universe 3

What you'll need is one of the following items-

1) An ETC Net2 Node (running with EDMX.)

2) An ETC Net3 Gateway (2port or 4 port)

3) An ETC or Pathway Connect One port Gateway.

You'll also need a network switch and a length of ethernet cable to get the DMX out of the node or Gateway.

This covers the hardware.  If you need assistance with the software, please ask in a followup post.

The manual does cover a bit of the networking, and the Nodes/Gateway manuals will cover the rest.

Simply speaking, what you'll need to do is configure the nodes/gateways to be "Universe 3" and patch it on the console.

Depending on what version of the ION you have, you may only be able to patch 1024 outputs (but they don't need to be consecutive.)

Good luck.

What you'll need is one of the following items-

1) An ETC Net2 Node (running with EDMX.)

2) An ETC Net3 Gateway (2port or 4 port)

3) An ETC or Pathway Connect One port Gateway.

You'll also need a network switch and a length of ethernet cable to get the DMX out of the node or Gateway.

This covers the hardware.  If you need assistance with the software, please ask in a followup post.

The manual does cover a bit of the networking, and the Nodes/Gateway manuals will cover the rest.

Simply speaking, what you'll need to do is configure the nodes/gateways to be "Universe 3" and patch it on the console.

Depending on what version of the ION you have, you may only be able to patch 1024 outputs (but they don't need to be consecutive.)

Good luck.

To expand a bit on Dennis's comment

The Ion only has 2 DMX ports with 5 pin XLR, putting out Universes 1 & 2.  Some Ion consoles allow up to 3072 addresses to be controlled.

Any addresses you need to control above 1024 needs to communicate via the Cat5/RJ45 jack on the rear of the console to the assorted nodes that Dennis has described. Those nodes can be configured to listen to the Ion by using either a Net2 configuration editor, or the Net3 version.  The config editors are usually on a laptop that is also on the ETC lighting network and is used to "tell" a node that it's outputting the ports on Universe XX. 

But before you get into all that, are you sure you need an add'l universe ?, are you currently using all or most of the existing addresses available on the console, which in the base model is 1024 ?.  So the very first question we might have asked is Why do you need a 3rd universe ?.

Steve B.

Ok so here goes guys. Maybe I am missing something

I have 395 dimmers patched 1-1 so thats 1-395 on universe 1.

On universe 2 I have the following

7 mac 250 address 1-77

2 mac 300 address 78-99

12 VL spots address 100-363

7 VL wash address 364-468

Now life would be good but they added 10 four foot color blazers. So they would need to go into universe 3 starting at 1-241.

Can I just address the color blazers all the same? I guess I could but I would lose the ability to do a color chase. I think?

Also the color blazers have CAt5 plug on the back along with DMX

Idle question... What type of dimmers do you have. I have ETC Sensors so I switched over to ethernet/sACN for them freeing up the 2 DMX ports to control separate universes. Maybe you could do the same instead of having to purchase a node.

I do have ETC dimmers. And I do have an ETC link port where I plug in. How would I configure the board to use my CAT 5 to run the dimmers and the two DMX ports to be universe 2 and 3? If possible?

Unfortunately the ETC Link port does not work for controlling the dimmers.  In order to use cat5 cable to run the dimmers you have to be using CEM+ controllers.  These have the necessary hardware and software to run on the NET3/ACN network.  I don't know if it is even possible to upgrade your dimmer racks to take the CEM+ modules.  That would be something you would have to call ETC Tech support about.  

The simplest way to get another port for your Ion is to get a 2 port or 4 port NET 3 Gateway.  

Hope this helps

Configuring the DMX ports is done from the maintenance shell. The local I/O page lets you pick the universe you want the DMX ports to be. In my case I have them set as universes 2 & 3 with the dimmer rack in universe 1.

A few notes here....

If you have a base model (1024 outputs) ION, you will also need to have the software upgrade done.  Call your dealer, and they can get you the upgrade code.  Input the code, and you are good to go with more outputs.

You can upgrade your dimmer racks from a CEM to a CEM+ if you want to, but it will be more cost effective to just purchase a 1 port gateway and use that to get your 3rd universe.  You will need to provide a small POE switch to accommodate the link between the console and the gateway however.  In addition, you will need to have the NCE configuration software to configure the single port gateway on a laptop and able to hook into the same network.

Which version of Ion - 1024, 1536, 2048 ?.

"Now life would be good but they added 10 four foot color blazers. So they would need to go into universe 3 starting at 1-241"

Maybe I'm missing something, but doesn't a CB uses 3 DMX addresses per fixture to control RGB ?.  That's a total of 30 DMX addresses for the 10 CB's, so why not put them on U1 @ 401-430 ?.

The thing to remember about how the Eos and Ion use those 1024 addresses, is it's NOT limited as universes 1&2.  Using a Net2 or 3 system, you could assign those addresses across 32 available universes to nodes listening to the console:  Thus with a Net2 or 3 system, you could have nodes out there for a breakdown as follows:

"395 dimmers patched 1-1 so thats 1-395 on universe 1." - 1-395

"7 mac 250 address 1-77" - 2/1-78

"2 mac 300 address 78-99" - 3/1-20

"12 VL spots address 100-363" - 4/1-264

"7 VL wash address 364-468" - 5/1-125

Note that this is just an example of how you can distribute so as to put a fixture type/group on a separate universe if so desired.  Ion lets you do this via the network, with this particular setup being node intensive.  I also am not counting DMX numbers so it's possible there are ending errors, but it's just for example and the console figures it out anyway. 

Note also that your system is currently (with the CB's) at around 911+ DMX addresses.  I'd be thinking about moving up a level or two in terms of addresses, if your at 1024.  This is a software change once you pay for the upgrade.  I'd also be buying nodes at some point to help with the DMX distribution.

SB

guys I appreciate all your help. I think I only have two options. #1 get a node and use a 3rd universe.

#2 the color blazers do only use 3 channels of DMX BUT with the 4 foot or 6 foot sizes they are broken up into sections to give better control and blending. So I think I could do a 1 section a two section a 4 four  section or an 8 segment section. If I only use the mode 4 thats 4X3=12 dmx per 4 foot strip instead of the 8X3=24 dmx. So my total would be 120 total DMX channels and I could fit them in somewhere.

Ill let you know how bad I screw it up! HA

Thanks again guys

Chris

Last thought to save you getting the node, installing a PoE switch, running Cat5 etc..

A lot of systems don't use every dimmer and in your case are you using dims 393-394 &395 ?, 'cause if you're not, start the CB addressing at 393.

SB

You might be able to just use a gateway as long as your console has the output. I used my 4 port NET 3 ACN Gateway with a 6' crossover cable directly out of the Ion 2K, with just 2 sleds(DMX XLR 5 pin female) when I first got it, to give me my 4 universes.  No network switch yet.

Uni's 1& 2: console XLR's.

Uni's 3 & 4: Gateway XLR's.

Now, my gateway now has 4 sleds giving me 4 XLR universes. I used GCE-Gateway Configuration Editor on a laptop then, but you can do it on the Ion in the shell settings now. Very cool.

I have Netgear FS108 switches (1st one next to the console) running around to the stages & dimmer rooms, and Netgear WG102 WAPs.(iRFR installing next week!)  Next I will get more gateways to place in more areas, to eliminate XLR cable runs. I'll upgrade to 3K when a Production needs/pays for it!