enttec dmx usb and DMaX
Hi all,
Extremely new to using Max so apologies in advance if there are some basics missed here. I am trying to connect some lighting kit to my Ableton live set via an Enttec dmx usb pro.
My current chain is:
- Ableton
- DMaX plugins (https://www.theimpersonalstereo.com/dmax)
- fxwdmxusbpro (https://github.com/nnimar/Max-for-the-Visual-Arts/tree/master/Max4VisualArts/patchers/Toolbox/communication/Enttec_fxwdmxusbpro)
- Enttex dmx usb pro
The bit I can't get right is connecting the DMaX plugins with the fxwdmxusbpro. As someone who is inexperienced with Max how do I get the patcher to communicate with the plugins? It seems many people are using this method online but I can't figure out how this connection works, do I save the file somewhere specific or is there another step that i'm missing.
Any advice would be fantastic.
Thanks!
you will have no luck with that, unless you use old and 32 bit max version,
because of :
requirements for dmax:
An Enttec DMX USB PRO interface and a copy of the dmxusbpro object by Olaf Matthes.
that external is outdated since decades....
you need to talk to enttec using serial object.
I am out of house today, but when I get back, I can post an example,
but I need ALL infos about your OS max version etc
and what you mean by "some lighting kit" ?
need 2 universes activated ?
----
Also you could post you enttec serial port name and serial number,
it plays a role
Thanks for your reply! Yeah, I read about the Olaf Matthes and was hoping the thread I posted was a suitable replacement, seems not?
Sure here are my spec details:
Mac - OS X El Capitan version 10.11.5
Max - version 7.3.6
Serial port - usbserial-EN187220
As for the lighting equipment I am using two multidim NK11's (old version of this https://www.highlite.com/media/attachments/MANUAL/50386_MANUAL_GB_V1.pdf)
I only need 4 outputs so I don't believe I need multiple universes.
Thanks in advance!
It's funny everyone is struggling with the Olaf Matthes object - I've been using it for years and I just literally used it on a MacMini (Intel)-based installation last week. Is it definitely not working for people?
I have had a lot of luck using ola - you can install it via homebrew, and it's a very easy to to interface with virtually any DMX interface around. Worth a look!
el capitan, max 7 - no problem, serial object works perfectly with USB DMX Pro.
I will post the patch tomorrow
That would be great, thank you!
here are 2 patches, max 7.3.6
simple one let's you add as many sliders and send them using 40Hz rate.
DMX-2Universes patch demonstraes activation of both universes,
and sends 24 channels to each one.
both patches have your device
usbserial-EN187220
allready entered.
if you need further help, just ask.
by the way, I have absolutely nothing against Olaf Matthes external,
it will probably work with your configuration,
but as soon as you move to win or other macos, it would be end of joy...
using mac serial object instead is better for that reason
Hi, many thanks for sending these over, I really appreciate it!
After downloading I can confirm these work as a max patch to operate the lights manually.
My hope is that I can use this patch to enable the DMaX plugins (https://www.theimpersonalstereo.com/dmax) in Ableton. Are you able to advise how this patch would interact with the plugins please, allowing me to automate lights within my DAW. Currently in Ableton I still can't use the DMaX plugins to communicate via your patch with the Enttec device. Do I need to save the patch in a specific location or something else?
Apologies if these are really obvious questions but I have no prior experience with Max so am really starting from the ground up. Thanks for bearing with me!
forget dmax plugins.
make some dials or sliders with valus 0 - 255, plug them into pak object
and connect it same as my multislider.
Ok noted, thanks. I have no previous experience in this so will have to do a bit of research into how to go about that. If you have any resources you can recommend please feel free. Thanks again.
I don't use Live at all, but from what I understand you want to
control few dimmers.
so put as many sliders or dials or whatever you prefer that can be automated and can do range 0 - 255 and wire them into pak 0 0 0 0 0 object, as many inlets as channels you need.
then connect that list as shown in my patch
---
Then you use that faders as any other in Live to move them by hand, midi, draw automation etc
you might want to auto turn sending of data .
If you never made max4live dvices before, it is a good start
to do something as simple as this.
https://cycling74.com/forums/enttec-dmx-usb-and-dmax#reply-643eb2b7ae43980013840dad
@Sam Dabs, out of curiosity, how would you tweak your (amazing looking) patch to work on Windows? I've actually gotten Olaf's Plugin to work, but the data rate is a bit slow and I'm looking to tweak it. Unfortunately his plugin is compiled so I can't figure out how it's communicating with the controller...
But it looks like the one you created can be edited...
Warmest,
June
problem with serial port on windows is that reported COM ports do not
really tell you what device is hooked to that COM port number.
you can't send a message "port usbserial-EN bla bla" as on mac
because windows serial object does not report device name.
this should work for ftdi devices (enttec DMX USB PRO) in case you have no other ftdi
devices connected.
there is nothing else that needs to be "tweaked" for my patches to work on windows.
One can enforce a device to allways use same COM port,
but that is another story
Hi Source Audio, thanks for posting the serial alternative to Olaf Matthes external. However, the Olaf external's messaging format is [channel value], which makes it easy to control hundreds of channels very easily. Since I'm not very experienced in messaging patching in max. How could we use that format and transform it into something serial understands. We can use multi-slider to create a message like "v1 v2 v3...vN" which the serial understand, but using multislider is very slow if there are 500+ channels constantly changing values. How could we skip multislider but still be able to create a message using only Channel number and Channel Value in Olaf external format.
For instance, if I want to set the 500th channel value to 128, can I just use a message [500, 128] and create some objects to make it understood by the serial?
And I tried to use spray 512 > pak 0 0.....0 ( x 512) to format the [channel value] message. But I can't get 512 channels working base on Source Audio's "simple one" patch. Could you please help to give a working sample for 512 channels. Thanks.
Answer to 1st question:
DMX USB Pro device expects the list of dimmer values together with the header and the rest. Olaf's external did that internally, but you are free to form that list using whatever means and send it at allowed interval.
you could use for exampe pak, coll or whatever else, even multislider.
but, if you want to send a value to channel 500, than you need at least 500 values in the list.
here few examples, multislider and coll
Answer to 2nd question:
this patch was only demonstration, with few channels (maximum 256).
to get full 512 channes working,
you need to extend channel count MSB LSB.
Many thanks for the answers and demo patches. I tried to use spray-pak modules as shown in the images below for the data transformation. Do you think it is as efficient as the coll solution? Though coll also works well. The multislider one is very slow for some reason when dealing with hundreds of channels, even if I hide the object to minimize its graphic resource.
I can't say, really.
if coll is working ok, then use it, it needs less mousing then 512 spray -> pak connections.
I have no issues with multislider, but that might be different on your max & os version, or multislider settings.
So, I bought a fairly cheap USB-DMX convertor to try something out - I want to be able to drive a couple of 3 or 4 channel LED lights from a patch that runs on Mac, and also hopefully to run from a different patch on a PC. The convertor uses an FTDI chipset, and reviewers on Amazon have it it running lights without drivers on the Mac (Lightwave) (I haven't gotten as far as installing it on the PC yet).
I've copied and tried the various patches included above, and _something is happening, but not what I expect! I'm wondering if it's something about the various numbers in the serial message? (not knowing anything about serial protocols).
Eg - I have a single lamp in 3 channel mode connected. When I use this with an Enttec interface, ch1 is red (intensity), ch2 is blue and ch3 is green.
When I fade up the first slider in Source Audio's patch using this cheaper interface I get - nothing at first, then red, and then various other secondary colours, rather than just red fading up and down. Also, if I stop moving the slider, the lamp goes off.
Does there need to be something different about the serial message? Or is there something else I'm not understanding?
Also - given that I am going to attempt running this on a miniPC, can you point me to info about "One can enforce a device to always use same COM port, but that is another story". :-)
thanks
@David
code above is addressing specific device - Enttec DMX USB Pro.
your problem could relate to either different headers or structure of data
needed for that device you use.
If you need any further help, please post more details about that
"cheap DMX Device"
I was afraid you might ask me that :-) There's not a lot of info on the Amazon page, and there doesn't seem to be a manufacturer's product page online.
I've also googled the manufacturer & product, but the info is the same as on the Amazon page.
(If this is unlikely to work, I'll use my Enttec interface (that I know works) for the Mac part of this installation. And then see if I can get the cheap interface working on PC, using your patch. Do you know if it's the D2XX or the VCP drivers that I need to install on Windows 11?)
Here's the amazon (uk) link to the USB-DMX interface, and the product info on that page.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07KW1HGB3?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1
DMX512 Studio Computer PC LED Stage Lighting Controller Dimmer USB to DMX Interface Adapter
It can be widely on XP, Vista, Win7 Win8 Win10 (32bit and 64bit).
And it is easy to install since there is a CD with drivers, Freestytle software installation video.
Feature:
USB A male metal shell to Din 3pin XLR female adapter cable
USB DMX Interface.
Micro processor enabled.
Supports Various 3rd party softwares.
DMX512 times configurable.
Support for XP, Vista, WIN7,WIN8,WIN10/VISTA/LINUX/MAC/Android ( 32bit and 64bit ).
The CD includes drivers, Freestytle software installation video.
Geniune FTDI Import from UK with Top Quality
Brand high quality XLR metel adapter
USB to RS485 Serial Port Out.
PVC Material & Pure Copper Wires
Length:3.28ft/1.0m
Software installing Note: Please follow the instruction to install the driver and software carefully. If you
I've just connected up the interface to my miniPc and loaded your simple patch. It's having the same results as on the Mac! (No drivers installed yet, so maybe that's a problem on the PC?)
short look tells that it is open DMX USB compatible,
which is not compatible with DMX USB Pro, if I remember right.
one windows external is available :
https://github.com/okymd/opendmxusb
but as I don't have such devices , did no test it, an also have no "plain text"
code for max serial object .
Thanks. Downloaded that, and put the folder in Packages.
I got an "error 126 loading external opendmxusb". So then I added the .mxo extension to the external to see if that made any difference. (It generally works on Mac!), but now I get the message "no such object" . Is this likely to be because it's probably not a 32bit object?
It's looking like this interface is not going to be very useful. I'm going to use the Enttec on the Mac for one of the installation pieces, 'cause I know that works. Is there anything you know will work on the PC, and work with your patch? Do you know if the Enttec Open DMX box will do the trick? Or is it going to have to be the Enttec DMX Pro (which might be more than I want to spend on this project)?
that exernal is Windows only, mxo is file exension for mac externals.
renaming .mxe64 (win 64bit) brings nothing.
it looks as you miss some runtime dll's on your pc to load the exernal.
Or programmer did bad job with bundling runtime dll's.
I can't test anything, being away from home for next few weeks
and no PC to see if placing some dlls into max folder would help,
sometimes it does.
I had a peek into several implementations of open DMX USB, it looks as one could send string with channel offset and channel values
without any header.
Serial object has to be set :
maybe you coud test that ?
bang message 0 255 0 0 to get first LED red.
good luck !
P.S. you mention 32 bit - are you trying this on 32 bit max on PC ?
that external is 64 bit only
>you mention 32 bit - are you trying this on 32 bit max on PC ? that external is 64 bit only
No, it's 64bit Max. And I realised that it was the wrong extension and changed it to mxe64 (and then no extension). Still getting Error 126.
I'll try the serial messages a bit later - starting to prep supper now! Thanks for the help. More tomorrow probably :-)
another trouble with this unbuffered gadgets is that they need uninterrupted stream of data from pc to keep lights at set value.
most DMX devices reset in case communication fails.
Do you think that I would have the same issue with the Enttec OpenDMX USB?
unfortunatelly, yes.
It is same thing built of ftdi usbserial chip and max48x - depends on manufacturer, but principle is the same, no buffer, and no isolaton with optocouplers.
worst case is only ftdi chip and 1 resistor - cheap chinese shit.
there are few buffered and isolated usb controllers on the market for
less bucks than enttec pro, but I did not use any and so can't really recommend any.
ok. That's useful info. I guess ultimately I'll have to buy the Enttec pro, but on this installation I think there's going to be enough light from my metal rods piece and my main sensor installation, both of which are running on Macs (and for which I already have Enttec ODEs).
Incidentally, I thought I would try out the ODE on my PC, but when I try loading imp.artnet.controller into a patch (or open the help file) Max instantly quits. No idea what's going on there. I might try it later with your serial patch to see what happens. Presumably I'll need to load some kind of driver for the ODE first?
Anyway - thanks again for your help.
Enttec ODE is artnet - that serial patch won't work with it.
imp.artnet externals work without crashing on Mac, at least on High Sierra
I have version 1.1.0 fom 2018
Hello Source Audio and everyone. I read this page with great interest. Thanks for such skills. Looking to control an automatic projector, I had already resolved a lot of the information that I found in your patches, and I did the same thing as you, my projector containing 11 parameters is very well controlled by my patch. But I have a question that remains unanswered: How can I distribute commands to two distinct and independent projectors according to their addresses? I have not yet identified at what stage of the list sent by the serial how the addresses are distributed. Could you inform me please?
DMX ist is just a stream of numbers.
Your hardware has the switches for channels and assignments.
that gets split after the header in case of DMX USB Pro.
you can't send ONLY to specific DMX channel(s),
list must allawsy be as long as the number of DMX chnnels to control.
if you want to set channel 412 to 255, you must send a list of at least 412 numbers.