ENTTEC Open USB-DMX Software?

[Clarissa]

Update - I got it running with QLC on my Mac but I cannot handle that program. It's horrible. Truly horrible. So it's looking like the netbook or the Mac will get Windows and I'll use FreeStyler. Since there's so little experience out there, I guess I'll have to write up my experiences for the rest of y'all!

Thanks,

Mark

[ojno]

Originally Posted by Clarissa

So it's looking like the netbook or the Mac will get Windows and I'll use FreeStyler.

If you are bothering to install Windows, I would recommend going for MagicQ. It does work with the Open USB DMX, but only on Windows.

But if your playing around is with a view to deciding where to spend money in the future, you should really budget for a Pro. They're about $150 / €125 / £110, and hugely improve the reliability of the DMX you get out. Plus you then get MagicQ on whichever OS you want - and MagicQ on a netbook is really convenient.

However there is a trick you could do now -- I only just realised it doesn't need a Pro. It does need another PC and a network of some kind though. Find an old PC from somewhere running Windows and get MagicQ on it, and set it up as an ArtNet to DMX gateway with whatever dongle you like. Then connect to it over a network with your Mac or netbook, wired or wireless, with another MagicQ outputting to ArtNet. (This would actually mitigate the unreliability of the Open dongle, thinking about it, since you have the entire computer dedicated to DMX output.)

I have an Asus Eee with Ubuntu and MagicQ, which I use as a full-console wireless focus remote and even for the occasional small event, and it's really convenient -- though I wouldn't rely on wireless for a proper show in case someone turns on a microwave nearby or something.

[Clarissa]

I have the latest FreeStyler running on my Eee with Windows now and I'm loving it. Once I've actually used it for something important I'll write back here

[Clarissa]

Originally Posted by Clarissa

I have the latest FreeStyler running on my Eee with Windows now and I'm loving it. Once I've actually used it for something important I'll write back here

Okay I got the comp hooked up to some Chauvet 200b led PARs and some Chauvet Omega 250c color changers our youth have. The 200b works flawless except for the dimmer. On these lights 0 is full and 255 is off. At first it didn't dim at all. I changed the included profile from min 255 max 0 to min 0 max 255. Now it *works* but the dimmer is backwards. Which will become an issue once I'm ready to start having a master intensity control. How do I fix this?

Second, the 250Cs flicker off a few times a minute (each and seperately). Granted, they do this when connected to our ETC Express 24/48 too... But they work fine on the Xciter and the youth's little Chauvet controller...

My goal is to learn the basics with these little color changers before I connect it to the dimmer rack and/or to the MAC500s... My goal is to run both off it for Christmas. Instead of using two consoles...
Posted via Mobile Device

[ojno]

Originally Posted by Clarissa

Okay I got the comp hooked up to some Chauvet 200b led PARs and some Chauvet Omega 250c color changers our youth have. The 200b works flawless except for the dimmer. On these lights 0 is full and 255 is off. At first it didn't dim at all. I changed the included profile from min 255 max 0 to min 0 max 255. Now it *works* but the dimmer is backwards. Which will become an issue once I'm ready to start having a master intensity control. How do I fix this?

If there isn't an explicit 'invert channel' option, I don't know whether it would be possible to fix this. Ask on the Freestyler forums.

Originally Posted by Clarissa

Second, the 250Cs flicker off a few times a minute (each and seperately). Granted, they do this when connected to our ETC Express 24/48 too... But they work fine on the Xciter and the youth's little Chauvet controller...

Are all the cable runs involved with each console the same? Or perhaps the colour changers only accept a certain specification of DMX. See if Freestyler has a reduced DMX rate option, or allows you to change the break time, MAB, etc. I expect the Express does, but I don't know how.