ENTTEC Open USB-DMX Software?

[Clarissa]

Hi, I got my hands on an ENTTEC Open USB-DMX box. I'd like to play with it doing setup for my church's Christmas musical. We have a Martin XCiter and an ETC Express 24/48 for lighting consoles. This box is more just something I'd like to play with during the setup - because I can VNC into the computer that's running the box from my netbook Basically, a really over complicated remote but not needing any special hardware.

Right now, before I dig in, I have two real options for running the thing I've learned. I could use Q Light Controller on my Mac, or I could use FreeStyler in Windows XP (boot camp). Before I dig in and learn one of these programs (or a different one if there's something better for free) I'd like to know which one y'all think works best. Yes, I've searched - but all the threads (there aren't many) are old, not very specific about pros and cons, and related to long outdated versions of these programs.

It seems FreeStyler is the favorite, would y'all say that's true? Why?

Thanks for your help and input

Clarissa

 

[ojno]

What about MagicQ PC? ChamSys Ltd

MagicQ has the advantage of giving you some 'real' remoting with its web interface, and ArtNet etc in/out.

The interface is a little weird to use, because it is an onscreen replica of a real console, but it's very powerful.

 

[thelightguy87]

oh freestyler, how I am sorry that you must go through using that software. I did not like using that software when I started, I have an enttec USB Pro. I am currently using Light Factory, which is fantastic, just not free. For free software I would say Magic Q. No questions.

Things I didn't like about lightfactory, well, I didn't like how the cue stack was structured, the timing that defaulted at 100% and increased to like 500% was always confusing to me. It was a nice improvement having multiple cuelist, but either I just didn't have the patience to properly learn the software, or it was lacking in useful and common functions.

Things I liked were in the pan tilt window, I really liked how you could create your own shapes for the pan and tilt of your movers. that served VERY useful for me, and for a while was one of the only reasons i still used that program. I disliked the on the right side, the virtual channel faders...and I generally didn't like the GUI. I thought it was difficult to find import functions.

The Stand Alone function never quite worked for me, I think I just set it up wrong. And after than I found lightfactory and never went back.

Is Freestyler usable? Yes,
Is it something to use as your main console...no way.

This is just my personal oppinions about the program, I haven't used it in probably 4 years so I don't know if they've fixed a lot of the issues I had with it.

 

[Clarissa]

Thanks, it's the haven't used it in 4 years that I'm finding. The new version looks REALLY good. I tried Magic Q on my Mac last year (the Enttec box has been floating around awhile). I could never actually get DMX out of it. Nothing, no matter what I tried. I figured it only really worked with their hardware? Or at least not with the cheap ENTTEC box...

Thanks for your ideas guys, and if someone can tell me Magic Q SHOULD work, I'd love to take another stab at it...

 

[thelightguy87]

I know i've had Magic Q output DMX with my DMX USB Pro, does it say open usb dmx in the hardware for magic q, for some reason I'm recalling that the open dmx doesn't work with it, only the pro.

I'll take another look at freestlyer, and submit a new review. I can't imagine they changed it too much from what I remember, as there was a new version out when I used it.

 

[ojno]

Unfortunately, from the MagicQ website:

MagicQ Mac does not yet support the following options: ... Open USB DMX dongle. The Open USB DMX dongle is only supported on Windows.

Though I can tell you from personal experience that it works with the Enttec DMX USB Pro on all three OSs. The Pro really is a good investment, it's much faster and more reliable than the Open, which is like a winmodem -- everything done in software. The Pro actually generates the DMX itself.

However if you can bootcamp as you said, then you can use MagicQ with the Open USB dongle on Windows.

(edit: You may need to install this driver: http://www.enttec.com/dmx_usb/CDM2.02.04.exe.)

 

[Footer]

MagicQ has the advantage of giving you some 'real' remoting with its web interface, and ArtNet etc in/out.

The web server remote only works if you have real Chamsys hardware attached, such as their USB dongle or any of the wings. This feature and the trackball feature are both locked out of the "demo" version of the software. To my knowledge, these two items are the only things you can not do on the demo version.

 

[Clarissa]

THANK YOU OJNO! I wish I'd read that before, it'd have saved me literally hours of grief. See, that's the reason I wanted to get y'all's experience. Anyways I have:

A 13" MacBook Pro running OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard

A 10" Asus EeePC 1005HA Seashell netbook running Ubuntu Netbook Remix 9.10

I don't have Windows installed at all, but I do have the XP CD that came with the netbook... if I NEED to use it to run FreeStyler I will. I think I can probably set up boot camp on the MacBook too if I need to, I could get a Windows 7 license or see if that XP works or something (I realised later it probably won't since it's an OEM copy and while I never used it on here it was probably pre-activated on this netbook).

I would LIKE to get something working on the Mac and the netbook. QLC seems like an option but I've heard it doesn't work on modern Linux releases due to the lack of driver support for the USB dongle? Is this the case... Will I be able to get this working at all without Windows? I want to know if any of you have experience before I waste hours trying without success

Thanks and blessings!

Clarissa

 

[JChenault]

The OP said he has a Enttec open DMX. I believe all of the replies have talked about the Entec USB Pro.

I believe that the Open DMX is not generally supported. My understanding is that it uses a lot more system CPU and if prone to dropping out occasionally. I am not aware of any software only production solution that supports the OpenDMX.

Now - I could be wrong - but I think you may have a lot of issues trying to use the Open DMX with a software solution in production.

 

[Clarissa]

Yes I have the Open USB DMX. I've successfully ran it on a desktop Windows XP computer at my church with FreeStyler before (old version). But in general it doesn't work well and most software seems flakey with it. That's why I'm looking advice before digging into it again!

And if the advice is to throw the thing in a trash can then so be it...

 

[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]

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]

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]

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.

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.

 

[winstonp]

Hello,

I would highly recomend Enlighten from Mega-Lite for running your church light show. It was designed specifically for that and can easily work on a touch screen or mouse system.

WP

 

[muvment]

Chamsys MagicQ is without equal. I cannot say enough good things about this software (except for the high cost of wings. I understand, but still...!).

If you don't have chamsys software hooked up, there are a number of features not turned on, but most are not at all needed unless you're working on a large show (which would have the budget for a wing) such as an automatic switchover, running the controllers in parallel, etc. You also don't have an audio in, no control over the pan and tilt via a mouse, and an occasional other disability, but usually pretty minor.

It takes awhile to learn and use Chamsys if you don't have any previous hog experience, but there is nothing more powerful, sophisticated, or capable that you can get in a sub $3k budget. And you can build a quad touchscreen system for around a grand.

 

[tcahall]

I use both Freestyler and MagicQ and they are not anywhere near the same level. MagicQ is a true, full blown, lighting console. Freestyler is a useful lighting software that does support moving lights efficiently. You can only run one cue at a time on Freestyler (so you either have to build everything into one cue or you have to jump from one to the next. No nice cross fades between cues). Freestyler is easy to program as it is VERY visual to set intensities.

I use Freestyler for its light to sound capabilities. If you want to have the lights bounce to the beat, it is fabulous. However, if you are looking for a general purpose console, download MagicQ and cut to the chase.

Tim.

P.S. In the absence of MagicQ, Freestyler is a fine piece of software (written and supported by one (amazing) guy!)

 

[dcollins]

MagicQ is more than trivially complex - I downloaded it and tried to set it up with my extremely simple 96 dimmers and couldn't get it to work. I'm used to an express 48/96 and while I was able to add the instruments to MagicQ (I think) I couldn't figure out how to write a patch or subs. It seems to be too much of a console for tech-heavy professional shows rather than a console usable for checking focus and creating simple looks. I use a program called Abuelites for my laptop for my quick focusing needs when I don't want to drag the desk down and while it leaves something to be desired, it works well enough.

 

[tcahall]

I agree that MagicQ is a full blown moving lights console in the category of the Hog III, Jands Vista and the GrandMA (without inciting a flame fest on which is the best console). If you are looking for a quick PC focus capability, it will certainly do that, but is not optimized for it. Freestyler is a solid choice for this. I am not familiar with abuelites, but am definitely curious.

Tim.