DMX Joker control software for architectural lighting and show light user manual
Musikhaus Thomann Thomann GmbH Hans-Thomann-Straße 1 96138 Burgebrach Germany Telephone: +49 (0) 9546 9223-0 E-mail: info@thomann.de Internet: www.thomann.de 09.12.
Table of contents Table of contents 1 Introduction.................................................................................................................................................. 5 1.1 Installation............................................................................................................................................. 6 1.2 First start........................................................................................................................................
Table of contents 3 Programming scenes............................................................................................................................. 3.1 Programming tips............................................................................................................................ 3.2 Zones.................................................................................................................................................... 3.3 Trigger................................
Introduction 1 Introduction Thank you very much for purchasing the Stairville DMX Joker. This software is characterized by simple operation, fast performance and resource-friendliness. It is designed in such a way that even users without prior knowledge of lighting technology can find their way in just a few minutes.
Introduction 1.1 Installation The latest downloads for Windows, Mac and Linux can be found on the product pages of the interfaces at www.thomann.de. Despite its excellent performance, the DMX Joker software requires only very little system resources. Therefore, parallel operation with other applications (e.g., music playback, DJ pro‐ gramme, etc.) is usually not a problem.
Introduction The basic software "DMX Joker" to create scenes and effects that are fixed before the show begins or for stand-alone functions. (Can be used with all Stairville interfaces.) The "DMX Joker Pro" for enhanced functionality and flexible intervention during the show. (Can be used with higher Stairville interfaces from 512 channels onwards.) The "Studio DMX" to create a virtual stage and to visualize the DMX output in 3D.
Introduction "Wi-Light" is a network remote control to call up the created scenes and programmes. This app is also available for iOS and Android in the respective stores. 1.2 First start Now connect the DMX Joker-Interface with the computer and briefly wait for the driver instal‐ lation. If you open the software now, a dialogue box appears, which allows you to select ‘DEMO’ or ‘USB’ . If a suitable interface is connected, ‘USB’ will be selected automatically.
Introduction 1.3 Interface Update In the next window, recognized interfaces are listed and possibly available firmware updates are shown. Click ‘Update’ to perform an available update. Follow the instructions for the update process. Important: Please never disconnect the USB connection while the interface is being flashed, otherwise it will no longer be accessible. Specify how many universes the software should manage internally (depending on the inter‐ face).
Introduction 1.4 General Options Under the menu item ‘Tools’ the ‘Options’ can be opened. In this window you have the oppor‐ tunity to make general adjustments. Firstly, appearance and language can be Individualized. You can also specify how many universes the software should manage internally. You can increase this setting at will, for example to create a project that requires a high number of uni‐ verses.
Introduction 1.5 Interface In this tab you have the possibility to adjust the settings for connected interfaces. All detected interfaces are listed first and identified by their serial number. Select the corresponding inter‐ face and then make the respective settings. Note: Only by clicking ‘Apply’ the settings are written to the interface. ‘DMX’ : Splitting the universes of the software to the available outputs of the interface. By default, universe 1 is assigned to output A and universe 2 to output B.
Introduction 1.6 Audio & MIDI This section is for configuring the audio inputs and outputs. If you want to analyse audio signal from the same computer, you can loop it through internally. Depending on the operating system, different approaches are possible here. ‘Sound’ : All system audio inputs and outputs are listed here and can be selected by dropdown list. n ‘MIDI’ : All System MIDI devices are listed here and can be set by selection. The Pro version is also capable of outputting MIDI.
Introduction 1.7 Artnet Want some more channels? Then you can do the ArtNet configuration here. ‘Network Interface’ lists all available network cards on the computer. Select the desired adapter and click the left ‘Refresh’ button. Now a request (ArtPoll) is sent to all network devices and available ArtNet Nodes are listed. If this does not happen, check the manual IP addressing and network connections again. Under "Node" current information about the identified node is displayed.
Introduction Alternatively, you can manually add an ArtNet node. Click on the green ‘+’ . In the following dialogue box, you can enter any name and the destination IP address. The number of ports needs to be selected depending on the features of the ArtNet node.
Introduction 1.8 Network In this section, you have the option to select network adapters required for the respective pro‐ gramme parts. For a successful configuration, certain structures must be adhered to when assigning IP addresses. In general, it is recommended to stay in the IP address class (2.0.0.XXX, subnet 255.0.0.0), as provided in the ArtNet standard. Example: The computer running Joker has a direct LAN connection to an ArtNet node. In this case you assign the address 2.0.0.1 and the subnet 255.
Introduction n ‘Start Smartphone Server’ - If you want to remotely control the Joker via an app, it's best to choose a local wireless adapter (built-in Wi-Fi) or a network with an access point. The app automatically detects the Joker instance as soon as you start the smartphone server. Decide for yourself whether this process should be carried out automatically at startup or manually. 1.9 Live Board In the last section, you can personalize the Live Board.
Introduction ‘Options’ - Here you can assign a password to block exiting the Live Board. Similarly, the window priority can be set to ‘Always on top’ so that the Live Board can be used in kiosk mode. This is useful to provide a surface that only retrieves existing scenes but you can not edit anything. n ‘Starting’ - Here you determine whether and which scene should be started when opening the Live Board.
Introduction For more illustration options, follow the tips at Ä Chapter 3.1 ‘Programming tips’ on page 38.
Introduction Fig. 1: As a selection for our exhibited fog machines.
Introduction Fig. 2: Or for ambient lighting in our backstage lounge.
Creating a project 2 Creating a project When opened up for the first time, an empty project appears. We recommend to provide the project with a clear name right from the start and to save it if necessary with other media required for the show. The more complex a project becomes, the more important it is to have backup copies just in case. For this, it is sufficient to copy the project file to a USB stick, since all required device profiles are stored in this file.
Creating a project 2.1 Patching devices Click to open the patch window. On the right side you can see the DMX channels of the respective universe, while the available profiles are in the left column. Simply drag & drop the selected profile from the list to the desired DMX channels. For a larger number of devices, there is a quick patch, which adds the appropriate number for you. Simply select the desired profile and then enter the number and if necessary an offset (free channels between two devices).
Creating a project You can perform additional actions by right-clicking on a patched profile: Inverting the pan / tilt axes or importing the profile into the editor for editing. 2.2 Patching the matrix This powerful tool allows you to create a large number of devices as a logical matrix. This way, you to use contiguous LED surfaces to display text, images or videos. First select a device pro‐ file with colour mixing unit and / or dimmer channel (RGBW / RGB / CMY) and then click the ‘Matrix’ control.
Creating a project Now you can enter the dimensions of the matrix and select the correct pixel order (depending on the actual orientation of the LED panel, LED strip, etc.). Click to show the pixel order. Clicking on activates the pixels one after the other live. You can remove or add individual pixels if this tool is selected: To toggle between the ‘Device address’ display and the ‘Device number’ click on control software for architectural lighting and show light 24 .
Creating a project If you want to patch across multiple universes, first select the number of devices per universe, then enter the dimensions of the first panel. Confirm the entry with and tick the box "Keep current addresses". Now increase the matrix width by the second panel and confirm again with . More pixels are created in the next universe without changing the previous pixels. This feature is essential for creating pixel panels, pixel trails or the like.
Creating a project 2.3 Creating / editing profiles Despite a constantly growing device library, it can happen that rare devices are not available. Therefore the DMX Joker provides a helpful editor. This is not only useful for creating, but also to import existing profiles and to optimize them at own discretion.
Creating a project Get the instruction manual of your desired device ready and open the page with the DMX channels. If your device has multiple DMX modes, choose the channel mode that covers all the features you need. Now start recreating the functions in the profile editor step by step. To do this drag and drop the corresponding function into the lower area.
Creating a project Depending on the function, further options are available. By activating the option ‘16 Bits’ the so-called "Fine" channels can be mapped. In the advanced options, enter the full DMX scale with the corresponding function of the channel. This will allow you to later select even the gobos or colours of a Moving Head with a mouse click. Tip: To familiarize yourself with the structure of a device profile, it is helpful to open an already existing profile and modify it if necessary.
Creating a project 2.4 2D view After successfully patching the devices, their icons have also been put to the preview. The 2D view is intended as a guide to the location of the devices. This means that the devices will at best be arranged as they actually are on stage. This has the advantage that the corresponding lamp can be found much faster, plus, the order of the spotlights is needed for the correct cal‐ culation of the effects.
Creating a project control software for architectural lighting and show light 30
Creating a project Selecting one or more devices will bring up the dynamic channels of the devices (here called presets) in the lower area. The more carefully the profile has been created, the more detailed all the presets are displayed here. When clicking on a preset, the value is output immediately, so that a reaction of the connected spotlights takes place. If different devices are selected at the same time, the DMX Joker displays only matching pre‐ sets.
Creating a project 2.5 Tool bar Customize the 2D view with these useful features and create meaningful device groups to quickly access multiple devices via shortcut. Adding or removing devices. Setting the effect order. The lamps are renumbered by selecting, so that chases run properly. Loading the default values for the selected devices. These values can be set in the profile editor. Example: Centring pan / tilt position. Further settings for background image, dimensions, raster display.
Creating a project Zooming in / out of the selected device icon. Changing the device icon between: Icon, colour, number (ID). Locking moving positions. Automatic arrangement by device number (ID). Rotating the device icon by 90 °.
Creating a project Setting current selection as group (function key as hotkey). Automatic selection functions to select devices that are active in the scene, select all, odd / even or invert. Tip: By locking the positions with , it is easier to select multiple devices by clicking them.
Programming scenes 3 Programming scenes To record the changes and actions of the connected fixtures, the settings can be stored as a step in a scene or programme. The difference between a scene and a programme is that only one scene can be active at a time. Programs, on the other hand, can be active simultaneously.
Programming scenes control software for architectural lighting and show light 36
Programming scenes Click to create a new scene or programme. Then click to create a new step. As long as the step is marked, changes in the preview are saved immediately and do not need to be applied. With the functions "Copy" and "Paste" you can quickly and easily duplicate the entire scene or steps at various places in the list. The transition time determines how long the transition from one step to the next takes. The wait time determines how long the step will be held before the next step is displayed.
Programming scenes 3.1 Programming tips Unlike scenes (saving all values), it is possible to specify in programmes for each preset whether the value should be saved. First, create a new program. Click ‘on’ or ‘off’ for the corresponding preset or channel if you want to pick or ignore the value. You can directly assign a trigger to individual presets or channels. Click on the three points in the lower part of the object.
Programming scenes To test un-patched devices or to control DMX channels, you can select the ‘Channels’ tab. On the right side, select the universe in which you want to make changes. The number of channels allows you to limit the channels displayed in one go. However, only the visible channels respond to inputs through triggers. Therefore it is recommended to set the number of channels from the beginning to 512.
Programming scenes 3.2 Zones (Only for the 1024 Standalone Interface) You can divide the two available DMX universes into different zones. This is especially useful if you want to control several rooms with one interface. The zones are then independent of each other, allowing each one active scene at a time. Click the zone icon to divide the zones. Drag the columns back and forth according to the desired layout. A zone can stretch over sev‐ eral universes.
Programming scenes 3.3 Trigger You have the possibility to start scenes or programmes in the Live Board by various triggers. To do this, double-click in the [Key] field. The trigger window opens. Use the [Shortcut] key to put a shortcut on your keyboard, for example: Function buttons [Midi Trigger] can learn the incoming MIDI signals of a controller. To this, you must have a MIDI device enabled in the settings. By briefly moving a fader or pressing a button, the action is learned automatically.
Programming scenes Depending on the function, further options are available. By activating the option ‘16 Bits’ the so-called "Fine" channels can be mapped. In the advanced options, enter the full DMX scale with the corresponding function of the channel. This will allow you to later select even the gobos or colours of a Moving Head with a mouse click.
Programming scenes 3.4 Media You can configure further interactions via the ‘Media’ tab. ‘Beat Mode’ determines the behav‐ iour when there is a clock signal from an audio source. [No]: This scene does not react to beats. [Beat on steps]: The scene skips to the next step and stops when another beat is detected. [Beats with Fade and Hold]: The scene skips to the next step and goes on when another beat is detected. [Loops on beats]: The scene plays a loop and stops until a new beat is detected and restarts.
Programming scenes 3.5 Programming with effect generators Creating scenes manually is the ideal way to learn about how steps work and how to edit them. However, when effects run across multiple devices and moving heads are to move flu‐ idly, effect generators are a real relief. The following generators are available: The availability of the generators depends on the currently selected devices. For example, [Pan/Tilt] is only available if one or more devices support the feature.
Programming scenes Colour gradient This effect allows you to create a linear gradient. Specify at least two colours by clicking on the markers. Additional markers can be added by clicking. By moving you can change the distance to the adjacent colour. For both ‘Static’ and ‘Dynamic’ types, the direction can be specified. If ‘Dynamic’ is selected, the set time factor will apply to one pass. The overall brightness can be adjusted with the Intensity fader.
Programming scenes Sequencer With this effect, predefined Chasers can be combined with your own colours. Select several spotlights with colour mixing and look at the different Chasers. With the dis‐ played parameters, the effects can be adjusted as desired. ‘Num.’ determines how many individual colours the Chase consists of. Click on a colour box and set the desired colour with the colour picker. Some Chasers allow less colours. The number will decrease automatically in this case.
Programming scenes Depending on the Chase, further options are available. This could e.g. be the running direction or let the Chase go back and forth.
Programming scenes Curve This effect represents the prototype of all effects. With it, it is possible to use a mathematical curve, e.g. Sine, Triangle, Rectangle or Sawtooth to calculate the values. Selecting the desired preset in the left column will periodically output the DMX values through the waveform. Choose from the various curve types the one that achieves the best result for the desired effect. Again, you can play with the parameters to adjust the effect.
Programming scenes With ‘Duration’ you can set the entire step duration.
Programming scenes Pan/Tilt "Now let's bring in movement!" This effect lets you use geometric shapes to create complex movement patterns for moving lights. To get started, select a given type and set the number of steps. The higher this number, the more accurate the movement will be executed, but it will take up more memory space. Now you can start the movement by clicking on Play . Next, it's best to roughly adjust the range of motion.
Programming scenes Matrix With this effect, you create area-wide matrix animations. For this, a matrix of any size must have been created in the patch. Select the matrix in the preview. Similar to the sequencer, run patterns and parameters are given here. Choose a suitable pat‐ tern and adjust the colours as needed. ‘Num.’ (number) determines how many individual colours the pattern consists of. Click on a colour box and set the desired colour with the colour picker. Some patterns allow less colours.
Programming scenes ‘Int.’ (Intensity) is the overall brightness of the pattern. This intensity parameter affects the RGB values. If the spotlights also have a separate dimmer channel, set the brightness via this sepa‐ rate channel and keep the intensity at 100 %. Depending on the animation, further options are available. This could e.g. be the running direction or let the pattern go back and forth.
Programming scenes Animations and media Another possibility to record a coherent matrix are animations and media. A selection of readymade animations is included and available immediately. The animations consist of individual frames, which repeat themselves seamlessly (loop). Select the matrix and look at the different animations. The output is directly on the matrix and can be assessed directly. If you want to play your own media, you can choose the ‘Media’ effect.
Programming scenes Text If your matrix is particularly oblong, you can use the text generator to make a meaningful scrolling message. Enter the desired text in the text box and select a suitable character size and a well-readable font, such as: Arial Black. The direction of movement can be set with the arrow keys. Both the foreground and the background colour can be specified with the colour tick boxes. You can also adjust the vertical and horizontal orientation (when the text is stopped).
Live Board 4 Live Board The Live Board is the place where you retrieve the prepared scenes and programmes. You can get there by clicking on the ‘Live’ icon in the menu bar. The Live Board starts by default in full screen, but can also be reduced to a window. Now you will see the previously programmed scenes in blue and the programmes in green. If you have assigned triggers, they are now active. On the right side you can see the ‘Live Commands’ . These serve to intervene during shows in various ways.
Live Board With the colour picker you can override the colour values of the active spotlights. To return to the previous value, click the ‘On / Off’ icon . In the BPM engine you can observe the audio level and use the Tap functions. (see Ä Chapter 1.6 ‘Audio & MIDI’ on page 12). There is also a ‘Grandmaster’ (overall brightness) and a ‘Speedmaster’ (overall speed). Both cor‐ respond to 100% in the middle position.
Stand Alone 5 Stand Alone Each DMX Joker interface has a standalone feature to varying degrees. This means that scenes can be saved in the interface and can be played without a computer. All you have to do is power the interface with a USB power supply. Click on the ‘Standalone’ icon to go to the view. In the upper left field you see the available scenes. The lower field represents the interface memory. Drag and drop the desired scene into the lower field.
Stand Alone Furthermore, external triggers are available, which can be configured here. The interface models 128, 512 and 1024 have four solder points on the PCB where you can connect your own switches. These contacts are labelled A, B, C and D. ‘Restore after power failure’ ignores the actual start scene and continues to play the scene if it has been played back. The ‘Live Commands’ are composed of a ‘Blackout’ and a ‘Full On’ . In addition, you can jump to the next scene or pause the current sequence.
Stand Alone Calendar event The real-time clock in the 512 and 1024 stand-alone interface makes it possible to set up a time- and date-controlled event. First select the desired scene in the left column. Now you can choose all the conditions that should lead to the start or stop of the scene. A graphic representation of the events can be seen in the lower time line.
Stand Alone Memory management When all scenes are set correctly, they can be flashed directly to the interface memory. Alterna‐ tively, a special file can be prepared for an SD card, which will then be plugged into the inter‐ face. Click ‘Save to Memory’ to start writing. Use the bar graph to check the memory usage. To clear the memory, click on the trash bin icon. The interface checks at startup whether there is a data connection and switches to PC mode.
Stand Alone Expanded options With the 1024 Standalone Interface DMX ports can also be used for input. The appropriate port / universe assignment can be found on this page. Select the appropriate input / output configuration in the drop-down list ‘In / output configuration’ . The standalone interfaces 512 and 1024 have a built-in battery-backed real-time clock and can be synchronized with the system time of the computer. This allows the interface to handle complex automation tasks.
Stand Alone Several interfaces can be operated in a network. Connect the interfaces with an RJ45 cable. Only one interface can be defined as master. All other interfaces are automatically slaves. Select the required mode from the list. You can also apply general functions to an external switch contact, for example, to switch to the next scene. Select the corresponding assignment. The 1024 standalone interface can handle multiple zones. This graphic shows the split point. See Ä Chapter 3.
Musikhaus Thomann · Hans-Thomann-Straße 1 · 96138 Burgebrach · Germany · www.thomann.
