Weird Artistic License Artnet issue

I have a slightly odd problem and was wondering if you had any insight that might help.

We have a selection of DMX to Artnet node from Artistic License and Luminex, that up until recently have been working fine.

However i pulled out some of the Net-Lynx boxes yesterday to prep for a job and irrespective of what i try i cannot get the nodes DMX to show in Catalyst. When i power the device on it shows in the device window briefly with a device name of power on test, but then disappears. If i then switch to the DMX window and look at the universe that the DMX should be coming in on there is nothing.

Now, the Cata-Lynx and Luminex boxes seem to be working fine, so i suspected that it was some fault with the Net-Lynx box. However i have used a software scope, and in that i can see the node absolutely fine and it's DMX.

It's very odd as these nodes had been on a show for over a year with no issues and now all of them will not work with Cat?

Anyone got any ideas?

Cheers

Try connecting them to a windows pc running DMX workshop (download from AL) and reset them.

Check that they haven't been set to a 10.x.x.x address range - this can be done by dmx workshop or by a jumper inside.

It is also possible that a custom IP address may have been set by DMX workshop - which may conflict with an existing IP address on your current show network.
DMX workshop settings can also overide the font panel selector wheels

A reset in DMX workshop (and firmware update) will probably sort it out...

Simon

Hi Simon,

Thanks for the post, unfortunately i have already done all of the above to no avail, dmx workshop sees the device and the artnet coming from it fine. But Catalyst, no dice, it does pop up briefly but no DMX is actually seen then it disappears forever.

I am just about to put together an Artnet Quartz patch to see if that work on the same system which should help narrow things down a little more.

Cheers

Gareth

Hmmm - bit odd... A few suggestions:

Do you have it connected directly or through a switch?
Some managed switched can filter broadcast artnet which can cause issues.
Have you done a firmware update on the box thru DMX workshop?
Are you using just one port on the mac to connect? and all others disabled.
Sounds like it could be an issue with the box if you are seeing other devices in catalyst, especially if it's been totally reset.

S

A simple check but are you using Ethernet1 or Ethernet2 on the mac. Artnet doesn't always play nice on Ethernet2.

Try reducing the subnet of your Artnet down to 255.255.255.0 instead of 255.0.0.0. Just make sure that the first three octets are the same IE 2.0.0.x.

This is good practice anyway just to simplify the ethernet data.

Check and make sure that the Artnet network is not connected to a router that might mistake the 2.x.x.x network as something public that should be routed. One of the bad designs of the Artnet specification was the use of the 2.x.x.x public class A network. You can use 10.x.x.x and I usually do and set all my Artnet devices to some subnet of 10.x.x.x because its a non-routing subnet. However, this tends to freak many people out who are accustomed to their devices remaining in the 2.x.x.x.

Also remember that universe 1-4 of subnet 1 are also occupied by the Local Machine's Catalyst app.