qlight

QDMX

QDMX is dmx transport layer for qlight softwares. It can actually ouput dmx using K8062 (from Velleman) or using Art-Net (DMX over UDP/IP)

QDMX consist of a local tcp server wich manage output interfaces and a library used by programs to transmit data. The protocol is specific to qdmx.

Qt4 Library

QDMX provides a library for Qt4 application for easy access to dmx universes.

Command line interface

QDMX provide a simple interface for writting shell scripts.

Usage: qdmx command

ping: Ping server, display elapsed time in msec.
list: List available universes, display uid -tab- name -endofline- for each universe.
redetect: Redetect universes and list available universes, display uid -tab- name -endofline- for each universe.
startuniv universe_uid: Start an universe identified by its uid. (the device will send DMX data)
stopuniv universe_uid: Stop an universe identified by its uid. (the device will no more send DMX data)
setactive universe_uid count: Set how many channels are active in an universe identified by its uid. (other channels are set to 0).
setchannel universe_uid channelnum value [value_num+1] [...]: Set values from channelnum on universe identified by its uid.

Exemples

Simple script

#!/bin/bash
# Fetch Art-Net universes
UNIVS=(`./qdmx list | grep Art-Net | cut -f1`)
# Take the first avaible universe
UNIV=${UNIVS[0]}
# Start universe : DMX will be send from this point
./qdmx startuniv $UNIV
# Defines how many channels are used (to prevent transmiting 508 empty channels for nothing)
./qdmx setactive $UNIV 4
# Set channel1=128 channel2=255 channel3=255 channel4=128
./qdmx setchannel $UNIV 0 128 255 255 128

Equivalent command by command

$ ./qdmx list
80000000        Point Mad Art-Net @192.168.0.255 : Universe 0
80000001        Point Mad Art-Net @192.168.0.255 : Universe 1
80000002        Point Mad Art-Net @192.168.0.255 : Universe 2
80000003        Point Mad Art-Net @192.168.0.255 : Universe 3
80000004        Point Mad dummy 1 : Universe 0
80000005        Point Mad dummy 1 : Universe 1
80000006        Point Mad dummy 2 : Universe 0
80000007        Point Mad dummy 2 : Universe 1
$ ./qdmx startuniv 80000000
$ ./qdmx setactive 80000000 4
$ ./qdmx setchannel 80000000 0 128 255 255 128

Art-Net implementation

QDMX has not a strict implementation of Art-Net. To detect avaible universes, QDMX broadcast a request but do not act as a regular Art-Net device (it will never reply to poll). Anyway once an universe is used, it act as a regular Art-Net server on the network of universe.

This implementation allow QDMX zero-config approach. User won't have to configure Art-Net on QDMX, it will simply provide the list of networks and universes that can output DMX data.

QDmx Observer

This is a simple tool to check DMX output (black:0 --> green:255).