Control/Dimming ETC Ion Freezing

Jrmuffun

Member
I had this problem where i pressed go to advance the cue and one of my four moving lights started freaking out and went to a random position and turned orange and then i didn't have control over any of my lights at all, by that I mean that I could still move the cursor and I could still select things and type things in, its just when i went to adjust a fixtures intensity it just wouldn't change the number or effect the light on stage at all. The only thing that ended up giving me control again is taking the light that freaked out of 3 cues and then I re-gained control of all the lights. I'm just wondering what went wrong and how I can fix it.
Thank you!
 
Brand and model of freak out? Topology of Dmx? Artnet? Wireless? Need fuller picture ...
The light was a VL1100. The best way u can explain the networking is from the board to the lights. From out of the board it goes into an etc dmx/rdm gateway, which then goes into a switch and then into nodes and raceways across the stage. It also goes just strait into the VL's. There is a router hooked up to it but that's only for RFR connections to the ION. Our raceways are IPS IRW's. We have a thing, I forgot the exact brand, but we have buttons on the walls so we can turn the lights on and off separately from the ION. I will answer as many questions as you need to try and help me get this figured out, and thank you for your help.
 
Vote 2 for RDM. turn it off on the VLs if you aren’t using it.
 
"From out of the board" DMX? "it goes into an etc dmx/rdm gateway, which then goes" Network? "into a switch and then into nodes" AKA Gateways? "and raceways across the stage" Trying to picture how the DMX (presumably) is being distributed in the "raceways across the stage". Just one DMX receptacle per raceway or multiple receptacles on multiple gateway outs or some in and thru at several positions with switches or jumpers or ?? Just suspicious of how the DMX is distributed along the raceway.

Does other stuff or anything work on the network? Can you test the DMX at the raceway? (Do you have a DMX tester?)

(I could have that riser backwards - you could mean network out of console to a gateway with DMX out to a splitter - not usually called a switch - to other splitters? )

But turn off RDM everywhere and see if that fixes it. It's the easiest and my fis it philosophy is try the easy things it might be first.
 
I'm wondering if the VLs and the console are patched correctly. Possibly they are supposed to be in a different universe, or have the wrong start addresses, or are in a different mode than the console. I can't think of why that would make the rest of the rig misbehave but it would explain why the VLs act up. Are the nodes merging universes?
 
Are you sure the VL's are even capable RDM? They aren't exactly a new fixture... I've been trying to find if they do and I cant find anything on it...
Looks like you are correct nothing in the manual about RDM on the fixture. I would still turn off RDM across all devices and see if that fixes it.
If not you might of built a bad cue and did something the fixtures didn’t like.
 
"From out of the board" DMX? "it goes into an etc dmx/rdm gateway, which then goes" Network? "into a switch and then into nodes" AKA Gateways? "and raceways across the stage" Trying to picture how the DMX (presumably) is being distributed in the "raceways across the stage". Just one DMX receptacle per raceway or multiple receptacles on multiple gateway outs or some in and thru at several positions with switches or jumpers or ?? Just suspicious of how the DMX is distributed along the raceway.

Does other stuff or anything work on the network? Can you test the DMX at the raceway? (Do you have a DMX tester?)

(I could have that riser backwards - you could mean network out of console to a gateway with DMX out to a splitter - not usually called a switch - to other splitters? )

But turn off RDM everywhere and see if that fixes it. It's the easiest and my fis it philosophy is try the easy things it might be first.

I made a really garbage diagram that might help visualize what im using and how it works. Now, this is only how I think it works, not how i know exactly how it works. My knowledge gets really fuzzy around the RDM gateway and the network switch.
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/636287546673856552/641733380609671188/Diagram.png
Note: The picture is accurate to the actual equipment we use.
 
I'm wondering if the VLs and the console are patched correctly. Possibly they are supposed to be in a different universe, or have the wrong start addresses, or are in a different mode than the console. I can't think of why that would make the rest of the rig misbehave but it would explain why the VLs act up. Are the nodes merging universes?
They most likely arent. Most of the nodes are on the first universe but when i get in there again im going to do what @BillConnerFASTC says and put a dmx tester on the line and see what it reports.
 
I don't understand the gateway between console and switch - normally expect console to go to switch - but will ignore that.

And I'll assume the ethernet from switch to gateway by raceway does not split or go through a node for that mover in the middle.

Can I assume at the raceway its simple dmx out of node and then daisy chain through fixtures? And the last fixture is terminated?

After RDM, terminating DMX lines seems to be the next biggest cause of problems.
 
Not getting this connection diagram at all.

First question would be why is the Ion connected to a Gateway, unless they chose to not have the Ion connect using Ethernet and sending sACN, instead putting DMX into the gateway ?. Odd choice as the Ion wants to and can go right to the switch via Ethernet. The system and all the gateways then get the sACN data from the Ion and convert to DMX for the fixtures and dimmer bars needing it.

2nd question is the VL in the scheme as it’s likely, actually has to get DMX out of a gateway, 1 port or otherwise.

This I’d recommend to the OP that he give a closer look at how this stuff is configured.

As to the VL’s doing odd things (which isn’t at all the Ion “freezing”), as others have stated, might be RDM enabled on the console or the gateways, which can make non RDM fixtures do weird things. RDM is easily switched off in the Ion shell. It can also (if memory serves) be switched off in the Gateway that the Ion connects, via the menu on the LCD screen. Not sure though, that might have to happen using the Concert software also in the shell. The 1 port nodes absolutely need Concert to enable/disable RDM.

If you’ve never used Concert I’d be calling ETC tech support to have them talk you thru it.
 
Jrmuffun - I think you need some on site help. It seems you're under show deadline pressure. Not only will it get fixed but you'll learn a lot. It could be anything from one bad wire termination to failed components or a bad software setting.
 

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