Merge Setup Guide - Legacy Devices | Scribe

    Merge Setup Guide - Legacy Devices

    • Joana Provido |
    • 9 steps |
    • 16 seconds
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    This guide will help you set up Merge with a Legacy Device (any Luminex DMX device), but the same ideas apply to any node that is capable of merging RTTrPL and sACN or Art-Net. For the Merge Setup Guide - Current Devices, please refer to: [Merge Setup Guide - Current Devices](https://scribehow.com/shared/https://scribehow.com/shared/Merge_Setup_Guide__Current_Devices__Gz7fkjQRRkmxudIjKGejXg)
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    Blacktrax servers output RTTrPL, which stands for "Real-Time Tracking Protocol - Lighting". This is a lighting protocol, similar to sACN and Art-Net, that provides movement data to the light so it can track in real-time. The Node merges RTTrPL with sACN or Art-Net so both the lighting console and Blacktrax can send data to the lighting fixtures.
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    Merge is a setting that determines whether the lighting fixtures receive Blacktrax data from the node. This setting is controlled by the lighting console.
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    Connect the Blacktrax server's RTTrP/L port to the RTTrPL network/VLAN on the switch. Connect the lighting node to the same lighting network/VLAN. The RTTrP/L port is set up to be compatible with the node's IP address if it has a 10.x.x.x address or 2.x.x.x address. If not, change the node's IP address and subnet mask to be compatible with RTTrP/L.
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    Do not change the IP address of any pre-configured NICs on the servers. If a new IP address needs to be added to a NIC, go to Network Connections > right-click the NIC for its Properties > IPv4 > Advanced > Add a new IP address.
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    Type the node's IP address into Microsoft Edge. This is the home page of the node. To set up DMX Routing, head to "Set up > node" on the right.
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    Make sure the Direction is set to Output. Set IP Merging to "Custom". To navigate to DMX Routing, click the blue button next to the Direction column.
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    Change sACN/Art-Net and RTTrPL universes to the appropriate universes. The IP sources can be kept to 0.0.0.0 since the node will identify the data in the network, but this can be changed to the IP address of the computer/consoles outputting the data. Once completed, click on "Show table"
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    Note: sACN starts at Universe 1, while Art-Net and RTTrPL start at Universe 0 Example Merging setup for Universe 10: If using sACN, set: sACN Universe 10, RTTrPL Universe 9 If using Art-Net, set: Art-Net Universe 9, RTTrPL Universe 9
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    The Trigger Channel is a channel/fader on the lighting console that controls the merge level between RTTrPL and sACN/Art-Net. If this Merge channel is at 0, then Source 1 (sACN/Art-Net from console) is in full control of the lights. If Merge is at 100% (or 255), then Source 2 (RTTrPL) is in control of the lights.
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    Under Default Settings, change the Mode to "X-Fade" and set the Trigger channel to the Merge channel on the lighting console. Clicking "Set default mode/trigger" will change the Mode and Trigger channel for all output channels.
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    Tip! There is an option to fade between 0% to 100% Merge, for a smooth transition from the position set in the lighting console to the tracked target.
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    Once all the outputs are configured, head to "Set up > global" on the left side
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    For Device Settings, set "Enable trigger" to DMX and set the Universe for the Trigger channel.
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    Optional: To change the IP address of the node, go to Setup > node and change the IP address under Network Settings. Please note: if the IP address is changed, the web browser will need to change as well.
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    Once these parameters are set, switch to Blacktrax. Go to Settings > Project Properties. Choose sACN or Art-Net as the source data and specify the Merging Channel and Chapter Control Channel.
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    In place of the term "cue", Blacktrax uses the term "chapter". This allows the lighting team to more easily differentiate between lighting cues and tracking cues while discussing design plans. The Chapter Control Channel lets the LX operator switch Chapters using the console. The channel's DMX value between 1-255 determines the Chapter #. If set to 0, the system will be set to standby. If more than 255 Chapters are required, Blacktrax has an optional cue "group" feature that can be enabled, named Books. Books are set as a single DMX channel, similar to Chapters.
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    Once the Project Properties are set up, the Status Bar should have a Blue DMX symbol, and the Merge Channel Value should be flashing green right next to it. The MCV is what the lighting console currently has the Merge channel set to.
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    If it's not flashing green, that means that the Blacktrax server cannot detect the Merge channel's data from the lighting console. This might mean that Blacktrax and the lighting console are not on the same network, or the Merge channel value may be set incorrectly in Project Properties, or BTwyg may not be set up correctly (only an issue that may occur when not using BTwyg template file).
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    If you don't see the blue DMX icon but instead a blue joystick, that means the system is in Manual Control mode instead of DMX Control mode. This can be changed in Running View under Beacon Patch.