Custom DMX console powered by QLC+

[RikSolo]

Needing a new DMX controller to fit my growing lighting setup while on a very low budget I decided to try something new (to me at least): Building a fully custom DMX console. Now that it's finished and running, powered my QLC+ I thought you guys might find it interesting.

Meet SoloDMX




The Hardware
Technically, the console is just a custom PC with a monitor and some controll stuff packed into a flightcase, most of the hardware in the console was chosen because i could get them very cheap, or already had them laying around. The PC runs some old Intel Celeron CPU with 2 cores running at 2.6GhZ, it has 3GB of RAM and ak very old intel graphics card, which works well enough for this project because all i need is output to a screen, not gaming performance. I picked up a cheap 19.5" VGA monitor which was flat enough and pretty light, which worked perfectly for the build. Storage is handled by a 250GB HDD from an old pc.

For inputs i use a tiny little keyboard by rapoo, a Kensington Orbit trackball with scrollwheel, an akai APC mini and a showtec showmaster 24 connected to the PC using a DMXKing UltraDMX mini.

The console has 2 neutrik USB connectors on top for desk lights and one USB connector on the side for connecting the keyboard, mouse and USB/DMX interfaces via a USB hub.

I am planning to get one of those touch screen overlays for the monitor so i can have touch input, but that doesnt fit my budget just yet.

Someone i know helped me out immensely by building the flightcase for it, saving me a lot of money on getting one built by some company.



The Software
The operating system is a stripped down version of manjaro linux with the i3 window manager, and QLC+ is used for actual DMX control.

This console is in no way a direct competitor to any of the big consoles like MA2, avolites or hog4, but you shouldnt expect that from something that cost me less than, say, a MA2 2port node.

If anyone has any questions about the project, ask away!

[Baer]

Congrats to you own lighting console

I'm currently working on something similar also using qlc as a basis for a real console but with some more cusumize parts (motorfaders and so on)

Are you using the Trackball just as mouse of have you manged it to use it as an external controll vor QLCs virtual console?

[RikSolo]

Congrats to you own lighting console

I'm currently working on something similar also using qlc as a basis for a real console but with some more cusumize parts (motorfaders and so on)

Are you using the Trackball just as mouse of have you manged it to use it as an external controll vor QLCs virtual console?

I'm using the trackball just as a mouse. I would have gone a more custom route for input if I would know how, really excited to see how that turns out. If you need any help with a lightweight OS to run on it, let me know

[andres robles]

congratulation.... i liked one for my

[Baer]

i will definitly show my project here as soon as there is something to show.
Currently its a bunch of Hardware with flying wires spreaded all over my desk so nothing to show...

I tried to use the Trackball as in input to controll XY Pads, but seems that i have to extend QLC+s HID Plugin to achieve that...

How many DMX universes can your console handle? Speaking how many native DMX outputs do you have an how many universes do you think the CPU is capable of in total?

[RikSolo]

How many DMX universes can your console handle? Speaking how many native DMX outputs do you have an how many universes do you think the CPU is capable of in total?

I'm yet to find a limit. Theoretically I could control a pretty much infinite amount of universes, as long as i have the interfaces to do so. The only DMX interface built into it is the one for showmaster input, any outputs are connected over external USB or network.

As far as CPU goes, probably more than I'll ever need, because the only thing the CPU needs to to is handle the (very lightweight) OS and QLC+, as the DMXKing UltraDMX mini interfaces im using run the same chip as the Enttec USB DMX Pro all channel control is handled on-chip, not on-cpu. So as long as the CPU can handle QLC+ running the channels it should run fine.

Did you route the dmx output of showmaster to an outside connector? It might be handy to have backup console for free (it's already there) when computer fails...

Since the showmaster supports dumps from/to MIDI, with some reverse engineering it may be possible to generate setup for it from QLC+ (the most difficult work is to reverse engineer the format...). I hate programming these things scene by scene, with minimal possibilities to partially adjust values later...

I haven't routed the showmaster 24 to any external thing, because it'd either require me to loop it back in with an external cable when im not using it which is sloppy, or use a DMX splitter which i'd prefer not to for budget reasons, and because the inside of this thing is pretty much packed to the brim with cables already. And if for some reason the computer would fail, i can always just take the showmaster out of the rackmount it's in and use it that way.

Reverse engineering the MIDI dumping would take a lot of time and would probably be very frustrating. additionally it'd require a midi to usb interface to be built into the desk which, again for budget and space reasons i won't do. I think it'd take more effort than it's worth looking at the fact it'd be used ludicrously infrequently or hopefully never at all.

[janosvitok]

Rik,

first, great work! Looks professional.

Did you route the dmx output of showmaster to an outside connector? It might be handy to have backup console for free (it's already there) when computer fails...

Since the showmaster supports dumps from/to MIDI, with some reverse engineering it may be possible to generate setup for it from QLC+ (the most difficult work is to reverse engineer the format...). I hate programming these things scene by scene, with minimal possibilities to partially adjust values later...

[fooschnickens]

That looks really great, have you considered swapping out the monitor for a touchscreen? The larger sizes are really starting to come down in price, Dell and Viewsonic both have 20"+ offerings around $275 USD, which is a steal and perfect for virtual console usage.

[RikSolo]

That looks really great, have you considered swapping out the monitor for a touchscreen? The larger sizes are really starting to come down in price, Dell and Viewsonic both have 20"+ offerings around $275 USD, which is a steal and perfect for virtual console usage.

Sounds interesting, I'll definitely be giving that a look. I'd have to keep a close look at size though as i do need it to fit in the case and be able to work with the cables, it's really cramped inside.

[NkoAV]

Hi RikSolo...

I´m on a similar proyect, and I own a Showmaster 24 like you.
How do you route/use the showmaster faders to QLC?
Im trying to understand if you route midi signal fron Qlc to Showmaster, or viceversa... using midi out fron Showmaster to QLC.

You mentioned too, that use the inside DMX output of the showmaster, I´m confused.

Could you please explain me ? or draw it?

thanks a lot!

Nico

[DarkMark]

Awesome job!

I've also built a custom lighting console with the Akai Mini and a Notebook. The housing is completely custom built and looks pretty ghetto (it could use a paint job, but I'm lazy). The switchpack at the front provides separately fused connections for my mixer, the PA and the music and lighting notebooks, so my whole DJ booth is powered through this baby. The lamp on the right is battery powered.

The notebook is running Windows 10 and QLC+ 4 in Kiosk mode. The interface on the left of the screen is reflecting the Akai Mini, on the right there are buttons for running several shows. I like your idea of using a trackball - should be much easier than using the notebooks touchpad.

I also directly built in my FX5 USB DMX interface, so the fixtures connect directly to the console (there's a 3-pin DMX connector at the back of the housing). I also patch audio from the lighting notebook to my audio mixer, so I can directly play show audio. I have also added a small 14V transformer which is powering an internal fan and some LED backlighting inside the case.

Let's see more custom builds from the community

[MDAR]

Hello everyone.

I've been working on a standalone setup of QLCplus and as part of the testing I hooked up a 7 inch HDMI chassis screen, with multi point touch support.

https://www.odroid.co.uk/odroid-accesso ... d-vu7-plus

This seems to be working well, but casting my mine back to my days as a professional theatre technician, I remembered that we started wandering around the performance area during setup with whatever remote control we could.

So I wondered if you would be interested to hear about how easy it is to add VNC support for a standalone X session in Linux.

viewtopic.php?f=30&t=14384

You could very easily wander around with a cheap WiFi tablet tweaking the configuration.


Likewise, you could go crazy and run the show from right in the middle of the audience, with nothing more than a tablet and the web UI.

But maybe that's my sound engineer head talking

[jmra]

Hello friends, I am excited to have found these projects in the forum, I am starting my first steps with QLC+, I have already connected and tried several output devices and it is perfect. What I don't know is how to connect a small board that delivers 512 DMX channels, please if you can guide me I will continue advancing.
Note: I have seen in input/outputs how to configure DMX input and establish Button, Dimmer, etc. function. But I don't know how to get to them from the console.
thanks for your help

[GGGss]

Welcome to the forum,

What you need is some kind of DMX input. Or you go by an artnet to DMX interface, or a dedicated one with two universes. (one in the other out).
Unluckily the EntTec Pro MK2 isn't available anymore, otherwise I'd suggest that interface to you.

[Yestalgia]

Let's see more custom builds from the community

Unfortunately a lot of really cool builds around the world aren't always posted here. You should see some of the builds we get on Instagram.

Nice setup by the way!