Control/Dimming ETC Nomad Questions

[CraigV]

Hey, I'm trying to research the ETC Nomad for both myself and a local, government-owned theater I work. Does anyone have any experience with the Nomad? What am I actually buying if I purchase the Nomad 256? Would I be right in thinking that I just get the small USB plug-in that communicates to the software the number of channel outputs available, or does it come with different software than the offline editor?

Furthermore, does this mean that, if profiled, I could control 256 LED lights (that operate on 5 addresses), or would I be limited to 51.2 of those lights?

If I bought the ETC Gadget and plugged it into my computer, would I be able to use the offline software live or would I need to also purchase the Nomad?

 

[MNicolai]

256 refers to the DMX addresses you can use. So if you have 5-address LED's, you could use up to 51 fixtures on unique channels before you'd have to start doubling up fixtures onto given addresses.

The product you receive would be a USB dongle that enables your offline editor on your computer to operate as a lighting controller.

To output DMX, you need to either connect to a network of Net3 nodes (sold separately) or use a USB Gadget (also sold separately).

Same software as the offline editors. USB dongle just activates the software application's ability to output to a lighting system.

 

[CraigV]

That's what I thought, but I wanted to check before spending any money. My personal system is QLC+ running through the Enttec Open USB. Would the Open or Pro USB work in place of the ETC Gadget, or would I need to buy a third USB/DMX interface? (And if I did, I am thinking that the Enttec ODE might be a better way to go, so that my personal system can update more easily.)

 

[MNicolai]

Can't say I've heard one way or the other on if third-party interfaces are compatible or not. Let me throw up a bat signal for @HansH.

 

[SteveB]

That's what I thought, but I wanted to check before spending any money. My personal system is QLC+ running through the Enttec Open USB. Would the Open or Pro USB work in place of the ETC Gadget, or would I need to buy a third USB/DMX interface? (And if I did, I am thinking that the Enttec ODE might be a better way to go, so that my personal system can update more easily.)

In theory, your computer running Nomad with a client dongle of X universes, is outputting sACN protocol, also known as Streaming Advanced Control Network, which is what the ETC Gadget and Net 3 gateways are listening to.

Thus any device that listens to sACN can be used and there are other manufacturers of devices that will output DMX from a sACN signal.

That opens up your choices somewhat.

 

[petercav17]

Thus any device that listens to sACN can be used and there are other manufacturers of devices that will output DMX from a sACN signal.

Does this mean if I have a third party dongle and the free nomad software, I'm good to go? Or would I still have to buy something from ETC?

 

[SteveB]

You still need an ETC dongle to get Nomad to output sACN.

 

[petercav17]

Ah Okay. One more quesiton:

I have a unused net3 gateway. Could I run a cat5e out of my laptop with nomad and use the gateway as a sort of dongle since they both work on sACN?

 

[SteveB]

Ah Okay. One more quesiton:

I have a unused net3 gateway. Could I run a cat5e out of my laptop with nomad and use the gateway as a sort of dongle since they both work on sACN?

The primary enabling device to get the Nomad off-line software to output sACN is a dongle. You have to have that as step one, to run as client to a real console, or to run the Nomad software on a PC/Mac as a console. You still and then need a device that will read sACN and has DMX ports. Your existing Net3 Gateway is thus, one half of the equation needed to allow a PC/Mac to function as a console, provided that gateway has DMX ports and provided you have the enabling dongle.

 

[epimetheus]

Would I be correct in assuming that, with the dongle, the Nomad software could also be configured to output Artnet?

 

[SteveB]

Would I be correct in assuming that, with the dongle, the Nomad software could also be configured to output Artnet?

I believe the answer is Yes. We were just running Nomad off laptops to runn the student version of Capture Polar and used Artnet in the limited DMX speed mode to visualize.

Thus I would suspect that as Artnet is one of the output protocols available, you would be able to use that to send to a device(s).

I would run this question on the FB Eos Users Forum ofrthe ETC Forum for a more learned answer.

 

[avalentino]

I believe the answer is Yes. We were just running Nomad off laptops to runn the student version of Capture Polar and used Artnet in the limited DMX speed mode to visualize.

Thus I would suspect that as Artnet is one of the output protocols available, you would be able to use that to send to a device(s).

I would run this question on the FB Eos Users Forum ofrthe ETC Forum for a more learned answer.

Yes, Nomad (either Mac or PC based) can output Artnet - and Net3.

thanks

a