DMX Control

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DMX Control

There are different options to control VERTEX with incoming DMX-Data

Just control Playbacks or Systems or make use of DMX-512 to make a more complex Surface modulation

VERTEX additionally introduces the concept of a Console Layer that gives you the options to control VERTEX like a lighting fixture

With a DMX-Input Device you are able to use DMX data into scripts or into e.g. the Trigger-Editor

 

informationDMX Routing
To make use of all options below, you first have to create a DMX Routing. Use the DMX Routing Editor to set up your incoming DMX protocol (Art-Net™, sACN, MA-Net2 or DMX-512 with ioversals ioversal DMX IO)
You have to do this setup once.

Control a Playback with DMX-512

Once a DMX Routing is created, VERTEX offers you the option to control a Playback by incoming DMX-Data

With 8 DMX-Channels your are able to control e.g. opacity, play/pause or jump to a cue

DMX-512 settings for Playback control are located into the PME (Playback Mixing Engine).

Settings

Open PME section into Project Explorer

Select PME1 (live)

Select the Playback you want to control by DMX

dmx-playback-projectexplorer_zoom75

Select the DMX Tab into Inspector and do your settings for start address and universe

Don't forget to activate the DMX Input for this Playback

dmx-playback-inspector_zoom85

DMX Channel Map

 

DMX Address

Parameter Name

Type

Default Values

Values

1

Opacity

16bit

65535

0-65535

3

On/Off

8bit

255

0-127 Off

128-255 On


4

Play Pause Stop

8bit

45

0-10 Idle/None

11-20 PlayOnce

21-30 Play Loop

31-40 Pause

41-50 Stop

5

Speed Factor

8bit

128

0-124 0x - 1x

125-130 1x

131-255 1x - 4x

6

Cue Selection

16bit

0

0-65535

8

Frame Selection

16bit

0

0-65535

Control a System with DMX-512

Once a DMX Routing is created, VERTEX offers you the option to control a System by incoming DMX-Data

With 6 DMX-Channels your are able to control e.g. opacity, system volume, trigger Scripts by ID or set functionality

Settings

Select your System and go to Inspector

dmx-system-inspector_zoom75

Select the DMX Tab into Inspector and do your settings for start address and universe

Don't forget to activate the DMX Input for this System

DMX Channel Map

DMX Addresss

Parameter Name

Type

Default Value

Note

1

Live Master


16bit

0


16bit opacity 1 mode for crossfade wipe modetexture

2

fine






3

Live Volume


16bit

0



4

fine






5

Script Control

8Bit

0


0=idle 1-254 Script Id 255 Take after 1sec

6

Function Control

8Bit

0


0=idle 255 Take after 1sec  values: 1 Enter Fullscreen, 2 Leave Fullscreen, 3 Take Over master, 4 Init Ndi, 5 init Video Inputs, 6 Reset Video Inputs, 7 Reset RenderEngines

Control a Surface with DMX-512

Once a DMX Routing is created, VERTEX offers you the option to control a Surface by incoming DMX-Data

With 104 DMX-Channels your are able to control most parameters of a Surface

 

Settings

Select your Surface and go to Inspector

dmx-surface-inspector_zoom85

Select the DMX Tab into Inspector and do your settings for start address and universe

Don't forget to activate the DMX Input for this System
 

DMX Channelmap for a Surface

Control a Console Layer with DMX-512

Console Layers gives you the option to control video like a lighting fixture including Iris and shaper

A Console Layer is basically independent from a Sequence or a Playlist. It is only assigned to a Canvas

with 192 DMX Channels for each Console Layer you are able to control a bunch of fine adjustments, effects, iris, shaper

Use Console Layer as ClipContainer in your show to temporary overwrite the global values

Channel Map

Each Console Layer has 192 DMX-Channels.

The channel map could be used as blueprint for a lighting desk fixture/a library fixture

 
DMX Channel Map for a Console Layer

 

 

 

informationChamSys
For ChamSys consoles, the maximum number of DMX channels of a library fixture is limited. Therefore a VERTEX Console Layer is splitted into 2 different ChamSys fixtures.
Please see the ChamSys channel map below.
When using Console Layers with ChamSys, please switch the DMX mode of a Console Layer ( Inspector Tab "DMX" , Property "DMX Mode")
from "Standard" to "ChamSys".

DMX-Channel Map for a Console Layer and ChamSys Consoles

Working with a Console Layer

consolelayer_global

Use the "Create " tab of the Main Menu to create a new Console Layer

Right-Click on the ConsoleLayer section into Project Explorer and use the Context Menu the create a new one

consolelayer_dmxsettings

 

Select Console Layer into Inspector and do initial settings:

Set the target Canvas on which the Content should be rendered

Set the DMX universe and start address if the console layer should be controlled by a lighting desk.
Please do a DMX-Routing first. Check the Channel Map for a Console Layer in detail and learn more about which DMX-512 channel controls which parameter

warningUnique start address for each Console Layer
please keep in mind to change the start addresses for every console layer.
To be control separately, each console layer must have it's unique DMX start address

 

If you want to use DMX-Values to select Content from Project Explorer like a Gobo, set DMX File and Folder IDs for your Content.

informationChannel Map: Gobo 1 and Gobo 2
Gobo 1 in Channel Map is Property "Main Content" (Video tab in the Inspector)
Gobo 1 in Channel Map is Property "Mask" ( Video tab in the Inspector)

 

Iris and Color Mixing on a Example Content

Iris and Color Mixing on a Example Content

Control Console Layer by external DMX or use the Inspector to do settings for all parameters

Shaper for a Test pattern Content

Shaper for a Test pattern Content

DMX Folder and File ID

Each Console Layer is able to host Video Content and an Content Item as a Mask.

With the concept of folder and file IDs you are able to select your content based on a DMX Value between 0 and 255.

 

Each Console Layer has a DMX Channel/Address for Content Folder ID and Content File ID (Channels 49/50) and two Channels/Addresses for Mask Content Folder and Mask Content File (Channels 60/61). Please also compare with the full channel map of a console Layer

 

Example:

Your Console Layer into VERTEX has DMX Start Address 1 (For universe routing, please read topic DMX-Routing before)

Your lighting desk has a library element for a VERTEX Console Layer, also on Start Address 1

you want to select a Content Item from the VERTEX Project Explorer with File ID 5 and Folder ID 2 as Video Content for this Console Layer

you have to set DMX-channel 49 of your lighting desk to value 2 and DMX channel 50 to value 5

The content item is selected as video content for the VERTEX Console Layer

 

Set File and Folder ID

consolelayer-folderfile-id

Select a Content item into Project Explorer and go to the Inspector

Go to the Tab "Settings" and Select "DMX ID"

Set File and Folder ID for a Content. Each value has to be into the DMX parameter range from 0 to 255

 

Clip Container for a Console Layer

Even for Console Layers you can create a Clip Container

Used in a Playback, Clip Containers for a Console Layer overwrite the global value of the Console Layer

Global Setting for ConsoleLayer 1: Iris is set

Global Setting for ConsoleLayer 1: Iris is set

Drag a Console Layer from Project Explorer into the Playback Editor: A new Clip Container is created into your Sequence

Assign Content to your Clip Container and set Values

Clip Container with Console Layer 1 inside overwrites the global values of Console Layer 1: in this example, all values for the iris are reset to default values. Don't forget to also assign the same Main Content as the global Console Layer has to the Clip Container

Clip Container with Console Layer 1 inside overwrites the global values of Console Layer 1: in this example, all values for the iris are reset to default values.
Don't forget to also assign the same Main Content as the global Console Layer has to the Clip Container

productivityUse case example:
You are able to e.g. temporary take control back from a lighting desk control and to set all content to black.
 

DMX-Input Device

Use DMX Input Devices to trigger, wire or script interactions based on values of a DMX Channel

You are able to listen on DMX Values of a predefined DMX Start Address and Universe

Use the incoming DMX Values to influence other properties into VERTEX or to trigger an action

Add Device and do Settings

dmx-input-library_02

Go to the Library Editor

Select the tab "Devices"

Search for "DMX Input"

Right-Click on the Device and add one or multiple to your project

Example of a DMX Device Setting:  There is DMX Input Routing. VERTEX is listening on Art-Net Universe 5. Date from this Universe is internally routed to VERTEX Universe 3. DMX Input Device 1 is set to VERTEX Universe 3, Start Channel 1.

Example of a DMX Device Setting:  There is DMX Input Routing. VERTEX is listening on Art-Net Universe 5. Date from this Universe is internally routed to VERTEX Universe 3.
DMX Input Device 1 is set to VERTEX Universe 3, Start Channel 1.

Go to the Device section in the Project Explorer

Select on or multiple of your DMX Input Devices

Set VERTEX universe number and start channel and define the DMX mode (Default 8 Bit, 16 Bit. 32 Bit...)

informationNormalize Input
Enable "Normalize" in the Device settings, if you want to control or wire a property into VERTEX that has a value range from 0 to 1 ( e.g. opacity).
All incoming DMX Data is normalized into the range from 0 to 1.

 

Ensure, that a valid DMX Input Routing exists.

Working with DMX Input Devices

As for every Device, there are different options to work with the incoming Data.

 

Here some Examples:

 

1.Scripting
The Opacity of Clip Container 1 is controlled by the incoming DMX Data from Device 1
The opacity value range is 0 to 1. The "Normalize" data option is enabled for the input Device
A Script Command for this scenario could be like this:

Sequence1.ClipContainer1.Opacity.Value = Device1.Settings.Value.Value 

 

2.Trigger

With help of the Trigger Editor you can easily build Triggers. An defined action is executed if a condition for a source is reached
Of course this also works with DMX Input Devices

Open the Trigger Editor

Drag the e.g. Value property from Inspector to the Source field

Enter a Condition

Enter a Script that should be executed

Example for the usage of a DMX Input Device: If DMX-Value of Universe 3/Startchannel 1 is 255, Playback 1 is started

Example for the usage of a DMX Input Device:
If DMX-Value of Universe 3/Startchannel 1 is 255, Playback 1 is started

3.Wiring

Wiring gives you the option to connect Values of different properties.
Of course this also works for DMX-Input Devices

Open the Wiring Editor

Drag a DMX Device Property from Inspector to e.g. the Source field

Drag another property into target field

Add an expression

Example of a Wiring The Value of the DMX Input Device 1 ( Normalized) is wired to the Opacity of Clip Container 1. The Opacity now is controlled by a DMX Channel.

Example of a Wiring
The Value of the DMX Input Device 1 ( Normalized) is wired to the Opacity of Clip Container 1.
The Opacity now is controlled by a DMX Channel.