ETC ION Ethernet out > sACN > dmx converter > many many devices

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sk8rs_dad replied on 03-02-2012 7:16 AM

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I believe if your gateways are properly configured and networked, and enabled sACN on the Ion, then once you patch a channel to whatever universe the gateway is listening for, it should just work. Since I don't own a gateway I can't say for sure, but a foggy memory of Wireshark traces seem to indicate that it works. I know I have no issues sending sACN to my Sensor rack and I didn't do anything special.

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Richard replied on 03-02-2012 7:18 AM

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Ensure that sACN is turned on and "Default" in the Ion shell.
- This is the default Ion factory setting.

Now patch your show as required up to the maximum Output count.
Easiest patch syntax to use is "Universe / Address"

Examples (Patch screen in patch-by-channel Format):

• To patch Desk Channel 1 to DMX 1 on Universe 2:
  [Channel] [1] [@] [2] [/] [1]
• To patch Desk Channel 2 to DMX 6 on Universe 105:
  [Channel] [2] [@] [1] [0] [5] [/] [6]
  - Shows as "Channel 2 Address 105/6" on the command line.

The Output Count limit is the total count of patched DMX addresses, and you can spread them over a great many Universes if you wish.

Note that controlling lights via WiFi is not recommended because WiFi latency is unknown and highly variable.
- In other words, fades are likely to be steppy at times, and time-critical changes may be late.

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Hans.Hinrichsen replied on 03-02-2012 7:30 AM

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Hi John,

I think there may be some confusion here -- a few clarifying points:  (EDIT: Thanks Richard and sk8rs_dad for excellent posts as well. Didn't see them when I hit Send. :)  )

• The Ion can have up to 10,000 channels of control however, it can only output to a maximum of 3,072 addresses. 
  • Ions are sold based on their output count. Thus, an Ion 1000 can output to 1024 addresses (equivalent to 2 DMX universes). Upgrades can be purchased in 512 address groups (i.e., Ion 1500, Ion 2000, Ion 2500, Ion 3000).
• The two bigger consoles in the Eos family than the Ion are the Gio and the Eos.
  • The Gio starts at 2048 addresses (2k / 2000), but can be upgraded in 2k segments to 8k.
  • The Eos starts at 4096 addresses (4k), but can be upgraded to 16k.
• The Eos family can currently output to sACN universes 1 to 128. 
• We don't recommend the transmission of show-critical data over wi-fi, and recommend using wired Ethernet when something is show-critical like sACN output.
• To patch to a different sACN universe for a channel on Ion, you can use either the universe/address format, or absolute address.
  • Thus, in patch channel mode, [1] [At] [2] [/] [1] [Enter]  OR [1] [At] [5][1][3] [Enter] would patch channel 1 to sACN universe 2, address 1.
  • You can always view the alternate view by pressing and holding the [Data] key in the Patch view.
• By default, the Ion will output sACN (and EDMX (Net2), and hardline DMX).  This can be changed, if needed, in the shell. 

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tdjohn replied on 03-02-2012 10:33 AM

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Oh Thanks,

All the answers were very useful. Default set up, good. The Ion does not care if the universe is the 1 or 2 universe that is wired, or any of the others it can address through ethernet networking (1-128).

For "show critical" data on wired ac units I plan to be wired. For non-wired wagons running on DC, I need to go wireless.

I plan to use Oregon Tech's Ariel box for Wireless applications, and the Prospero for 4 universes (per box) of wired Ethernet expansion.

Should I talk to my dealer about those upgrades to Ion 1500 or 2000? Is it in the software?

Thanks again,

John