Q Light Controller+

Hi everyone

I just thought I'd report a problem that I found when setting up a friend's lighting rig this weekend. He uses an Enttec USB Pro and I couldn't get it to work properly with the current version (4.7.0). In the end I downloaded 4.5.0 and that works fine.

The lights I was using were American DJ Inno Spot LEDs. These revert to auto programs when there is no DMX signal. They did obviously see a DMX signal because they stopped auto mode and went into the state they go into during blackout, but I had no control over them. I uninstalled 4.7.0 and installed 4.5.0 and the problem went away. I didn't test the versions in between.

Has anyone seen a similar problem? I did make sure to really try all of the combinations on the input/output screen for the different modes available from the Enttec.

Hi to all
I experienced the same problem too. I didn’t tested it on older version then 4.7.0, but I did test it on 4.7.0 win/linux and the latest version from GIT-13.4.2014. I think it has something to do with timings. I’m not sure yet.
What I noticed: The OpenEnttec is working fine, EnttecUSB PRO and PRO MK2 causes problems. Some fixtures worked correctly but others wont do anything. And same type of fixture in series some work some not, bough systems and versions. I tried the save->close->open->load trick but the end result is the same. I connected them together output->input (linux to win) and monitored the input and noticed that some channels a vary jumpy. Than I lowered the DMX to 30Hz But the problem still persist.
I will do some more testing today and report back.

Hire is the "qlcplus -d 0" output:

veljko@EliteBook:~/QlcPlus> qlcplus -d 0

Q Light Controller Plus version 4.7.1 GIT
This program is licensed under the terms of the Apache 2.0 license.
Copyright (c) Heikki Junnila (hjunnila@users.sf.net)
Copyright (c) Massimo Callegari (massimocallegari@yahoo.it)

IOPluginCache::IOPluginCache(QObject*)
bool QLCFixtureDefCache::load(const QDir&) "/home/veljko/.qlcplus/fixtures"
bool QLCFixtureDefCache::loadMap(const QDir&) "/usr/share/qlcplus/fixtures"
void IOPluginCache::load(const QDir&) "/usr/lib64/qt4/plugins/qlcplus"
Loaded I/O plugin "ArtNet" from "libartnet.so"
Loaded I/O plugin "DMX4Linux" from "libdmx4linux.so"
Loaded I/O plugin "DMX USB" from "libdmxusb.so"
serial: "ENXE9A3P" name: "DMX USB PRO Mk2" vendor: "ENTTEC"
bool EnttecDMXUSBPro::extractSerial() "DMX USB PRO Mk2" gave malformed serial reply: "70" "4b" "ffffffffffffffa2" "0" "0" "0" "0" "0" "ffffffffffffffe7"
bool EnttecDMXUSBPro::extractSerial() "DMX USB PRO Mk2" gave malformed serial reply: "ffffffffffffffa0" "58" "ffffffffffffffa2" "0" "0" "0" "0" "0" "ffffffffffffffe7"
bool EnttecDMXUSBPro::extractSerial() "DMX USB PRO Mk2" gave malformed serial reply: "0" "ffffffffffffffed" "ffffffffffffff9e" "0" "0" "0" "0" "0" "ffffffffffffffe7"
EnttecDMXUSBProRX::EnttecDMXUSBProRX(const QString&, const QString&, const QString&, quint32, QLCFTDI*, quint32)
Loaded I/O plugin "E1.31" from "libe131.so"
Loaded I/O plugin "ENTTEC Wing" from "libenttecwing.so"
Loaded I/O plugin "HID" from "libhidplugin.so"
Loaded I/O plugin "MIDI" from "libmidiplugin.so"
virtual void MidiPlugin::init()
MidiEnumeratorPrivate::MidiEnumeratorPrivate(MidiEnumerator*)
void MidiEnumeratorPrivate::initAlsa()
AlsaMidiInputThread::AlsaMidiInputThread(snd_seq_t*, const snd_seq_addr_t*, QObject*)
MidiEnumerator::MidiEnumerator(QObject*)
void MidiEnumerator::rescan()
void MidiEnumeratorPrivate::rescan()
ALSA Port name: "Midi Through Port-0"
[AlsaMidiInputDevice] client: 14 , port: 0
ALSA Port name: "Midi Through Port-0"
[AlsaMidiOutputDevice] receiver client: 14 , port: 0
[AlsaMidiOutputDevice] sender client (QLC+): 128 , port: 0
loadMidiTemplates from "/home/veljko/.qlcplus/miditemplates"
loadMidiTemplates from "/usr/share/qlcplus/miditemplates"
file: "/usr/share/qlcplus/miditemplates/APC20.qxm"
bool MidiTemplate::loadXML(const QDomDocument&) Loaded message with size: 12
Loaded I/O plugin "OLA" from "libolaio.so"
OLA: TCPSocket.cpp:118: connect to 127.0.0.1:9010 failed, Connection refused
olaout: Connect failed, is OLAD running?
olaout: start thread failed
Loaded I/O plugin "OSC" from "libosc.so"
Loaded I/O plugin "Peperoni" from "libpeperoni.so"
Loaded I/O plugin "SPI" from "libspi.so"
Loaded I/O plugin "uDMX" from "libudmx.so"
bool Universe::setInputPatch(QLCIOPlugin*, quint32, QLCInputProfile*) plugin: 0x0 input: 4294967295 profile: 0x0
bool Universe::setInputPatch(QLCIOPlugin*, quint32, QLCInputProfile*) plugin: 0x0 input: 4294967295 profile: 0x0
bool Universe::setInputPatch(QLCIOPlugin*, quint32, QLCInputProfile*) plugin: 0x0 input: 4294967295 profile: 0x0
bool Universe::setInputPatch(QLCIOPlugin*, quint32, QLCInputProfile*) plugin: 0x0 input: 4294967295 profile: 0x0
bool Universe::setOutputPatch(QLCIOPlugin*, quint32) plugin: 0x9f14b0 output: 0
EnttecDMXUSBProTX: Configuring port: 1
bool Universe::setOutputPatch(QLCIOPlugin*, quint32) plugin: 0x0 output: 0
bool Universe::setOutputPatch(QLCIOPlugin*, quint32) plugin: 0x0 output: 0
bool Universe::setOutputPatch(QLCIOPlugin*, quint32) plugin: 0x0 output: 0
SimpleDeskEngine::SimpleDeskEngine(Doc*)
SimpleDesk::SimpleDesk(QWidget*, Doc*)
void SimpleDesk::initEngine()
void SimpleDesk::initView()
void SimpleDesk::initUniverseSliders()
void SimpleDesk::initUniversePager()
void SimpleDesk::slotUniversePageChanged(int)
void SimpleDesk::initPlaybackSliders()
void SimpleDesk::initCueStack()
void SimpleDesk::slotSelectPlayback(uint)
CueStack* SimpleDeskEngine::createCueStack()
CueStack::CueStack(Doc*) 0xfaaae0
void CueStackModel::setCueStack(CueStack*) old: 0x0 new: 0xfaaae0
void SimpleDesk::updateCueStackButtons()
[InputOutputPatchEditor] Fill tree for universe: 0
[getDevicesInfo] Card 0 = HDA Intel
Loading fixture definition now... "/usr/share/qlcplus/fixtures/Showtec-Phantom-250-Wash.qxf"
void SimpleDesk::slotUpdateUniverseSliders()
void SimpleDesk::slotUniversePageChanged(int)

dmesg:

[ 3229.269334] usb 6-1: new full-speed USB device number 2 using uhci_hcd
[ 3229.451632] usb 6-1: New USB device found, idVendor=0403, idProduct=6001
[ 3229.451644] usb 6-1: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[ 3229.451651] usb 6-1: Product: DMX USB PRO Mk2
[ 3229.451656] usb 6-1: Manufacturer: ENTTEC
[ 3229.451661] usb 6-1: SerialNumber: ENXE9A3P
[ 3229.500533] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbserial
[ 3229.500551] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbserial_generic
[ 3229.500560] usbserial: USB Serial support registered for generic
[ 3229.505411] usbcore: registered new interface driver ftdi_sio
[ 3229.505425] usbserial: USB Serial support registered for FTDI USB Serial Device
[ 3229.505503] ftdi_sio 6-1:1.0: FTDI USB Serial Device converter detected
[ 3229.505537] usb 6-1: Detected FT232RL
[ 3229.505539] usb 6-1: Number of endpoints 2
[ 3229.505540] usb 6-1: Endpoint 1 MaxPacketSize 64
[ 3229.505542] usb 6-1: Endpoint 2 MaxPacketSize 64
[ 3229.505544] usb 6-1: Setting MaxPacketSize 64
[ 3229.508457] usb 6-1: FTDI USB Serial Device converter now attached to ttyUSB0
[ 3344.215448] ftdi_sio ttyUSB0: FTDI USB Serial Device converter now disconnected from ttyUSB0
[ 3344.215490] ftdi_sio 6-1:1.0: device disconnected

I think I got it. It has nothing to do with QLC+, or at least directly. I think it is about timing. As fare I can see, the open-frequency is defined by the software but for the pro is defined in the device itself. The main difference is when the open enttec send a dmx it doesn’t care if the package was received correctly or not. But the pro does. So usually, by a rule of thumb, the master has to be a multiplier of the frequency frame rate set in the enttec pro. So if the frequency in the pro is set to 30 tray to set the master freq. to 60hz if that doesn’t work set the enttecpro freq to, let say, 25hz and leave the master at 50hz. Or you can set it at the same freq. as the pro has.
The info of how to do it, are in the respective manuals (olcplus-help).
Hope it help. I will test it later on. Please report back.

Hi

Thanks for your comments. I have some of an update myself too. I have not yet had a chance to use your fix with 4.7.0 but my friend just called me to say the lights were not responding. After reading your previous post, I asked him to check using the Enttec utility software and it was reporting 40Hz but the Inputs/Outputs page of QLC+ was reporting 30Hz. I asked him to change the Enttec to 30Hz and he said it started working.

This is not necessarily a complete fix as we didn't try updating the 4.7.0 yet, but we will in time. Also, we were having problems sometimes and these would go away if we restarted QLC+.

I'll post an update if I have any further info but this won't be for a while because I won't be going back to his place for a few weeks.

Thanks for your help!

Hi, I noticed the drop out,from time to time, of channels too. After a little playing whit it. I noticed that enttec don’t bring up all the used channel immediately. But I found out that if you activate at load, the last channel or the 512-one, in simple desk, then it begin to use all the intermediate channels. I did test this behaviour on dmx bus, but not yet in a real situation. May be on weekend.

Please confirm that the Enttec USB Pro is working fine with the latest version. I am about to order a dongle and need to be sure it will work reliably, since I am putting together a virtual console that will be used by non-technical users when I'm not around. We have 8 Chauvet Colorado fixtures, 2 generic dimmer packs and sometimes a few extra LED pars and bars - pretty basic with no moving heads. Currently running Windows XP - Is the dongle and/or software more reliable on Linux?

Is there a similarly priced, more reliable adapter? I was under the impression that the ENTTEC was pretty solid. Does the OpenDMX work better or worse?

Picked up an OpenDMX for cheap from a guy on Kijiji over lunch. Will give it a go as a starting point.