Assigning DMX address & EOS Channel numbers

rphilip

Active Member
I've got two venues where I need to build "good" EOS show files this summer. I'm looking for advice for how to lay out EOS channel numbers for both and for one how to plan the DMX address/universe assignment. I not much of a programmer but am the closest we have to an expert "in house".

One is an existing space with ~120 sensor dimmers of which perhaps half are used regularly. House, stage and "orchestra shell" lights are all in that count. Most but not all and in some places the channel assignments make no sense (ex FOH 2 catwalk DMX address are HR to HL 1,2,16,17,3,18. We also have ~6-12 S4LED's that bounce between FOH 1 and a backlight position. We commonly use an Element here and DMX distribution is mostly via traditional splitters using only one universe.

The second venue is also an existing venue but is getting 100% relight. Will have ~16 ETC LED10 dimmers, lots of IQ + Foundry relays for power control of DMX controlled fixtures, 4 Solaframe 1000's, 25-30 CS Linear1's, 15-20 S4LED's, 8 Arri L7/L10's. All DMX distribution will be node based with 20+ channels of node outputs. I've attached a PDF of the light locations superimposed onto an architectural plan but it doesn't show the grouping of non-DMX fixtures though I do have that information.

Thoughts, suggestions, other questions I should be asking my self?

Thanks

Philip
 

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Channeling can be whatever makes sense to you. The DMX addressing need not follow the channel layout, you can put whichever and however many addresses you want on a channel, or just 1 if it’s a dimmer.

When we use an LED “rep” plot in our small proscenium theater, I have 10 Lustres across the furthest downstage catwalk, then 10 more in a mid catwalk and 10 more on an upstate catwalk, all as FOH. I do area 1 as channel 1 as the first area downstage right (DR), ch 2 is DRC, ch3 is DC, etc..... repeats for 15 areas/channels, repeats as ch’s 21-35 as the 2nd set of Lustres, then moves on to downstage side lights, then back lights, then cyc, etc....

The addresses can be anything.

My house lights are up around 901 and up

My power channels for the relays and ThruPower circuits are up above 950.

It’s whatever makes sense to me and a designer is free to change it.
 
I've got two venues where I need to build "good" EOS show files this summer. I'm looking for advice for how to lay out EOS channel numbers for both and for one how to plan the DMX address/universe assignment. I not much of a programmer but am the closest we have to an expert "in house".

One is an existing space with ~120 sensor dimmers of which perhaps half are used regularly. House, stage and "orchestra shell" lights are all in that count. Most but not all and in some places the channel assignments make no sense (ex FOH 2 catwalk DMX address are HR to HL 1,2,16,17,3,18. We also have ~6-12 S4LED's that bounce between FOH 1 and a backlight position. We commonly use an Element here and DMX distribution is mostly via traditional splitters using only one universe.

The second venue is also an existing venue but is getting 100% relight. Will have ~16 ETC LED10 dimmers, lots of IQ + Foundry relays for power control of DMX controlled fixtures, 4 Solaframe 1000's, 25-30 CS Linear1's, 15-20 S4LED's, 8 Arri L7/L10's. All DMX distribution will be node based with 20+ channels of node outputs. I've attached a PDF of the light locations superimposed onto an architectural plan but it doesn't show the grouping of non-DMX fixtures though I do have that information.

Thoughts, suggestions, other questions I should be asking my self?

Thanks

Philip
@rphilip A few archaic thoughts from an old, long retired, geezer while you're waiting for someone younger to post.
Organize your channel assignments in a manner that makes sense to you, then patch your DMX addresses to accommodate your equipment.
I'll begin with a few bits of archaic logic and possibly some may still be applicable.
For example:
Possibly you think of your stage in 15 areas; 5 across by 3 deep.
Maybe you think of your down stage areas as: DSR, DSCR, DSC, DSCL, DSL.
Maybe you think of your mid stage areas as: MSR, MSCR, MSC, MSCL, MSL.
Possibly you think of your up stage areas as: USR, USCR, USC, USCL, USL.
You may have 15 down lights, 1 directly above your 15 areas.
You may have 15 back lights, 1 directly US of your 15 areas.
Alternately you may have 30 back lights positioned as two diagonal back lights per each of your 15 areas.
In my century, we'd double and triple hang the entire rig in two or three different colors.
In our present era we're transitioning to LED fixtures each capable of (in theory) creating any color in the known rainbow and a flawless white with a desirable color temperature and terrific CRI.
Back to choosing control channel numbers.
Think of the five areas across your apron as #'s 1 through 5, regardless of where the fixtures are hung, possibly in a second FOH catwalk.
Think of the five areas across your mid stage as #'s 6 through 10, again regardless of where they're hung, possibly a first FOH catwalk.
Think of the five areas across your up stage as #'s 11 through 15, regardless of where they're hung, possibly on LX 1, your first on stage LX pipe.
Apply similar logic to numbering your down lights, back lights, diagonal back lights, cross lights, cyclorama tops, cyclorama foots, yada, yada, etcetera.
Assign control channel numbers that make sense to you, number them how YOU think; soon channel numbers will be second nature to you rather than having to look up endless lists of numbers with zero sense of organization.
If your console includes groups, number your groups sensibly as well. When you number groups your first group doesn't have to #1, followed by #2 and #3 in strict numerical order.
If it were me; my DS areas would be 1 through 5 and they'd be group 1.
My mid stage areas would be 6 through 10 and they'd be group 6.
My up stage areas would be 11 through 15 and they'd be group 11.
Groups are basically submasters without handles, in my century my console accommodated groups from 1 through 999.
Most lighting designers never used more than 100 groups. In my free time I'd create 3 or 4 groups that were useful to me as the programmer.
Group 333 would contain all lamps hung down stage of the house curtain EXCEPT the curtain wash and the conductor's special.
Group 666 would contain all lamps hung behind the house curtain and focused downstage of the mid stage traveller.
Group 999 would contain all lamps hung behind the mid stage traveller and focused on the cyc' (or sky cloth if you're a purest.)
Designers would scoff at me with most saying: "That's a total waste of time, I'll NEVER want to turn all of those on together!"
Agreed, they'll never want to turn them all on together but what they're missing is: Groups also can be great ERASERS.
The first time the house curtain flies in for interval and one or two diagonal blotches have been inadvertently tracked through; that's when the conversation on the head set goes something like: "118 at zero, return. 123 at zero, return. 147 at zero, return." Right about then the director's growling at the LD impatiently waiting for the blemishes on the house curtain to disappear and the LD's sitting next to she / he frantically stammering out an endless stream of numbers. If the LD's been a snarky anal orifice who's treated you abysmally for days on end, you let she / he sit there embarrassing themselves.
When it's opening night, the final curtain is flying in, an inadvertently tracked blotch appears and you suddenly make it vanish BEFORE the curtain hits the deck, that's when you enjoy your revenge. One night I watched the motor driven house curtain hurtling down, saw an unwanted stripe on it and extinguished the stripe BEFORE the curtain hit the deck. I doubt anyone other than the LD and myself saw the momentary stripe.
Up in the booth, my left hand on the curtain control, my right hand quickly pummeled: "Group 333 @ 0 *" Seven keystrokes and the blemish was gone leaving the curtain wash washing the curtain as the house lights faded up. Later, at the opening night soiree, the LD, between accepting accolades and gratis drinks, quietly asked me: "Did you notice something on the house curtain as it fell, I thought for moment I saw something but it was gone, did you happen to see it?" Yep, I took care of it. "What channel was it?" asked the LD. Danged if I know, it was one of the channels in one of the groups you said I was wasting time creating. LD Paul Mathieson never criticized my three or four bonus groups again. Paul Mathieson had forgotten more about color selection than I'll ever know but I had the edge on programming an LP90. More than enough said. With today's consoles "Magic sheets" are a whole new ballgame, and extremely useful. In my century, "magic sheets' were sheets of clear acetate and / or sheets of paper with seemingly random numbers on them organized into physical groups that meant the world to the LD. Optimistically there's something of use to you in my novella.
EDIT: Inadvertently misspelled you're.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard
 
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@RonHebbard Really has nailed 90% of what will make your life easy. I'd highly recommend taking the time to lay out a good magic sheet for your space (the digital one, definitely, but the paper one never hurts to have for focus and troubleshooting). Lay a rough drawing of your space down as the background, and both you and whomever else that is in your space will have a pretty good chance of grabbing the light you're looking for on the first try.
 
I've got two venues where I need to build "good" EOS show files this summer. I'm looking for advice for how to lay out EOS channel numbers for both and for one how to plan the DMX address/universe assignment. I not much of a programmer but am the closest we have to an expert "in house".

One is an existing space with ~120 sensor dimmers of which perhaps half are used regularly. House, stage and "orchestra shell" lights are all in that count. Most but not all and in some places the channel assignments make no sense (ex FOH 2 catwalk DMX address are HR to HL 1,2,16,17,3,18. We also have ~6-12 S4LED's that bounce between FOH 1 and a backlight position. We commonly use an Element here and DMX distribution is mostly via traditional splitters using only one universe.

The second venue is also an existing venue but is getting 100% relight. Will have ~16 ETC LED10 dimmers, lots of IQ + Foundry relays for power control of DMX controlled fixtures, 4 Solaframe 1000's, 25-30 CS Linear1's, 15-20 S4LED's, 8 Arri L7/L10's. All DMX distribution will be node based with 20+ channels of node outputs. I've attached a PDF of the light locations superimposed onto an architectural plan but it doesn't show the grouping of non-DMX fixtures though I do have that information.

Thoughts, suggestions, other questions I should be asking my self?

Thanks

Philip
@rphilip Another couple of thoughts for you;
When you're organizing your control channel assignments, think about how you're going to use them.
Going back to the previous example, expanding upon it AND illustrating a few potentially problematic things to avoid.
If / when you wanted to grab the front lights for your fifteen areas you could key in 1 through 15 at 70%, or whatever level.
If you had several hundred control channels at your disposal you could number your 15 down light channels as 101 through 115.
Similarly you could number your 15 back light channels as 201 through 215.
Cross lights from SR could be 301 through 315.
Cross lights from SL could be 401 through 415.
If you want to grab all of your down lights or all of the cross lights from one side it's comparatively easy to key in 101 through 115 or 301 through 315.
With most consoles there's no need to use all channels consecutively / nothing stops you from skipping control channels and leaving some unused, this can often work well for you assuming your console is capable of controlling several hundred channels.
An example of something you NEVER ought to do is:
NEVER box yourself into a situation where you're going to have to key in 7 + 23 + 42 + 119 + 254 over and OVER and OVER AGAIN. Doing so gets FRUSTRATING RAPIDLY! Don't do it.
If you think back to my example of using groups as erasers, you may recall my using groups 333, 666 and 999.
Here's why: When entering numbers in a hurry, it's far faster to hammer the same key three times than to have to correctly nail three different keys.
Why did I choose 333, 666 and 999?
Simple eye / hand logic:
333 is on the lower row of my number pad, closer to me similar to my FOH coves were closer to me.
666 is on the middle row of my number pad, a little further from me similar to my 1st LX pipe.
Likewise, 999 is on the upper row of my number pad, furthest from me similar to my cyclorama lights.
Simple logic for simple minds; again familiarity breeds speed and automatic reactions; I'm sure there's a more correct wording but I suspect you've got the gist.
One last example of groups as erasers from an actual production.
Same LD (Paul Mathieson). The production had a metric butt-load of gobos on the cyc'; from memory, 3 or 4 dozen gobos mostly stars, single stars, groups of stars, specific constellations, different locations and phases of the moon: You've got the concept; a myriad of choices from which to create differing night time sky looks.
In addition to group 999 I added groups 777 and 888; 777 would erase and / or brighten all stars, 888 would erase all phases of the moon, whether they were in a cue or not. Again I chose numbers on the upper row of my number pad because they were all groups on the cyc' (furthest from me). When choosing group numbers for erasers, I always chose numbers on the outer edges of the number pad as (for me) they were easier to find and pummel accurately when in a hurry as was so often the case when a quick erasure is what's needed.
Dumb logic perhaps; but develop your own logic, select control channels in a way that makes sense to YOU, make the board work for YOU rather than the other way around.
Again, I hope there are a few concepts of use to you.
Pardon the pun: I hope this aids in channeling your thoughts.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard
 
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