Scheduled pre-saved shows (from Phillips iPlayer system)

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Scheduled pre-saved shows (from Phillips iPlayer system)

Post by SFX Group »

Hi all

I am looking at this system as an advance replacement of the Philips iPlayer 3 hardware (which uses the KiNET, we like this as its ethernet based)

That player is able to schedule "scenes" based on days of the week, times, even chronology events (such as full moon, half moon, dusk, dawn, then set amount of minutes before dusk etc to start a scene....).

I cant find any of this in Madrix, is there a module that will allow Madrix to do this?

Also Phillips has a dry contact input (such as door strikes or dusk / dawn sensors) (its called AuxBox which plugs in with a RS232 port), is there hardware that can be used with Marix like this, allowing me to schedule events based on the dry contact action?



The reason for the change? well we kinda like the look of this software, the iPlayer only has 1024 channels (2 universes) so beyond this we need multiple iPlayers which i prefer not to do. Phillips do offer a "Light System Manager" which can do 15000 points which i might have to use, however we cant do Music to light with it, hence the research.
Many Thanks
Ashley

© Copyright 2015 - http://www.ashleygriffin.ca
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Re: Scheduled pre-saved shows (from Phillips iPlayer system)

Post by Fritzsche »

Hello Ashley,
Thank you for getting in touch!
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I think you will find that MADRIX is a great solution for any KiNET-based project. We have seen many projects successfully integrating MADRIX software into their setup.
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The playlist feature you are looking for is the so-called Cue List. There, you can schedule Cues as requried. (Learn more: http://help.madrix.com/m3/html/madrix/h ... list_.html)
Although, chronology events as described by you are not supported. What you could do is retrieve sunset and sunrise times via the built-in scripting functionality ( Example: http://help.madrix.com/m3/html/script/h ... sub=sunset)
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Regarding your triggering inquiry, we do offer MADRIX I/O accessory. The MADRIX USB contact closure could be of interest to you. Please download our product brochure here: http://www.madrix.com/download/document ... UR-Web.pdf
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If you want to go stand-alone, MADRIX PLEXUS could also be an interesting choice. It provides time scheduling and also an extension port for external triggering. But it is also no problem to trigger MADRIX or use remote control via DMX-IN, Art-Net Remote, Remote HTTP, MIDI, and more.
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Of course, you can dive right in and test out MADRIX. Feel to download the demo version here: http://www.madrix.com/en/home/download/ ... tware.html
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If you need further information, you can contact us at info[at]madrix.com as well.
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Thank you very much!
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Re: Scheduled pre-saved shows (from Phillips iPlayer system)

Post by SFX Group »

Hi

Thanks for the reponse, we are going to look in to how to do the dry contact thing, wanted to try and steer away from USB devices, that said iPlayer has the same problem as it uses RS232 so the box has to be next to the "player".

Moving on to the more pressing stuff, the scripting. The iPlayer we would create a "scene" (which is really easy in that system) then assign it a "trigger", so in this case it would be time based either schedule or that schedule would be something like "5 min pre "sunrise"".

WIth the above in mind, can you find any videos of how to create very simple scenes then save them, then lock them in to the "cue list".

I would also like to see some script to be able to "call" "saved scene". This would technically replace iPlayer.

From that i should be able to get my head around it abit more. My main problem is pulling out the iPlayer and getting this in place to do the same job then moving from there.
Many Thanks
Ashley

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Fritzsche
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Re: Scheduled pre-saved shows (from Phillips iPlayer system)

Post by Fritzsche »

You are welcome!
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I don't think you will need scripting right from the beginning. Creating scenes and setting them up in the Cue List is also very easy in MADRIX. You can quickly create new scenes/visuals with a few mouse clicks.
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Let's assume we have set up the technical part (LED fixtures, KiNET, and KiNET power supplies). So, the next steps would be to create some scenes.
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- You first select an empty Storage Place or use the one that is already selected. (http://help.madrix.com/m3/html/madrix/h ... array.html)
- Then, you can quickly choose from the built-in stock effects library and change parameters, such as colors, speed, direction, shapes, etc. if needed (http://help.madrix.com/m3/html/madrix/h ... ects_.html). You have just created a scene.
- To get the scene into the Cue List, you can click 'Cue' on the user interface, or go into the Cue List and click '+' or 'Cue All'. Then, you only have to put in a Time Code (let's say 10h30m for 10:30 am) and a Duration if needed and you are basically ready to go.
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Calling a scene can be done manually, automatically via the Cue List, or via remote control (http://help.madrix.com/m3/html/madrix/i ... ntrol.html)
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I can also recommend to get in touch with our North American representatives. It is Inner Circle Distribution – http://www.madrix.com/home/where-to-buy ... erica.html
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Re: Scheduled pre-saved shows (from Phillips iPlayer system)

Post by SFX Group »

Hi

Ive been over these details, i have managed to create scenes and save them.

I am very impressed with the layout (i did work as a LJ in the 1990's in England so am used to this type of board design with sliders).

I have a few questions.

- How do i save the light designs (5 x LED strips (1x170 RGB pixels on each strip) then maybe a number of single RGB LEDs (5 x single RGB LEDs)), i cant seem to find this....

I have found the Patch Management but it doesnt appear to let me add anymore than one strip, complains about it being "overlapped", even when i do assign the second one to Universe 2

iPlayer software i could lay them out on a flat board the way i wanted (normally how they are viewed "plan" view, then group them and assign "scenes" to that "group" so those LEDs are effected by the scene activity.

I cant find this here...
Many Thanks
Ashley

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Re: Scheduled pre-saved shows (from Phillips iPlayer system)

Post by Guertler »

Hello Ashley,
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To create the arrangment of the LED pixels you have to use the MADRIX "Patch Editor". In the patch editor you can add the desired pixels and change the position in the grid. So you can locate every pixel as it is in orignal.
In the follwing links you will find tutorials how you can work with the Patch Editor in MADRIX:
http://help.madrix.com/tutorials/html/i ... tures.html
http://help.madrix.com/tutorials/html/i ... space.html
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After you have finished the patching the patch is saved in the setup and you can create the desired effect.
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When you want to patch 5 x 170 RGB pixels you will need 5 DMX universes. Because one DMX universe consists of 512 DMX channels. Every pixel needs 3 channels (for red, green and blue). So you can control 170 LEDs in one DMX universe. The next pixels are patched to the next DMX universe.
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Re: Scheduled pre-saved shows (from Phillips iPlayer system)

Post by SFX Group »

Hi

Thanks, i did find the Patch Managment, i understand the DMX methods (512 channels, each RGB will use 3 of them).

With this in mind, i notice the first fixture of 170 RGB pixels will use 510 channels of the first DMX. When i press "Add" and set it up as the picture below except putting in DMX universe 2, i get the error at the base of the image about overlay, this doesnt make sense to me.

The online help didnt really explain the settings more what to put in, i still dont understand how this window is wanting the information to add a second fixture.

I am sure this has something to do with how the 2 fixtures sit inside the Madrix 3D universe, but i cant seem to find something to explain it to me.

Also i am still using the "Demo" (no Dongle) will adding more than 1 DMX universe work?

IMAGE
Image
Many Thanks
Ashley

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Re: Scheduled pre-saved shows (from Phillips iPlayer system)

Post by Guertler »

Hello Ashley,
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The problem is the following:
You have added fixtures in a horizontal line beginning at position X = 1 and Y = 1 on Z-Layer 1 before. I think thatt's are the pixels of your first DMX universe. Now you want to add the pixels of the second DMX universe to the same position.
To solve this you have to change the start position for adding the new fixtures to for instance to X = 1, Y = 2 and Z =1. When you now click "Add" you will see a second horizontal line. It is not allowed to overlap an existing fixture with a new one. If you want to overlap the fixtures you have to enable the "Overlap" mode in the Patch Editor.
addFixtures.jpg
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Re: Scheduled pre-saved shows (from Phillips iPlayer system)

Post by SFX Group »

Hi

That did it, however this raises a few questions....

- If i add 170 LEDs starting at X = 171, Y = 1 i assume its taken that i would have these strips end to end (as thats how it shows as 340 LEDs in 1 line on the map)?.

- If i add 170 LEDs starting at X = 1, Y = 2 i assume its taken the parallel next to each other (as thats how it shows as 2 lines of 170 LEDs on the the map)?

- I also noticed i could add 170 LEDs at X = 171 and Y = 1 which shows 340 LEDs in 1 line but i forgot to change the DMX universe so all 340 LEDS were showing in universe 1, this isnt possible to control so why did it let me do it?
Many Thanks
Ashley

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Re: Scheduled pre-saved shows (from Phillips iPlayer system)

Post by Guertler »

Hello Ashley,
.
You wrote:
"- If i add 170 LEDs starting at X = 171, Y = 1 i assume its taken that i would have these strips end to end (as thats how it shows as 340 LEDs in 1 line on the map)?."
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When you want to patch the pixels in the way you have described (end to end) you have to patch the first 170 pixels with the starting point X = "1" and Y = "1", Start Coner = "Top Left". The second 170 pixels are patched at start point X = "171" and Y = "1", Start Corner = "Top Right".
The option of the "Start Corner" you will find in the "Add Fixtures" dialog of the MADRIX Patch Editor in the section "Addressing".
---
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You Wrote:
"- If i add 170 LEDs starting at X = 1, Y = 2 i assume its taken the parallel next to each other (as thats how it shows as 2 lines of 170 LEDs on the the map)?"
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When you add one horizontal line of pixles begining at starting point X = "1" and Y = "1" and a second horizontal line of pixels beginning at starting point X = "1" and Y = "2" you will see 2 parallel lines under eachother.
---
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You wrote:
"- I also noticed i could add 170 LEDs at X = 171 and Y = 1 which shows 340 LEDs in 1 line but i forgot to change the DMX universe so all 340 LEDS were showing in universe 1, this isnt possible to control so why did it let me do it?"
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You can easily change the DMX addresses and universe of the added pixels. Therefor please select the desired pixel(s) and have a look to the right side of the Patch Editor. In the following link you can learn more about the Patch Editor and how you can change the DMX addresses and universe:
http://help.madrix.com/m3/html/madrix/i ... patch.html
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