MagicQ with DMXking Interface

[j.jakubaitis]

Sorry for this being my first post, but I'm a bit rushed to find a solution.

I'm running a smaller show at a nearby middle school. I downloaded the MagicQ software, in hopes of purchasing an interface right from Chamsys, but they were all sold out, and the show is this week

So, I went ahead and bought a basic Ultra DMX micro from DMXking to use. But, as I've come to find, it's not working.

So far, I've gone to DMX I/O and set the output type to USBDMX, as well as enabled the first universe. I then saved, and restarted the program. Still didn't work. I tried restarting the dimmers (2 old Teatronics that I'm patching and running a DMX line out into the interface), still nothing. I'm only using some old Altman fixtures, nothing fancy or complicated. So, I'm frantically looking for help. Any ideas would be helpful. I'll keep on trying to get something out of it while waiting.
Thanks.

 

[Mac Hosehead]

The USBDMX setting is for a different interface. I would try the Enttec Pro setting.

 

[dbaxter]

I can confirm - the Enttec Pro and the DMXKing Ultra micro share the same protocol settings. Both fine interfaces, BTW.

 

[microstar]

If it is really an "old" Teatronics dimmer, the 5-pin XLR connector may not be DMX, as they used the same connector for their own T-mux protocol as well as AMX. Has the dimmer been used with DMX before?

 

[j.jakubaitis]

The 5 pin XLR connectors on the dimmers do say MUX OUT (& IN) on them, but I believe that DMX has worked out of them before.
There are 2 dimmers. They are MDP's by Teatronics, 12 channels each. We have an old Tech Director, 2 scene console, but the 2 (16 pin) analog cables that feed into it have since broke. So, we're trying to find alternatives for the smaller shows we do here. For the big musical, we hire in all of our lights and control.
This is a Middle School, by the way, built about 30 years ago.

 

[Mac Hosehead]

Did you get this working? I own an UltraDMX Micro and I am having trouble with MagicQ recognizing the interface on a Win7 system. It works right away with the same settings running on a Mac.

 

[microstar]

The 5 pin XLR connectors on the dimmers do say MUX OUT (& IN) on them, but I believe that DMX has worked out of them before.
There are 2 dimmers. They are MDP's by Teatronics, 12 channels each. We have an old Tech Director, 2 scene console, but the 2 (16 pin) analog cables that feed into it have since broke. So, we're trying to find alternatives for the smaller shows we do here. For the big musical, we hire in all of our lights and control.
This is a Middle School, by the way, built about 30 years ago.

I believe the "MUX" label was used for any kind of digital protocol. Usually the pinout diagram next to the connectors spelled out
the protocol that was actually employed.
Regarding the analog cables, Teatronics is of course still in business, but anyone with decent soldering skills and a VOM could fix them even though the SRC connectors look a little intimidating.
The Tech Director consoles are workhorses and also easily repairable. There have been MDP modules on Ebay recently for dirt cheap in case you need a few replacements or for parts.

 

[microstar]

Not trying to be picky, but you are really hooking the DMX OUTPUT of the interface to the DMX INPUT of the first dimmer pack, and the OUT of the first dimmer pack to the IN of the second one, I hope!

 

[j.jakubaitis]

Yep, it's right. That's what I'm doing. I never got it working, even with trying a whole bunch of other settings (after trying the Entecc type interface setting, of course). I'm hoping to just borrow a Colortran 24/48 from a nearby theatre, that they don't use much anymore, just for this show. I'll probably return the dmxKing interface after the show, and get the actual MagicDMX one, so I know that I'll get stable, uninterrupted control with MagicQ, as I contacted the company that has serviced the dimmers in the past, and yes, they for sure run DMX protocol, as they've used them to control them before.