Hey there,
we have a system that uses currently an old MA merger that merges 2 DMX Inputs into one universe.
For me it is important that the Netron EN 12 is possible to do this too.
I would like to use OUT 1 + OUT 2 (with gender-change) for input and for example OUT 3 - 12 for Output of Universe 1.
Second question is: is it possible to do this multiple times - for example
OUT 1 + OUT 2 + OUT 3 = Input Universe 1
OUT 4 + OUT 5 = Output Universe 1
AND
OUT 6 + OUT 7 = Input Universe 2
OUT 8 + OUT 9 = Output Universe 2 … ETC …
Ports on the EN12 can be configured as inputs. If two ports are configured as inputs, output ports can be then set to receive both input ports, and merge them.
The most elegant way to do this, would be to use the RDM10… RDM 10
The RDM10 features two physical inputs: port A and B. The output ports can be set to output port A, port B, or a merge of the two.
Netron devices do not allow more than two universes to be merged/combined to a single output.
I hope this helps. Please let us know if you have any questions.
On EN12, Port 1 and Port 2 could be set as Input Universes 1 & 2. Ports 3, 4, 5, 6 could then be set to merge universes 1 & 2. Port 7 & 8 could then be set as Input Universes 3 & 4. Ports 9, 10, 11, 12 could then be set to merge universes 3 & 4.
Not quite. The RDM10 is only a two universe Ethernet to DMX device (Port A and Port B), whereas the EN12 is a 12 universe Ethernet to DMX device. The key benefit of the RDM10 is it will split DMX & RDM data. Whereas the ports on EN12 can only receive DMX, not DMX & RDM.
Are you referring to supporting RDM input, to enable EN12 to act as an RDM splitter? If so, this functionality requires specific circuitry, which is only present in the RDM10.
On EN12, Port 1 and Port 2 could be set as Input Universes 1 & 2. Ports 3, 4, 5, 6 could then be set to merge universes 1 & 2. Port 7 & 8 could then be set as Input Universes 3 & 4. Ports 9, 10, 11, 12 could then be set to merge universes 3 & 4.
Just for confirmation… If we use for example 2 analog DMX univers in house it would be Port 1 + 2 Univers 1 and Port 7 + 8 at Univers 2 … I think you just recounted for better understanding, right?
Great question. In Netron devices, if a single port is configured to receive a universe, and it receives two streams of the same universe from different sources, these streams will be merged HTP. Therefore, if Port 1 and Port 2 are both set as Input Universe 1, any output ports configured to universe 1, would merge Port 1 and 2 HTP. Whereas, if Port 1 is set as Input Universe 1, and Port 2 is set as Input Universe 2, output ports can then be configured to receive both universes 1 and 2. The ports can then merge these universes with the following behaviour:
HTP: The sources are merged by Highest Takes Precedence
LTP: The sources are merged by Last Takes Precedence
Toggle: The complete source Universe is switched as soon as a single value changes
Backup: The merge universe is activated if the main universe has no valid traffic
So, if you would like to merge with LTP, Toggle, or Backup behaviour, the two input ports need to be set to different universes, so that the output ports can merge the two universes with custom behaviour.
I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you. Currently I’m triying to use sACN for this. Is it true that the EN can only HTP with 2 sACN univers at the same priorty? (For example 2 streams at Univers 1 with priority 100). There is no possibility to merge a third input into the stream? Not even by using a second real port as a normal DMX input for the third stream input?
That is correct - a single DMX port will HTP merge a maximum of two identical sACN universes received at the same priority. If another sACN source comes online, streaming the same universe at the same priority, it will be ignored, even if this sACN universe is coming from the EN12 itself.
Would you be able to provide some background on your system? Does this particular DMX universe just feature generic intensities, that you wish to control from three separate controllers, and perform an HTP merge?
Sure, important for our system is only the following: Our ADB Touch (4) needs control over our houselights (5) and maybe (6) in every constellation per HTP. So if something goes wrong with our desk (0) or the guestdesk per 4-port-node (1) the houselights will still be turned on by our ADB touch (4).
I tried it with a merge per DMX in on Port 12 but it didn’t work with 2 sACN streams and an analog DMX in per IN 12 …
Are there situations where a guest console and your MA2 will be online at the same time, both controlling the same universes? If not, you could merge the ADB Touch input, with either the guest console OR your MA2. sACN would need to be disabled on the console not currently in use.
This would then allow you to bypass the MA merger, with the ADB touch, house lights, and ADB Eurodim all connected to the EN12.
Thank you. Maybe I posted the wrong image for your question My image shows my idea of handling the things mentioned in one of my first posts.
If I’m not wrong I can do everything with the above setup. Our 4port is switched to sACN with priority 95 and our MA2 desk with priority 110. If i like to merge both consoles I change both to priority 100. Because I merge our house light after the EN12 it should be secured that the house lights work all the time?
Am I missing something? And, secondly would it be possible to use 2 sACN streams (same univers and priority) and for example a third input over port 12 analog DMX on one output by using the merge parameters?
Correct - if the MA Merger is performing an HTP merge between the EN12 and the ADB Touch, the ADB Touch will be able to turn on the house lights at any time. The output from the EN12 is the merged result of the MA2 and MA node.
This would not be possible. Let’s say DMX Port 1 is configured to Merge sACN universe 1 with sACN Universe 2 HTP. In this instance, the EN12’s port will listen for the first two streams it receives. So, that could be two streams of universe 1 (ignoring subsequent streams of universe 1 or 2), or that could be one stream of universe 1 and one stream of universe 2 (ignoring subsequent streams of universe 1 or 2). In this example, universe 1 could be received over the network, and universe 2 could be received from an Input port.
Yes, my idea was to “merge” the 2 sACN streams (same priority, same universe) on output 1 with a physical input per DMX on port 12 (configuration as an analog IN)… would this work or is it even the same because the first merge of the sACNs exceeds already the limit of 2 merges?
If you configure one of the EN12’s ports to be a DMX input, you can then define the sACN universe this universe is streamed on.
If other ports on the EN12 are configured to receive this same sACN universe, the universe originating from the EN12 input port will be treated as one of the two streams a single port can receive - the EN12 doesn’t “care” that the sACN universe is being received from itself - it will just be received like any other sACN universe on the network.
So, a single output port on an EN12, could not receive two sACN universes over the network with identical priorities, plus one sACN universe from itself - the maximum number of streams with identical priority that a single port can receive is two.
Theoretically, two identical sACN universes streamed at the same priority on the network can be considered as an error/fault. There is no requirement for sACN receivers to merge these streams. If there are multiple identical universes, all at different priorities, there is no issue at all - in this situation the EN12 will always listen to the stream with the highest priority.
So I would be fine now ….
If it hadn’t been for your last sentences
Is it possible to set both to priority 100 and it will merge HTP the 2 sACN streams or is it possible bot not intentional ? In my understanding it is given practice to set both to 100 and assume it is going to get merged by HTP. But now you said something like “error / fault” ?
plus … my idea was, that guest-desks should always output DMX analog into our 4-port node because only with this setup we have the upper hand over the priority of the guest sACN steam. Right ? For example if our guest would switch his priority to 200 it would overpower our maindesk ? Are there any problems by latency or is this not very important in this kind of setup ?
Yes - the EN12 has been designed to allow for two sACN streams of the same universe at the same priority to merged HTP.
You may find other sACN receivers do not do this, and treat it as an error condition. There is no requirement for sACN receivers to merge two identical universe streams at the same priority, but, EN12 does support this, to help in situations like this.
Correct - because visiting consoles are sending DMX into your MA node, you are able to pre-set the sACN priority. If they were to output sACN onto the network natively, you are exactly right - they could set their own custom priority, and then either have full control, or no control, depending on the priority value they choose.
You should not notice any latency when converting from DMX to sACN using a quality gateway.
My image shows my idea of handling the things mentioned in one of my first posts.
