Control/Dimming Remote Focus Unit for MacBook Pro
- Thread startermsvandyke
- Start date
Hi Mitch,
Welcome to CB! The client for the Ion family of controls can be found here (Mac):
Lighting solutions for Theatre, Film & Television Studios and Architectural spaces : ETC
You'll just have to provide your name and email address for the free download. You'll also need a Net3 system operating in your space. This consists of standard IEEE 802-compliant networking devices.
Welcome to CB! The client for the Ion family of controls can be found here (Mac):
Lighting solutions for Theatre, Film & Television Studios and Architectural spaces : ETC
You'll just have to provide your name and email address for the free download. You'll also need a Net3 system operating in your space. This consists of standard IEEE 802-compliant networking devices.
Note that for a personal computer to do anything other than mirror the Ion's displays, a dongle is required.* If you only need RFU-type functionality, an iPhone/iPodTouch/iPad + the iRFR application may be a better solution.
*From ETC Products - Eos Family Client:
*From ETC Products - Eos Family Client:
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To expand on Dereks suggestion,
To use the iPhone/Touch/Pad solution, in addition to purchasing ($50) and downloading the ETC software to the particular Apple device, the console itself will need to be connected to a secure WiFi router, as that's the connection method that the assorted Apple devices use. Note that not all schools have their Ion connected to a WiFi router and even if they do, you might need permission (and password, MAC address, etc... ) to enable a connection.
To use the free Ion Off-Line software, you can download it to a Mac, then connect either via any WiFi connection that the Ion console already has setup, or simply via a Cat 5 Ethernet cable direct to the console. FWIW, my Ion speaks ETC Net2 to the dimmers and talks without issue over my Net 2 system, to my Windows laptop running Ion Off-Line software with the dongle as provided by ETC with the console. It doesn't (AFAIK) need Net3.
To use the iPhone/Touch/Pad solution, in addition to purchasing ($50) and downloading the ETC software to the particular Apple device, the console itself will need to be connected to a secure WiFi router, as that's the connection method that the assorted Apple devices use. Note that not all schools have their Ion connected to a WiFi router and even if they do, you might need permission (and password, MAC address, etc... ) to enable a connection.
To use the free Ion Off-Line software, you can download it to a Mac, then connect either via any WiFi connection that the Ion console already has setup, or simply via a Cat 5 Ethernet cable direct to the console. FWIW, my Ion speaks ETC Net2 to the dimmers and talks without issue over my Net 2 system, to my Windows laptop running Ion Off-Line software with the dongle as provided by ETC with the console. It doesn't (AFAIK) need Net3.
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And, to expand on Steve's comments (the universe is ever expanding right?):
Using the Offline/Client software is not recommended via a wireless connection for any show-critical applications. This is because, as a client, your computer and the console are constantly sharing the entire show file back and forth across the network. As an RFU substitute, it will work just fine, but we don't recommend that you run your show from it wirelessly because of the inherent nature of wireless connections dropping packets.
Also, it does not matter whether your system is Net2, Net3, Art-Net, or not connected to your dimming system using network at all. (You will still need a network connection for the client software to work.) The underlying code is proprietary packet information that the consoles/client software are designed to read.
