7 lenses & 9 channels RGB white to create fixture file for

[nickguk]

Hi guys, this is my first time actually posting a help request, having spent the last few weeks getting FS to work with my JMS USB2DMX and even managing to create a couple of simple fixture files for some LED gear I have.

However, I am now totally stuck with trying to create a fixture file for a KAM LED DMX swingfire light. It has 7 lenses and a total of 9 channels, each lens RGB and white. Manual is here: http://www.kam.co.uk/media/file/product ... nual_2.pdf

Having read the read me file for this board, I am hazarding a guess that it might be one of those fixtures that needs macros or something, although if it is I can't find any posts telling us how to deal with macros!

Any help or pointers would be great.

Thanks in advance, Nick.

[nickguk]

strewth, you are sure clever mate!!

You make it all sound so easy!....... It's a mindset to get around I guess, and I want to get all the way there, I tell you!

Am going to download what you have created and see what happens in the meantime.

Cheers for your help so far!

Nick.

[nickguk]

Blimey, I have just looked at the macros you have done.

I can fully understand why you have put the various values in the columns, no problem. My failure is probably even more basic I reckon, in that I can't figure how you get to write the macros in the first place! Please don't think me dumb here, but when I started playing with this fixture the macros window was all but empty with no sign of what I had to do in order for it to do anything for me!

Hey, also, how did you get that image of the light in the file details, and even more, how did you get all the .bmp icons next to the entries in the macros table?

I really want to be able to get all of this for what I think is a complicated light so then we can all help other newbies later on.

Looking forward to hearing more from you!

Great work! Nick.

[nickguk]

Thanks again, Andre.

I didn't have much time last night to do any more fiddling, though did look at the macro creator again and can see what you mean now mean now about the image files on the right hand list - very cool; if only they all had a preview too!!! - Maybe I will work on that when I am expert at this!!

Am going to have a go tonight at completing the rest of the macro table and hopefully actually connect the fixture up and see how it goes.

Cool tip about creating a fixture image by scaling one down off the web - thanks for that too!

Have got a couple of lasers to work on after this, so watch this space - I'm sure I'll be back to you for more guidance shortly though.

Nick.

[nickguk]

Update.....

It all works!!!!............. I have set up the macros for all 7 lenses and the strobe and program channels and they all work ---- all 144 lines of them in the macro!

Nice work, mate, thank you for you guidance. Al I have to do now is add all the 100+ image and picture reference files into each remaining line for lenses 2-7, then re-do the strobe and program channels in the relevant macro lines towards the end of the table for channels 8 and 9 respectively, and it's good to go!........ Am actually thinking that a cut and paste option would be cool here in fact!?!?!?!.........

Hey, how do I upload it all when I have finished and tested for anyone to use if they have the same fixture?

Excellent support, Andre, thanks a million!

Nick.

[tellam]

I'm having problems getting this to work with my light. (Kam Swingfire DMX)
I'm using a Aurora afterglow usb/dmx interface with the latest version of freestyler.
When I click on the macro buttons, the sliders on my screen work, so it's not that.
The Dip switches on the light are 1, 4, 10 on as suggested in their manual (unless I'm reading it wrong).
On the interface itself the power light is on and the dmx light is constantly flashing.
Could it be the interface, as it is not recognised by Magic 3D easyview, although I have set it up in FS.

Ps I should point out that I am a complete novice at DMX

[tellam]

I'm having problems getting this to work with my light. (Kam Swingfire DMX)
I'm using a Aurora afterglow usb/dmx interface with the latest version of freestyler.
When I click on the macro buttons, the sliders on my screen work, so it's not that.
The Dip switches on the light are 1, 4, 10 on as suggested in their manual (unless I'm reading it wrong).
On the interface itself the power light is on and the dmx light is constantly flashing.
Could it be the interface, as it is not recognised by Magic 3D easyview, although I have set it up in FS.

Ps I should point out that I am a complete novice at DMX

What they suggest for setting dipswitches at is just an example and not something you should actually use. Dipswitch settings depends on 2 things, normally these sort of fixtures have a sound 2 light mode, a stand alone mode (built in chases) and DMX mode, so you need to ensure that the dipswitch that allows DMX control is ON (probably). Then you need to decide what address the fixture is going to be at. If it is your one and only fixture at the moment then the obvious choice would be address 1. Normally this would mean dipswitch 1 on, the rest off except the dipswitch needed to tell the fixture to use DMX. The same address needs to be used in FreeStyler when you patch the fixture. Think of it like a postal address, put the wrong address and it get delivered to the wrong place, same as IN DMX. FIxture addresses cannot overlap as this will cause a lot of problems, you can however have identical fixtures set to the same address and they would behave exactly the same, never seen the point of this unless you know that they are always going to be used in the exact same way and to reduce the number of channels used.

For some good grounding in DMX etc take a look at our DMX Wiki.

Thanks for the quick reply.
I've set the dip switches 1 and 10 (10 being the instruction for dmx) and made sure that the address is set at 1 in FS. Still nothing going to the light.
Just wondering if anyone else has had problems with the after glow. I'm loathe to spending £70+ on a different model only to find it isnt that after all!

[tellam]

You do not need an interface to actually use FreeStyler and Magic 3D EasyView, if you set the controller to "Virtual", it also should work with an interface selected and not actually connected as all it should be doing is pass the DMX values to the EasyView program as well as the interface.

I realise that but the problem I'm having is getting it to work my lights, not easyview

[remco_k]

You do not need an interface to actually use FreeStyler and Magic 3D EasyView, if you set the controller to "Virtual", it also should work with an interface selected and not actually connected as all it should be doing is pass the DMX values to the EasyView program as well as the interface.

I realise that but the problem I'm having is getting it to work my lights, not easyview

Okay, you are clearly missing some importand configuration point (DMX address of the fixture configured in FreeStyler, DMX address of the fixture itself), or your interface is not working properly, or your DMX cabling is bad, or you are touching the wrong controls in FS.
So, forget the Easyview part for the moment. Lets focus on the "FreeStyler->USB to DMX->Kam Swingfire" construction.
Please double check that you configured the Kam Swingfire on channel 1. Both in FreeStyler and on the unit (dip 1 and 10 on, the rest off - there seems to be an error in the manual telling dip 8 should be on when using channel 1). Please take a good look of what the 'on' position is on the dipswitches, as you would not be the first one to make that mistake.

If it still does not work, find out a way to check if you USB to DMX interface works at all. Hook up another fixture (simple dimmer or so) and try that.
If that does work, tell us exactly what you tried to do to test the Kam Swingfire. Tell us every step and every mouse move / keyboard hit.

[tellam]

Okay, you are clearly missing some importand configuration point (DMX address of the fixture configured in FreeStyler, DMX address of the fixture itself), or your interface is not working properly, or your DMX cabling is bad, or you are touching the wrong controls in FS.
So, forget the Easyview part for the moment. Lets focus on the "FreeStyler->USB to DMX->Kam Swingfire" construction.
Please double check that you configured the Kam Swingfire on channel 1. Both in FreeStyler and on the unit (dip 1 and 10 on, the rest off - there seems to be an error in the manual telling dip 8 should be on when using channel 1). Please take a good look of what the 'on' position is on the dipswitches, as you would not be the first one to make that mistake.

Kam Swingfire is configured to channel 1 (Dip 1 and 10 on and yes I did make the mistake at first ) also configured to channel 1 in FS. I have also checked and changed cables.

If it still does not work, find out a way to check if you USB to DMX interface works at all. Hook up another fixture (simple dimmer or so) and try that.

Unfortunately, I dont have any other dmx units at the moment to test but I'm working on that.

If that does work, tell us exactly what you tried to do to test the Kam Swingfire. Tell us every step and every mouse move / keyboard hit.

I have simply clicked the different macro buttons for the swingfire as I have not yet worked out how to program them myself.

[remco_k]

I have simply clicked the different macro buttons for the swingfire as I have not yet worked out how to program them myself.

Play with the sliders that appear on the right of the screen when you click the fixture, instead of using the pre-defined macros, as no one nows that they are defined properly.

[tellam]

I have simply clicked the different macro buttons for the swingfire as I have not yet worked out how to program them myself.

Play with the sliders that appear on the right of the screen when you click the fixture, instead of using the pre-defined macros, as no one nows that they are defined properly.

Tried that too. no change

[tellam]

You do not need an interface to actually use FreeStyler and Magic 3D EasyView, if you set the controller to "Virtual", it also should work with an interface selected and not actually connected as all it should be doing is pass the DMX values to the EasyView program as well as the interface.

I realise that but the problem I'm having is getting it to work my lights, not easyview

OK you realise that but that is not what you said in one of your previous posts and I quote
"Could it be the interface, as it is not recognised by Magic 3D easyview, although I have set it up in FS."
If you mean there is no fixture for it in EasyView then you will have to create it and make it match the FreeStyler one.
I am sure you realise that you have to patch your fixtures in EasyView as well as it is not automatic like in some lighting prgrams.

Sorry I cannot help you with the interface as I do not even know what one looks like, but you say that the power light is on and the DMX light is constantly flashing, then hopefully it is working. Does the interface come with it's own software so you could test it ? If so try that, if not see if it's available from somewhere !?!?!?!?!?

What I meant is Magic 3D does not recognise the interface. It states no interface detected. But I'm not really worried about magic 3D at the moment.

[remco_k]

Magic 3D has nothing to do with the interface. FreeStyler uses the interface, not Magic 3D.

Furthermore I cannot help you any further as the most important test cannot be done: testing your interface with another fixture.
Onge had also a good point. If your interface has its own software to control DMX, see if that do something with your fixture.

[tellam]

Magic 3D has nothing to do with the interface. FreeStyler uses the interface, not Magic 3D.

Furthermore I cannot help you any further as the most important test cannot be done: testing your interface with another fixture.
Onge had also a good point. If your interface has its own software to control DMX, see if that do something with your fixture.

I'll have more fixtures in a couple of weeks but in the meantime I have put in a support ticket to the manufactures of the interface to see if they come up with anything.

Thanks Guys

[remco_k]

Onge and I ask 2 times if there is software deliverd with the interface where you can test with.
Is there? And if so, try it!

[tellam]

Onge and I ask 2 times if there is software deliverd with the interface where you can test with.
Is there? And if so, try it!

No, I lost the original disc. Had to get drivers from manufacturer. There web site is offline at present due to ddos attacks. When it comes back I will check

[tellam]

Here's an update. Playing around, I selected enttec open as the interface in FS and some of the functions are working. Maybe it's a problem with the driver but at least I'm getting somewhere!

[tellam]

If it is not Enttec Open design, it could still be the cause of the problem, that windows thinks it is something and has installed it's own drivers rather than the proper ones.

I have checked and windows device manager is recognising it as Afterglow Aurora DMX interface