Help creating custom fixtures

the RockOn7 seems to be in the library of the current software (3.0.1). if you're on hardware that allows to run the 3.0 branch you might want to update.

motionstrip and spyder are not in the library, even of the current software. which modes did you try to build and what didn't work?

Thanks for that. I was able to get the board updated as well as the fixture library. 

I'm struggling to make the RockOn7s work properly. I can patch in 1 of them on channel 1 but adding a second one doesn't work. Adding a single one only works on channel 1. Any suggestions?

It looks like there are two modes available for that fixture, a 14ch and 16ch.  So, you need to make sure your fixtures are using either the 14-dmx-address setup, or the 16-dmx-address setup, then choose the matching one on your console.

Also, make sure you are offsetting the two fixtures' start addresses.  For instance, the first one might be DMX Address 1-14 on Channel 1.  The second fixture needs to have an address higher than 14, otherwise they will overlap and you will get strange behavior.  

For ease of use, you might want to make the first fixture be address 101-114; the second one 121-134; and so on.  In Patch, that would look something like:

I've got all the fixtures in 14 channel mode (The 16 channel mode doesn't seem to work at all) and I have staggered the addresses.  

If I only use 1 fixture, it will only work on the first 14 addresses of the universe. No matter where else I set it, it will not work. I wondered if there's some setting in the fixtures themselves that I'm missing, but I've been through the manual 10 times now and I'm at a loss. 

So to clarify, if both your fixtures are set to address 1025 (but "1" on the fixture), they both work, correct?  But when you set them to "15" on the fixture, 1039 at the console, you don't get anything?

How are you set up in [Browser] > Setup > System Settings > Output

Probably like this?

If you exit to the Welcome Screen, press "Settings", then have a look in Network under Output Protocols, is there a small limit set in "Allowed Output Addresses"?

(Mine says "From 1 to 32767488")

If all of that matches mine, could you save logs from your console and send them to us?  Retrieving or Saving Log Files from Eos Family Consoles - Electronic Theatre Controls Inc  There might be some indication in the logs about why it's not working.

Mine shows the same number as yours. I recorded a short video. I'll grab the logs now!

photos.app.goo.gl/erRPqjSPkNJSq1SPA

aha

on the units, first unit wants to be addressed to 1 (address 1 which is also 1025 on the console)

the second unit is addressed as 15 (address 15 which is also 1039 in the console)

the Channel number is only ever in the console.  the lamps never see it.

the console translates chan 1 to address 1025 (3rd U, address 1).  the unit is programmed to listen only to address 1-14 in its universe.  it doesn't know about the existence of U 1 or 2 or 4 or 5.

the console translates chan 2 to address 1039 (3rd U, address 15). Unit 2 is programmed to listen to only address 15 - 29 in its universe.

So the solution is to just switch the second fixture to channel 15? I feel stupid having wasted so much time with this!

yes, that's the solution

just as a short, very general explanation: there are two number worlds: the channels and the addresses.

• a channel is what you and the console use to tell each other which fixture you mean.
• an address is what the console and fixture use to communicate with each other. this is the DMX world, it's the number you put into the fixture.
• universe is part of the address. because originally you had one DMX cable and this can transport 512 addresses. if this is full (or because of topological reasons) and you a second cable this also has 512 addresses but different ones. the fixtures connected to that cable are not aware if they're listening to the first or second cable because they're not aware of multiple cables. but the console has to know if it should feed the information into the first or second cable.
  512 addresses = 1 cable full of DMX = 1 universe.

after having set up everything you don't need to think about addresses anymore and only use channels. the reasoning is that you can choose channel numbers with a system that help you remember which light is which. addresses tend to have odd numbers that are harder to memorize. isn't it simpler to remember 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 than 1, 15, 29, 43, 57?

the patch is the only place in the console where those two number worlds touch. here you assign which channel number equals which address number(s).

Does this help?

Thank you. I feel silly having missed this very obvious thing. I truly appreciate your help!

All of this tech just kinda dropped on me without any training so I'm working my way through it all.