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    Jacques Mersereau
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ETC Ethernet Install Plan - anywhere?

Greetings list,

My name is Jacques Mersereau, and I work for the University of Michigan.

I manage a video studio - basically a large sound stage with a motorized lighting grid system.

This grid system is made up of 12 grids of various dimensions and 6 batons. 

Although we do not yet have any LED lights or movers, we hope to soon replace our aging squadrons of Fresnels, pars, Lekos and cyc lights.

 I am looking to see what you gurus suggest as we move to designing an closed ethernet network - IP from an ION console to distribute DMX512.

There are many ways to do this, so I was wondering if ETC has any documentation (I can see to find any) that shows various system layouts.

JANDS has this:

http://lighting.jands.com.au/CD/Technical%20Resources/Pathway/Using%20Pathway%E2%80%99s%20Pathport%20Networked%20DMX%20Products.pdf

I am wondering if ETC has something similar using ETC gear.

  • Hi Jacques,

    thanks for contacting us about getting your Lighting Control System upgraded.

    Naturally ETC has solutions for Lighting Control Network Systems. Its best to contact a dealer local to you to have them explain to you what's possible for your venue and to give you an offer.

    Before you contact your local ETC Dealer, a few words of wisdom:

     ETC - as many other companies - use the following data protocols: DMX, RDM and sACN/ACN to communicate lighting control data through the lighting System. These four protocols are standardized, which means that you can source products from different manufacturers, and most professional manufacturers will be able to communicate with each other - which means as a customer you can source your Equipment from a plethora of Dealers.

    DMX = DMX512 - Data Protocol used since 1986 to send Lighting Control Data over a 3-Wire DMX Wire using a 5-pin XLR Connector

    RDM = Extension of DMX512 which allows Feedback to travel back and forth from DMX Receivers to DMX Controllors (Consoles) to allow for DMX Address Setting, Configuration, Feedback, Error Messages, etc.

    sACN = Protocol to send DMX Information/Lighting Control Data (Light-weight, DMX over Network) over an Ethernet-Based System (Cat5/6/7 Cable/Switches/Network Cards)

    ACN = Protocol to send Lighting Information over an Ethernet-Based System for Configuration, Feedback, etc (Cat5/6/7 Cable/Switches/Network)

    ETC brands Data Distribution Products as "Net3" and "Response" - these products communicate with DMX, RDM and sACN/ACN.  

    You can then source an RDM/Network console like one from our Eos Family Line such as Gio:

    or one of our Cobalt Line Consoles like Cobalt 10

    You want to be sure your DMX devices can also transmit RDM : From the Console to the DMX Gateways/Splitters to the fixtures - this allows you to patch the new fixtures in the console without any Manuals and figuring out modes, and then remotely changing dmx addresses, modes, and checking on Status like temperature, and errors. If your DMX devices in the System don't do RDM, then RDM won't go through those devices.  

    Then you could take some of our Gateways (Network to DMX Translaters) - the Net3 or Response Products :

    This Video may be helpful for you right now to watch:

    Here is also a diagram of what a typical Lighting Control Network System could look like:

    Eos Family Networking Example 20160516.pdf


    Designing your new Lighting Control Network System can be somewhat complicated, so we really recommend you contact a local dealer who can help make sure your system is installed to effectively last for years. You can find local ETC Dealers here at this link:

    If you have immediate questions you can call ETC or message me on here.

    Have a great day!

  • in reply to Jacques Mersereau
    Is this your System? Or have you drawn this out for your planning now? You seem to be on the ball now.
  • in reply to corey cascio
    The diagram I posted (just before you answered my questions) is a basic beginning.

    One question, if we go with single port gateways for each grid and baton, can we configure them to be different universes?

    And if yes, we can do that configure from the Ion?
  • in reply to Jacques Mersereau
    yes, they can be different universes. configuration depends on the manufacturer of those gateways. if ETC you can configure them from your Ion (although no while you're in the Eos application, you will have to exit that). you can also add a manager PC to your system where you run the configurator software
  • in reply to ueliriegg

    Do you have existing ETC Sensor dimmers, or will these be new? If they are existing, what type of processor do they have? CEM, CEM+ or CEM3. The latter two allow you to sit the processors on the network and drive levels via sACN directly from your Ion, no need for DMX. You can also receive error reporting over the network and make configuration changes to the racks remotely.

  • in reply to grahamparker
    I would have to check, but our Sensor dimmers are nearly twenty years old now. They've been real work horses.

    Might there be a new control card that could be installed on something this old to give us sACN?
  • in reply to Jacques Mersereau

    It's likely that you have CEM Classic then. Upgrading to a CEM3 processor is probably an option. It's a relatively straightforward process.

    Contact your local ETC dealer to discuss the details of the upgrade path.

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