting what turned out to be a firewall issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IRW Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 OK - which means I need to have a little read of Artnet universes etc on the Ion then... :) Tony, I can't help with the whole screen monkey config, but I can help you with where to start with ArtNet on the Ion... Firstly, you need to exit to the shell, and go into 'Network' settings. Scroll down until you find 'Output Protocols' and make sure that ArtNet is enabled. Unless you have reason to change it, leave the first drop down box as 'Directed Broadcast', and set the second drop down box to the artnet universe (For neatness purposes, you may wish to set this to something other than your DMX universe numbers- I can't remember whether the two 'share' universe numbers, or if they are completely separate entities). Now, if you boot up and go into Patch, you can set a channel to output on ArtNet by typing [Channel Number], then clicking {Interface} and selecting {ArtNet}. You patch the channel to an address the same way you would normally- what I can't remember is if you've selected 'ArtNet Start: 0' in the shell if this corresponds to universe 1 in patch, or if 'ArtNet Start: 1' corresponds to universe 1. Hope this helps, Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 Well seem to have started in the right direction, thanks.Settings adjusted in the Ion and assigned it to universe 3 - I noted that it started at '0' as well, so yes, I may well find it referring to the actual univ 4 by the time I get to addressing in patch. Haven't had much time to play as yet as we're running panto at the mo (my night off the desk) so will be investigating further post show and/or tomorrow between matinee & evening. Just need now to figure out how the DMX channels apply to the Screen Monkey layers/VT files etc. I have found the link to Artnet options in the 'right click' - 'settings' - 'Artnet' and there are various references to DMX channels, but nothing TOO obvious as yet.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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