Q Light Controller+

Hi all!
I'm a new user and I'm just trying to learn how to use QLC+

I've got a problem with some RGB par that i've bought some days ago.

Here are the pars:
https://www.ebay.it/itm/165097587801?_s ... BMrprsob9k

I've connected them at the DMX mixer just for trying how they work, each par has 7 channels. Now the question is this: if i want to command them separately (for example using scanners 1-2-3-4) i might assign names like D001-D017-D033-D049 as every scanner has 16 channels. In reality the pars works perfectly ONLY if i assign them the codes D001-D002-D003-D004. In that case, they work using scanners 1-2-3-4.

Now i'm trying to use them with QLC so i've made a fixture inserting the 7 channels BUT i can not assign address 1-2-3-4 because the software says that first 7 channels are for the first light....so, i'm assuming that for the second light i have to phisically assign code D008, am i right? i've not tried yet because i'm waiting the usb to DMX cable to arrive, but i'm trying just to comprend how i have to setup everything because i've got a party next week and i want to create some FX and color changing or similar

Welcome to the community,

Faxe wrote: ↑Mon Sep 16, 2024 9:33 am
I've connected them at the DMX mixer just for trying how they work, each par has 7 channels. Now the question is this: if i want to command them separately (for example using scanners 1-2-3-4) i might assign names like D001-D017-D033-D049 as every scanner has 16 channels.

I'm reading mixed-up statements here: RGB pars 7 channels -> Scanners 16 channels. Now what are they?
If you want to command every fixture separate, they need a separate address. With your pars: 1-8-15-22 (or as we technies aren't good in math: 1-11-21-31 as long as the console knows where they live).

Faxe wrote: ↑Mon Sep 16, 2024 9:33 am In reality the pars works perfectly ONLY if i assign them the codes D001-D002-D003-D004. In that case, they work using scanners 1-2-3-4.

With this statement, I'm struggling with some very old fixtures that do their offset internally. Let's have a look at the manual and the DMX chart.
Again - what are the scanners? A scanner is a kind of light fixture. (Moving mirror on top of a barrel).

Faxe wrote: ↑Mon Sep 16, 2024 9:33 am Now i'm trying to use them with QLC so i've made a fixture inserting the 7 channels BUT i can not assign address 1-2-3-4 because the software says that first 7 channels are for the first light....so, i'm assuming that for the second light i have to phisically assign code D008, am i right? i've not tried yet because i'm waiting the usb to DMX cable to arrive, but i'm trying just to comprend how i have to setup everything because i've got a party next week and i want to create some FX and color changing or similar

QLC+ assigns fixtures inside a DMX universe based on unique addresses. Again, if you want to use each one separate, they need a unique address. QLC+ keeps count of these (and will instruct if there is a conflict.)
Knowing this conflicts with quote #2 because you had to address your fixtures D001-D002-D003-D004, which doesn't make sense.

Looking at what you have bought - the 'scanner' statement now makes sense, since your DMX 'mixer' can do stuff in blocks of 16 addresses... well all good then... We still don't have a DMX chart (and you will need them for your custom fixture definition.)

You have to distinguish between DMX channels and fixture numbering. It's common practice in lighting desks to do that, typically on a sub page called "Patch".
In theaters you'll often find a hardware patch table somewhere in the dimmer room, where you can "hot patch" the physical outlets of the hall/stage to the individual dimmers. Usually a big bunch of short patch cables connecting single outlets between two panels. Then additionally, the lighting board has a "Soft Patch" page to assign its internal/logical channels to DMX output channels(addresses).

As long as you only use dimmers, this will be a 1:1 mapping of single numbers.

For "intelligent lights" like LED PARs, scanners etc., you'll have to assign a channel number to the start address of every fixture, and leave a gap of how many DMX channels a fixture uses in the mode it is currently be set to.

This is essential for portability: now, if I have to go on tour with a given light show, I can just reassign these DMX addresses in the Patch table to the ones they are set to in a new venue, and reuse my lighting scenes (theoretically).

QLC is a bit different in that it doesn't expose such a channel number, instead it identifies the fixture by an internal ID that's created when you add it to your fixture list. And you can name any fixture to your liking. For touring and other situations in need of a patch, there's a fixture remapping tool to achieve this functionality.

Now I've never worked with the type of controller you got along with your lights, but to me it looks as if it has assigned channel numbers to your scanners and RGB PARs, either intelligently, via RDM (remote device management, if the controller, DMX cable and light support that), or you did it yourself in a Patch submenu.

In QLC just addd your fixtures and set the correct DMX modes and start addresses for them. QLC sees how many channels they use and refuses to add the fixture at address range where addresses are already used

Hi all,

1. Fabio's controller can control 12 fixtures (called "scanners" here) with up to 16 channels each (thus the name 192). Fixtures must have fixed addresses (as Fabio writes):
#1 - @1
#2 - @17
#3 - @33
#4 - @49 etc.

2. The problem is that the menu on the fixture requires setting D1/D2/D3/... (e.g. fixture #) instead of DMX address (1/17/33/...).

Fabio,

post here the manual that came with your RGB Pars, so we can check if there is a way to set the light to any arbitrary address.

If there is not (and maybe even if there is), just set the addresses in QLC+ the same way as your DMX controller requires (1/17/33).
Set Qualita to 4 (or how many lights do you have) and Intervallo di indirizzi to 16-7 = 9; that means you'll have 7 used channels,
then 9 unused channels, then again 7 used channels, etc.

This way you don't have to change the addresses and you have a backup solution if QLC+ setup doesn't work for some reason.

Jano

Sorry guys for the delay, i'm a little bit busy in this period.

I've already tried to solve this problem with those pars but i've not managed to obtain nothing.

So, the light menu says:

1- d001 to d512 is DMX 512 address code
2- c001 to c512 is DMX address code (three channel mode, only RGB)
3- A001 to A006 is color selection
4- P000 to P255 is color jump
5- L000 to L255 is color gradients
6- E000 to E255 is color pulse change
7- SOUD is voice color change
8- R000 to R255 is red color intensity
9- G000 to G255 is green color intensity
10- B000 to B255 is blue colo intensity
11- F000 to F255 is stroboflash

and that is the lights menu.

These lights have 7 channels:

ch1- master dimmer
ch2 - red intensity
ch3 - green intensity
ch4 - blue intensity
ch5 - empty
ch6 - 0-50 stroboflash; 51-100 jump change; 101-150 gradient change; 151-200 pulse change; 201-255 voice change
ch7 - ch6 speed from slow to fast

So basically, i've created a new fixture (color change) adding 7 channels, right?
the problem is that, i've linked the lights with a DMX cable and all linked to my laptop using an USB to DMX cable.
Now. if i call the first light D001, i must call the second light D008 'cause the first one has 7 channels...but it didn't work!
I've tried to call the second one D010, D017, D033 using the same value in the light as in the program...nothing works. But if i call it D001...it work as the first light so, i can't create fx or color change because basically, i make both lights do the same thing on the same channel. I'm a little bit worried because i've got a party next week and i've not created anything with those lights yet

Whoho! I've found the solution!!
Following what Jano says, I've spent 3 hours tonight but finally everything works!
Basically, on the pars menu I've set D001-D002, etc. while in QLC I've set the starting address as 1-17-33-49 even if the lights have only 7 channels.

So..
Light #1 has address D001 and in QLC setting is channels 1-7
Light #2 has address D002 and in QLC setting is channels 17-32
And so on!

Well, now it's time to learn how to make some scenes and FX, I've got 4 days left before the party

Guys I've got another question for you...

I'm trying to make an RGB matrix using the pars above but, on screen I see everything works fine but the lights didn't turn on at all.
I've checked the simple desk while running the RGB matrix and I see that only fader of red colour moves, while the dimmer fader remains at 0. How I could make the dimmer go up too?

Faxe wrote: ↑Tue Sep 24, 2024 8:24 pm Guys I've got another question for you...

I'm trying to make an RGB matrix using the pars above but, on screen I see everything works fine but the lights didn't turn on at all.
I've checked the simple desk while running the RGB matrix and I see that only fader of red colour moves, while the dimmer fader remains at 0. How I could make the dimmer go up too?

You should start a new thread for this, but I'll answer quickly here.
Since your fixture has a master dimmer, you need a separate mechanism to control the intensity. Or you create a scene with only the intensity set to a value. You bind this scene to a button on your VC. Or, place a slider on your VC and put it in level mode. Select the intensity channels of your fixtures there.

GGGss wrote: ↑Wed Sep 25, 2024 7:21 am

Faxe wrote: ↑Tue Sep 24, 2024 8:24 pm Guys I've got another question for you...

I'm trying to make an RGB matrix using the pars above but, on screen I see everything works fine but the lights didn't turn on at all.
I've checked the simple desk while running the RGB matrix and I see that only fader of red colour moves, while the dimmer fader remains at 0. How I could make the dimmer go up too?

You should start a new thread for this, but I'll answer quickly here.
Since your fixture has a master dimmer, you need a separate mechanism to control the intensity. Or you create a scene with only the intensity set to a value. You bind this scene to a button on your VC. Or, place a slider on your VC and put it in level mode. Select the intensity channels of your fixtures there.

Thank you for the reply, yesterday I've spent some hours on QLC and yes, I've reached out the best way was to create a button that activates only the dimmer. I've created some scenes and FX with the pars and some moving heads also