Controlling PixelDrive using MagicQ

Controlling PixelDrive using MagicQ

Introduction

MagicQ is ideally suited to controlling media servers through its powerful Cue Engine and its
large colour touch screen. The eight encoder wheels enable quick and easy access to the large
numbers of control parameters.

MagicQ has extremely powerful support for media servers. It is possible to connect to up to 50
different media servers or intelligent media yokes each with different media content. MagicQ
downloads thumbnail previews for the media content from each media server independently.

MagicQ supports a special window, solely for controlling media servers, the Media Window. This
window makes it much easier to control media servers. You can select media server, media layer,
attributes and media content all from the same window. You can also see what content is selected
on each of the layers of the selected media server. Open the Media Window by using the 5th Spare
button – above the Macro button.

Patching PixelDrive on MagicQ

There are several personalities programmed into the MagicQ which correspond to the PixelDrive
fixtures. These can be located under the Radlite folder, and are named Particle, PixelDrive,
PixelDriveM2, RLGraphix, RLGraphix16, RLMask, RLMask16, RLText, RLText16, RLWave,
RLWave16. Personalities suffixed with 16 are for use with the 16-bit fixtures in PixelDrive.

A pre-patched show is included with the MagicQ, containing layers and cues to demonstrate the
software. Under the load show screen, it can be found titled PixelDrive.shw. This is for use with
the magicq.show file in PixelDrive.

Connecting to PixelDrive

Connect the PixelDrive servers to the MagicQ via Ethernet and enable the required Art-Net
universes outputs on the MagicQ (Setup, View DMX I/O).

Configure the PixelDrive servers and the MagicQ so that they are on the same IP subnet - i.e..
2.x.x.x.

To check the IP settings you can try and "ping" the MagicQ from the Pixeldrive PC. From the
Windows menu select run and type in ping 2.x.x.x where 2.x.x.x is the IP address of the MagicQ

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Configuring a media server

First patch the required fixtures using the normal MagicQ Patch Window. Each fixture server
should have unique head numbers.

In the Setup Window, Media View configure the media server parameters.

Leave the IP Address of the media server as 0.0.0.0

Optionally set up a name for the media server. This may help you to distinguish the different
media servers.

Select the type of media server, MSEX(Arkaos) for MagicQ version 1.3.0.1 and above, or Generic
for older versions.

Set the number of layers you have patched – this is the number of media layers, and does not
include master layers, soft edge or camera layers.

Set the head number of the first media layer. This tells MagicQ which patched layer is the first
media layer on the media server. MagicQ expects layers to be sequential head numbers, e.g. set
you head numbers for your layers to 2 to 4.

A simple test of connectivity is to view the DMX screen in PixelDrive, and locate one of the
fixtures on the MagicQ. DMX values should change.

Thumbnail view

MagicQ retrieves thumbnails from the media server and shows them on the screen for easy
selection of media banks and media images. The media server must be enabled in the Setup
Window, Media View for it to retrieve thumbnails. MagicQ can handle different media on each
media server thus making it easy to program larger configurations of media servers.

At present, thumbnail views are not supported for PixelDrive on the MagicQ, however this will be
added in future releases.

Live previews

MagicQ can connect to a media server to retrieve a live preview of the master output or of the
individual layers. This is very useful where the media server is remote to the console, or in a
multiple media server configuration.

At present, live preview are not supported for PixelDrive on the MagicQ, however this will be
added in future releases.

Controlling PixelDrive

Open the Media Window (button above Macro).

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To view images on PixelDrive you to need to first select a layer (e.g. layer 1) and perform a
LOCATE. This will initialise the settings for the layer to their default values including the level at
100%.

Parameters can now be set for each fixture in the Media Window using the rotary encoders, with
extended parameters for some fixtures available on Page 2 of the Beam Window.

Troubleshooting

If you do not have control of the PixelDrive at all, check:

• The MagicQ is connected to the PixelDrive via LAN or network crossover cable
• You can "ping" the MagicQ from the PixelDrive
• Windows Firewall is not restricting access between PixelDrive and MagicQ
• MagicQ is enabled to output Art-Net (Setup, View DMX I/O)
• PixelDrive is configured to the correct Art-Net universe
• The DMX addresses in MagicQ and PixelDrive for each fixture correspond.

Any comments on how these instructions could be improved will be gratefully received at
support@chamsys.co.uk.

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