MADRIX Forum

Greetings, I am totally new to Madrix so please excuse me if my questions are already answered, but I went through the Forum and Help files yet I still can't find my answers.

I have a setup of few different fixtures - both voxels and pixels. Also a laser and few other devices.

I am having trouble making them work as one.

The main fixture consists of 253 ledwalker 3D vertical tubes, each with 16 voxels. The others are 1 setup of 64 RGB led lines (controlled with 8 DMX512 decoders DE8024), 4 BEAM300 moving head light with 12 channels each, 4 CO2 Jet LED with 8 channels each and 1 laser Cube RGB with 12 channels.

So far I have managed to get out something from the tubes and the RGB lines, but I can't figure out how to set them up right in the Patch. I am adding the tubes as a fixture from Universe 1, then I am adding the RGB lines as another fixture at Universe 27 (I am controlling 2 Colordreamer CD-NET A16 for overall of 32 universes).

My first question is, that when I add the tubes up to universe 18 (that's all that are powerd so far) and then I add another fixture from universe 27, which should be the RGB lines, then I can't see them in the Patch. I can see up to U18 and control them.

What I am missing in the setup?

Hi blankcat,

Welcome!
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I think you are on the right track!
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You just might want to double-check if you have set up the correct "Patch Size", which is Step 4 here: http://help.madrix.com/m3/html/madrix/h ... patch.html
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The Patch Size sets up the overall dimension to include all fixtures. If your RGB lines aren't "included" yet, they won't be controlled by MADRIX.
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in order to control your other devices, you might be able to use the DMX Fader Tool for some (http://help.madrix.com/m3/html/madrix/hidd_tools.html), but in general you won't be able to control them with MADRIX.
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Please let us know if that helped!
Thank you!

So I should rule out the laser, the beamers and the jets out of the equation?

Interesting... That explains why I am not having problems controlling the RGB lines and only the other devices.

I was thinking of the possibility to address their channels with the map and offsets. Should I try that?

My main concern is about the CO2 jets. I am 99% failing at controlling the valve for the gas. And if I run the whole setup it starts firing CO2 like a Kalashnikov - regular bursts or automatic fire

No matter how fun this is, it's not suitable with all the people, that it's meant for to entertain

So is it possible in general to have only the valve controlled via a certain effect. I am thinking of just it setting it as an effect, which to be used manualy mixing when needed in the Madrix.

Also I saw a similar setup to the one I have with LED tubes and Beam300 moving heads in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTQfpv9POp0

Although I am not sure if the beams are somehow controlled, or just are reacting to the patterns, send to the LED fixtures.

What do you think?

Hi!
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When I watch the video, to be honest, I only see the moving heads always do the same. In this particular scene I am not sure if they react to anything or behave differently throughout the video. They seem, to me at least, also not to be changing any colors.
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Back to your last questions:
It might be possible. But if it makes sense for your case, should be your decision. It also depends on how many DMX channels you need to control for the CO2 jets.
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In general, you might want to start by creating a fixture for the CO2 jets in the MADRIX Fixture Editor. Then you could put it into your Patch. You could then create 2 Layers and map Layer 1 to your main RGB fixtures and map Layer 2 to your jets. Using a simple SCE Color effect, you might then be able to control (up to 3 channels) of this fixture.
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Have you tried the DMX Fader Tool yet?
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Thanks!

Yes, I tried the Fader tool, but still at some point I get the channels mixing and hitting unwanted values, so for now the other structures will be controlled with another software. Though I will continue experimenting when I have the time

So far I have managed to controll the RGB tubes and RGB lines in a way I want and is suitable for the current needs. But I want to be able to try and create more complex effects, which somehow still evase my skills.

The recent brick wall that I am infront of, is returning me again at dealing with patch size, fixtures, channels, addresses and finding the right tuning.

Currently I am so puzzled, that even after going through the Manual and Forum several times, I still can't find my solution.

The problems comes when working with the Patch. There I am trying to create the two main fixtures I am working with - one 3D and one 2D. The 3D fixture consists of 23 universes with 480 channels each (16 voxels at 10 tubes on a universe), while the 2D fixture is with 3 universes (overall 77 RGB channels). I am creating the first 23 universes and I can see them in the Patch, but then when I try to create the other 3 unverses, which arent immediately after Universe 23, but instead are at universes 27,28 and 29 respectively, then the Patch isn't displayin them at all. I am changing fixture type and etc, but still nothing. When I try to visit for example U17, I can see it in the Layer's section in the middle and in the DMX Universe in the left, also they are coloured in blue, but going after U23 displays nothing in either window.

Edit: My current patch is 100/16/23 (x/y/z) so I believe it should be fine for what I am trying to see.

Please throw me a rope so I can read my way out from that quicksand...

Do you mind sending us your MADRIX Setup file to info[at]madrix.com so we can have a look and assist?
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Thank you!