Few DMX questions....

[dicky]

OK I know nothing about DMX..... yet

I do know a lot about electronics and computer programming though

So hopefully I have the required skills......

Anyway I tonight acquired four TAS Mini Ultrascans MSD 200 scanner and they are bloody well bright lights (at 13000 lumens) but they will do nothing much interesting without some DMX programming

They do run the self test sequence though, and are complete (gobo/dichroic wheels etc) so I am pretty sure they are working OK

My intention is to download the DMXControl 2 software as it is free, and use with one of the K8062 USB-DMX control interfaces as they are easily avialbale and compatilble with the software and I have a spare laptop to run it on.

Is it possible to download some pre-written DMX routines for these 8 DMX channel scanners (like is there any generic sequences for any 8 channel scanner available?) in much the same way I can download free C++ or PHP libraries/functions when I am PC or website programming, so I am not wasting time reinventing the wheel everytime?

Is the K8062 USB-DMX controller/interface I was thinking of using any good?

Is the DMXControl 2 software http://www.dmxcontrol.org/dmxcontrol2/features.html a good choice seeing as it is free or is there anything else I whould be considering (and why)?

Any good tutorials I should be reading?

Anything else to consider to get me started?

That should just about cover it for starters I reckon lol

Cheers
Rich

[Andy P]

can't help here Dicky as I've had a failed mission to do DMX on my PC - think I bought too cheap and it was mainly unsupported.

So i've swapped to an ADJ controller and will be using it for the first time this Saturday. Excited to see the heads and par's working in unison.

[Benny Smyth]

Whilst I can't answer all the questions, as I have no experience with the software or hardware you've mentioned, I'll contribute to this:

Is it possible to download some pre-written DMX routines for these 8 DMX channel scanners (like is there any generic sequences for any 8 channel scanner available?) in much the same way I can download free C++ or PHP libraries/functions when I am PC or website programming, so I am not wasting time reinventing the wheel everytime?

Whilst I won't 100% rule out the possibility of there being something, I will say that by the time you find something like that, you could programme an entire light show for a theatrical performance. Something worth considering too is that if you're going down the DMX route, it'll be more worthwhile to DMX your whole light show and not just these four. You'll get a lot more out of it that way.

The best laptop based programme I have used is MYDMX 2.0 by American DJ. It is a very simple software to use and makes life a lot easier both on the night and during your planning.

And when it comes to planning your light show, you'll need three things: space, patience and a packed luch.

[Shaun]

And when it comes to planning your light show, you'll need three things: space, patience and a packed luch.

#4...you forgot number four!

4. The Will To Live.



There you go. List is now complete.

[Excalibur]

5. the Advanced Event email, and some money. They have some sort of voodoo that makes lights move, and it uses a computer, which nowadays seems to be the way forward.

[DazzyD]

I use the ChamSys MagicDMX dongle https://secure.chamsys.co.uk/magicdmx and use it with the free MagicQ DMX software for Windows https://secure.chamsys.co.uk/magicq

The Basic (£10) version is time limited to 5 hours after which it needs resetting. The full versions doesn't have this restriction and can be used continuously.

It's not totally straightforward and user-friendly but it is DMX so what do you expect??

If you want something a little the ADJ MyDMX 2.0 software is a bit more user friendly.

As for finding a ready-made library of scenes, I've not come across one yet THAT IS FREE. There are several companies on the net who'll custom build your scenes for you. But the prices aren't necessarily cheap (I've seen scenes from around $30 to in excess of $100).

[Chris1984]

2nd Chamsys MagiQ

This is professional lighting software for the price for a test bench dongle @ £10.

This software is dead easy to use and simple to programme and give you all the benefits of proper lighting control.
I Have a maxi wing and some nodes and have used my stem to control lighting from school plays and pantos to Kasabians headline Glastonbury slot wher ei used the system to control some special laser effects and trigger cues in pangolin.

Chansys is used by some of the top LD's in the world and there support is great - cant rate it enough.

DMX is easy once you understand it 0- an the cheap controllers people by make that learning process very complexed indeed and as such people hate it.

[dicky]

I got one of the TAS Mini Ultrascan 200MSD on my test bench this evening, and hooked it to a SkyTec 54 Channel DMX controller that I was given when first setting up my rig but not used (apart from playing with it to trigger my vertical fogger)

Setting the DMX address of the TAS to 1 and selecting device 1 on the controller (it calls them Projectors) I can control the TAS in manual mode

Channel 1 = X move (left right)
Channel 2 = Y move (up down)
Channel 3 = Colour
Channel 4 = Gobo
Channel 5 = lamp Off / On / Strobe

I can't find any other features so think they are 5 channel scanners

So hopefully this tells me the TAS is working correctly

I have no idea how easy this box would be to program all the four TAS scanners? All the info I can find is here http://www.juicesound.co.uk/skytec54channelmanual.pdf which has an english section part way down. It says I can store and replay 9 scenes of up to 50 steps - is that much use other than to play around with?

I'm looking at the recommended software so far to see if there is anything I particularly prefer about any of them
My choices seem to be

MyDMX 2.0 = £120
Magic Q Dmx Full = £60
DMXControl 2 (which is the one I orginally found) = free software plus a suitable interface interface (one I was looking at is £40)
Use the Skytec 54 channel controller = free

The local disco shop advises MyDMX 2.0 as one of the guys working there is quite experienced with it and could give me some advice too. Having said that they sell that one so possiby are a bit biased

Is it all down to ease of use really rather than any particular difference in features between these?

Possibly I could be swayed by whichever of the above has the best userbase/forums/support?

[Shaun]

2nd Chamsys MagiQ

This is professional lighting software for the price for a test bench dongle @ £10.

This software is dead easy to use and simple to programme and give you all the benefits of proper lighting control.
I Have a maxi wing and some nodes and have used my stem to control lighting from school plays and pantos to Kasabians headline Glastonbury slot wher ei used the system to control some special laser effects and trigger cues in pangolin.

Chansys is used by some of the top LD's in the world and there support is great - cant rate it enough.

Knowing the types of events you do, you're recommendation is good enough for me. I'll be moving from a hardware DMX controller to a laptop based DMX show soon so I'll definitely check it out.

[Chris1984]

Knowing the types of events you do, you're recommendation is good enough for me. I'll be moving from a hardware DMX controller to a laptop based DMX show soon so I'll definitely check it out.

Cheers Shaun,

Its very simple once you get going - if you go down the chamsys route and need a profile made for anything just shout.
Its worth getting the £10 dongle to have a play with it - a touch screen is also helpful!

C