ArtNet Odd Behaviour

Generic issues not specifically related to a QLC+ area.
Post here only if you can't really find the reason of an issue
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AcdNrg
Posts: 16
Joined: Thu May 27, 2021 7:16 pm
Real Name: Oliver Keller

Hello QLC+ Community!

I had to take a break from my lighting journey for personal reasons, roughly a year. Now I can continue embracing QLC+. Or can´t, given the odd issue I face: QLC+ scene changes stopped working the way I was used to and it looks like Artnet is the cause.

So in my setup from a year ago, I was in the middle of creating a mildly complex setup, two universes, a good number of fixtures and everything worked like a charm.
Now I get a very mixed bag: Sometimes scene changes work, sometimes they don´t. It drives me nuts, since the behaviour is not regular in any way.

So to reduce complexity, here is what I did:

1. Detaching the larger DMX installation
2. Connect only a single LED Bar, proper termination.
3. Most simple network setup: Just a crossover cable from PC to the Artnet Node (showtech net-2/3)
4. Reduce windows networking to just IP and that´s it (no fancy services, no ipv6 etc)
4. New QLC project, just the definition of that LED Bar.

So now there are just three scenes:
A) all red LEDs on
B) all blue LEDs on
C) all values zero (to mimic blackout)

So switching to Scene A works. Blackout button works, I can manually blink away happily :)
Switching from A to B sometimes works, sometimes doesn´t. The same is true for switching back to A if calling B was successful.
However, if switching does not work, as soon as I touch any fader, the scene is called and the lights respond.

If I switch from any scene to blackout, then select a different scene, un-blackout... everything works like a charm.

The DMX monitor shows that QLC is setting the values correctly (except for the blackout not being reflected in the monitor, but that´s ok).


So in your experience: What could cause this weird behaviour?


I already tried different network cables, dmx cables, artnet node modes (htp, ltp, single), but nothing really changed. The complete setup worked as expected when I worked on it last year and that means two universes almost full of devices, switched network in a separate VLAN and whatnot. And now suddenly the easiest setup acts funny. Did I probably miss some issue with any Windows Update lately? Or is it copper worm in the ArtNet node, munching away on the chip :D ?

I´m running out of ideas of what to change/test, maybe you have seen something like this and can point me in the right direction.



Cheers,
Oliver
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mcallegari
Posts: 4506
Joined: Sun Apr 12, 2015 9:09 am
Location: Italy
Real Name: Massimo Callegari
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Hi, such a lenghty post and not an indication of which QLC+ version(s) you are using...basically the first information to share when claiming an issue.
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GGGss
Posts: 2741
Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2016 7:15 pm
Location: Belgium
Real Name: Fredje Gallon

If you have to reinstate a value to a fixture, it smells like the fixture being in LTP mode...
2 level faders both bound to the led bar and see if they reflect HTP or LTP behaviour.
#copperworm LOL
All electric machines work on smoke... when the smoke escapes... they don't work anymore
AcdNrg
Posts: 16
Joined: Thu May 27, 2021 7:16 pm
Real Name: Oliver Keller

mcallegari wrote: Fri May 28, 2021 7:13 am Hi, such a lenghty post and not an indication of which QLC+ version(s) you are using...basically the first information to share when claiming an issue.
True, I´m on 4.12.3. "Latest stable" is my best practice for pretty much everything else, so I just forgot to mention that. Sorry! I will test with the current 5 release next week to see whether it´s in the software or something in the transmission path or fixture.

From what QLC is telling me (DMX monitor), everything is alright in software. Assuming this is correct, it looks like the issue is somewhere between QLC out and fixture in.
I also tried a laptop with a fresh install of QLC instead of my lighting PC - same results.

Would it help to upload both project files, the big one that worked quite well in the past and the new small test project?

Oh, and is there something like Wireshark for DMX? I´d like to sniff the data being received by the fixture. If the transmission is faulty, this points to the fixture but if the data isn´t received it may be the artnet node (which is on latest firmware). I´ve still got the enttec USB box I used before switching to Artnet, so receiving with my laptop should be possible.

@GGGss Will try that as well, thank you!
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GGGss
Posts: 2741
Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2016 7:15 pm
Location: Belgium
Real Name: Fredje Gallon

AcdNrg wrote: Fri May 28, 2021 7:49 am
Oh, and is there something like Wireshark for DMX? I´d like to sniff the data being received by the fixture. If the transmission is faulty, this points to the fixture but if the data isn´t received it may be the artnet node (which is on latest firmware). I´ve still got the enttec USB box I used before switching to Artnet, so receiving with my laptop should be possible.
Wireshark has an add on for Artnet Yes.
Use unicast transmission and try to avoid using a 'modern' router + access point ... They have stormcontrol inside and broadcasts are filtered out (aka no more Artnet duuh)
All electric machines work on smoke... when the smoke escapes... they don't work anymore
AcdNrg
Posts: 16
Joined: Thu May 27, 2021 7:16 pm
Real Name: Oliver Keller

Yes, that´s also a vantage point I will be looking at. And I wonder if there is any program that would allow me to sniff the DMX bus with the old enttec I have lying around. I don´t totally trust the artnet node yet (showtech net2/3), so I wonder if that´s probably the point where data gets lost and by looking at what´s happening on the DMX wire I might gain some clarity.

Now that the day job is over, I´ll jump back to more troubleshooting.
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GGGss
Posts: 2741
Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2016 7:15 pm
Location: Belgium
Real Name: Fredje Gallon

Sniff the DMX bus -> use your Enttec, configure it as an input and use a tool like a 2nd QLC+ (or DMX workshop) to look at the DMX values present on the bus.
If Chinese knock-offs are in use, suspect the seep in of strange DMX signals onto the bus. This kind of signals disturbs timing and possible mayhem visual on other fixtures.
All electric machines work on smoke... when the smoke escapes... they don't work anymore
AcdNrg
Posts: 16
Joined: Thu May 27, 2021 7:16 pm
Real Name: Oliver Keller

Gents,

I may be an idiot, so please don´t slap me :)

Before deep diving on the cable, I decided to look at my virtual console (VC) and see whether the same behaviour occurs when calling scenes not from the Function Manager (FM), but from the VC. Guess what: Nothing odd with that. I can happily finger drum and strobe as much as I like (flash mode) and no hickups, no hanging scenes, nothing.

Guess that happens when you have to leave your pet project for such a long time. Apologies for the confusion I created.

FM still has the issue, but now that it seems it won´t interfere with an actual show... I´m happy again. I can work around that and get used to not switch quickly in FM.

Now back to work, I left the project at scene 128 and now have to do the remaining 768 plus their collections :D

Here is what this is for:
Attachments
Work in progress
Work in progress
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GGGss
Posts: 2741
Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2016 7:15 pm
Location: Belgium
Real Name: Fredje Gallon

These buttons will become your best friends right after reading this ;-)
ScreenHunter_21 Jun. 02 10.11.png
ScreenHunter_21 Jun. 02 10.11.png (5.95 KiB) Viewed 2288 times
With the left one, you can change functions - while in produce mode
With the other one, you can change your VC behaviour - while in produce mode...
Quick edit mode ;-) so to say.
(be warned that in my experience, mingling too much can result in an unstable system, resulting in you having to restart)
All electric machines work on smoke... when the smoke escapes... they don't work anymore
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