Entec box questioin

**Stuka** · 01-13-2015, 02:48

Glad you got it working!
The Enttec DMX USB Pro is actually a durable, reliable little box, so it should work well for you for a long time!

As I mentioned in a different thread, one thing to keep in mind concerning software control of the DMX lighting ~
Should you decide to opt for a full-feature MIDI-enable DMX software package or console, you can still trigger everything from the Beyond timeline using MIDI cues as triggers.
(Used that for my Christmas show to trigger DMX effects for a dozen fixtures via D-Pro ~ works great!!)
You could also use DMX(via ArtNet) cues from Beyond, or DMX cues from QuickShow.

This way, you're still using Beyond / QuickShow as the master show control, but using the capabilities of the dedicated DMX software / hardware to setup all the DMX effects.

**norty303** · 01-13-2015, 03:20

Yeah Brad, despite what i said in the other thread, if you're doing timeline shows then absolutely run your lighting from within Beyond.
I tend to forget this as I do mostly busked live shows so having everything 'grabable' and flexible, with lots of physical controls to use is key to success (as well as feeling like the Wizard of Oz behind the curtain - I still want to build a steampunk inspired lighting controller, lots of large brass dials, levers and wheels actuating simple midi controls, maybe some wellplaced steam for effect, all behind a curtain at the side of the stage that 'accidentally' falls back to reveal the manic manipulations going on inside...)

**Bradfo69** · 01-13-2015, 03:41

I really have a need to do things both ways - timeline and live. See... when I "sell" the idea to brides and their families of hiring me to run lasers for their wedding, I'm usually in a tux, out wandering around the ballroom talking with the audience on a microphone and explaining a bit about lasers and how they can be utilized for their reception. It's "hit one button and go" since I'm running a canned show I designed for the demo.

On the actual night of their wedding though, I'm doing everything live since I have no control over the music sort of like your busked shows so, I need the lighting desk for that aspect of it - just like the APC40 does for laser cues. Up to this point, I've just used a regular old DMX controller like the Behringer 2412 and slid the faders up and down to play the moving heads "live". That's why I'm looking for both a software solution as well as a hardware solution like a desk.

I don't know a blessed thing about MIDI except I guess you're hitting electric piano keys to make something happen, sort of like hitting the cue buttons on the APC40. That's all fine and dandy if you can play piano and have that ability to remember what hitting a "c sharp" or a "e flat" does.

Unlike "laserist" somewhere around in another thread.... I need labels - at least to get started.

**norty303** · 01-13-2015, 04:02

I don't know a blessed thing about MIDI except I guess you're hitting electric piano keys to make something happen, sort of like hitting the cue buttons on the APC40.

Why a piano keyboard? Of course you can, but if you're used to launching cues using an APC (which is MIDI), why not also launch lighting cues using something like an APC as well?

As for labels, get out the DYMO and print labels for the keys if you're using a piano keyboard. In the fact the white and black keys can give a useful separation between different types of effects (such as offering a strobed version of another cue on the white key beneath it, or suchlike...)

**Bradfo69** · 01-13-2015, 05:47

Didn't realize that. I was always under the impression that midi in some way shape or form used a piano style keyboard. I really don't know anything about MIDI. It's just whenever I've see pictures of a MIDI controller it has piano keys. Honestly, I've never paid close attention. (Don't know a damn thing about "Artnet" either but, I suppose someday down the road I may learn something about that as well.)

**Stuka** · 01-13-2015, 06:29

Brad -

MIDI Keyboards are just a very small piece of what MIDI can work with.
The APC controllers are sending the same MIDI messages that a keyboard can send; they're just hard-wired to send a specific note or other MIDI command, and the Beyond APC template has been "taught" to use the use the MIDI commands the APC is sending.

For my Christmas show, I created a couple of pages of MIDI cues in Beyond, with each cue sending a specific "note" or other MIDI command.
When I created complex DMX cues in my DMX software (D-Pro), each DMX cue was linked to a specific MIDI command (cue) in Beyond using D-Pro's "learn" function (similar to the way the learn function works in Beyond and many other MIDI / DMX-enabled software.)
When I wanted to trigger the DMX cue, I just dropped the corresponding Beyond MIDI cue onto the Beyond timeline ~ works great!!

To take it a step further, I used a MIDI app in my iPad called MIDI Designer.
I "built" a custom screen on the iPad that would send the same type of messages as the Beyond MIDI cues, only they were on a nice, compact customized iPad screen.
Used it to provide "live control" for some DMX effects and hazer, while the timeline cues controlled everything else ~
also worked great!

Something to keep in mind with MIDI control between software packages -
MIDI has advanced to the point that you can easily send MIDI commands between software packages and USB MIDI controllers, either on the same computer or across a network, using little more than the native capabilty of the MIDI-enabled software packages and a couple of free MIDI routing utilities. ArtNET will basically do the same thing for DMX (sending DMX messages between software packages without additional hardware), but outside the world of professional DMX lighting gear, it seems there are a lot more MIDI-enabled software packages than ArtNET-enabled.

For example, while Beyond "speaks" MIDI, DMX, ArtNET, and others, QuickShow "speaks" only DMX and MIDI (input only).

Hope this helps ~
Holler if you want to discuss this whole MIDI thing offline sometime!

Randy

**norty303** · 01-13-2015, 06:31

APC is a midi controller. Notation Remote Zero is a MIDI controller, all those Korg Nano are midi controllers...

Art net is basically just DMX over Ethernet. An Artnet 'node' is basically just a breakout box to turn your single Artnet stream into physical individual universes you can plug into using your traditional 3/5 pin XLR

**Bradfo69** · 01-13-2015, 07:32

Ok then... I have a couple MIDI controllers! What do you know! Learn something new every day.

However.... today ain't MIDI! LOL I'm so frickin' swamped at work right now I can't even run to the bathroom without the phone ringing.