Long Distance Fader Panel

I am sure as long as your adapter works like a normal usb, that it should work. Be sure that the wall wart for the faders is plugged in, and the usb is plugged into the console before turning the console on.

However, I would like to take you one further... when you register the console you get a usb dongle which allows you to run the client software on another computer and essentially be a designers remote. So, you could take your cat5 cable, get a hub and another computer for backstage, and have a fully functional console backstage. You can plug your faders into that computer as well. If you take it a step even further, you could get an X-keys pro, and program it to have all of the same buttons that the Ion has.

Congrats on the new console! 

And to chime in with the exact opposite answer, I would bet that it doesn't work.  Well let me qualify that a bit.

If you need to load some sort of external driver for the USB to Ethernet adapter,  I would guess that it won't work.  Also - the USB connector on the back of the Fader wing panel is an "B" type of connector.   This is opposed to the "A" type connector that is on the ION itself.  (And is also the type found on your PC, or memory stick/thumb drive/ whatever else is out there)  So you need an A to B USB cable to connect the Fader wing to the ION.  So you would also need an A type connector to Ethernet adapter and a B type connector to Ethernet adapter on the other end.

All this being said, it would be really freakin cool if it did work.....

I can think of so many ways to use a fader wing if that kind of set up did work....

Maybe I'm wrong here.  But I am sure someone in the know will chime in shortly and clarify.

Last time I tested a USB via Cat 5 extender, it did not work.

I just ordered two new and different USB extenders. I will test them as soon as they arrive at ETC (probably Monday). I will post my results here.

What is at the SM panel of the Cat5 cable in your current system?

Dennis Varian

Eos Development Team

I am in a high school where there is someone in our auditorium almost everyday.I will be using the back stage fader panel to allow groups using the space to turn some lights on and off without actually going into my booth.

 I am using the CAT5 because the Strand 300 series we are replacing used ethernet connections between interchangeable fader banks. Which was pulled from the booth to backstage to create a remote submaster station.

The adapter I am going to use is powered so as to avoid the voltage drop issues that causes data loss over 5m when using USB.

We have a RF remote for our computer that presenters use for Powerpoint presentations.  We relocated the USB antenna to the catwalk via USB to Cat 5 adaptors with excellent results.  The length of the Cat 5 is approximately 125'. 

A theatre I freelance for has an Ion.  I was contemplating this very idea. 

I will let you know as soon as it arrives and I get it installed. It seems our friends in WI are now back ordered by a bit to get the console out.

::bated breath started::

I received two different USB extenders this week. They are the IOGEAR GUCE51 USB Ethernet Extender and VIGOR VAD-1120 USB CAT 5e Extender Adapter. Both purchased from Newegg.com.

Both worked the first time for connecting a 1x20 fader module (the one without an LCD) to an Ion through 100' of Cat 5 cable. No restarts or configuration required.

When I used the extenders with a 2x10 wing (with an LCD display) it kinda worked, but not very well. The faders worked, but LEDs and LCD were very slow. It also kept disconnecting. After a couple full reboots it worked correctly. There is a small lag time between moving the faders and seeing the output change.

 I only spent about 1/2 hour testing this out. If you want to use USB extenders I recommend testing them out in your site before you NEED them to work.

Dennis