Madrix & 256 Universe Limit
Moderator: MADRIX Team
Madrix & 256 Universe Limit
Hi,
We are users of a Madrix Ultimate. Our installation has about 300 virtual universes and each universe only uses a maximum of 330 DMX addresses, so, we should enough to fit within the ultimate total DMX address limit for our license.
The number of universes was properly updated in the Preferences section, and the Patcher happily accommodates our 300+ universe matrix... no problems here.
However, when creating devices in the Artnet tab of the Device Manager, the dropdowns only allow a maximum universe of 256. Strangely, when the same Artnet device is accessed under the DMX tab of Device Manager, the universe number allowed goes past 256. I know I must be missing something.... What else do we need to do to allow Madrix to work with >256 Artnet/DMX universes?
I hope you can help us here. The project is a huge one and will result in one of the largest LED screens in the world in terms of size. If it helps, I'll be happy to send all our project files privately via email. Thanks in advance!
We are users of a Madrix Ultimate. Our installation has about 300 virtual universes and each universe only uses a maximum of 330 DMX addresses, so, we should enough to fit within the ultimate total DMX address limit for our license.
The number of universes was properly updated in the Preferences section, and the Patcher happily accommodates our 300+ universe matrix... no problems here.
However, when creating devices in the Artnet tab of the Device Manager, the dropdowns only allow a maximum universe of 256. Strangely, when the same Artnet device is accessed under the DMX tab of Device Manager, the universe number allowed goes past 256. I know I must be missing something.... What else do we need to do to allow Madrix to work with >256 Artnet/DMX universes?
I hope you can help us here. The project is a huge one and will result in one of the largest LED screens in the world in terms of size. If it helps, I'll be happy to send all our project files privately via email. Thanks in advance!
Re: Madrix & 256 Universe Limit
Hello leowongsc,
Welcome to the MADRIX forum.
.
You are on a good way to create the setup with more than 256 universes.
I will try to clear things up:
.
The Art-Net specification provides that you will be able to set the port of an Art-Net interface to Universe 256 maximal.
You can do this assignment in the "Art-Net" tab of the "Device Manager" in MADRIX.
But in your case, this is not the way you have to go.
.
Please do the following:
Go to the "Art-Net" tab of the "Device Manager". Now you have to change the port and universe assignment.
It is recommended to set the Universe to the corresponding port of the interface.
For instance all your Art-Net nodes have 4 DMX ports. Please assign Universe Port Out 1 to Universe 1, Universe Port Out 2 to Universe 2,
Universe Port Out 3 to Universe 3,
Universe Port Out 4 to Universe 4. Do this for all of your nodes.
.
Please note: You have to send the DMX data to the node via "Send Direct". Please make sure that this is activated.
.
Now go to the "DMX Devices" tab of the Device Manager in MADRIX . In this tab you have to assign the virtual universe to the desired device. That means: here you have to assign Universe 1 - 300.
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us again!
Thank you.
Welcome to the MADRIX forum.
.
You are on a good way to create the setup with more than 256 universes.
I will try to clear things up:
.
The Art-Net specification provides that you will be able to set the port of an Art-Net interface to Universe 256 maximal.
You can do this assignment in the "Art-Net" tab of the "Device Manager" in MADRIX.
But in your case, this is not the way you have to go.
.
Please do the following:
Go to the "Art-Net" tab of the "Device Manager". Now you have to change the port and universe assignment.
It is recommended to set the Universe to the corresponding port of the interface.
For instance all your Art-Net nodes have 4 DMX ports. Please assign Universe Port Out 1 to Universe 1, Universe Port Out 2 to Universe 2,
Universe Port Out 3 to Universe 3,
Universe Port Out 4 to Universe 4. Do this for all of your nodes.
.
Please note: You have to send the DMX data to the node via "Send Direct". Please make sure that this is activated.
.
Now go to the "DMX Devices" tab of the Device Manager in MADRIX . In this tab you have to assign the virtual universe to the desired device. That means: here you have to assign Universe 1 - 300.
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us again!
Thank you.
Re: Madrix & 256 Universe Limit
Hello leowongsc,
.
I forgot something in my last post.
.
Please make sure that the assignment of DMX universes are corresponding with the pysical ports of the nodes. In the most cases the Art-Net node provides a web configuration or an additional software to configure the ports to the desired universes. In this configuration you should set port 1 to universe 1, port 2 to universe 2 and so on. Please do this for all your nodes.
.
I forgot something in my last post.
.
Please make sure that the assignment of DMX universes are corresponding with the pysical ports of the nodes. In the most cases the Art-Net node provides a web configuration or an additional software to configure the ports to the desired universes. In this configuration you should set port 1 to universe 1, port 2 to universe 2 and so on. Please do this for all your nodes.
Re: Madrix & 256 Universe Limit
Hi Guertler,
Thanks for the reply!
.
So, if I understand correctly, Madrix is basically sending the output from virtual DMX universes directly to specific Artnet devices based on IP address and physical port count.
.
IE. so, for example if I send virtual universe 280 to a 4-port device whose IP address is 10.0.0.11, port 1 of that device will receive data from virtual universe 280, port 2 will get virtual universe 281... and so on. Is this the concept?
.
Finally, will this method also work with an 8-port device? (We are using the Luminex EthernetDMX8 MkII as the Artnet nodes in our project.)
.
Many thanks again in advance for your help!
Thanks for the reply!
.
So, if I understand correctly, Madrix is basically sending the output from virtual DMX universes directly to specific Artnet devices based on IP address and physical port count.
.
IE. so, for example if I send virtual universe 280 to a 4-port device whose IP address is 10.0.0.11, port 1 of that device will receive data from virtual universe 280, port 2 will get virtual universe 281... and so on. Is this the concept?
.
Finally, will this method also work with an 8-port device? (We are using the Luminex EthernetDMX8 MkII as the Artnet nodes in our project.)
.
Many thanks again in advance for your help!
Re: Madrix & 256 Universe Limit
Hello leowongsc,
You are welcome.
.
Yes, you understand it right. You have to assign a virual DMX universe to a node with a specific IP address and a port of this node.
.
Regarding you example:
If you want to send virtual DMX universe 280 to port 1 of the node with the IP 10.0.0.11 you have to assign universe 280 to this node on "Port 0" in the "DMX Devices" tab of the "Device Manager". If you want that port 2 of this node receives the Art-Net data of vitual universe 281 you also have to assign this in the "DMX Devices" tab. In this case you have to assign "Port 1" of the node with the IP 10.0.0.11 to virtual DMX universe 281.
That means you have to assign all virtual DMX universes to the desired ports of the Art-Net nodes.
Please pay attention: In the "DMX Devices" list of the "Device Manager" the ports are starting at 0.
.
It will also work with a 8 port Art-Net node. In the case of a 8 port node you will find two 4 port nodes after a click on the "Find Auto" button in the "Art-Net" tab of MADRIX in the list. One node with universe 1 - 4 and one node with universe 5 - 8. If you want to creat the nodes manually you have to create two 4 port nodes. The first one for universe assignment 1 - 4 and the second one for universe assignment 5 - 8 with the same IP address as the first node.
.
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us again!
Thank you.
You are welcome.
.
Yes, you understand it right. You have to assign a virual DMX universe to a node with a specific IP address and a port of this node.
.
Regarding you example:
If you want to send virtual DMX universe 280 to port 1 of the node with the IP 10.0.0.11 you have to assign universe 280 to this node on "Port 0" in the "DMX Devices" tab of the "Device Manager". If you want that port 2 of this node receives the Art-Net data of vitual universe 281 you also have to assign this in the "DMX Devices" tab. In this case you have to assign "Port 1" of the node with the IP 10.0.0.11 to virtual DMX universe 281.
That means you have to assign all virtual DMX universes to the desired ports of the Art-Net nodes.
Please pay attention: In the "DMX Devices" list of the "Device Manager" the ports are starting at 0.
.
It will also work with a 8 port Art-Net node. In the case of a 8 port node you will find two 4 port nodes after a click on the "Find Auto" button in the "Art-Net" tab of MADRIX in the list. One node with universe 1 - 4 and one node with universe 5 - 8. If you want to creat the nodes manually you have to create two 4 port nodes. The first one for universe assignment 1 - 4 and the second one for universe assignment 5 - 8 with the same IP address as the first node.
.
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us again!
Thank you.