Using a Smart fade console as fader wing via MIDI with Nomad?

Hey Conor

When the SmartFade is in MEM mode, the level of the faders is transmitted via MIDI. So you theoretically could use a SmartFade as a fader wing if the SmartFade is in MEM mode. 

More information on setting up MIDI on SmartFade can be found on page 26 of the manual:

SmartFade_v3.0.1_User_Manual.book

Conor, I'm curious whether you got anywhere with this. We have a Smartfade 24/96 which I've taken off the control desk and substituted a miniMac running Eos software through the Nomad to our dimmers.  My students are not happy with the loss of the physical faders, having to change levels with keyboard or mouse clicks just isn't very sexy.  I'm wondering if anyone has gotten further with this than pointing out the midi section of the Smartfade manual.  

Answers to questions such as:

• connection of midi output of the 2496 to the computer running EOS software
• how to instruct the EOS software to see the 2496 and map the sliders/buttons (would using the Luminosus software assist?)

Conor, any luck on this?

I've made myself unpopular with my students by whisking away the Smartfade 2496 and plunking down a MacMini with Eos software and a Nomad providing DMX control.

They aren't happy about learning a ton of keyboard shortcuts / altering faders using mouseclicks and drags.

If I could utilize the physical faders and bump buttons on the 2496 to communicate to the Eos software on the Mac, that'd be fantastic.

I've read the manual for the 2496 and it discusses using a "sequencer" to record midi output from the 2496, but it is unclear to me whether the Eos on the Mac can be classified as a sequencer.

Obviously a cable that is USB to Midi would be helpful.  But before I go that route, I'd like to know whether there is any likelihood of joy.

Conor, I'm curious whether you got anywhere with this. We have a Smartfade 24/96 which I've taken off the control desk and substituted a miniMac running Eos software through the Nomad to our dimmers.  My students are not happy with the loss of the physical faders, having to change levels with keyboard or mouse clicks just isn't very sexy.  I'm wondering if anyone has gotten further with this than pointing out the midi section of the Smartfade manual.  

Answers to questions such as:

• connection of midi output of the 2496 to the computer running EOS software
• how to instruct the EOS software to see the 2496 and map the sliders/buttons (would using the Luminosus software assist?)

i would probably try using the smartfade as faderwing through DMX. you need a DMX/sACN gateway that can convert DMX to sACN input into the network, but from that point onwards you can control nomad subs from your smartfade.

Ueliriegg...thanks for your quick reply...a few questions arise for me:

My situation is a school theatre with 98% conventional fixtures fed by 36 dimmer circuits...the current "network" is MacMini to Nomad to dmx cable running to three 12 circuit etc smart packs daisy chained.

So we currently don't have fixtures demanding pixelmapping or 50 channels each.

If I understand you correctly you are suggesting that I could take the dmx output from the 2496 Smartfade console and feed it to the EOS software running on the MacMini via sACN? My objective is to have EOS software understand where the operator is positioning the faders on the Smartfade and transmit that to our dimmers via the Nomad box.

I am trying to get away from programming shows on the Smartfade altogether...but would like to take advantage of its hardware as an input to the Eos emulator on the Mac.

Is your suggestion dmx output from Smartfade to sACN gateway to Mac (via USB or via ethernet?) to Eos emulator to usb to Nomad to dmx cable to dimmer packs?

Smartfade DMX to a DMX/sACN converter, from there via network into your Nomad computer. And your Nomad computer controls the lights the way it always did.

In the Nomad's show control tab you can assign external DMX addresses (actually it's not DMX but sACN, think of that as a form of DMX that lives in a network cable rather than in the 3 or 5pin DMX cable) to Sub memories. Usually Subs are assigned to Eos' internal faders, but you can also control them externally, provided it's a networked input

That's quite helpful Ueliriegg, suggestion for the DMX/sACN converter? (sorry that I'm asking for spoon-feeding, but I'm trying to cut down on hours of research). There seem to be many options ranging from CDN$90 to $800 or more.  

if you look at ETC products: https://www.etcconnect.com/Products/Networking/Response-Mk2/Features.aspx . the smallest one (1port, portable) would be the minimum. if you think about adding to your current infrastructure so that one day you need more than one DMX line (e.g. for output) you could go with a 2port. 1 port for input from the smartfade, 1 port for additional DMX output from nomad.

other products would include DMXking (https://dmxking.com/artnetsacn/edmx1-pro).

the only one i have used myself is the ETC product, so while others should work in theory i just don't know if they do in real life.