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We're upgrading to an ETC board with no existing ETC Net infrastructure in the theater. I want to do it right.

The theater I work at is looking to buy a new board.  I've convinced them to get an Ion, which is a major upgrade to the current Colortran Innovator.  I've used the Ion plenty, but I've never had to deal with the networking part of it, so I'm not too familiar with that.  I want to make sure the Ion will do what we need, and make sure we get any additional routers or gateways or ethernet switches necessary.

Like I said, we currently have a Colortran Innovator.  It has 3 DMX outputs that run to three DMX ports in our booth.  One goes directly to the dimmers (some type of Strand dimmers, not sure what exactly), the other two go to DMX ports in the FOH cove and over stage.  We currently have about 150 dimmers, 4 moving lights and 5 scrollers.  We don't have enough addresses to eat up an entire universe, but it's been pretty great having dimmers on one universe, movers on another, and scrollers on the third; it's much less cable to worry about.

Since an Ion only has 2 DMX outputs, we would definitely need a Net3 Gateway to connect to our third.  But I'm not looking to just buy what we need to make our system work right now, I want to do a little upgrade to the infrastructure to make things easier for us in the future.  I have an idea, but I'm not actually sure how the Ion works over an ethernet network.  Is it as simple as an Ethernet switch connected to the board, any gateways, and any potential future backstage ethernet ports?  Would we need any specific ETC Net3 ethernet hardware?

I'm thinking we can get a 4-port gateway and an ethernet switch.  Plug the gateway and the Ion (routed through a wireless router) into the ethernet switch, and then assign three ports on the gateway to output to three universes and leave the fourth output open for future expansion*.  If we have this setup, would it allow us to eventually install additional ethernet ports backstage, connected to this switch, and plug in more DMX gateways?

*Could we also configure the fourth DMX port to be an input, so we could run DMX from the board to the gateway and run things that way?  Would that limit us to just one universe?  I'm just curious about this part, I don't see a reason we would need to do this unless something went terribly wrong with an ethernet port somewhere.

 

Thanks for the help.

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  • what about an Ion and 2 pcs ETC Net3 2port nodes? leave one in the booth which gives you 4 universes up there. and the other 2port node to be put wherever you might need it in the future. think about POE, it's well worth it

  • in reply to ueliriegg

    Yes we lost flexibility in our configuration. 

    With 4 single port gateways you can place them where you need them. 2-port gate ways are an option as well.  As i recall the price per port is about the same in all 3 configurations, though you can purchase a 4 port and not buy all the modules so there might be some saving there.

    Say one in booth, one SR, on SL and one in beams. 

    Again not knowing your specific needs and growth plans it is hard to say.  in our current house plot we use between 150 and 250 address per electric.  and it was way cheaper to send one universe to each electric, verses opto-splitters, and allows for more growth.

  • in reply to ehuber

    Technically you only need a one-port Net3 gateway (yes they make these) as has been stated, the Ion already has 2 outputs.  

    That's the cheapest and simplest solution to replicate what you have existing.  

    For the future ?, that depends on where you think you are are going to expand.  If you want to future proof the system, you will want to move to an Ethernet backbone, pulling 2 of the existing DMX lines and replacing with Cat5/6, leaving one DMX to the dimmers, which can't use the Net3 Ethernet signal.  

    I'd then install as many Cat 5/6 jacks around the theater as you can pay to get installed (in conduit), with an Ethernet PoE switch in the backstage area where all the Cat 5/6 will terminate.  Maybe put a rack mount gateway in this switch rack to have the dimmer DMX come out of, instead of the Ion.  Then buy whatever flavors and quantities of 1-2 & 4 port gateways you think will work.  

    Having E-Net everywhere makes life much simpler down the road, as you just pop in a gateway and you have DMX.  PoE is as BTW, Power over Ethernet.  The e-net switch provides the needed power to the gateway's, so you don't need local AC.



    [edited by: Steve Bailey at 2:20 PM (GMT -6) on Tue, Feb 25 2014]
  • in reply to Steve Bailey

    I would argue that you don't even need DMX from console.  Put a good POE switch (not off the shelf from staples) near the dimmer room and run one Cat5 to the switch from the console.

     

    The options are limitless.  I still recommended contacting  your ETC rep and explain what you are hoping to achieve now and in the future, they would have great insight.  

    The beauty of today's systems is that they can expand pretty easily and not for a ton of money. 

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  • in reply to Steve Bailey

    I would argue that you don't even need DMX from console.  Put a good POE switch (not off the shelf from staples) near the dimmer room and run one Cat5 to the switch from the console.

     

    The options are limitless.  I still recommended contacting  your ETC rep and explain what you are hoping to achieve now and in the future, they would have great insight.  

    The beauty of today's systems is that they can expand pretty easily and not for a ton of money. 

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