Q Light Controller+

Dear QLC+ Community,

I have recently joined this community and started to try to use QLC+. I assessed a number of potential solutions but really liked the power of QLC+ and the fact its Open Source and free (though I'd happily pay for its features and will be contributing to the 5.x crowd-funding campaign once I get it working).

I am having some issues with getting DMX comms to work and I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong.

My Setup
• MacBook Pro 15" 10.13.3 (High Sierra)
• QLC+ 4.11.2
• 2x Enttec ODE Mk2 (v3.7)
• TP-Link WiFi Router (Mac and ODE's connected via Ethernet - no WiFi yet!)
• 5 pin to 3 pin DMX adaptors to connect from ODE to main lighting loom
• A range of lights (4x LED MH, 4x MH Gobo/Spots, 2x Chauvet Wash FX2, 2x Chauvet Beamer 6FX, 6x Eurolite TL-3, 4x Pars, 1x RGB Laser)

I've been through all the tutorials and read the manual regards initial set-up but I don't seem to be able to get anything to happen on the lights.

At present I have just got 2x Wash FX's connected to a single ODE (single cable from ODE to Wash #1, then link cable to Wash #2 and a terminator). The ODE is on 10.0.0.201 and set to use Universe 2. I have set QLC+ Input/Output to use Art-Net and specified the IP of the node and the Universe of 1 (reading that it should be equal to the actual DMX Universe -1).

I have numbered the fixtures and they report receiving a DMX signal. I have added the fixtures and used the Function Wizard to add basic primary colour scene and chasers. If I run the Function from the Virtual Console and use the DMX Monitor I can see DMX control changes being sent and If I look on the ODE I can see packets being received in the log - but nothing on the lights. I have changed the 5pin adaptor and tried several cables. All to no avail. x(...

I had to create the Fixture definitions by hand (using the QLC Fixture Definition tool) and followed the DMX chart to the letter. I did find another definition for the same fixture that another user had created and mine was identical so I don't believe its that.

I'm completely stumped. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Best wishes,

hypernurd.
UK

Hi hypernurd,

I am far from expert in this area and don't use ARTNET, but if I am really having issues, I revert back to just using Simple Desk and adjusting the sliders at particular DMX addresses. At least it eliminates issues with fixture definitions etc

Also the DMX monitor in QLC+ is helpful for trouble shooting.

Have you tried your set up on a windows machine? Occasionally there have been some issues with mac drivers etc in the past.

I did notice in the ODE documentation that it supports a number of protocols. Could that be an issue?

Have you tried sending artnet from your mac using this utility? https://www.enttec.com/au/products/cont ... ernet/nmu/

Cheers

Mark

Hi Mark,

Thanks for taking the time to respond and offer some advice.

As it turns out I fixed it pretty soon after posting. I did as you suggested and used the DMX monitor to see if signals were being sent out. I supposed since I was seeing nothing that perhaps the Universe mappings were wrong. They were. The piece I had read regarding subtracting 1 from the Art-Net Universe ID when setting the QLC+ to Artnet mapping I either misunderstood or is plainly wrong. Once I had set the QLC+ Universe mapping to the same as the Art-Net Universe on the ODE (in this case 2) it all worked

I believe there may be an issue with using Art-Net Universe 0 too but I haven't investigated this further. For now, my two ODE's are on 1 & 2 respectively and all appears to work well. They are connected to a WiFi access point/router and I can set the whole rig up wirelessly from my Mac - which is perfect.

Now, to learn how to build a decent show!

hypernurd