Radio Focus Remote on Congo 5.1

Howdy Tommy,

we are working on an improved Set of Instructions - but for right now,

you need to download the GCE V1.1.0

http://www.etcconnect.com/docs/docs_downloads/console/ETC_GCE_Net3Svc_v1.1.0.zip

and install it on a laptop/PC, and then

connect your Base Station to that PC/Laptop and set the IP Address of that Base Station,

for example to 10.101.124.101 , and make sure the Frequency Channel in GCE of the Base

Station matches the Frequency of the Handheld.

Does that help?

Do I use USB or Ethernet when I change the IP?

I allready downloaded that file and I can´t se my BaseStation in that program...

Best regards
Tommy

You need to connect the Base Station via an Ethernet Switch to the Laptop via an Ethernet Cable.

If you send me a private message with your number, we can give you a call now and walk you through it.

I'll try little more before...

On my laptop, do I need a special IP/Netmask/GateWay?

Best regards
Tommy

There are many possible IP configurations. ETC recommends:

Laptop IP: 10.101.1.101

Laptop Subnet: 255.255.0.0

Laptop Gateway: 10.101.1.101

RFR Base Station: 10.101.124.101

RFR Subnet: 255.255.0.0

RFR Gateway: 10.101.124.101

Please also make sure that your Congo IP is also set to :

Congo IP: 10.101.80.101

Congo Subnet: 255.255.0.0

Congo Gateway: 10.101.80.101

And now? :D

It should be noted that the IP addresses above are for the first computer/RFR base station/Congo Console placed onto the network.

For additional items, increment the last number - eg a second RFR basestation would be 10.101.124.102, the third would be 10.101.124.103

Congo Jr consoles should be 10.101.81.101 and up.

The Gateway address should usually be the same as the IP address on a non-routed network - this makes the network stack start up faster, and prevents the device asking somebody else to connect it somewhere and loading their network stack with useless requests.

I would recommend keeping to these 'standard' ranges, because it makes it much easier to add additional equipment, and it makes life much easier when troubleshooting as you know roughly what the IP address of various pieces of equipment are going to be.

Unknown said:

And now? :D

In Congo setup for the Network starts with NET 0 and for the remote it´s starting with NetWork ID 1 to 99. What is this remote NetWork ID for? I could also chose a group number, what´s that for? The frequence is no problem... ;)

Before I run home and get the kids from school I connect everything together into the network with all IP configured and restart the system. Network cable in BS to the network switch and USB cable for power to the BS (pluged into the concoles because I don´t have POE power yet). I start up my remote and it´s still looking for the basestation and after a while I got a new menu "Connected to USB" and few steps more with "-" sign...

What remote network/group should I use? What should I choose in Congo system settings in RFR map? Is there anything more to fix in our Congo setup? Remote is enabled "play setup", and all 4 remote types is also enabled in Remote menu... Is there anything on the remote that need to be fixed with some changes in the software?

We use Congo NET 0 for WYSIWYG performance station on a Congo JR and NET 1 for mainstage with three Congo consoles. NET 0 is only IPX and NET1 is with streaming ACN and I don´t remember if ther´s another network settings on or if it´s just streaming ACN. But tomorrow I could check that.

Best regards
Tommy

Hi Tommy -

There's some confusion here between GCE and Congo naming conventions.

In Congo the Logical Network is what you are using to set which console communicates with WYG and which commnicate together using server/backup and client connections.This has no effect on the RFR.

In GCE, RFR setttings are named HF Channel, which equals the frequency used for communication between the handheld and the base station, and Network ID, which on Congo is known as Group, allows you to configure which handhelds communicate with which base station. The important thing is for the settings to be the same on a handheld and the base station it needs to communicate with.

Make sense?

Thanks -

Sarah

Hi Tommy -

There's some confusion here between GCE and Congo naming conventions.

In Congo the Logical Network is what you are using to set which console communicates with WYG and which commnicate together using server/backup and client connections.This has no effect on the RFR.

In GCE, RFR setttings are named HF Channel, which equals the frequency used for communication between the handheld and the base station, and Network ID, which on Congo is known as Group, allows you to configure which handhelds communicate with which base station. The important thing is for the settings to be the same on a handheld and the base station it needs to communicate with.

Make sense?

Thanks -

Sarah

Hi Sarah and other experts, :)

Now I have setup my system in this way... This is for Congo setup...



BaseStation setup in GCE...


When I start up my remote...

...and after a while...


If I pressed the left wheel on row under "Direct USB" I got the message
"Conecting to Console"
"Console not found"

Our Congo consoles is on Congo NET1.

What have I missed?

Thanks
Tommy

Hi Tommy,

Are you connecting the base station through USB or network?

It isn't clear from your image of the RFR display if the focused line below "Direct USB" displays a text or not. What is written on this line?

Hi Anders,

Both network cable and USB are connected to the consoles because I need power to the BS. I'am going to buy some POE's later for the BS...

But now when I try to fix all setup in my office, the BS USB is in a LapTop with GCE for the power, and RJ45 to our Congo network. So the picture is when I try to get this working with all stuff in my office.

Best ragards
Tommy

So essentially you are trying to connect through the network. What does the line `below Direct USB on your RFR say? Does it say Congo something?

Nope, first line "Direct USB" and rest of the line "-"...

Then the base station cannot see the Congo on the network (or a local connection through USB which makes sense since you only use USB for power).

Is the Net3/ACN option activated on the Congo? In order to communicate with the base station over the network, this option needs to be active.

Hey Tommy,

I think its the point where we should do get this running on the phone now. ;)

You can call our London Office under +44 (0)20 8896 1000

Or our Germany Office (where we are now) under +49 8024 4700 238

Or you can give us your contact data and we will call you up. ;)

Its best to call when you are at the console.

Oki Anders, that was the problem all the time... we don´t have Net3/ACN on in the setup.

We only have "streaming ACN" in the setup on the main system...

Thanks Anders!

//Tommy

Excellent!

I am sorry if this wasn't pointed out clearly in the update instructions. We'll improve that.

Anders

I didn´t found any document for the RFR console 5.1 setup... :)

When Bullen change our DMX 4-port Gateways to "streaming ACN" we clear all network communication that we thought we don´t need to have. Other that done this upgrade probably have Net3/SCN already runnig. Perfect thing to write down in the new installation/setup manual for RFR and 5.1 Network. :)

To ask some more things about RFR so other can read about it before the new setup document is ready... In the GCE we have HF State, "Master/slave". Could I use two BaseStation on same frequence to use one remote for wide area?

If I got two RFR/BS and want connect them to the same consoles at same time, is it possible? How do I setup the system RFR1: HF channel?, NetworkID/Group?... RFR2:  HF channel?, NetworkID/Group?... Could I use "Master/Slave" setup with my BS and use both RFR at the same time running at the same consoles?

Best ragads
Tommy

New question about the remote... I try to get RFR nr 2 working at the same time as RFR1.

Can I connect my remote to a backup or client console and turn on light? Could I connect to RFR at the same time to my server and work with both. I try to connect my second remote to the system today and found out this...

Now I am going to use "Congo1" one for main server, "Congo2" two for my backup and "Congo3" for client.

Congo1 server, RFR settings... Frequence 3, network ID 3
Congo2 backup, RFR settings... Frequence 2, network ID 2
Congo3 client, RFR settings... Frequence 1, network ID 1

I start up "Congo 1" and use my remote. I start "Congo2" as backup... I convert "Congo2" as server. Now I could connect to my "Congo2" when it´s a server. "Congo2" must herritage settings from "Congo1" when it´s logged in to the system. Is that correct? When "Congo1" is in backup I couldn´t connect my RFR to that console.

Now I start up "Congo3" as a client, I use the same settings on "Congo3", my BaseStation2 and RFR2. Same frequence and the same network ID. When I try to connect with these settings my RFR2 only wants to connect to the server consoles. When I connect the RFR2 to the server at the same time as RFR1 the display goes black with the battery lighted up in upper right corner. My RFR1 also stop working and I need to restart my server console down to welcome screen.

So I could not use two RFR at the same time or do I need to do another settings with diffrent frequence but same network ID?

...or could the system only manged one RFR at the same time?

Why can´t ETC have a simpel pocketPC remote to the system, so we could turn up light and run some colour changer, so we can work from diffrent places with diffrent remotes? Like the old AVAB UR1 with IR... just a simpel way to turn up light. We don´t want to use phone remote because of our switchboard and for the same reason that only one can "call" the consoles that way... I try the RS232 for the Transtechnik remote before version5.1 and it´s not full support for that remote.

Look at the AVAB Safari remote, easy to set up... up to 8 remote field so I can press "Clear ALL" lights in my remotefield. Perfect for theaters that need to use more than one remote at the same time.

Hope I can get an answer for this question so I now what to say to my colleague...

Best regards
Tommy

Hi Tommy -

Please contact tech support as Corey has suggested in a previous post. It's really hard to troubleshoot systems via the forum.

Thanks -

Sarah

In General here are the rules for the Networked RFR (please ignore the line of HTML gak):

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A single Master Base can support connections for 4 remotes.  A user could connect all 4 remotes to the same console via that Master Base.

The base itself does not establish an ACN connection with a Congo server.

The base itself will only establish an ACN connection with GCE for purpose of configuration.

The base will create up to 4 additional ACN connections between the handhelds and the Congo Server.

All remotes attempting to connect to a base should use the same frequency and group/Network ID settings as the Master Base. PLEASE NOTE: The settings for RFR are only used for determining the frequency and group of the base and handheld - they have nothing to do with the console itself. Bases and handhelds that need to talk to each other need to have the same frequency and group/Network ID settings.

Once connected each handheld will operate in its own remote field on the Congo.

A user could add additional slave bases to increase the effective area of the RFR remotes.

Additional slave bases do not add additional connections for more than 4 remotes.

In USB mode the old rules still apply.  One remote per base.  One base per server. Remotes cannot be connected to Clients, Backups, or RVIs.

Thanks -

Sarah

Thanks Sarah,

this info helped a lot to get both remotes working at the same time.

Best regards
Tommy Leandersson

Is there anyway to set this thread to "solved"?