Lara's Research Updates

After getting Net3 Gateway working, I connected my light to the network box. All 4 ports of the box are 5-pin DMX ports. Both input and output from the light are 3-pin DMX ports. To connect both equipment together, I used a (very short) DMX pin converter. Devices in Concert The Concert software allows the user to add different devices besides Gateway. It also controls the connections through the network map. Most devices can also be configured for their IP address and other settings. I thought this way, I could also connect the DMX light to the network box and check if it's working. However, there weren't any existing device options in Concert that worked for the DMX light I had. I think either the software only allows their own ETC devices or the specific light I had didn't have any input going back to the network box, thus no way to check if it was properly connected. Before moving on to Unreal, I just wanted to send a very simple data package to check if the light was co...

From my research so far, I've gathered 2 ways to have DMX lights communicate with a computer: a direct USB link or over the network. Because we don't have dmx-to-usb converters in the studio but we do have a network box, I decided to go with the network route! As I mentioned in my previous post, we have a DMX network box in the studio ( ETC Net3 Gateway - DMX/RDM ). Apparently, this router ended up in our hands a few years ago but it has never been used (or even turned on before). So this week, I tackled the task of reading up on the manual and getting the network box to work. Initial Setup Here's the quick Net3 Gateway setup manual I reviewed to familiarize myself with the hardware. First things first, I connected Gateway to power. After booting up, the small screen on the front got stuck on a "Retrieving IP Address" message. Next, I ran a network cable from the computer to Gateway. This time, an IP address popped up on the screen. At first glance, it looked lik...

Here is some feedback and thoughts after today's class: Further my research by looking into cheaper DMX options or non-traditional lighting methods. Cheap remote-controller light bulbs or maybe LED strip lights might work. I think I've seen a post about someone using LED strips to light up their small concert. Connecting them to DMX might be possible, but I'm not sure about the over-the-network connection. Also, come up with price comparisons between different options. Look into imitating moving lights : traffic/street lights, portal or timelapse stuff, maybe even imitating a larger gobo. DMX includes mechanically moving light fixtures, not sure if we have any in the lab though. Program strobe effect on lights? Or daisy chain multiple lights and turn them on/off in order to make it look like moving? Scene examples: actor in a moving car or spaceship (setup with x-wing from Phunreal fest) Investigate different control options for lights . Don't limit to existing faders ...

Research Diving a little deeper into my research topic, this week I've looked into different tutorials, documentation, and equipment. This demo from the 2020 Unreal Fest was actually a great source for beginners. It explains the basics of DMX, how the network could be set up, and includes a live demo. I realized through other tutorials that even though the demo is from 4 years ago, the DMX plugin for Unreal hasn't changed too much. Unreal's documentation on DMX is also very detailed and comprehensive. However, it seems the latest "official" documentation is for 4.27. To make sure the DMX plugin still works with Unreal 5.3, I've found this tutorial  as well. Understanding DMX DMX is a type of data communication and stands for Digital Multiplex . It's most commonly used in live events to control different devices such as: Lighting fixtures Lasers Smoke machines Water fountains Motors, etc. DMX can communicate through Artnet or sACN network protocols. Each ...

And we're back for part 2 of the DIGM Research Project! This time, we are allowed to work on individual projects or small groups. During class, I talked to a few classmates to see if anyone already had an idea that aligns with what I'm interested in. Though some projects sounded really interesting, I think I will focus on an individual project this time. I'd like to work on something related to real-time production or live events. An idea that I'm leaning toward right now is simultaneous studio and virtual lighting. After talking to Nick, he mentioned that we have DMX lights and a controller in the studio that can be controlled through ethernet. However, this setup hasn't been done before on campus, so I will need to learn about DMX communication and look up documentation about the DMX router. Afterward, I will need to make sure this setup can also communicate with Unreal Engine (or any other software). This way, the physical and virtual lights can be synced up! Dep...