Noob Artnet Question

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patterrr
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Mar 31, 2023 11:47 pm
Real Name: Ryan Patterson

Hello! I'm experienced with DMX, but brand new to QLC+ and Artnet. I'm trying to control some RGB LEDs using QLC+ with an SP801E ArtNet adapter I got off Amazon.

I hooked the device up, and then used some Android app that it specifies in its snippet of a manual to to connect it to my WAN, and to test that the LEDs work, which they do. I then used the app to put it in "ART-NET MODE", and it says the IP address is 192.168.0.49. I tried pinging this address from PC and got a reply, and I also checked my DHCP server and saw that this address was indeed assigned to this device. So far so good.

Over to QLC+, I read the "Input/Output Mapping" and "ArtNet Plugin" plugin documentation in the user's manual. I clicked the "Inputs/Outputs" tab along the bottom and selected Universe 1. Looking in the Mapping section, I don't see 192.168.0.49... Should I? However, I do see a number of ArtNet devices starting with 169.254.xxx.xxx that aren't attached to my network. I selected ArtNet device 4 at 169.254.49.248 as an Output device, opened its configuration, and changed the IP address to 192.168.0.49, and left the ArtNet Universe set to 0. This feels weird, because the device is still called 169.254.47.248, but when I go back to configuration it does say 192.168.0.49.

Anyways, I then headed over to the Fixtures tab and added Generic RGB fixtures for each LED, along with presumed DMX addresses (started at 1, incremental for each LED).

Lastly, I went to the functions tab, added a new scene, added the RGB LEDs to that scene, and then clicked the tab for each LED and clicked the green checkmark to enable the R,G,B channels. Finally, I moved the sliders around, but the LEDs don't do anything :(

I went back to the configuration of the device in "Inputs/Outputs" and tried ArtNet Universes 0 and 2, but still no luck.

I've attached a screenshot of the configuration of the ArtNet device. I have a feeling where I'm going wrong is how I'm configuring the ArtNet device as an output... But would love any ideas / advice! Thank you!!!
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ArtNet device configuration
ArtNet device configuration
Last edited by patterrr on Mon Apr 03, 2023 8:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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MichelSliepenbeek
Posts: 717
Joined: Wed Feb 08, 2023 10:24 am
Location: Nederland
Real Name: Michel Sliepenbeek

You are not the first.

Have a look at:
A QLC Workspace is like a Bob Ross painting: "it's your world, you can create whatever you want!"
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GGGss
Posts: 3052
Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2016 7:15 pm
Location: Belgium
Real Name: Fredje Gallon

Have a look at the other mentioned thread.
I now understand what is going on...

QLC+ wants to bind Artnet to a network interface that is not connected to the network - hence the 169.x.x.x Ip adresses.
I'm only able to test on a Win 11 laptop and looking at the ipconfig /all results, I can only state that W11 has changed the way it solves the not connected network settings.
This is a truly wonderful enhancement !!!

Checking in QLC+ the 169.x.x.x addresses are still alive so there is a potential mismatch possible.

Back to your problem:
Can you do a [win]+[R] key combination and enter [cmd] and press [enter]
Type in: ipconfig /all
and list the output results here.
Please change, in your input/outputs tab, on the Artnet Plugin line, change the 'output' to the IP line where it says: 192.168.0.x .
This should solve your problem.
All electric machines work on smoke... when the smoke escapes... they don't work anymore
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patterrr
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Mar 31, 2023 11:47 pm
Real Name: Ryan Patterson

Thank you for the replies. I read the linked thread as well as the threads it linked, but haven't yet solved the issue... I'm sure it's because I don't know how to use QLC+ yet :)

@GGGss, great point and I tried this fix. My computer that is running QLC+ has an IP address of 192.168.0.253, so I selected that as output and then set the IP address of the SP801E (192.168.0.49) in the configuration. I've attached a screenshot.
QLC+ Screenshot
QLC+ Screenshot
I then go to the "functions" tab and try sliding the sliders for the RGB channels but the LEDs all remain off.

I thought a good debugging step would be to look at the packets with Wireshark (screenshot attached). I see an "ArtDMX" packet going from 192.168.0.253 to 192.168.0.49 about every 15-30ms. The glaring problem here is that it appears that the packets are commanding 0% on all channels, even though I'm moving the sliders so that tells me I'm doing something wrong to "enable" the outputs in OLC+. Any suggestions on what I might be doing wrong?
Wireshark Screenshot
Wireshark Screenshot
I also attached my QLC+ saved configuration.

Thank you!
Attachments
Test With SP801E.qxw
QLC+ Configuration
(2.16 KiB) Downloaded 98 times
Last edited by patterrr on Mon Apr 03, 2023 9:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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GGGss
Posts: 3052
Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2016 7:15 pm
Location: Belgium
Real Name: Fredje Gallon

What you showed us is correct and should work. You did debug nicely ;-)

The "why are the values shown in Wireshark all zero's"? Could it be that you tried stuff in SImple Desk and forgot to reset those channels?
Red crosses under de fader in Simple Desk tell you they Simple Desk is overriding all other values.
You can also check with the DMX monitor for the values QLC+ spits out.
All electric machines work on smoke... when the smoke escapes... they don't work anymore
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patterrr
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Mar 31, 2023 11:47 pm
Real Name: Ryan Patterson

Could it be that you tried stuff in SImple Desk and forgot to reset those channels?
That was it! Actually it was that and I also apparently had "Black Out" checked. :oops:

I'm up and running now! I can control these using both the scene in functions, as well as the simple desk (I hadn't thought I had even gone to that tab previously, but apparently I had...). Thanks for all your help!!
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