How To Patch Chauvet Epix 900ip Driver to ShowXpress?

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How To Patch Chauvet Epix 900ip Driver to ShowXpress?

Postby SWFL LD » 22 June 2019, 16:10

Hello,
I am installing a stage lighting system for a church in my area.

The system includes 16 Chauvet Pro Colorado Quad Zoom Pars (in tour mode), 3 - 4ch Dimmer Packs, 4 Elation Satura Spot LED Pro Moving Heads (22ch mode), 1 Chauvet Amhaze Hazer and 16 Chauvet Pro Epix Tour Strips driven by a 900ip Epix Driver.

Originally, the system was sold with an ETC Colorsource controller but, I soon talked them into using ShowXpress with the new 1024 usb interface and a Chauvet DMX AN-2. (I have 10+ years experience working with ShowXpress)

My plan is to control the entire system via artnet from the PC running ShowXpress, using the DMX AN-2 to control the DMX fixtures and artnet to control the Epix driver.

My issue with this plan is:
1- The Epix 900 uses 6 consecutive artnet (or sCAN) universes which will require a 2nd 1024 interface and max out ShowXpress leaving no room for the remaining fixtures in the patch.

Question 1:
The EpIx 900 driver is not in the ShowXpress fixture library and I have not been able to find any instructions explaining how to patch the Epix driver to ShowXpress or, how to build scenes in the pixel mapper.
How can I do this or, where can I find it?

Question 2: There are 16 Epix strips (not 18) so there will be some unused channels at the end of universe 5 (artnet starts at 0). Can I simply patch the remaining fixtures starting at 5-512 and patch backwards from there? Those commands will be seen by the Epix driver but because there are 16 strips instead of 18, the patch overlap will not be seen on stage.

Question 3:
If the answer to question #2 is No, can I send DMX and Artnet from ShowXpress simultaneously and exclusively?

I am nearing the end of this project and my deadline is closing in.
Thank you for any help you can provide.
SWFL LD
 
Posts: 22
Joined: 23 July 2014, 22:12

Re: How To Patch Chauvet Epix 900ip Driver to ShowXpress?

Postby Allan » 24 June 2019, 18:19

Answer1:
** Go to the PIXELS tab and right-click and choose "new fixture." Enter the fixture's parameters. Be sure to enter the correct IP address, then copy and paste that fixture how ever many times you need. If your fixture passes the 512 channels, it will automatically go to the next universe.

Answer2:
** yes you can but it's done from the EDITOR tab instead of the PIXELS tab. see pic titled 351.

Answer3:
** once both interfaces are connected, you'll have access to all 6 universes. You would connect an RJ45 cable from the computer and go into the Epix Drive 900 to send all 6 universes into it. You can then daisy chain out of the Epix Drive into other Epix Drives. The DMX-AN2 is unnecessary in this case because you can simply connect an XLR cable out of one of the ports on the Xpress-1024 to send to other fixtures, such as movers. Just make sure you're tapping into the correct universe or else those extra fixtures won't respond.

I created the show file for you, but was unable to finish because I don't know the correct IP address. See attached ZIP file to get you started.

[image]
[image]
[file]
Allan Reiss
Senior Product Manager
CHAUVET DJ
Allan
 
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Location: USA

Re: How To Patch Chauvet Epix 900ip Driver to ShowXpress?

Postby SWFL LD » 25 June 2019, 14:48

Thank you for your informative reply Allan.

Over the weekend I played with this and yesterday, went to the job site and patched everything.
What I discovered is:
The epix 900 driver auto dmx addresses 16 LED strip tour 50 fixtures as follows:
Artnet U-0 = DMX U-1 at 1, 76, 151, 226, 301 and 375
Artnet U-1 = DMX U-2 at 1, 76, 151, 226, 301 and 375
Artnet U-2 = DMX U-3 at 1, 76, 151, and 226

In editor / fixtures, I patched the strips as a single fixture with 25 rgb pixels at the addresses listed above.
In pixels, I created a grid and patched the strip fixtures in the grid consistent with the plot size and spacing.

My Epix 900 driver Artnet addresses are:
U-0 @ 2.0.0.11
U-1 @ 2.0.0.12
U-2 @ 2.0.0.13

I could have addressed the remaining fixtures to artnet U-2 DMX 376-512 but decided it was better to add a 2nd
Xpress 1024 to open up a 4th artnet universe to patch the reaming fixtures, and allow for future expansion.

I patched my remaining fixtures (dimmers, Colorado zoom pars, movers ect) @ DMX U-4 using a
DMX AN-2 with an artnet address @ 2.0.0.1 (default) @ arnet U-3
and my static system ip address range is 2.0.0.60 with the subnet as 255.0.0.0. (no DNS entry)

I was disappointed however to discover after completing all of this, one of the strip tour 50s is defective and doesn't work at all.
It is the very 1st fixture in the signal chain and after triple checking my patch, was still unable to make it work.
This would not normally be an issue, but these units are back ordered for at least 30 days Ughh.

The DMX AN-2 I have is also defective. I am unable to access it's web server.
The connection times out. and this after trying 3 separate PCs and several network cables.

I will follow up this post after the project is completed and I hand the keys to my client.
SWFL LD
 
Posts: 22
Joined: 23 July 2014, 22:12

Re: How To Patch Chauvet Epix 900ip Driver to ShowXpress?

Postby Allan » 25 June 2019, 17:52

Send me your shipping address. :)
Allan Reiss
Senior Product Manager
CHAUVET DJ
Allan
 
Posts: 139
Joined: 24 December 2009, 09:41
Location: USA

Re: How To Patch Chauvet Epix 900ip Driver to ShowXpress?

Postby thorehl » 12 March 2020, 00:08

SWFL LD wrote:I will follow up this post after the project is completed and I hand the keys to my client.

How did it end?
Thore
lydlys.com - Freelance sound & light engeneer
Using HW: D1024 & D512
Controller: 2x Akai APC mini
my DIY light mixer
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Re: How To Patch Chauvet Epix 900ip Driver to ShowXpress?

Postby Allan » 12 March 2020, 13:33

It ended with exactly what you read above. :\
Allan Reiss
Senior Product Manager
CHAUVET DJ
Allan
 
Posts: 139
Joined: 24 December 2009, 09:41
Location: USA


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