DMX over Ethernet and hires using their own desk

[pritch]

As part of some upgrade work we need to sort of the rats' nest of DMX that's on stage.

We've got two universes at present, although it's not hard to see us hitting a situation where we've got three in the not too distant future. We're considering a shift to DMX over Ethernet.

Someone has raised a concern about what we do with hires who bring their own desk in with them. Now, we don't get many, we're an amateur venue who mainly do our own stuff and most of our hires are local community groups who'll just use our desk - but I've been asked about what we do if someone turns up with their own desk and can't use one of the DMX over Ethernet protocols.

My initial response was to dismiss this - if you've got a 2+ universe desk you can probably do ethernet - does that seem reasonable?

Failing that, I've been asked if there's an Ethernet node that allows you to plug standard DMX on XLR into the back of it, which to my mind seems to rather defeat the point of using ethernet in the first place, especially once you start trying to throw multiple universes at it.

[DrV]

That's what Pathway Connectivity  is all about. You can have nodes which connect DMX or ethernet onto the backbone then you can connect nodes to tap off DMX from that. You can also do stuff like having a DMX node which picks up one range of addresses from one universe and another range from a different universe and so on.

As ever I must declare a connection, although not an interest in that I do a bit of work for CTI.

[Glyn Edwards]

I toured through a venue (but can't remember where) that had 4 DMX tie lines from the desk position to a patch rack at the rear of the control room where they fed into a node which in turn fed another node in the dimmer room that split them out again. There was also a direct ethernet link into the network so you could do either / or...

Its certainly possible.

 

HTH

 

[Bryson]

5 hours ago, DrV said:

That's what Pathway Connectivity  is all about. 

A good Canadian company from Calgary.  🇨🇦😀

For OP:  when we design systems to do this at work, we usually use an input node on the network.  Sometimes it’s just a one port, up to 4 depending on the venue size.   I often use the Pathport Unos for this.  It’s easier than trying to get network addresses and so on to match up from the touring console, just chuck it out to DMX and back into the network.  Also mitigates any security concerns about access to the network.
 

I haven’t yet used the ELink router that Pathway make, but that’s another route you could take.  It’s maybe more optimized for Professional venues, and priced to match.

 

 

[James Remo]

Rather than invest in a DMX input node a pair of sneak snakes will set you back less than £80, will mean you can run DMX down the cat 5 that is your new foh run, into your buffers for the rare time you get an old pearl or the like in your venue. Can also be useful for getting multiple universes from point a to b if you get universe hungry fixtures in on a rental. 

[Tomo]

Once you start going network, it won't be long before an existing splitter rack is mostly redundant and either spread around the venue where a few extra ports are needed off a gateway, or sold off.

I'd recommend choosing Ethernet-to-DMX Output Gateways that can be configured to run in either direction, like the ETC Response Gateways (or some Pathway?)

That way, most of the time they're doing something useful (or being your cold spares 'just in case'), and for a visiting DMX-only console you simply make up a few male-to-male XLR-5 gender changers and pick up one or two of your cold spares/portable gateways off an unused bridge, set to an input and off they go.
- A smaller console implies a smaller show, after all.

I think it's a pretty safe bet that any console that has more than 2 universes has E1.31 sACN. Pretty much everything with 2 or more from the last decade has sACN, and it's practically certain that nobody is still touring 5-or-more universe consoles that predate network output.

With the ETC Response you can also use the "Advanced Input Patch" to do a 'virtual' repatch and give a one-universe visiting console control of fixtures across multiple network universes. I find this an absolute lifesaver when a small console tours in!
Not sure if Pathway have an equivalent feature, you'd need to check.

[DrV]

37 minutes ago, Tomo said:

Not sure if Pathway have an equivalent feature, you'd need to check.

Yes they do, using the Pathscape configuration manager (software).

Edited June 14, 2023 by DrV
Clarity