Daslight Forum

Connecting and "Pinging" the IP Interface has worked on Microsoft XP, Vista Home Basic (32 bit) and Vista Home Premium (64 bit). However the DVC2 Beta software does not recognize the IP Interface. Upon booting DVC2 Beta the "About" screen shows no Interface and using the Tools-Interface Manager or Stand Alone, all show no Interface.

Can anyone provide assistance? Thanks.

Dave_DMX wrote:Connecting and "Pinging" the IP Interface has worked on Microsoft XP, Vista Home Basic (32 bit) and Vista Home Premium (64 bit). However the DVC2 Beta software does not recognize the IP Interface. Upon booting DVC2 Beta the "About" screen shows no Interface and using the Tools-Interface Manager or Stand Alone, all show no Interface.

Can anyone provide assistance? Thanks.

Sorry mate have not seen one of the new interfaces let alone had one to try.

Dear Andre:

Thanks for your reply. You and the DVC2 Beta Software are in the same boat -- neither has seen the IP Interface.

I was informed by DASLIGHT America that there is a "Production Glitch" in writing the firmware to the Interface. The firmware needs to be done twice or it doesn't take. Trust this is of assistance.

Best Regards.

Did you ever get the Ip interface going?

I'm holding off purchasing until I hear of one working.

I've also got a few questions about it if anyone can help.....

Can the IP-DMX box live on the same network as my normal "ethernet" network used for internet, file shareing, etc.?

What speed is the Ethernet on the interface, 10BT, 100BT, Gigabit?

How is the box IP address set?

If the box needs a dedicated lan, will other network interfaces, i.e. 2nd Ethernet, wifi, bluetooth, etc. still work as normal when its connected? I would imagine they would but I've seen stranger and dumber things happen in my 30 years in computing.

If anyone from Daslight is reading this, can we have a dedicated part of the forum for this interface, like the other types have? Please
Also, is the documentation for the IP interface going to be published anywhere on the Daslight site, like the others aare?

I'm very excited at the developments, appreciate the effort and am looking forward to seeing the lights actualy do things instead of just staring at the 3D simulator.

I have a trade show coming up in January thats an absolute bear to do. Not enough lights (budget as usual) but about 10 to 20 different stage acts per day from product demos to burlesque, no rehearsals, often 10 minutes prep for sound and lights and usualy amateur or semi pro talent.

Daslight would make life so much easier....

Thanks
Christopher
Ambient Sound

Hi all,

I have gleamed this infomation from the Sunlite product, should be the same, just a slight firmware tweak to make it be recognised as Daslight and only in it's own software.


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1. Installing the IP/Ethernet interface

Our stand alone Ethernet-DMX interface allows you to control your lighting locally (directly from your computer), through a network (connected to a router) or via Internet . To begin configuration, you will need to connect the interface directly to your computer using an Ethernet (RJ45) crossover cable, like the one provided with the interface.

Initial Configuration

Connect the interface to your computer using a crossover Ethernet cable (the crossover cable is only for direct connection with your computer; you should use a regular Ethernet cable if the interface is connected to a hub), and power it up with a 9-12V DC power supply.

The interface will have a default IP address 192.168.1.20, which means it is programmed to work on a 192.168.1.XXX network with subnet mask 255.255.255.0. When connecting the interface through a hub, several important factors need to be considered with regards to the computers IP settings:

1- The IP address must be "192.168.1.XXX" (you choose the values for XXX, 0-255)
2.-The IP address must not be the same as any other device on the network, i.e. another computer, the router or DMX interface.
3.- The subnet mask must be set to 255.255.255.0
4.-All other fields can be left blank (i.e. DNS Server)

IMPORTANT: Each ethernet interface is shipped with the same IP address (192.168.1.20) If you are using more than one ethernet DMX interface, you must connect the interfaces one at a time and change the interface IP address within Easy Stand Alone (explained later in this chapter).

Changing your computers IP address with Windows XP

1.-From Windows' START menu, select NETWORK CONNECTIONS
2.-Right click on LOCAL AREA NETWORK and select PROPERTIES
3.-Select TCP/IP - PROPERTIES.

Changing your computers IP address with Windows Vista

1.-Open the NETWORK AND SHARING CENTER either by clicking on the network icon in the system tray bar or slelecting START-CONNECT TO.
2.-Select MANAGE NETWORK CONNECTIONS
3.-Right click on LOCAL AREA NETWORK and select PROPERTIES.
4.-Double click on INTERNET PROTOCOL VERSION 4 and select USE THE FOLLOWING IP ADDRESS.

Your computer's IP address should be different from that of the interface's, but within the same subnet. Set the IP address of your computer manually, for example, to 192.168.1.25, and the subnet mask to the same 255.255.255.0.

Testing your IP settings

If you open the COMMAND PROMPT from the Accessories folder inside Windows' START menu, you will be able to test the connection between your computer and the interface. Type "ping 192.168.1.20" and hit the RETURN key. If there is good communication between your computer and the interface, you will see something like this:

and if it fails:

If the PING command fails, make sure that the IP addresses are correct and that the interface is powered up and connected using the appropriate cable, as described above.


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For the rest of the info about it goto this web address http://www.dmxsoft.com/manuals/?oem=SUNLITE&na=gY7
and you will see down the left side a list of products select the SUIDI IP1 and you will get the manual for it.

There is also info about using it as an Art-Net convertor as well.

The thing with the IP address as described above, I am not sure if you can address it outside that range or not i.e. 10.20.30.xxx as the network range, I am sure someone will have a play and give the answer.

Hope that helps,


EDIT:- updated link as it was not working.

Thanks Andre,

I dont know what we would do in these forums without your expertise.

I offer my apology for not responding earlier to your inquiry. I have been traveling for the past 3 weeks and away from the Daslight IP interface, software and documentation. I noted the response you received from Andre and it appears to provide the technical information I could not while traveling.

After Daslight America provided a new IP interface with the correct firmware, I was able to use the Beta Software and IP interface to control basic lighting functions for our senior theater production consisting of 16 vaudeville acts. I used the IP interface default settings and cross over cable connected to a laptop computer. Unfortunately, I was unable to fully test the IP interface further before departing.

I now find the IP interface does not function in the Stand-Alone Mode. Since this problem requires constant resetting to return the IP interface to its default settings, I have not ventured further into its network compatibilities. I therefore cannot yet comment on the IP Interface’s friendliness on a standard network connected via a router.

The documentation does not provide information on the IP interface’s speed. I did not have a problem with its connection to the laptop computer with a Gigabit network card.

Andre’s email provides the documentation from the IP/Ethernet instruction sheet regarding the setting of LAN addresses.

If you anticipated using the IP interface’s Stand-Alone capabilities, see my next post.

My opinion at this time is the IP interface was/is not ready for primetime. Daslight shipped a defective product which did not function and required me to pay the shipping costs for its return to them as well as demanding I authorize them to charge the replacement IP Interface to my credit card pending return of the defective interface; the IP firmware cannot be updated via the Daslight Website as can their USB interfaces; Daslight did not provide me with a CD containing a functional version of the Beta software for the replacement IP interface they shipped; the documentation for the IP interface to date is inadequate; and the IP interface does not operate as a Stand-Alone interface.

Best Regards.

Daslight Product Descriptions for DVC2 IP – Daslight Virtual Controller 2 IP 512 provide:
“STAND-ALONE MODE
DMX: 512 Output Channels.
…
MEMORY: The internal memory offers a storage capacity of 230 steps for 512 channels and many more steps with less channels.”

Daslight Documentation provided as Adobe Acrobat files provide:
1. “Ip Instructions en.pdf” the IP/Ethernet instruction sheet contains no information concerning Stand-Alone operation.
2. “tutorial_en.pdf” the “Daslight Virtual Controller 2 – Tutorial” contains no information about Stand-Alone operations.
3. “manual_en.pdf” the “Daslight Virtual Controller 2 User Manual” apparently contains instructions for the USB versions as it provides on page 41 “Put the switch button of the interface to the EXT position.” Neither the IP/Ethernet instruction sheet nor the IP Interface sent to me has a “switch button” with an “EXT position” The IP/Ethernet instruction sheet does not describe such a switch when it describes the “LED and buttons” on pages 4 and 5. (Note: the documentation also does not describe the “Power On-Off “ switch.)

The Daslight Virtual Controller 2 Beta software recognizes the IP interface. I am able to create scenes and use the Editor and Live modes to control the lights via the IP interface. I am able to enter the Stand-Alone mode and upload the scenes. The software acknowledges the upload by indicating the number of bytes uploaded. If I press the “OK” button on the Stand-Alone screen, the Stand-Alone mode closes. I am able to return to the Stand-Alone mode and review the scenes in memory. However, when I completely close out of the Beta software, disconnect the IP Interface, power off the interface and connect it to the DMX controlled lighting, and power on the IP interface as a Stand-Alone device, the interface does not control the lights, nor does it appear to send any DMX signal to the lights.

When the IP interface powered off and reconnected to the computer, the Beta software provides an error message that the software is unable to communicate with the IP interface and the Beta software fails to recognize the IP interface, unless the IP interface it is RESET. (To reset the interface and get all default settings (IP address, password...) back, you must press and hold the '+' button while restarting the interface.)

Can anyone provide any assistance to allow the IP interface to work in the Stand-Alone Mode as described in the sales materials?

Following received from Daslight America:

"... even though I was able to apparently write to the interface memory successfully, as you were, it seems DasLight Beta still has trouble reading the interface memory. Upon further testing revealed that DasLight Beta currently does not actually write to the interface memory of DVC2 IP correctly, as the show output from the new DVC2 IP interface I programmed and tested was not what I wrote to it.

This is unfortunate. We apologize for the inconvenience. However, the Beta version is still in a final development and testing phase. As the DVC2 IP is one of our newer products of the DasLight family, we greatly appreciate you bringing this to our attention. I am advising the Lead Developer of this issue and noting it as a critical function to be addressed in the Beta version prior to the next formal release of the DasLight software."

Apparently, assistance to resolve this problem of Stand-Alone mode operation is well down the road.

Best Regards.
Dave_DMX

Thanks for the info.

Having read many threads here on the forum, I've decided to look elsewhere for DMX software.

It seems that overall, the developers of DASlight just are so out of touch with the real world that the product is fataly flawed and they dont seem t either care nor have any plan to resolve anything.

Releasing and selling the IP product that doesnt work.
Charging the customer to replace a defective product
Obviously not testing products before sellingh them.
Features that are in the software that dont work and dont have a development plan to make them work (tracking of moving heads).
Features that work enough to add to a feature checklist but dont work as expected.
A complete lack of communications with the user community

Its such a pity, the concept is perfect the excecution is terrible.

I thought I had found the ideal software for what I wanted to do, but I guess I will keep looking.

Thanks to everyone here for the knowledge.

Daslight America advised on 25 Nov.: “…It was essentially to be relatively quick programming of the DVC2 Beta version of DasLight to correct the function with the DVC2 IP interface.
While we have managed to fix this, it seems there are still some related issues to be addressed. …” And Thus the Beat Goes On!

Happy Thanksgiving To All!
Dave_DMX

Daslight DVC2 IP 512 Interface appears to have been withdrawn from the product line. A review of the Interfaces Web Page (www.daslight.com/interfaces.php); the Products Web Page (www.daslight.com/references.php); and the Store Web Page shows no listing for the IP 512 Interface. I also note that the Upgrade information on the Products Web Page no longer indicates the availability of the IP 512 Interface.

This all appears to have occurred this past weekend just after Daslight America agreed to provide an upgrade Interface in exchange for the IP 512 Interface, instead of providing me a loner Interface pending fixes to the Stand-Alone portion of the DVC2 Beta software. So, the “… related issues to be addressed …” in the IP Interface Stand-Alone capabilities appear significant.

As I no longer have an IP Interface to comment upon, I believe this thread “DVC2 Beta & IP Interface” is closed. Thanks to all for your comments and suggestions.