DMXHardwareSettings

DMX Hardware Settings

menu: (

Settings) -> ( ../images/Menu/Menu_Hardware.png

DMX Hardware Settings)

Here you can:

Add DMX hardware USB or LAN interfaces or change and configure them.
Create DMX universes and connect to the hardware, DMX universes rename or delete
Create and define current sources

Memory;
A DMX hardware interface must be connected to the computer so that software can send DMX signals to the real devices.
In addition, this interface must be connected to the devices via DMX cable. A DMX cable harness on which several headlights can hang is called a DMX universe.

DMX hardware interfaces are available in various versions, as a USB interface or as a network (LAN) interface.

DMX Hardware Interfaces
DMX Universe
Connect DMX Universum to Hardware Interface
Current sources

DMX Hardware Interfaces

On the left side of the window you can manage your DMX hardware.

	The 'Select DMX Hardware' window opens, where you can select and add a DMX hardware interface.
	Deletes the selected DMX hardware interface
	Opens the configuration window for the selected hardware interface

The hardware selection

Here, in the right part, all the hardware manufacturers known to the program are listed. If you click on a manufacturer twice, the hardware interfaces of the manufacturer are displayed and one can be selected.

	Adds the selected DMX hardware interface.
	Closes the selection window without adding the hardware.

Each hardware interface has its own configuration options, which can be accessed via the configuration button ConfigHardware

. There you can also connect the hardware interface to the computer.

1.) USB Interfaces
The hardware interface is connected to the computer via USB cable. A driver for the HardwareInterface must be installed on the computer.
In the configuration window you have to specify which Comm port (USB virtual port) the hardware interface is connected to. If all data are entered, the hardware can be connected in the configuration window.

2.) LAN Interfaces
The hardware interface is connected to the computer via a network cable. There are again two types of LAN hardware interfaces:
A) LAN hardware interfaces with their own network protocol
The hardware interface is assigned a separate IP address, the computer must have an IP address from the same address space.
B) LAN hardware interfaces with ACN protocol or ARTNET-protocol
Here, the computer transmits / receives network signals via so-called broadcast IP addresses. Depending on the protocol used, an adjustable DMXUniverse number determines which hardware interface receives the corresponding signals.
The LiveShow software for the ACN streaming (ACN 1.31) has a standard 'Lan-DMX-Interface-Configurator', which can be used to connect all LAN hardware interfaces that support ACN 1.31 or ARTNETi.

Some DMX hardware interfaces also have a DMX input, or can be switched between input and output.

Output: The liveShow software sends the status of the lamps to the hardware interface, where these values are converted into DMX signals and sent via DMX cables to the lamps.

Input: The DMX hardware interfaces are connected via a DMX cable to a DMX source (DMX mixer, other computer, etc.). The received DMX signals are transmitted from the Harware interface to the liveShow software.
The DMX input can be used to control the liveSHOWsoftware remotely or to control specific lamps directly - see DMX input settings.
When connecting the hardware interface to the computer via the configuration window ConfigHardware

, there are two possible results:

If the hardware is connected and properly configured, the name of the hardware is displayed with a green background.
If the hardware is not connected or configured incorrectly, the name of the hardware is displayed with a red background.

All added hardware interfaces are displayed as a tree. If you double-click on a hardware interface, the inputs / outputs of the plug-in are displayed, which you can connect with a DMXUniversum.

DMX Universe

On the right side of the window you can manage your DMX universes:

	A new DMXUniversum is added
	Import an existing DMX universe - including all lamps and their lamp types A created project is not saved in a file, but every aspect of a project is stored in its own file. Among other things, all DMXUniversen used are stored in a file "projektname.lsu". The lamp types used are stored in the file "projektname.lsd". Both information, ie the DMXUniversen (+ lamps) and the lamp types are imported here. If your project already has the same universe, it will not be imported again. Attention: When creating a DMXUniversum, the universe is internally given a unique ID, this ID is used to identify the DMXUniversum. If you have created a project as a copy of another project, the DMXUniversen in both projects have the same ID. So you can not import the universe into the project! Imported elements are marked with a leading "*" in the name.
	The selected DMXUniversum is deleted
	The 'DMX Input Settings' window opens, here you can specify how a DMX input is to be used.
	Opens the stage view and the lamp filter is automatically set to the selected universe, so only the lamps that are connected to the selected universe are displayed.

In the text boxes below, you can change the name and description of the selected DMX Universe.

Connect DMX Universe to a Hardware Interface

If you have selected an output or the input of a DMX hardware interface and a DMX universe (clicked), you can connect the input / output and the DMX universe or loosen its connection.

	The hardware output / input and the universe are not connected, With this button you can connect the two
	The hardware output / input and the universe are connected, Use this button to disconnect the connection.

A universe can be connected to one input and one output. So you can connect the same universe to an input and/or an output of a DMX hardware interface.

The connection status of a universe is displayed as follows:

	The universe is not connected either to an input or to an output of a DMX hardware interface.
	The universe is connected to an input but no output of a DMX hardware interface. The DMXHarwareInterface is connected to the computer and the LiveShow software.
	The universe is connected to an input but no output of a DMX hardware interface. The DMXHarwareInterface is NOT connected to the computer or the LiveShow software.
	The universe is connected to an output but no input of a DMX hardware interface. The DMXHarwareInterface is connected to the computer and the LiveShow software.
	The universe is connected to an output but no input of a DMX hardware interface. The DMXHarwareInterface is NOT connected to the computer or the LiveShow software.
	The universe is connected to an input of a DMX hardware interface and an output of a DMX hardware interface. The DMXHarwareInterface, which has the input, is connected to the computer and the LiveShow software. The DMXHarwareInterface, which has the output, is connected to the computer and the LiveShow software.
	The universe is connected to an input of a DMX hardware interface and an output of a DMX hardware interface. The DMXHarwareInterface that has the input is NOT connected to the computer and the LiveShow software. The DMXHarwareInterface, which has the output, is connected to the computer and the LiveShow software.

Current Sources

Current sources can be generated and defined. All lamps are connected to the electricity somewhere. The maximum electrical power of a lamp can be specified in the lamp definition. The liveSHOWsoftware automatically checks if too many lamps are connected to a power source. With each lamp in the stage view, you can indicate which of the current sources is connected to it.

The current source is displayed as: 'Name of the current source' (still free power in watts / power of the power source in watts)
If the connected power exceeds the total power of the power source, the text gets a red background.

	A new current source is added
	Import current sources from another project. A created project is not saved in a file, but every aspect of a project is stored in its own file. Among other things, all current sources are also stored in a file "projektname.lse". In the file selection, simply search within the files of a project with the suffix ".lse".
	The selected current source is deleted
	Opens the stage view and the lamp filter is automatically set to the selected current source, so only the lamps connected to the selected current source are displayed.

If one of the current sources is selected, you can determine the characteristics of the current source:

current source name	Here you can specify the name of the current source
description	Here you can enter a description
voltage	The voltage in V (volts) of the current source
fuse	The fuse of the current source in A (Ampere)
power	The maximum electrical power in watts). This field is calculated automatically when you enter the voltage and the fuse.
additional consumers	Enter the total power in W (Watt) of all devices connected to this power source. Additional devices are e.g. Beamer, SoundMixer, PA, DMXSplitter, coffee machine, etc.