DMX Controlled Via Laptop

[spudcooper 0]

I Seen Yesterday A Few Items That Can Apparently Let You Control DMX Lights Through A Single USB TO DMX Converter. Do These Work... Are They Good Value For Money...

 

Heres A Link I Found

http://www.chauvetlighting.com/system/fixt.../xpress100.html

[superstardeejay 0]

They certainly work and lots of nightclubs use PC controlled lighting, but I wouldn't want to carry a laptop round to do me lights if I was a mobile bloke...(beer etc).

 

I'd personally rather use a dedicated desk and let it get on with it. (at least for the cost of DMX desks vs. the Chauvet dongle). You might find writing lightshows a little tedious having to manipulate your mouse/keys dragging pictures of sliders up and down etc, but it's horses for courses.

 

http://www.chauvetlighting.com/system/pics/xpress100.jpg

 

 

[spudcooper 0]

Very Good Point "superstardeejay". I Think You Could Be Right Just Leave Them To Do There Own Programs http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/thanks.gif But Out Of Pure Intrest How Do They Work.

Does The Converter Thingy Convert The Signal To DMX Language So The Lights Think Its From A Controler Or Is The Languages The Same... I'm Confused (Yet Thats Not Hard For Me)

[superstardeejay 0]

Yes the dongle converts from the USB data to DMX (RS485), the software does the protocol augmentation.

 

The lights don't know or care where the DMX originates from so long as it's DMX512...they do as they're told!

 

You'd need, of course, to write the lightshow program sequences in your PC to make your lights do the required manouvres.

[norty303 0]

I've just gone to software control and its a lot more straight forward to program on screen as each light has an associated profile. So if i want green, i press the green button on the panel, stars gobo, i press the stars gobo button. You can also do more interesting things with movement e.g. circles and squares which you only find on much higher end desks.

 

It can also send its output to Martin Lightjockey Offline Visualiser so you can design your show 'virtually' beforehand

 

I use the Enttec Pro dongle (~£110) and freeware Freestyler software (Google it)

[superstardeejay 0]

QUOTE

So if i want green, i press the green button on the panel

 

What panel?

 

 

[Award Entertainment 0]

I use the same as norty303, but I've stopped using it as it caused stuttering on my OtsDJ output. This might possibly not be a problem if I had a more powerful laptop doing the work I guess.

[norty303 0]

Do you run the lights from the same machine as the music? I wouldn't have thought this was desirable even with a fast machine as both DMX creation (especially if using a normal Enttec or open USB dongle with no dedicated processor of its own) and playing music require a lot of processor resources. Enttec don't recommend the Open USB dongle for live work for this reason.

 

Given that an old PIII laptop will run lighting software its not expensive to get a dedicated machine and dongle compared to what you'd need to spend on a desk to get the same functionality.

 

 

When I say push green on the panel, each fixture has a virtual panel/s, so on the colour panel you simply press the button for the colour you want.

 

 

Check it out for yourself

 

http://users.pandora.be/freestylerdmx/

 

 

[Gary 0]

QUOTE (norty303 @ Jul 10 2006, 09:08 AM)

Do you run the lights from the same machine as the music? I wouldn't have thought this was desirable even with a fast machine as both DMX creation (especially if using a normal Enttec or open USB dongle with no dedicated processor of its own) and playing music require a lot of processor resources. Enttec don't recommend the Open USB dongle for live work for this reason.

I think thats the one common piece of advice that crops up with laptop-use:

 

Keep only the music playback software on the laptop used for music playback - no internet browser, no virus killers, no firewalls, no games, no other music software, no "plus!" packs, no MS Office, no special disk utilities, just Windows, your chosen "DJ" software, and your music files.

[Award Entertainment 0]

Yes, it was on the same machine. I tried it to find out as another DJ I correspond with has had success with the combniation of OtsDJ and Freestyler. Didn't work for me though.

[NiM 0]

I use freestyler with the enttec open dmx on a laptop (or a small compaq pc - depending on how lazy I am feeling) and often have music playback running alongside it.. Never had any problems.

 

My laptop is also full of c:cense: run av software etc and never had a problem with it when I've used it out on the road..

[norty303 0]

Thats why I said it was 'not desirable' rather than not possible. Different people have different levels of success, however I think its a case of not putting all your eggs in one basket. I bought myt Enttec interface from one of the UK distributors and they also only stock the Pro interface as they supply to the pro lighting trade. In their view the Open USB was not reliable enough for a live situation.

 

We're all doing this as a service to others who are paying for a certain level of quality. To have lights, music and whatever else might be running on the machione all go out together is unacceptable in my book. I'm working on a system to avoid blackouts or freezes in the event of the PC going down.

 

I'm sure all you PC DJ's have a CD (or other format) backup plan, right?

[superstardeejay 0]

I used to DJ at a club chain who had the Kaleidovision K2 system, playing back simultaneously (via PC) a video and accompanying music, via dual sound and graphics cards (for headphone cueing on the DJ booth mixer) along with seperate video for advertising around the bar. No problems, anything that went wrong was usually due to a corrupt video/media clip which would freeze the audio/video or require a complete PC reboot. It ran under Windows 2000.

 

Regarding the Freestyler, I've downloaded this and had a play, but how do you synchronize similar channels (eg X-Y position) across different fixture models at the same time, (ie how do you move an EVL Minispot in synchro with a Martin MAC500 on the same fader..??)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[norty303 0]

IF you're talking about just moving them manually then select the 2 heads and use the XY panel to move them. They should both move together.

 

If you want to program then start a new sequence and build each scene like you would with a normal controller

 

For versatility you're better off building just movement sequences, gobo , colour, fx sequences then mixing and matching in the submasters by loading the sequences into dedicated Cues e.g. build lots of different movement sequences, then load thewm into a single cue and save it. You can then load this into a single submaster channel. Then do the same for gobo, colour, etc. You can then have the heads doing circles or whatever and switch colours and gobos whilst the movement stays the same. Best way to program desks that'll support more than one layer of sequence runs.

[partychris 0]

been using a seperate laptop for controlling my lightshow for years....never looked back !! http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/thumbup.gif

[superstardeejay 0]

Right ok, that's a bit like the Pulsar Masterpiece then. I was confused because when I click on one fixture, the one selected before that changes colour like it's been de-selected.

 

 

[norty303 0]

It changes colour to show its not the last selected but it'll stay a different colour to the rest (couldn't tell you what colour it is i'm afraid coz I've customized all of mine to make the selected heads easier to see)

[qifop 0]

I use Lightjockey for bigger shows (on Martin interface with its own processor), but also have a Martin 2510 controller so if the job doesnt warrant the computer I can still use most my shows with the standalone programs I've created in lightjockey once uploaded to the 2510.

 

 

[superstardeejay 0]

Yes Gifop that's a neat way of doing it, many disco bars do that (if the contractor can afford the lightjockey), that way the DJ is left with the Martin 2510 (an excellent bit of idiot-proof engineering!) and can't get himself confused.

 

OK Norty I think I've sussed the multiple fixture selection, I've altered the colours in setup so all selected fixture icons are highlighted red. Just got to get hang of the masters section now.