Tutorial Avolites Titan Art-Net and CITP

How to network an MXWendler mediaserver with an Avolites Titan lighting console.

March 2016, with MXWendler version 5 and Avolites Titan version 9.

{{#mpdftags: pagebreak}}

Pre-requisites:

Standard Art-Net control:

simply use the Avolites personality MXWendler_MXWendler v5.d4

If it is not already present on your console then you can load it as a user personality

(on consoles in the folder D:\Personalities).

The file CitpFixtureMapping.xml is not required in this case.

Full CITP functionality (auto-patch, thumbnails):

personality and CitpFixtureMapping.xml must reside in the real personality library

(usually this folder hidden/system, at D:\TitanData\Personalities).

Both files should be included there with a recent library update.

However, when copied there manually, a console software restart is required.

In both cases, MXWendler requires the CITP section activated and set correctly.

{{#mpdftags: pagebreak}}

Setup MXWendler

Switch on your MXWendler computer, set it to a suitable IP address

(usually Art-Net works well with an address like 2.x.x.x or 10.x.x.x)

Start MXWendler.

1. DMX mapping

Open the Settings menu and select the first item:

Menu → Settings → Input/Output → DMX/MIDI/Keyboard events

(Or simply press Ctrl-1.)

On this tab you can map the required actions to Art-Net channels.

Instead of mapping all channels manually, just load the prepared DMX mapping:

bottom-left click on Load and navigate to

C:\Program Files\MXWendlerStageDESIGNER50\DMX\Personalities\grandMA\FixtureLayerWith31Channels\MXWendlerDMXMappings.

Load the file MXW_08_Layers.dmxmappings.

{{#mpdftags: pagebreak}} 2. Art-Net settings

In the same settings menu toggle to the next tab:

Menu → Settings → Input/Output → DMX/Art-Net.

In the Section Art-Net:

Check the box open Art-Net

Select the correct network interface

Uncheck the box Local.

Set subnet to 0

Set DMX start channel to 1

Set Number of Universes to 1

Click on Connect and confirm the prompt.

Set Art-Net shortname to MXWendler

Set Art-Net longname to MXWendler Mediaserver.

{{#mpdftags: pagebreak}} 3. CITP settings

In the section CITP:

check activate CITP and Fixture Mode

set CITP Media Path to a suitable path with the clips you want to use

CITP Name must be MXWendler Mediaserver

Set number of layers to 8

Set DMX channels per layer to 31

The CITP settings are mandatory even if you do not want to use CITP on your lighting console.

Confirm/close the settings window with OK, and restart MXWendler to activate the settings.

{{#mpdftags: pagebreak}}

Setup your Avolites Console

1. Basic setup

• Switch-on your Avolites console. Make sure it is set to a suitable IP address in the same range as the Mediaserver.

It is a good idea to check the network connection at first, i.e. by pinging both devices from each other.

If they do not ‘see’ each other then any Art-Net attempts will fail. Debugging a faulty network connection

is not covered in this document. It might however include: re-check network settings (IP address subnet mask),

check the cable, check switches/hubs if there are any, make sure firewalls are off, make sure both computers

are correctly identified…

2. Art-Net setup

• From the System/Setup menu (hit <Avo> and <Disk>), select DMX Settings.

Left, in the Art-Net section, you should be able to see entries like this:

MXWendler(IP address): Universe x

Click on the entry with Universe 1, then, on the right-hand side,

click on Line 1, to route the signal from internal line 1 to Art-Net universe 1.

• Next, check the Art-Net settings are correct:

left, at the Art-Net line, click on the little I

(in newer versions a symbol like this:File:Avo 04.PNG)

and make sure the settings are correct:

Enable DMX Output = Enabled

Always Broadcast ArtNet = Enabled

Network Adapter = the network adapter which you have configured

• Exit the System/Settings menu.

• You are now ready to patch and control MXWendler manually: <Patch>, <Fixtures>,

select manufacturer MXWendler,

select fixture MXWendler v5,

select mode Standard…

(if you want to use thumbnails then do not patch manually, but proceed straight to the next section.)

File:Avo 05.png

{{#mpdftags: pagebreak}} 3. CITP setup

• Restart MXWendler again. This is required to refresh/activate the CITP data exchange.

• On the Avo console, press <Patch> and select Active Fixtures.

MXWendler should be shown in the list of available active fixtures:

File:Avo 06.png

• Click on this button. Usually the software sends the correct addressing automatically

(you can leave the next item on Use Fixtures Dmx Address.)

Simply click on an empty fixture button. 8 layers will automatically be patched:

File:Avo 07.png

• In order to see thumbnails of your media select a mediaserver layer,

open the Attribute Editor (e.g. with <Open>-<Options>), and go to the Gobo bank: