Controlling LOR Controllers With Madrix

[Acguy1999]

Good Morning Everyone,

Well I've got an off-the wall question for you enthusiast out there, but first let me explain my setup.

 

I have:

2 - 16 channel LOR controllers

1 - E682 controller

1 - AlphaPix 16 controller

LOR S3 Advanced software

Mardix Software

 

Last year I purchased Madrix and a lot of people on this forum help me out getting LOR and Madrix to run correctly.  I used S3 for my LOR controllers and Madrix for my E131 controllers.  This year as I'm pushing the final hour on my Halloween display, I've decided that I would like to use Madrix as my primary software to include controlling 1 LOR controller and S3 to control the other; but everything comes with a price, right?

 

In order for Madrix to communicate to the LOR controller, Madrix "needs" the USB-RS485 adapter which prevents me from using S3 to control my second controller.

 

Before I get to my question, I'm going to answer the "WHY" that's on everyone's mind:

First off, I find it easy to use S3 and my LOR controller for my static/prop displays and I have full control over them throughout a sequence.  Second I find the "Show Editor" and "Schedule Editor" to be very handy and light show is almost hands free throughout the season.  Madrix doesn't offer anything close or as easy to use and the "Cue List" is not user friendly (to me anyway).

 

QUESTION:  Can I use two(2) USB-RS485 adapters with my setup?  1 USB-RS485 adapter S3 can use and 1 USB-RS485 adapter Madrix can use?  Is this possible, has anyone tried this wacky setup?

 

I appreciate any feedback

Brent

[Orville]

I can't say for certain, but I would think if using the two USB RS485 adapters, the key would be the COMM port operating each of them.   

 

So I'd think say if one USB485 was on COMM3 and the second on COMM4, I would think this may be able to work, providing that COMM3 is set for LOR and COMM4 would be set for Madrix.

 

I may be off the mark, hopefully someone with better knowledge may know if my answer is useable or that you may need to handle it in a completely different fashion.

 

But you could try it, if it works, great, if not, hopefully, again, someone here will have a better alternative and answer for you.

[Darryl Lambert]

I use 2 - RS485 adapters & have had no issues. As Orville said just make sure you have the right COMM port assigned to each adapter.

Open the hardware utility, hook up one of the adapters & use auto configure to find the COMM port, I just have a piece of tape with the COMM # written on it attached to the adapter. In your network preferences make sure you have the right COMM assigned to the right adapter.

[Acguy1999]

Thanks to the two of you.  I was hoping for that news before I purchased another RS485 adapter.  It all made sense in my head but doesn't mean that it would have worked (as proven many times) so I figured I would have asked.

 

Thanks again

[Orville]

Glad the info I gave was correct.    I've used other items that each required a different COMM port and that was the key.  So I was hoping that it was the same for setting up two USB485 adapters to each software package.   Now I know for sure.    I only have one USB485 and only use LOR, but thinking of previous experiences, I was hoping the answer I gave would work.

 

Now I know for sure, just in case I ever have to add a 2nd USB485 for something later down the pike.

[zeighty]

"Madrix doesn't offer anything close or as easy to use and the "Cue List" is not user friendly (to me anyway)." 

 

Good evening acguy1999 -

I was going to send this via PM but thought others may benefit as well (though I have seen little in the way of Madrix). 

I have a Madrix single universe license (running version 3.2)  I thought that I could use it to circumvent so much time sequencing  and I tried this technique:

https://youtu.be/aArcIiAbrD4

The results were not good. There were many inconsistencies that I could not figure out how to overcome - Certain channels would not light at all or only sporadicly. 

If you have time please check out the link and let me know if you have used any of the techniques successfully.

I do not find the cue list intuitive at all.  I am using only regular light strings - no RGB pixels at all.  My fixtures are generic RGB light 1 pixel. 

I suspect the way that the video show it used is not as good as implied and I have bought a very expensive hardware license key for a product I will probably never be able to use. At least not in the way i hoped. 

Any insight that you can share is very welcomed and appreciated. 

I also know it is the busy time of the year and you may not have time for my questions. 

Thanks again, 

zeighty 

[Acguy1999]

Zeighty

I know how you feel about the "cue list". I'm not a fan of it either.

The link you posted was the same video I watched to get LOR and Madrix to communicate. I will assume you are using Madrix to control your LOR controllers. If that's the case, in Madrix, your fixtures need to be set to generic RGB 1 channel and not the setting you stated above. Try that and let me know if that fixed the problem.

Acguy199

[zeighty]

Thanks acguy1999 - I will try it at the end of this season. Show goes live tonight, assuming I get my audio setup done.

I hope it does fix it otherwise I have learned a $500 lesson.

[eldoradoboy]

this is old but the correct way to set up regular LOR controllers in MADRIX is as igeneric 1 channel light. and then whichever universe you have defined for your LOR controllers..  (you can run more than one standard controller on a universe by increasing the unit ID of the LOR controller..)

 

so for instance I have 32 strings of lights across the roof on 2 PC controllers.. those controllers are set at LOR ID 1 and 2, in MADRIX they are on universe "19". so I defined them as igeneric 1 channel lights and DMX addresses 19-1 through 19-32.

 

Because MADRIX is designed as RGB software, its important to apply "RED" color to the LOR fixture map for the effect you are working...

 

I just automatically build a red layer in any effect where my LOR controllers are ..  as they only "see" red.. 

 

another thing is that in your DMX input you can set it up where you have advanced control..  then you can not only call your storage bins but you can turn on and off Layers all via the LOR sequence editor as well as use the cue list and "goto" certain steps..  the cue list is actually not that bad once you get the hang of it. I use it when I want to run a pre-defined sequence of events..

 

you can control the position and stop / go of the cue list remotely too...

 

theres a definite learning curve to MADRIX but once you get into it you realize it is incredibly powerful.

-Christopher

[zeighty]

 

 

Thanks for the information. I really feel as if I did not give Madrix the attention it requires.  Also, I was attempting to use it to control my LOR controllers and not use the Sequence Editor at all.  Sort of a live show (the URL in the previous post is the impetus for this attempt).  The results of which were not good. Unwatchable is the better word.  At the time I did this I did not have my arches and the randomness of what Madrix could have done may have been enjoyable, what I got was not. 

 

I am sending you a PM...