Digital Lighting control (from computer)
Various way to control digital lights from your computer over DMX
- DMX Controllers
- QLC+
- Emu
- Touchdesigner
- Resolume Arena
- Other related stuff to dive into
- Remote control of Lights through TouchOSC
- Visualizing shows
- Combining Software
- MagicQ : lighting software mimicking a light console
- WLed
DMX Controllers
To send DMX from your computer to the fixtures you need a hardware controller or converter
ENTTEC
A piece of hardware to control your fixtures/daisychain through USB.
HKU students can borrow this at the uitleen JK or uitleen PT
ArtNet
Art-Net uses ethernet for transmitting lighting data, making it easy to transfer of large amounts of DMX512 data over a wide area using standard networking technology. It is an implementation of DMX512-A protocol over UDP. This can be done through a LANcable or wireless to a receiver/converter.
To receive ArtNet data & convert it to DMX you need a hardware converter. *
For HKU students the Blackbox JK is equipped with ArtNet, not for loan.
more info: https://art-net.org.uk/
*Do you have some Arduino experience? Build your own!
https://www.instructables.com/Arduino-Artnet-Node/
QLC+
QLC+ is a feee software package for controlling DMX-512 systems from PC or MAC. You can connect it to your system via a number of different interfaces: USB-to-DMX adapters, DMX-to-Ethernet adapters, WiFi, Ethernet, and more. It's useful as a diagnostic tool when you need to send DMX from your laptop without doing any programming.
QLC+ Startup Guide
Use this startup guide when working with a pre-programmed version of QLC (template), like installed in the Blackboxes. The added fixtures and virtual console will be different in every Blackbox, depending on the facilities.
Download
Download QLC here
Go for the stable 4.x.x version if you are practising to use this tool in the Blackbox @ HKU
Emu
EMU (free) is an easy-to-use audio to DMX software package that enables you to pre-program your entire light show in advance
EMU info & download
EMU (the software by ENTTEC) is designed for musicians, DJs and live artists with live performances in mind,
The interface is quick to learn and easy to use
EMU allows for the synchronisation of lighting and music with oscillators in real time, though MIDI.
Whether you want to control LED washes, moving heads, dimmer packs, smoke machines, scanners, moonflowers… You name it, you can control them using EMU’s audio to DMX or Art-Net output.
Download EMU here (register first)
EMU tutorials
Touchdesigner
Controlling digital lights from Touchdesigner with a DMX controller
Touchdesigner
In Touchdesigner DMX data is sent to the daisy-chain of fixtures through USB (via an ENTTEC available at the uitleen) or ArtNet.
- Check out the .tox for fixtures to control the lights in the Blackbox.
Touchdesigner .tox for various fixtures
| DMX Config | TOX | Example fixtures |
|
5 channels: Intensity |
ETC_Colorsource_Par.tox |
ETC ColorSource Spot jr (inventory Blackboxes & klein Zaal)
ETC ColorSource Par (inventory Blackboxes)
ColorSource Spot Deep Blue (inventory Kleine Zaal) 
|
| 6 channels: Red Green Blue White Amber Uv |
6CH_Par_RGBWAU.tox |
High End PAR uitleen Theater : >>
Mid Range PAR uitleen Theater |
| 7 channels: Red Green Blue White Amber Uv Master Dimmer |
7CH_Par_RGBWAUI.tox |
High End PAR uitleen Theater :
Mid Range PAR uitleen Theater >> |
| 14 channels (see manual) |
Moving_Head_Briteq_BT_W19L10ZOOM_14ch.tox |
Briteq BT-W19L10 Zoom (uitleen Oudenoord) |
Easy DMX_Out for Artnet (use a merge to connect multiple fixtures, dive in & adjust de DMX out to use another interface)
dmx_out_Artnet_2023.tox
Patch for the Blackbox @ Janskerkhof (to connect with OSC via ipad)
RemoteControlLights (TouchOSC_ArtNet).toe
Resolume Arena
Resolume Arena can output the color or brightness of your pixels to LED strips or other light fixtures via DMX.
Tutorials
Check out the explaination of the basics on the Resolume Website
add tutorials
tips for specific fixtures
add research Fidde with Grote Zaal lampen
Other related stuff to dive into
Remote control of Lights through TouchOSC
TouchOSC is a modular control surface toolkit for designing and constructing custom controllers that can be used on a multitude of operating systems and devices. An easy way of designing your own OSC controls. Use the old version of TouchOSC Editor or new version to design custom sliders, faders and buttons, control other software through OSC using the app TouchOSC
| Simple TouchOSC template to control 8 pars & 3 spots (5 channels). Open this patch in TouchOSC Editor to upload to your device. Any software that receives OSC massages can be connected. | Controlling LightPars&Spots.touchosc |
How to use the templates:
-
Download and install the TouchOSC App on your tablet or smartphone
-
Download and install the TouchOSC desktop editor on your computer
-
Start the desktop editor and load a template
- Check to make both devices on the same WiFi Network. Set the computer ipadres in the app.
-
In the App go to LAYOUT & tap ADD. Select your host (computer name running the desktop editor) Click on “sync” and the template will be sent to your tablet or smartphone.
-
The template will now appear on your tablet or smartphone list of templates
TouchOSC & Touchdesigner:
| Control the lights* remotely with Touchdesigner & TouchOSC on Ipad with these 2 patches & ArtNet. |
|
| Open this patch in TouchOSC Editor to upload to your device. | |
| Open this patch in Touchdesigner, check OSC port & ArtNet connection. | |
| After connecting, slide all the faders once to refresh the connection with Touchdesigner & remove errors. This connection also works when TD is running in perform mode in the background. * these patches were designed for the fixtures in the Blackbox @Janskerkhof (8 pars & 3 spots) but can easily be adapted. |
TouchOSC & QLC
| tbd add example patch |
Visualizing shows
Combining Software
Sending DMX data from Touchdesigner over Artnet to Resolume.
Sending OSC data from Isadora to QLC
Connecting EMU & Abelton
MagicQ : lighting software mimicking a light console
MagicQ software offers powerful lighting control with loads of features that lighting designers have come to rely on, such as full lighting visualisation, pixel mapping, and HD media playback on up to 8 different layers, all integrated smoothly to streamline workflows, save time, and shorten learning curves on even the most complex lighting systems.
- MagicVis Visualiser
- Magic HD Pixel-Mapper
- Morphing
- Cloning
- Patch Offsetting
- Group and Palette FX
Chamsys MagicQ supports an extensive array of features to enable lighting designers to quickly and easily realise their innovative and imaginative designs. MagicQ offers lighting control on up to 256 universes with full lighting visualisation, pixel mapping, and HD media playback on up to 8 different layers, all integrated smoothly to streamline workflows, save time, and shorten learning curves on even the most complex lighting systems.
MagicQ PC is available free of charge for use on Windows, Mac and Linux with 64 universes of output fully enabled (via Art-net, sACN, Pathport) - no hardware required!
https://chamsyslighting.com/collections/software to download MagicQ
https://chamsyslighting.com/pages/video-tutorials to learn MagicQ
WLed
WLED is one of the most popular packages for controlling LED
strips with, or example, the WS2812B through cable & wifi.
The software also supports some other types, such as the WS2811 and WS2815, both on 12 volts. The first step is to flash the software on, for example, an ESP32.
website: https://kno.wled.ge/
community: https://wled.discourse.group/
Wled aansturenWl
Wled & Touchdesigner:
Here's a preset fot Touchdesigner WLED.tox
some background info on Leds