Tutorial Connecting Jands Vista2 with MXWendler via Art-Net
In this tutorial we will connect Jands Vista2 (we are using the software on a Windows PC) to an MXWendler media server. We will be able to control the media server via Art-Net. If you are not using a Jands console, install Jands Vista2 on the computer that you want to use as controller.
Import the MXWendler Fixture in the Jands Fixture Editor
1. Launch Vista2 Fixture Type Editor (standalone program, installed with Vista2) or load it trough Vista2:
- Menu → Patch → Fixture Editor...
2. Select 'User Fixture Library' then:
- Menu → Fixture → Import Fixture
The fixture personality is in the MXW installation folder e.g.:
- C:\Program Files (x86)\MXWendlerStageDESIGNER50\DMX\Personalities\Jands\MXW\MXW.Vannetti 2014\MXW 5.0 One Video Layer.fix2
The Fixture is ready to be loaded and used on Vista2.
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Configuration of the MXWendler Media Server
1. Open MXWendler and activate the following options:
- Menu → Settings → Input and Output → DMX/Art-Net
- Art-Net connection (A)
- CITP (B)
- Fixture Mode (C)
2. Select the desired number of layers in:
- Layer Count (D)
The media server and the device running Vista2 need to be connected to the same network. eg.:
- Our media server's IP is: 192.168.4.91 (E)
- Our controlling devices's IP is: 192.168.4.32
- Windows: In case your computer has more network interfaces be sure to select the correct one.
- Apple: System will listen on all network interfaces.
Setting of the CITP Footage Library Base Path will be explained later in the CITP paragraph.
3. Load the DMX Mappings:
- Settings → IO → DMX/Midi/Keyboard Events → DMX (A)
- Load eg. C:\Program Files (x86)\MXWendlerStageDESIGNER50\DMX\Personalities\Jands\MXW\MXWendlerDMXmappings (B)
4. Load the file with the desired number of Layers to control. If you want to control 16 layers with Vista2 load the file
- MXW_16_Layers.dmxmappings (C)
5. Restart MXWendler.
Configuration of Vista2
1. Open Vista2 and set the Art-Net Connection:
- Connect Universes (A)
- In the new DMX Connections window, set the DMX Universe to 1 and
- Add Network Connection (B) (Universe 1)
- Add (C)
2. Select the MXW Fixture Type. One fixture corresponds to one Layer:
- MXW 5.0 One Video Layer (D)
- Quantity of layers' (E)
- Patch (F)
Set up the CITP Footage Library on the Media Server
In order to be controlled from Vista2, the footage on the media server has to be organized in a specific order.
The footage has to be on the same hard drive, in the same folder:
- eg. Z:\citp_footage (A)
Inside the CITP folder another directory level can be set to separate the media by type.
- A live folder must be made. MXWendler will automatically find the folder and let the user control Live Devices from there. (B)
CITP Footage Library Base Path can be now set on MXWendler (C)
- Menu → Settings → Input and Output → DMX/Art-Net
Download and Assign Media Server Thumbnails in Vista2
1. Menu → Patch → Import Media Server Thumbnails (A)
2. Import Thumbnails (B)
3. Left click on the loaded Fixture Type, select Use Custom Media (C)
4.Choose the thumbnails directory, eg. Windows: ...\Documents\Vista Data\UserName\Images\MediaServerThumbnails and select → MXWendler Mediaserver