Networking Info - How to set up desk for use and tools

[Uriahdemon]

Good morning,

I am entering into networking as I am going to use a laptop as a tracking back up to my FLX.  Ed has guided me to the point that the laptop and desk are now talking to each other (thanks).

So I tried last night testing the output of the desk down an RJ45 cable to the RJ45/DMX split box (picture attached) and from there on DMX to the fixture.  Unfortunately this did not work but I had checked the fixture and output via DMX out on Uni1 previously which was all OK.

I set the fixture on Uni4 and enabled both Artnet and SACN (as I was not sure which to use), tried various RJ45 cables but the one I used originally was absolutely fine for Capture.

Not sure if I can take an output directly from the desk into the split box I have or perhaps I have not configured something correctly on the desk. Can anybody help please......??

[kgallen]

Maybe I miss something - and sorry if I'm stating the obvious!

My assumption here is that the other end of that RJ45 is plugged into the back of the FLX.

The RJ45 is carrying ArtNet or sACN. So to extract the DMX needs some "fancy" kit - it's not just DMX over the wires of the RJ45 cable that need breaking out from RJ45 to XLR. That Stairville FX4 is just that - an RJ45 to XLR breakout box (just some wires and connectors), it's not an ArtNet/sACN decoder.

For ArtNet decode, you're into a lot more bucks than the £21 for that FX4. Zero's own offering for example include this, and you're in to many hundred of pounds. This one for example is a couple of grand!

https://www.zero88.com/products/control/ethern8/index.shtml

[Edward Z88]

Hi Mac,

As Kevin says, the  Stairville FX4 is purely for receiving DMX data (RS-485, not via Art-Net) that's been distributed over network cabling, not for converting sACN/ ArtNet to DMX. It's literally an RJ45 connector to XLR connector adapter.

The key words for what you need are "Ethernet to DMX gateway". The other term often used for these devices is a "node" (however, strictly speaking any device on the network is referred to as a node).

The most basic Ethernet gateway we sell, is the 1 Universe box, capable of converting 1 universe of ArtNet to DMX...

https://zero88.com/products/control/ethernetbox/index.shtml

If you have any questions let us know.

Edward

[Uriahdemon]

Thanks Kevin and Ed,  glad we got to the bottom of it quickly.  Would this type of thing do the job....??   https://www.thomann.de/gb/showtec_net_8_5.htm

So I am guessing the FX4 is for perhaps receiving a converted sACN/Artnet signal from an 

6 minutes ago, Edward- Z88 said:

"Ethernet to DMX gateway"

to breakout to fixtures on the stage.

Also should I be using Artnet or sACN please.....??

 

 

[Edward Z88]

Hi Mac,

4 minutes ago, Uriahdemon said:

Would this type of thing do the job....??   https://www.thomann.de/gb/showtec_net_8_5.htm

Yes, that's an 8 port Ethernet to DMX gateway. It doesn't however support the sACN protocol, so you would have to use the ArtNet protocol on FLX.

5 minutes ago, Uriahdemon said:

So I am guessing the FX4 is for perhaps receiving a converted sACN/Artnet signal from an 

13 minutes ago, Edward- Z88 said:

"Ethernet to DMX gateway"

to breakout to fixtures on the stage.

Many venue installs will use Ethernet cabling from a patch room up to ports on the rig bars. This can be cheaper than using dedicated RS-485 cabling, and can double up of either being DMX or an Ethernet signal. If you were sending DMX, you could then use the Stairville unit to get to standard XLR DMX connectors to plug into fixtures.

8 minutes ago, Uriahdemon said:

Also should I be using Artnet or sACN please.....??

ArtNet and sACN both have their pros and cons. Both have slightly different feature sets on top of the basic DMX over Ethernet functionality.

If you wish to use the unit you linked to, as I mentioned you'll have to use ArtNet. If you were interested though, there are many books available discussing these and other lighting networking protocols. A quick search shows the popular ones...

Google Books

1 hour ago, Uriahdemon said:

enabled both Artnet and SACN (as I was not sure which to use)

As a general rule, unless configuring specific universe routing, only use one protocol to stream DMX over Ethernet at a time.

Hope this helps,

Edward

[kgallen]

Ouch. Those things - even the "budget" brands (although in my experience Showtec are pretty good) - are expensive aren't they! Glad I can (currently) stay within the two universes of DMX XLR on my FLX! Good luck Mac!

ETA: I bought the Brad Schiller book a while back. It's ok, but if you've been doing this stuff for more than a couple of months I don't think it will take you anywhere new. I'm certainly no expert on using movers - but I got one decent idea from the book - to lay out my palettes akin to the physical placement of the fixtures!

[Uriahdemon]

Thanks both.  It was something I was hoping to stay away from as 2 universes is more than enough for the stuff I am doing now i.e. house fixtures on Uni 1 and my ground package on Uni2.  But I am always a little nervous not having a backup of sorts hence using a laptop which necessitates the use of an RJ45 output.  I will have a look at sACN over Artnet Ed.

Thanks again both for your help.

 

 

[kgallen]

4 minutes ago, Uriahdemon said:

I will have a look at sACN over Artnet Ed.

Hi Mac,

It's ArtNet over Ethernet or sACN over Ethernet. ArtNet and sACN are just two higher layer protocols, for carrying DMX-like numbers, that exploit an ethernet network (and even then I think there might be some network restrictions/implications!).

Likewise DMX512 is just a protocol for transporting 512 numbers regularly over a pair of wires!

[Uriahdemon]

53 minutes ago, kgallen said:

Hi Mac,

It's ArtNet over Ethernet or sACN over Ethernet. ArtNet and sACN are just two higher layer protocols, for carrying DMX-like numbers, that exploit an ethernet network (and even then I think there might be some network restrictions/implications!).

Likewise DMX512 is just a protocol for transporting 512 numbers regularly over a pair of wires!

Thanks Kevin