• Date
    SmartfadeML User
  • Date
  • Replies 2 replies
  • Subscribers 66 subscribers
  • Views 3365 views
  • Users 0 members are here

Smartfade ML - Unusual Request

Hello,

This request will be a bit unusual from the normal.  My background is relatively technical in nature and having access to the source code for the SmartfadeML would make what I want to do much easier.

We have several moving lights in my setup.  Unfortunately, they are a bit awkward to control, and especially to be able to do things such as tracking people around on stage, or having good/intuitive control of the lights.

What I am intend to do is develop an application where I take a map of the stage/room the lights are in, map relevant coordinates of the lights (corresponding to 0-100 on the two axis controls) onto this map, and provide some way to translate selected location on the map to the dmx universe.  The external application would allow a user to control the location the moving lights are aimed via a mouse or touch screen interface.  There would naturally be many behind the scenes calculations and conversions, in addition to the mouse/touch screen interactions. 

I would rather not have to purchase an external usb-to-dmx converter just for this purpose.  Considering I am already using the SmartfadeML board, I was wondering if it's possible to get access to the source code for the SmartfadeML app - this program obviously talks with the board in such a way I would be able to integrate my program.  Or some equivalent utility to let me communicate with the board and control the dmx outputs It would make what I intend to do significantly easier.  Is there something external to the main Smartfade ML software which can communicate with it, and tell it which dmx signals to send?

Please let me know if this is feasible or if you need more information from me.  I realize this is a rather non-standard request, but am not sure if there is another forum more applicable. 

I am also able to discuss via email or phone if this would be preferable.

Thanks in advance,

Alden

  • Hi Alden,

    That sounds like a very interesting project. Unfortunately, the SmartFade ML source code is proprietary and confidential. It is designed and written for a very specific hardware set.

    While the bulk of that information is not available to publish, I can tell you that even though the console has a USB port in addition to the DMX and MIDI ports, that port requires that the communication go through the console and is not able to be a direct USB to DMX translator.

    For your project, I would consider looking at either using an open-source USB to DMX converter (such as this one listing for less than $50: http://www.enttec.com/index.php?main_menu=Products&pn=70302&show=description ). Or, if you are looking more toward the future of lighting, consider writing your application to be able to integrate and transmit ACN and/or sACN. There are several development tools for that lighting protocol including some source code examples for Streaming ACN (sACN). Our own sACN source code is available for download here: http://www.etcconnect.com/product.overview.aspx?ID=20339 . In the sACN development world, I would also highly recommend sACNView to verify your output. sACNView is an open source project available here: http://sacnview.sourceforge.net/ .

    Good luck with your project!

  • in reply to starksk

    Hmm, I guess that is what I was expecting.  Once I get things working (not currently a top priority in my life) I will have to post here as I am sure some people will find this sort of thing interesting...

    Thank you for the advice - I was exploring the USB --> DMX convertors but was hoping to find a cheaper solution.  Might be the way to go I guess, plus it will let me create far more elaborate sequences and patterns than the board currently does (since there is nearly no theoretical limit to the number of sequences or patterns I could code into a computer program controlling the lights :-)  Could probably eliminate the need for a controller board in some smaller light venues actually...

Related

www.etcconnect.com