Viewing Sensor+ Dimmers from a computer

"Until yesterday I had no idea that it was possible to view the status of dimmers on a laptop. I found the DimStat program on the website and have some questions about it.

I have done some research on it, but have not been able to figure out how you would connect the laptop to the dimmer. Also where do you download the software (and how much it is). I have a mac book pro, but I have XP running on VMware Fusion."

Sensor with CEM+ has had the ability for a few years, using Sensor + Connect, which is a web based browser that access the CEM+ modules.  You need to manually configure the puter's IP address to access. 

DimStat is a newer, and not free program.  I have never used it.

" This is unrelated but I dont want to start a new thread... I have an Expression 3, I was wondering if there was software to hook a laptop up to the expression (perferably wirelessly) and use the laptop as an RFU? I have hooked up a video node over the eithernet so I think the hardware is there but I dont know about the software. "

No, you cannot connect a laptop directly to the Express/ion series consoles.  To do so requires the consoles be running in Facepanel mode on an Emphasis server, in Net2, and that the laptop have WYSIWYG 15 (or 16 or 17) as well as Emphasis Virtual Facepanel installed, dongles included.

Standard Express/ion's are Net1 only, and there is no virtual remote for this protacol.

Steve Bailey

Brooklyn College

"Until yesterday I had no idea that it was possible to view the status of dimmers on a laptop. I found the DimStat program on the website and have some questions about it.

I have done some research on it, but have not been able to figure out how you would connect the laptop to the dimmer. Also where do you download the software (and how much it is). I have a mac book pro, but I have XP running on VMware Fusion."

Sensor with CEM+ has had the ability for a few years, using Sensor + Connect, which is a web based browser that access the CEM+ modules.  You need to manually configure the puter's IP address to access. 

DimStat is a newer, and not free program.  I have never used it.

" This is unrelated but I dont want to start a new thread... I have an Expression 3, I was wondering if there was software to hook a laptop up to the expression (perferably wirelessly) and use the laptop as an RFU? I have hooked up a video node over the eithernet so I think the hardware is there but I dont know about the software. "

No, you cannot connect a laptop directly to the Express/ion series consoles.  To do so requires the consoles be running in Facepanel mode on an Emphasis server, in Net2, and that the laptop have WYSIWYG 15 (or 16 or 17) as well as Emphasis Virtual Facepanel installed, dongles included.

Standard Express/ion's are Net1 only, and there is no virtual remote for this protacol.

Steve Bailey

Brooklyn College

Thank you Steve. 

 Yes, indeed CEM+ has supported connection from PC to the dimming system since its introduction about 4 years ago through Internet Explorer. Sensor+ connect is embedded in CEM+ as a free tool for your convenience. DimStat also has been offered as a more versatile tool for Monitoring status, logging of errors, setup of SmartLink presets, and management of settings across multiple shows for easy changeover, manual control of your dimmers. The software’s list price is $995 and can be purchased through your local ETC dealer.

Connection to either of the remote software solutions for CEM+ require standard Cat5 Ethernet network. Also, note that neither Sensor+ Connect nor DimStat are compatible with the original CEM.  Upgrade of the Sensor dimming system from CEM to CEM+ control processor would be required for use of remote monitoring at a computer over the network.

Thanks for your responses.

I conected my laptop to the ETC Net jacks that we have in the theatre, and to my amazement it worked and I was able to connect to the dimmers. We have two ETC Net jacks, one in the booth, and one at the "design table." I had always assumed that the cable was run from one jack to the other. But I found out last night that that is not the case, that it runs to a hub. I am shocked that it is set up correctly.

"By default, pressing log in will get you to the normal user log in.  There is a password that allows more advanced setup, but that level also allows the change of things like rack type which you really don't want to change."

Yeah, I did this once, got a log-in screen asking for password, typed "Joshua" and it asked me "wOUld YUo liKE tO PlAY a GAMe ?.

What's that about ?

 SB

 Just don't choose Global Thermonuclear (Thermonucular?) War.  It really slows down the rack's response time.   :)