Compact sACN source?

As I was traipsing around a site a couple weeks ago, hauling my laptop all over the place, running SACNView as a source to test more than 700 circuits, I thought to myself, "wouldn't it be great if there was something small and compact that spit out and read sACN data on the network?" (no console, no DMX inputs, 45 net taps)

So my question, fellow technicians, is: has anyone found a compact tool that will both read and spit out sACN data? Similar to a DMXter or Gizmo, but for sACN? Of course POE powered would be great, but a self contained battery would be fine as well.

If not, can someone please develop one?

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SJohnson 10 months ago +1

DMXcat-E (New!) and DMXcat® Multi Function Test Tool (citytheatrical.com) don't know if it released yet but it is coming!

sk8rs_dad over 13 years ago

I think that Wireshark has been ported to Android. Wireshark can capture and dissect ACN but I don't know if the dissector is available in any of the ported applications, not having any Android devices to try it on. You would have to filter while capturing to pull out meaningful information and even then, the data wouldn't be as sexy as sACNview.
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tomsteer over 13 years ago

Hi Chris,

This is something I have looked at on and off. I did some research into making a standalone DMXter-like tool for sACN; unfortunately the costs of designing such a tool are quite prohibitive for what would be (for now) a fairly small sales market.

However - one option to consider would be a smart device (iPhone, Android phone or tablet) plus some software. Currently, on iPhone Luminair (http://synthe-fx.com/products/luminair) has the option to transmit sACN as well as Artnet, so could certainly be used as a channel check type tool. As far as I know it doesn't receive data. You could simply carry a small access point to connect to a net tap, and use the iPhone as a portable remote.

There are a number of other channel check type tools for Artnet out there, for both Android and iPhone. There are some interesting new Android tablets coming out which are fairly inexpensive and which do have wired Ethernet ports. As of yet I haven't found any applications which send sACN on Android though.

Anyway, this is certainly an area we are looking at.. so keep an eye out for future developments. And that's all I'll say for now :-)

-Tom
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BLGranucci over 13 years ago in reply to tomsteer

iView ArtNet will receive ArtNet on an iOS device. It is a free app.

The cheapest ArtNet transmitter I can find for iOS is FocusRemote for $11.99. No reviews, and I don't have it so I can't attest to how well it works.
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craigblackley over 13 years ago in reply to BLGranucci

I tried Focus Remote- with a WAP and a Sandbox ( its a DMX in/out ethernet node, takes all sorts of protocols )

Focus Reote worked fine- pretty basic. I did keep getting a false error that it wasn't connected to a network.

2 things I wish it had:

-a command line display that showed previos entry- just so you could check that you didn't mis-enter something

- "next "and "last" buttons to step through channels, for a channel check.

But for $12, it was worth it to avoid runing back and forth to the control booth

Craig Blackley

Jack A. Frost Ltd.
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jfuchs over 13 years ago in reply to craigblackley

I, for one, would love to see sACN View on Android... (and iOS, for the rest of the world too...)

I would be happy to plug in a wireless access point for simple channel checks like that.
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Jason Taylor over 6 years ago

This will be a bit of a thread necro, but small computing platforms (read: raspberry pi 3 b+'s, and such...) have a come a long way. With a few UI tweaks, sacnview could be a good fit. It's mostly how to do the whole front end. I might poke around to see what's possible.

Who is doing the front end for sacnview these days?
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Hans.Hinrichsen over 6 years ago in reply to Jason Taylor

See github.com/.../sacnview for current source and project activity.
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marcusbirkin over 6 years ago in reply to Jason Taylor

I have successfully compiled and run sACNView 2 on the ODroid XU4, as well as used the underlying library on a Beaglebone Black project; both running Linux.

Many wonderful small devices and touchscreens are available; and the code is very portable.
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Jason Taylor over 6 years ago in reply to marcusbirkin

I'm thinking something like a RPI3B+ with a 7" touchscreen with a POE board in terms of hardware. If this is going to be ~a thing~ it would be nice to have a "touchscreen mode" for the UI (or at least something more friendly to lower resolution screens.)
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s-dalgaard over 6 years ago

I use a small UBNT wireless acces point with POE. I just plug it in and connect my sACNView app on my IPhone to test the system. It smaller than a laptop and much cheaper to replicerer when you drop in on the floor:)
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