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Author Topic: Luminair Wifi and Hardware Advice  (Read 4650 times)

Peter Kowalczyk

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Luminair Wifi and Hardware Advice
« on: November 05, 2019, 09:13:25 PM »

Greetings,

I'm looking at setting up a Luminair control system for an install.  It appears to be pretty clean and user-friendly. 

I'll be configuring a 'production wifi' network to enable tablet audio mixing.  Any reason to think I couldn't use this same network to interface with a DMX adaptor?  We'll likely be mixing audio from the Tablet in many cases, so it would appear to be an elegant solution to use the same tablet on the same network for lights.

The web page suggests that most any 'Ethernet to DMX' adaptor will work.  Does anyone have a specific piece of hardware they'd recommend?

FWIW, I imagine the Ethernet and DMX adaptor hardware would all live in the main system rack, and then I was planning to use a DMX splitter like a Chauvet Datastream 4 to drive four different 'branches' of DMX that are already installed in the space.  I can't imagine them needing to be different universes.

Any pearls of wisdom?  Thanks!
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Mal Brown

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Re: Luminair Wifi and Hardware Advice
« Reply #1 on: November 05, 2019, 10:44:56 PM »

When I dabbled in Luminair - dropped it like a hot rock after having multiple show files get corrupted...  I used the eDmx'ing Enttec compatible.  It worked fine. Still sitting in a box around here somewhere.

I loved the concept.  Luminair support sucked however... Yep we have this issue with corrupted show files.  Fixed in the next release.  The next release was re-purchase... they completely dropped support for the version I bought.  Lumiair was pretty expensive for an app when I bought in...  0 support.  fool me once...

I am a software guy...  I don't buy the Luminair model.  not even a little bit...
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Jonathan Hole

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Re: Luminair Wifi and Hardware Advice
« Reply #2 on: November 06, 2019, 08:44:17 AM »

Greetings,

I'm looking at setting up a Luminair control system for an install.  It appears to be pretty clean and user-friendly. 

I'll be configuring a 'production wifi' network to enable tablet audio mixing.  Any reason to think I couldn't use this same network to interface with a DMX adaptor?  We'll likely be mixing audio from the Tablet in many cases, so it would appear to be an elegant solution to use the same tablet on the same network for lights.

The web page suggests that most any 'Ethernet to DMX' adaptor will work.  Does anyone have a specific piece of hardware they'd recommend?

FWIW, I imagine the Ethernet and DMX adaptor hardware would all live in the main system rack, and then I was planning to use a DMX splitter like a Chauvet Datastream 4 to drive four different 'branches' of DMX that are already installed in the space.  I can't imagine them needing to be different universes.

Any pearls of wisdom?  Thanks!

I've been doing sound a long time and try to stay away from lights but about a year ago the need to provide our own lighting for smaller shows became a necessity (I provide for a popular regional 80's band).  I tried several of the popular apps but kept coming back to Luminair as the one that seemed most useable to me.  Outside of issues with sync'ing across multiple iPads and losing shows (need to backup, rename to be safe), it's been very stable for us.  I installed a DMXKing adapter in our stage rack which already has a router along with M32Core, DL32, IEM, wireless mics - and so was super easy just to plug into the existing network.  For smaller shows I often mix directly from iPad for sound, larger shows I setup M32R at FOH w/ Waves, but either way I keep that network going for IEM and lighting.  For smaller shows I will usually setup a FOH position with one tablet for FOH mixing and the 2nd tablet for lighting.  I have scenes for key songs with certain lighting looks and it's very easy to move around.  Lighting for us is Chauvet DJ T-Bar 4 light bars - we have 4 of those for simplicity. (again, sound guy covering lights so keep it simple)  I have the Chauvet bridge as well and can use the USB wifi adapters or wired as time allows.  Like I said the biggest issue I've had (never called support) was I programmed a ton of scenes one night and then it synced the opposite way to a show file of the same name on another iPad an erased it all!  Now I make sure to check the direction of sync and backup shows to cloud with an obscure name to be safe.  I know it has a ton of functionality I'm not using so plan to spend some time this winter in the offseason to get better....Hope this helps!
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Erik Jerde

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Re: Luminair Wifi and Hardware Advice
« Reply #3 on: November 06, 2019, 10:58:40 AM »

Ive used it and if you can work within its limitations it works pretty well.  I’ve always used enttec ode nodes for interfacing.  The redpark wired Ethernet adaptor is a great way to get away from WiFi headaches too. 
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Peter Kowalczyk

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Re: Luminair Wifi and Hardware Advice
« Reply #4 on: November 06, 2019, 11:45:05 AM »

Ive used it and if you can work within its limitations it works pretty well.  I’ve always used enttec ode nodes for interfacing.  The redpark wired Ethernet adaptor is a great way to get away from WiFi headaches too.

Thanks for your thoughts.  Sounds like buggy file management is a key limitation.  Any others specific limitations I should be aware of?

Our rig and need will be pretty simple.  I'm planning four D/S + 4 U/S RGBAWU washes + a couple theatrical warm white ellipsoidals for starters.  I hope to set up a handful of different scenes and chases to choose from and leave it at that.

Looks like the Entec ODE MKII and the DMXKing eDMX1 are the type of box I need.  Is the Entec worth the price bump? 
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Dave Garoutte

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Re: Luminair Wifi and Hardware Advice
« Reply #5 on: November 06, 2019, 12:10:41 PM »

Looks like the Entec ODE MKII and the DMXKing eDMX1 are the type of box I need.  Is the Entec worth the price bump?

I've used both successfully.  No problems with either. I see no advantage to spending more.

One issue with Luminair I've had at an install, is the BEs keep changing the 'DONT CHANGE THIS' scenes.  The scene lock is too easy to get to.
I've also had to devise some work-arounds for a couple of things, like not showing the channels you don't need.
All in all, it's perfect for the level of lighting I do; set some scenes, occasional busking.
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Brian Jojade

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Re: Luminair Wifi and Hardware Advice
« Reply #6 on: November 06, 2019, 03:11:34 PM »

I've been using Luminar forever.  I had used the Entec DMX boxes with pretty good success.

A challenge I had was getting the boxes to communicate at times.  The instructions for setup are somewhat limited, and if it's not communicating, it doesn't do a good job to tell you why.  Just a big middle finger that says you did something wrong.

I ended up selling off the Entec boxes for an install, which has worked flawlessly for the last few years.

As a replacement, I bought the Chauvet DMX-AN because it was much less expensive.  Took me a while to figure out that you could NOT configure it with Safari.  Had to use Firefox on a computer - NOT an iPad - to get the configuration to work.  It's still a little finicky on getting it to respond in a new configuration. I haven't been able to pinpoint exactly what I'm doing right or wrong, but once it starts working, it stays working.  Very odd.
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Debbie Dunkley

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Re: Luminair Wifi and Hardware Advice
« Reply #7 on: November 06, 2019, 03:23:01 PM »

Been using Luminair for some years now. I run one iPad for mixing sound and another for controlling lights. I use an Enttec art net ODE ( I also have used DMX KING with great success) - both run through the same router and my system works flawlessly - always has done.
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Jeff Lelko

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Re: Luminair Wifi and Hardware Advice
« Reply #8 on: November 06, 2019, 06:16:20 PM »

I'm looking at setting up a Luminair control system for an install.

Hi Peter.  Just to ask the question, if this is for a permanent installation, why not consider a true hardware-based controller versus a tablet?  Luminair is a decent product for its intended market, but it wouldn’t be my first choice for an installation.  Most mainstream hardware boards, PC software, and everything in between such at the ETC Nomad Puck accept remote control via a tablet without the worries of a tablet going missing, broken, or reset and taking your shows with it.  Just my thoughts...  Good luck!
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Brian Jojade

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Re: Luminair Wifi and Hardware Advice
« Reply #9 on: November 07, 2019, 06:08:01 PM »

Hi Peter.  Just to ask the question, if this is for a permanent installation, why not consider a true hardware-based controller versus a tablet?  Luminair is a decent product for its intended market, but it wouldn’t be my first choice for an installation.  Most mainstream hardware boards, PC software, and everything in between such at the ETC Nomad Puck accept remote control via a tablet without the worries of a tablet going missing, broken, or reset and taking your shows with it.  Just my thoughts...  Good luck!

It's hard to find a simple to use hardware controller that is in the same price range as a Luminair system would be.  ie, if you want buttons for scenes, and nothing else, etc.
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Brian Jojade

ProSoundWeb Community

Re: Luminair Wifi and Hardware Advice
« Reply #9 on: November 07, 2019, 06:08:01 PM »


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