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HID Interface "Nodle", DMX-In functionality

Posted: Sun Oct 20, 2024 11:11 am
by kogo
Hi,
first of all, I am a newbie with QLC+. I want to use it for amateur theater light and audio controlling. Up to now I have used a Botex 48 channel DMX controller.
My idea is, to use this DMX controller as an input device for QLC+. My DMX interface is a "Nodle R4S" from DMXControl. It is a HID device.
After connecting it to my Windows PC I can detect the interface in the input/output screen. I have selected the check buttons for Input and Output. In the configuration dialog I can setup the merge mode. Because I want to control QLC with the input device and do not want a DMX-In to Out forwarding, the merge mode is deselected.
I have created a profile in the input output screen for a DMX Device. I have designed a simple virtuel console with a slider and tried to control this slider with a DMX Channel (DMX Channel 1 which is part of my In-Profile). I do not get any response on the slider when using the Channel 1 slider on the DMX Controller.
When I select the merge mode in the input/output screen for the HID device, the DMX controller settings are transfered directly and perfectly to the DMX out of the device.

In the documention of the actual version of QLC+ and in the forum I were able to find the last changes done by qfulmina regarding the merge mode .
So, my question is, what modes of the HID interface are used under what configuration?

This are the possible modes:
0: Do nothing - Standby
1: DMX In -> DMX Out
2: PC Out -> DMX Out
3: DMX In + PC Out -> DMX Out
4: DMX In -> PC In
5: DMX In -> DMX Out & DMX In -> PC In
6: PC Out -> DMX Out & DMX In -> PC In
7: DMX In + PC Out -> DMX Out & DMX In -> PC In

My expecation is:
Configuration in In/Out Screen Merge selected in configuration mode
In no 4
In yes 5
Out no 2
Out yes 3
In and Out no 6
In and Out yes 7
nothing no 0
nothing yes 1

For my usecase the mode 6 would be the right one

Thanks in advance for helping

Re: HID Interface "Nodle", DMX-In functionality

Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2024 7:37 am
by GGGss
Welcome to the community,

Since this device is not on the list of supported, we'd first have to establish some basic knowledge about it.
* Does it output DMX when connected? Create a universe, set it as output, add a DMX device to the output port, and play with Simple Desk.
* Does QLC+ accept (only) input signals? Now, only select the device's input port. I'd suggest doing this in another universe, which would be the most logical. Put a slider onto your VC and bind it to the external input. Does it react to signals coming from your Botex controller? (You can also monitor input signals when the joystick wiggles). https://docs.qlcplus.org/v4/input-outpu ... d-feedback

The device's description shows it can handle 2x 512 channels (two DMX busses). So, in and out—but now: how does one tell the device which universe will be physically connected to the input vs. output part of the device? They made an appropriate .dll and asked you to replace the default .dll with that one. QLC+ does not know that, so...

Let's take the Enttec Pro MK2 example: it does have two DMX busses. You need a configurator to tell the firmware that you want bus one to output and bus two to input. Only after uploading this configuration does the device work. QLC+ can be set up in such a way. Moreover, if you want to merge or interconnect in and out, there is also the option to use 'passthrough', which, in the end, will be the best option. https://docs.qlcplus.org/v4/input-outpu ... assthrough

It might be that your DMX interface works one-to-one, assuming some logic—but assumption always leads to frustration. Without certainty, you cannot build an equation.

Re: HID Interface "Nodle", DMX-In functionality

Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2024 2:59 pm
by kogo
Thanks for helping an explaining. Indeed I have made a big step forward.

You mentioned that the device is not on the compatibility list. I think that's wrong: https://www.qlcplus.org/discover/compatibility, "FX5 USB DMX", "Nodle U1", "Nodle R4S" are listed and based on the same development.

What I tried now:
- Defining two universe, one for output, one for input
- Defining a profile for the input universe which matches the DMX Channel to a "logical name"
- Creating a slider for output
- Adding an input to the slider

Results:
Output works well. In a first step the input didn't work.
I closed QLC+ and started the configuration tool "Nodle Configuration Tool" and set the working mode to "6: PC Out -> DMX Out & DMX In -> PC In". After that I closed the configuration tool and started QLC+ again (without cutting power supply for device).
After this step the input was recognized by the "input universe" and QLC+ was working like expected from my side.