Output [USB]

This topic includes:

▪Data Output Over USB

▪1] Initial Configuration

▪2] Fixture Patching In MADRIX 5

▪3] Enabling Drivers

▪4] Activating Devices

▪5] Configuration Of DMX Output

▪6] Frame Time

▪7] Optimized Frames Or Full Frames

Data Output Over USB

You can connect the NEBULA directly via USB to the computer that runs the MADRIX 5 Software. Data is distributed to the MADRIX NEBULA over USB and sent to the two output ports [Port 1 and Port 2].

1] Initial Configuration

▪Put MADRIX NEBULA into operation by connecting the LEDs, supplying power, and setting the output protocol as described above. Learn more »Putting The Device Into Operation

▪Connect MADRIX NEBULA to your computer via USB.
[Use the provided USB cable.]

▪Make sure to check the power-management options of Windows. Learn more »PC Power Management

2] Fixture Patching In MADRIX 5

▪Start MADRIX 5.

▪Configure the virtual LED matrix using the Matrix Generator or Patch Editor.

3] Enabling Drivers

▪Go to the menu Preferences > Options... > Devices USB
[Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+Alt+O > Devices USB]

▪Activate MADRIX NEBULA
[The option is activated by default.]

▪Click Apply

▪Close the window with OK

4] Activating Devices

▪Go to the menu Preferences > Device Manager... > DMX Devices
[Keyboard shortcut: F4]

▪Your NEBULA devices and all of their output universes will appear in the list.

▪If your devices are not in the list, click
[In the screenshot below, one NEBULA is connected.]

▪By default, all output ports are activated [State On].

▪If your device and ports are not activated, do the following:

▪Select the device/port in the list.

▪Right Mouse Click on the column State to set from Off to On [indicated by green light].

5] Configuration Of DMX Output

▪Make sure that your output port is still selected under Preferences > Device Manager... > DMX Devices

▪When using your device as an output device, set up Universe
- Right Mouse Click or Left Mouse Double-Click on the column Universe and enter the required number.

▪This setting assigns a specific DMX universe [of the Patch] to the device or the port of the device.

▪Make sure to assign the correct universe according to your requirements.
Learn more »Glossary

6] Frame Time

▪Make sure that your output port is still selected under Preferences > Device Manager... > DMX Devices

▪Set up the frame time for your device.
- Right Mouse Click or Left Mouse Double-Click on the column ms / FPS and enter the required number.
- The frame time [in milliseconds; ms] affects the frame rate. The frame rate specifies how fast data is sent to the device or received from it [in Frames Per Second; FPS].
- Increase the frame time in order to decrease the frame rate [e.g., 40 ms = 25 FPS].
- Decrease the frame time in order to increase the frame rate [e.g., 20 ms = 50 FPS].
- The default value is 30 ms / 33.3 FPS.
- The minimum value is 1000 ms / 1 FPS.
- The maximum value is 5 ms / 200 FPS.
  Please note: If you want to output high frame rates, make sure to set Main Mixing FPS in the Options to the same value in order to render the same frame rate [It is set to 50 FPS by default. Otherwise, frames will be duplicated].
  Please note: If you want to input high frame rates, make sure to set DMX Controller Input FPS in the Options to the same value in order to process the same frame rate [It is set to 50 FPS by default. Otherwise, frames will be duplicated].
- Some LED fixtures might have problems with a low frame time / high frame rate. Then, it is recommended to increase the frame time / decrease the frame rate.

▪[When using USB, the frame time will be automatically set to the same value for all output ports.]

7] Optimized Frames Or Full Frames

▪Make sure that your device is still selected under Preferences > Device Manager... > DMX Devices

▪Choose how to send data.
- Right Mouse Click or Left Mouse Double-Click on the column Frames to choose between Optimized and Full
- Per DMX512 standard, MADRIX 5 only sends the number of DMX channels that is configured [optimized frames]. For example, if you are using 312 DMX channels on a DMX universe, only 312 DMX channels will be sent with every single frame on this universe.
- Activate Full Frames if devices should always send full frames on a particular universe, instead of optimized frames. Sending full frames means that always the full 512 DMX channels of a DMX universe will be sent with every frame [even when you are using less than 512 channels on the universe].
- Activating Full Frames is recommended if problems with the data output of your devices occur.
 

▪In addition, you can activate Full Frames for the device and each MADRIX NEBULA output universe separately.