Upgrade to two universe

[pierotec]

Hi, is it possible to upgrade from one to two universe on a flx s24?
thank you 

P.

[kgallen]

Yes but wait for ZerOS 8.0 to come out (few weeks maybe) when your S24 will become 4 universe for free.

As announced here:

 

[Davidmk]

From the online specs for S24...

Cost effective 24 fader console with support for 1024 channels of control

And...

2 x 5-Pin DMX ports...

So you should already have two universes worth of DMX channels and only need to make sure they are setup two output to the two DMX outputs on the back of the desk (or to the ArtNet equivalent). Check the manual here.

As @kgallen says, the available channels and fixtures on FLX Sxx will be doubled anyway when Zeros v8.0.0 is released. This is in Beta test at the moment so it shouldn't be too long before it is released. The release notes for v8 state...

All FLX S24 & FLX S48 consoles have been upgraded to 2048 channels ("four universes") free of charge. All full size FLX consoles & ZerOS Servers have been upgraded to 4096 channels ("eight universes") free of charge. (FLX consoles and ZerOS Servers which are licenced for more than 4096 channels will retain their higher licence).

Note that FLX desks are restricted by channels, not universes so, if you have enough channels for your fixtures but want a second universe for convenience then all you need to do is go into setup and assign universe 2 to the 2nd DMX output or to ArtNet if you have that.

[kgallen]

@Davidmk you may well be right but I think default FLX S24 come as 1U/512 unless they specifically bought the 2U version (or FLX S48). Maybe that changed over time (like the 3-pin became a 5-pin) but Stage Electrics still list a 1U FLX S24.

[pierotec]

yes it is one of the first versions when the single-universe version was also in the catalogue, but it was already set up with two connectors.

so with release 8 the second port should also open?

[kgallen]

29 minutes ago, pierotec said:

so with release 8 the second port should also open?

You should read up the manual because as @Davidmk eludes you can already use it.

In its most basic form you could put out the same universe on both connectors - I do that with my FLX to send one cable to dimmers/flown LED fixtures and the other to groundrow LED fixtures.

But even your 1U S24 you can spread those 512 channels across two or more universes, don’t have to use them all on one universe - although probably that’s the most usual method, but FLX/S doesn’t constrain you to.

Manual link:
https://www.zero88.com/manuals/zeros/patching/available-channels

Note @Jon Hole I think the manual text has an error, I think it should say: ‘The total number of used channels across the 64 universes must not exceed the number of ->channels<- your console is licensed to output.’

[Davidmk]

13 hours ago, kgallen said:

FLX S24 come as 1U/512

I thought that which was why I went to the specs to check. They also say 2x5pin XLR so perhaps they've slipped into an alternate reality. 😁

 

[Davidmk]

13 hours ago, Davidmk said:

Note that FLX desks are restricted by channels, not universes

 

12 hours ago, kgallen said:

I think the manual text has an error

@kgallen I'm guilty of this too, there's a clash of terminology - I try to say "DMX channel" when I mean that and leave an unqualifed "channel" to mean desk channel.

[kgallen]

1 hour ago, Davidmk said:

@kgallen I'm guilty of this too, there's a clash of terminology - I try to say "DMX channel" when I mean that and leave an unqualifed "channel" to mean desk channel.

Indeed. I had a long discussion with Edward about conflicting and inconsistent terminology around ‘channel’ a couple of years back (when he was doing his vast set of ZerOS videos). Just as you state above. 

[Jon Hole]

1 hour ago, Davidmk said:

there's a clash of terminology - I try to say "DMX channel" when I mean that and leave an unqualifed "channel" to mean desk channel.

Absolutely... it's a difficult one. The "official" answer is that DMX has "slots" not "channels"... but we're not going to start using that term.

Edward and I discussed at length, many times. We vaguely settled on the terms that a "Fixture" has a "Channel number" and uses a block of "DMX Channels"... but I'm sure there will be inconsistencies dotted around.

[Jon Hole]

14 hours ago, kgallen said:

Maybe that changed over time (like the 3-pin became a 5-pin)

Yes, at the same time the 3-pin became a 5-pin, all new FLX S consoles shipped became 2 Universes. We've not shipped a 1 Universe console for a long time now (of course, our distributors might have had stock).

[kgallen]

6 minutes ago, Jon Hole said:

Absolutely... it's a difficult one. The "official" answer is that DMX has "slots" not "channels"... but we're not going to start using that term.

Edward and I discussed at length, many times. We vaguely settled on the terms that a "Fixture" has a "Channel number" and uses a block of "DMX Channels"... but I'm sure there will be inconsistencies dotted around.

I think in Setup it says ‘Channel’ when ‘Fixture number’ is used at other times (verbally, maybe in documentation) because ‘Channel’ there gets confused with ‘DMX Channel’ in discussion and when ‘DMX Address’ is not necessarily intended. Confusing for sure and not all of Z88’s making 😆.

[kgallen]

10 minutes ago, Jon Hole said:

Yes, at the same time the 3-pin became a 5-pin, all new FLX S consoles shipped became 2 Universes. We've not shipped a 1 Universe console for a long time now (of course, our distributors might have had stock).

You should speak to Stage Electrics then as they are listing S24 as 1U and 2U at vastly different prices. 
 

https://www.stage-electrics.co.uk/Products/Search?search=FLX s24

Send the enforcement team round!!! (i.e. Tyler 🤣)