How to control moving lights using a PC?

N

nopeda

Member
I want to work on some Martin Mac 500s and 600s at home and would like to be able to control them with my PC in order to test them. Are there any programs we can get for free or cheap that can do that? What about something to accept the data cable? The place where I work uses a Maxxyz and I've heard about Maxxyz PC. Does anyone know how expensive that is, and how similar it is to a Maxxyz console?

Thank you for any help!
David
 
The cheapest path is to use Chamsys MagicQ, you can buy the dongle for under $20 and control one universe for 5 hours, and then you'll have to restart the program. Enttec and dmx king make more expensive dongles that work with lots of different software. AVO, Hog, Martin, GrandMA, etc. all have their own dongles to control their software, and they can get pretty expensive.
 
You can use Martin M-PC on a single-universe Enttec dongle, which runs well under $100 if I remember right. That gives you a full single universe of control and no time limitations on it like some other trial versions of software. And it's the platform that you know. M-PC is really slick software, it's actually designed to use on a computer rather than a lot of console PC software versions that just throw the key layout and screen view on the computer. Definitely worth it since they've made the single universe available on the Enttec dongle.

Software costs nothing, free download. You can also get a single universe for free via ArtNet out of your computer's network port (instead of, not in addition to the free universe via Enttec box) but then you'd need an ArtNet to DMX converter box, and most people don't have one of those laying around.
 
soundlight said:
You can use Martin M-PC on a single-universe Enttec dongle, which runs well under $100 if I remember right. That gives you a full single universe of control and no time limitations on it like some other trial versions of software. And it's the platform that you know. M-PC is really slick software, it's actually designed to use on a computer rather than a lot of console PC software versions that just throw the key layout and screen view on the computer. Definitely worth it since they've made the single universe available on the Enttec dongle.

Software costs nothing, free download. You can also get a single universe for free via ArtNet out of your computer's network port (instead of, not in addition to the free universe via Enttec box) but then you'd need an ArtNet to DMX converter box, and most people don't have one of those laying around.
Click to expand...

If that's the case check out the offerings from dmx king they make a dongle fully compatible with the enttec stuff. It's also cheaper. The downside is shipping times. It took 3 weeks for me to get my arnet to dmx converter.
 
techieman33 said:
If that's the case check out the offerings from dmx king they make a dongle fully compatible with the enttec stuff. It's also cheaper. The downside is shipping times. It took 3 weeks for me to get my arnet to dmx converter.
Click to expand...
Careful with that, I'm pretty sure that the M-PC software will only work with certain enttec dongles, and may not at all with an off brand version. If you decide to go that route, let us know. I'm always looking for cheaper solutions.
 
The ENTTEC/MPC route is one way to go, the other that I'd recommend is Avo's TITAN ONE (same OS as the big consoles only 1 universe) which is about $100. I see a lot more Avo consoles out there than Maxxyzzssss. However, if you have a Maxxyz in your facility, MPC makes the most sense for you.

I used to teach a class at Cornell about Programming and Pre-Visualization using Maxxyz PC.

I know that Enttec has stock of the DMX-USB MK II (As do we, if you want to get one through your authorized Chauvet dealer). I believe that the 1 universe ENTTEC Dongle is currently on back-order in the US. Even if you want just the one universe box, I would wait until they are in-stock, and stay with ENTTEC. Their dongle is well supported, and they write all of their own firmware. if you ever have a problem with the dongle, they will be able to fix it. In terms of support for the MPC, the online user forums are a great help.

I hope this helps,
-Ford
 
Hello CB! I have been on this forum many a time gathering advice. I am pretty much a moderate user (1 musical in our church a year and weekly services that I am trying to "jazz up") who wants to learn more! I have been toying with software packages to use on the computer instead of purchasing a new board for our church that is currently using a Lepricon 612. I am down to Martin M-PC and Light Factory. I can tell you that both handle the DMX King UltraDMX RDM pro with no issues thus far. I ordered mine on a Saturday afternoon and received it 8 days later, so it was pretty fast.

Just thought I would mention it.

Thanks for this great forum and the wealth of information!

Pete
 
Chamsys All The Way!!! Its a great way to learn a professional console software without paying the price! Its called Chamsys Magic Dmx and it retails for $16. Possibly the cheapest your going to get! You can cue stack , record states into a virtual console!! Loads of opportunities!

Have Fun!!!

Elliott!!!
 
soundlight said:
You can use Martin M-PC on a single-universe Enttec dongle, which runs well under $100 if I remember right. That gives you a full single universe of control and no time limitations on it like some other trial versions of software. And it's the platform that you know. M-PC is really slick software, it's actually designed to use on a computer rather than a lot of console PC software versions that just throw the key layout and screen view on the computer. Definitely worth it since they've made the single universe available on the Enttec dongle.
Click to expand...
Thank you. Something I like about the Maxxyz we have is that you can select options for chase patterns and turn off tracking. I don't understand exactly what that means, but I know by doing that you can have any solid color wash and then add a color chase to it that will let the lights go back to the original color after each step of the chase moves on...so you can have any combination without having to make every color chase combination in particular.

Also there is the option of making programs an inhibitive, so they work as a submasters. Will the M-PC do both of those things, do you know?
 
Ford said:
The ENTTEC/MPC route is one way to go, the other that I'd recommend is Avo's TITAN ONE (same OS as the big consoles only 1 universe) which is about $100. I see a lot more Avo consoles out there than Maxxyzzssss. However, if you have a Maxxyz in your facility, MPC makes the most sense for you.

I used to teach a class at Cornell about Programming and Pre-Visualization using Maxxyz PC.
Click to expand...
I tried looking into the Titan One but couldn't find it. Do you have a URL for it? We had an Avo Pearl for a while when our Maxxyz was being repaired, and it didn't give the option to turn off tracking which is an option I've become very fond of.

Are any of the things you taught available to check out online?
 
Pete Chirpich said:
Hello CB! I have been on this forum many a time gathering advice. I am pretty much a moderate user (1 musical in our church a year and weekly services that I am trying to "jazz up") who wants to learn more! I have been toying with software packages to use on the computer instead of purchasing a new board for our church that is currently using a Lepricon 612. I am down to Martin M-PC and Light Factory. I can tell you that both handle the DMX King UltraDMX RDM pro with no issues thus far. I ordered mine on a Saturday afternoon and received it 8 days later, so it was pretty fast.
Click to expand...
There are a few things I've tried to find but haven't been able to, and DMX King is one of them. Do you have a URL?
 
The inexpensive Chamsys interface is here. Use time is limited to 5hrs at a time before you have to restart the program and plug the adapter back in, but that's not much of a limitation if you're just testing fixtures. The Avolites Titan One is here.

I personally think that M-PC/Martin M-Series is better than Chamsys, having used both. I really like how the Martin M-series handles effects, and there are plenty of M-series desks around (M1, M2GO, &c). If you were to upgrade at some point to a control surface you could go with the M2PC which is the PC wing for M-PC, and that costs significantly less than most other program+playback wings. I do also have significant experience programming on an M1, which is one of the only consoles that I barely had to ever crack the manual for. Other people who I know who have used it say the same thing - the M-Series software is just so ridiculously intuitive. And they have certain playback options that I like that no other console has, which is pretty fantastic for busking (Q-Blender, button action on release, effect parameters on overrides).

I haven't had experience with the new Titan software from Avolites but I've heard good things about it. The newer Avolites desks have been much more popular in Europe than they have in the US, but they're definitely starting to gain some traction here. I still think it's funny though how long it took Avo to implement the cuelist-on-playback feature that's been available on most consoles going back to before the original hog. Heck, I could even put a cuestack on a Leprecon LP3000. It takes a long time, but I can do it. And just within the past couple of years with Titan, we finally got cuestacks on faders out of Avo.
 
soundlight said:
I personally think that M-PC/Martin M-Series is better than Chamsys, having used both. I really like how the Martin M-series handles effects, and there are plenty of M-series desks around (M1, M2GO, &c). If you were to upgrade at some point to a control surface you could go with the M2PC which is the PC wing for M-PC, and that costs significantly less than most other program+playback wings. I do also have significant experience programming on an M1, which is one of the only consoles that I barely had to ever crack the manual for. Other people who I know who have used it say the same thing - the M-Series software is just so ridiculously intuitive. And they have certain playback options that I like that no other console has, which is pretty fantastic for busking (Q-Blender, button action on release, effect parameters on overrides).
Click to expand...
Many thanks to ALL of you for your suggestions and advice! So far I still would like to try the M-PC in the hopes that it's like the program on our console, that allows you to turn off tracking, make inhibitives, and has 100 programs on the playback window...I hope it's like that. If I could get that ability and make it work with a touch screen, and get a small wing or something to run inhibitives as submasters, that would be about as good as the full console we have. We have the type that has the playback screen on the left, and the programming screen on the right.

I've downloaded the version available here:

http://www.martin.com/product/product.asp?product=m-pc

but it won't work on my tower PC which is running Windows XP. In other threads I was told that version will only work on Windows 7 or later, but I can't get it to work on my laptop running Windows 7 version 6.1 either. I'd like to try an older version that will work with those OSs, but someone said older versions might not use the Enttec dongle I was hoping to use. Can anyone tell me more about that and where to download older versions if they will work with XP and 7 v6.1, and maybe the Enttec dongle or some other affordable dongle? I only need one universe.

Thanks again for all your help!!!
David
 
I have an ENTTECH Ethernet to DMX adapter will this work with M-PC?

Edit: After looking more at their site it looks like it will, it'll work with one universe of artnet for free
 
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