LED Screen control with an Ion?

The computer is what's known as a media server. I'm not an expert on media servers but I will share what I know.

A computer just running Windows Media Player onto your screen isn't going to do it. It needs to be running media server software. Think of the media server as a moving light. You address it, you set the mode, and you run a network cable to it. Then you can control it with your ML controls. Set the "look" and record it into a cue along with all your lights.

Let's say the computer is running Mbox Studio 4.0 for example. That software accepts SACN and Art-Net input. So you would run ethernet cables from your Ion to the media server. Then you patch it in the patch tab, using "search", "type", "at", etc. just like patching a moving light. You would probably use one channel for a master and other channels for layers.

For example,
201 {type} Mbox Studio v.4.0 Global Master [at] 3/1 enter
202 {type} Mbox Studio v.4.0 Layer Base [at] 3/6 enter

In live, you can record Cue 1 with no lights on and no video playback. Then turn on some lights. Go into the ML tab and play back some video using the channel you patched as your layer channel. (Read the media server software manual). Now record this as Cue 2. When you are in Cue 1, pressing Go will turn on your lights and start video playback at the same time.

If you have more questions, keep posting in this thread. Odds are someone will read this who has more experience and will be able to answer your questions better than I can.

I'm no expert at all in video screens either also....is it possible to make the computer the "middle man" and just have the Ion telling the software "ok now it's time to show the next thing" and have a person at the computer fixing fade times ?

(Side note , we use this screen for the drama club mostly and there's are quick blackouts and things that change mid scene in the show.)

They call me lighting Jesus said:

I'm no expert at all in video screens either also....is it possible to make the computer the "middle man" and just have the Ion telling the software "ok now it's time to show the next thing" and have a person at the computer fixing fade times ?
 

Probably, depending on the software. Although I wouldn't want someone else at the computer. I would want to configure everything on the computer myself ahead of time and run everything from the Ion.

I would have to figure out what software we use . Thanks for right now though I'll post back here when I find the software name

I would have to figure out what software we use . Thanks for right now though I'll post back here when I find the software name