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Apologies if I've missed something completely obvious here but im having trouble trying to output Artnet from Catalyst.
Im going through a router into an AL Down-Lynx, computer address set to 2.0.0.1, catalyst is seeing the Artnet node. Maybe im just missing a setting but cant seem to find the option to get the "DMX Output On"
I've attached a screen grab for clarity.
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Best
Andy
Andy
Check that the DMX button is ON in the pixelmad window (left side, under mixes near bottom)
I assume that you have patched your fixtures uniquly to a pixelmad output...
You can then either select broadcast or unicast to the node directly in the artnet window
See if that works - if not - please send screenshot of pixelmad window too.
regards
Simon
Andy,
There's alot of info in this post but it's information for questions I get called on all the time.
For simplicity sake, try using Port 1 of you Mac Pro with the correct IP for Artnet. You can use either but there are things that make it simpler on Port 1 that aren't really worth explaining.
I want to verify something. You say router but to you mean switch or hub and not router? I would most likely guess you mean switch/hub but there is an important distinction.
A switch/hub "shouts" (meaning to all devices in a subnet). A router routes (meaning to a specific device on the other side of the connection). ArtNet is a Multicast protocol which is basically meaning a shout. Therefore it won't work over a router. Artnet will also work as Unicast as Simon mentions but that is also a protocol that is non-routing in its simplest sense.
Something else I'll mention, a Mac Pro used auto-sensing ethernet ports which means you can connect directly to a device without needing a switch/hub or a crossover cable. Sometimes for troubleshooting this is a good thing to check. If it works directly connected to the Mac then you know where the issue is.
Also, you mention the IP address of the Mac is 2.0.0.1. Are you sure that DMX box is also set to an IP address that is in the same network IE 2.0.0.x?
Furthermore, have you verified your subnet on the MAC and the DMX box to make sure they are appropriate? 255.0.0.0 is technically appropriate but it could also be 255.255.0.0 as long as the IPs of all devices are within the same first two Octets (2.0/) or 255.255.255.0 as long as the IPs of all devices are within the same first three Octets (2.0.0/).
Something most people don't realize is that 2.x.x.x is actually a public network range. Meaning if you were to connect your Artnet network to other public devices you would interfere. Most times this not a problem because people using Artnet have isolated networks. However, there are ArtNet device manufacturers that have decided to switch to the private/non-routing IP range of 10.x.x.x instead of 2.x.x.x. This is perfectly acceptable even though it is not the original artnet convention.
For that reason, it's important to make sure your devices are set to the right network. Also make sure you have no other devices that have the same IP address. Two devices with the same IP and the whole thing doesn't work.
Last thing to mention is that Catalyst uses the 0-9 convention instead of 1-10. Which basically means that some devices label the first universe as 1 and some use 0. Catalyst uses 0 and so its sometimes necessary to make an offset to get things to work.
Check the ArtNet Output window in Catalyst and make sure you see values.
Going back to the IP address I have started a convention based on what is familiar but slightly modified from traditional computer networking standard.
- Don't use x.x.x.0 or x.x.x.255 it has to be a number between 1 & 254
- Try not to use x.x.x.1 as these are usually reserved for network gateways. The same is true sometimes for x.x.x.254.
- It's okay but consider avoiding x.x.x.1 - x.x.x.10 since these are usually used for DNS servers in internal networks.
- The practice I use is to give each Catalyst a number 101-199 (basically reserving 100s for Cats up to 99 of them).
- For other devices such as controllers I'll used 11-19 (011-019) for up to nine.
- For ArtNet Output Devices (ArtNet TO DMX) I use 201-299 (also up to 100 devices).
As I mentioned, I used and recommend Port 1 for Artnet. However, I heavily use file sharing, remote management, and remote desktop to manage Catalyst Servers so that I don't need extra monitors. For all those functionality, I use the second Port configured to the familiar 192.168.x.x Private Address Range. Specifically I use 192.168.129.x and the 129 is because it is the first number in the second half of the third Octet. I also use 192.168.129.x because the trend is that every conventional piece of consumer networking devices use either 192.168.0.x or 192.168.1.x or 192.168.100.x and 129 is not common. Therefore I can distinguish nodes in my network.
I also make the last Octet number x.x.x.Num the same on both Network Ports so that they system can be known by a single number. This helps me as a show operator but also helps me as a rental house where I have dozens of Catalyst servers I don't wish to renumber.
I have taken this a step further in that Each Cat in my inventory has a standard naming scheme.
- CAT-101: Computer Name
- SYS-101: System Hard Disk Name
- SCRATCH-101: Scratch Hard Disk (Or Scratch Partition) Name
- CONTENT-101: Content Hard Disk (SSD) Name
- 2.129.129.101: Port 1 Ethernet IP Address - For ArtNet
- 192.168.129.101: Port 2 Ethernet IP Address - For MediaNet/Remote Management
I offer this up not because you have to do things the way I do but because in the history of my ownership of Catalyst systems and using this method, I have never had to rename a system or have never had issues tracking down or troubleshooting a system because all the numbers and names correlate.
Todd -
while theres a lot of usefull info in your post - Its not relevant for andy...
Andy can already see the node in the catalyst artnet window (see picture) - which means that his network settings are probably correct - else the node wouldn't appear.
Andy - please send screenshot of pixelmad window - or let me know if DMX button was off??..
S
Yep Simon, as I said in the first line, more info than needed but was written to answer questions I seem to be asked often.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr_P
Hi Sorry for the delay, its been a mad couple of days,
thanks for the network info, i gave a good grasp but theres some neat pointers in there.
Heres a screenshot of the pixel-mix window, is it just the fact i cannot resize the window large enough to find a button further down?
Im also working of a non dongled machine at them moment.
Cheers
Andy
Might help if you turn off some mixes ( and layers - unless you need all of them) in preferences in the catalyst menu- then there will be less mix buttons and you should be able to see the DMX button. You may have to restart catalyst for this to take effect.
I guess there's a reason you are running a low resolution... Maybe increase resolution temporarily while you set up pixelmad?
Let me know if you need further help
Simon
If i default the mixes and layers to 4layers & 4Mixes, Pixelmad still displays the max amount of layers, tried looking in the XML files for a max number but cant seem to find anything.
I assume you restarted after changing settings...
I think the only other way is to change screen resolution so you can see more window.
What resolution are you using?
Will check this out and feedback to Richard...
S
Just tested reducing mixes and the pixel-mad window doesn't change...
So your only option at the moment is to move the pixelmad window to the very top of the screen ad expand it as much as possible to access the DMX button - or change screen resolution to allow you to see more of the window...
You could also do this by remote desktop and change the screen resolution remotely to enable DMX
Currently there is no other method of conrol to enable pixel-mad DMX.
Let me know how you get on...
Simon
Hi simon that was exactly the issue, i was using build:
"CatalystPM 4.30_m283UB_HD"
Which wouldn't allow me to resize the window even though my screen rez was big enough. Just got home yesterday and malled out with version:
"CatalystPM 4.40_m327_HD"
Which worked a treat.
Thanks everyone for the help, i thought i was going a little mad!
Best
Andy
Hi Andy
glad it worked
you may want to try m329 as its the latest release:
http://chaldee1.gotadsl.co.uk/~richa...ead.php?t=1907
but do watch out for change in mix window positions between versions...
S