DMXking eDMX2 PRO

[rrrancher]

I purchased one of these so I could run one CAT 6 cable out to the the spotlight locations and get two universes from the one box. I am able to set up the box with ArtNet and the first universe works fine, but I can not get anything on the second universe to work. My question is, does QLC+ 4 have the proper coding for it to control both universes from this one box? It is highly possible I am not doing something right in the setup, but I feel like the coding is not there for the second universe.

[mcallegari]

From the manufacturer website:
eDMX2 PRO - 2x DMX512 Out or DMX512 In with Art-Net, sACN E1.31 and E1.20 RDM support

Are you sure your setup is supported?

[janosvitok]

How did you setup your device? Can you post screenshots from the configuration utility Port A and Port B tabs?

Can you make the device output on the second port using the configuration utility DMX Display function? (select "transmit" and choose appropriate universe).

Jano

[rrrancher]

Thanks for the replies, and sorry for the delay in getting back here.

I tried several different options on the config, but could never get any fixture on that universe to do anything. I will do a screen print of the last setup I used next time I am at the church, where it is installed. The reason why I question if this is supported is because the earlier version of it is shown as a compatible ArtNet device, but not this Pro version they now sell.

I will try what you are suggesting, Jano. I used the utility a lot, but not sure what all I tried now.

[rrrancher]

I finally got a chance to get the settings I am using to try to get this going. Here are the three universe settings in QLC. As you can see, I have good comms to the eDMX Pro box from the network switch, and Universe 1 works fine, as does universe 3, but universe 2 will not give me any output from the light fixture. Does anyone see what I'm doing wrong? FYI, the fixture and cables I am using were working fine on a test computer using an Enttec Open DMX USB for the output adapter. I moved them out to the eDMX box and plugged them in there. Will do another post after this with the eDMX config settings.

[rrrancher]

Here are the settings for the eDMX config app.

[GGGss]

In your universe 2 - check the Artnet settings. They should spill out to Artnet universe 2 (or 1 if the eDMX is zero based)

[rrrancher]

II forgot to add the two ports screen captures, so here they are. Does anyone see anything that appears to be set wrong?

[GGGss]

In the in-/output, select universe 1. Now press the configuration button. What does it say?
To be safe you should select: unicast to 192.168.0.112, artnet universe 0 -> this is your port A of the eDMX2
The same goes for QLC+ U2, select the artnet line, click configure, unicast to 0.112, artnet 1 -> port B

[rrrancher]

Thanks GGGss. I am planning to be up there tomorrow afternoon and will give this a try. To be honest, I don't think I ever used the config button on a universe on the input/output screen, mainly because I never needed it before. Appreciate the reply and I will let you know what I find tomorrow.

[rrrancher]

Okay, I got another chance to check it out, and the config for U1 and U2 are both as shown on the screenshots I provided. There is no way to change them that I could find. I did make a change before I left to see if it would make any difference. I changed the computer's network adapter static IP address from 192.168.0.100 to 192.168.0.110. I ran the eDMX config app and selected the new IP address for the computer's adapter and communications between the computer and the eDMX2 was fine again, but no change in the outcome.

I feel like this box should work as well or better than its predecessor, but I am a bit skeptical at this point. I really don't see where anything is misconfigured here, but I am certainly no expert on this software. I would really appreciate it if someone could help me figure out where the problem is, or let me know that the second port on this box is not supported by the software so I can buy another box and run another CAT 6 cable for my third universe.

[GGGss]

Again: you have to make the difference between Artnet u1 and u2.
You have set them up inside the eDMX configuration tool.

In the universe config setting in QLC+ you have to make the same changes. (So that QLC+ u1 talks to Artnet universe 1 and QLC+ universe 2 talks to the eDMX u2)

[rrrancher]

Please excuse my ignorance, GGGss. I have used QLC+ for years, but the ArtNet stuff is new to me and I guess I need to learn more. I thought everything was correct in the configs for the ArtNet I/O in QLC+, but you're saying they aren't, so I will focus on that. Let me ask you this, please. Here is the config screen for Configure ArtNet Plugin in QLC+. This is off my home PC, so a different subnet and all, but at the site, should I change anything in this config for either universe? It looks to me like it is setup correctly already, with QLC+ U1 going to ArtNet U0 and QLC+ U2 going to ArtNet U1. Sorry, but I just don't quite understand exactly what it is you are saying that I need to change.

[GGGss]

John,
We all had to learn at some time and that's what this forum is for - so do not apologise.
QLC+ wise, your settings should be good
* for insurance, I would go for unicast (now you entered (or was automatically entered) a broadcast address x.x.255 -> change this to 192.168.0.112 (on your production site). Now you are sure that Artnet packets are sent directly without interference from network switches or Access Points.
* Did you check the Artnet universe offset? I have looked it up for you and there IS an offset. (manual p. 3) On the eDMX2, the physical universe 1 (port A) listens to 0:00:0, 2 (port B) is 0:00:1 as default. This also is shown in your screen captures. So we are good here.
* now there is something very intriguing:

Code: Select all

Switching between Standard and Enhanced modes is fully automatic and determined by your lighting control software. If
enhanced mode DMX output commands are sent to the ultraDMX2 PRO it enters enhanced mode and conversely when
standard DMX output commands are sent standard mode is triggered.

"determined by your lighting control software" <- this is something to look at (!)
* there is an inbuild DMX Display Function under 'view'-menu tester. Use this to verify what is happening. For both Artnet universes, select one or the other.

So what am I saying here? An extensive explanation of how I would investigate the problem.
The zero's and one's have to be mixed perfectly for a good result.
The only thing I can point out now is to set your QLC+ Artnet output to a unicast address.
Please report.

[rrrancher]

Well, I hate when this happens. Without making any known changes, after hooking everything back up again for testing, it worked on the first try. I've been working on computers and electronics since the 70's, and it seems that whenever this happens, it comes back to bite you later, and you still don't know what was right or wrong. I will be hooking up the new lights to this universe this Wednesday afternoon, and we'll see if it's still working. Thanks again for all your help with this. I'm glad to know that it does work as designed.

[GGGss]

Unwanted self-healing problems are the worst. They will come back as a boomerang. I'd induce explicit faults into the configuration now simply to know what is going on...
Brake a leg on Wednesday.

[rrrancher]

Got delayed a week, but just got the new lights hooked up and DMX control is still working fine on the second universe. I restarted QLC+, rebooted the PC and everything still works fine, so I'm going to call it macaroni for now. Thanks again for your help, GGGss. I appreciate it.