Monitoring and Output Tools
You can find the DMX monitoring and output tools in the DMX Toolbar Button.
DMX Output Console
The DMX output console is an editor tool for testing DMX output before running the project. You can use the output console to create custom faders that will output DMX to any number of universes and channels on a specified protocol.
You can also use this tool to verify that you are sending DMX and that your fixtures and controllers are receiving output from Unreal Engine. It is also a valuable debugging tool in the case that anything is responding unpredictably.
If you would like to update your fader, you can click on it, change its properties, then press the Update Selected Fader button.
To start sending DMX, make sure the checkbox is checked and click and drag to move the fader to change the value. Check your fixture manual if you are unsure which channels control what.
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Add Faders | Adds a set of faders defined by the number of faders and input Universe/Address. |
| Remote Universe | The universe you would like all added faders to send to. |
| Starting Address | Address for the first fader added when Add Faders is pressed. |
| Number of Faders | The number of faders to add incrementing addresses, beginning with the Starting Address. |
| Master Fader | Send set value out to all faders. |
| Sort Faders | Organize faders incrementally by output address. |
| Name | Custom Name for your Fader. |
| Max | Set max output value. 255 by default. |
| Min | Set min output value. 0 by default. |
| Uni. | The protocol universe this fader should send to. |
| Adr. | Address the fader should send to for the assigned Universe. |
| Protocol | Which protocol you would like this fader to use for sending data. |
| Macros | Preset macros for testing output. |
| Affected Faders | Which faders the macros should affect. You can choose Selected or All. |
| Sine Wave | Apply wave animation to fader(s). |
| Max | Set fader(s) to relative max value. |
| Min | Set fader(s) to the relative min value. |
Fill in the properties you would like for your fader, and then press the Add Fader button to create a new fader.
DMX Channel Monitor
The DMX Channel Monitor is a debugging tool for visualizing DMX input and output. The monitor will display information when the Unreal Engine receives data for the specified universe and protocol. When DMX is sent out of Unreal Engine, it will also be displayed. When lighter colors are displayed, this indicates higher values that have been received.
Currently, you can only visualize for a single universe but we will extend this in the future to visualize the received of DMX on more than one universe.
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Protocol | Select the protocol you would like to listen to. |
| Remote Universe | Specify the Remote Universe to listen to for the selected protocol. |
| Clear Values | Clear all channel UI to 0. |
DMX Activity Monitor
The DMX Activity Monitor is a debugging tool for visualizing DMX input and output without the need to filter for a specific universe. The activity monitor will show the user which universes are currently receiving DMX and the values that are being changed within each universe.
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Protocol | Select the protocol you would like to listen to. |
| Universe Range | Specify the range of universes to listen for the selected protocol. |
| Clear Values | Reset all UI elements back to 0. |
Pause Receive DMX
Quickly and temporarily disable inbound DMX packets in the editor.
This is particularly useful after having recorded a DMX sequence track from a lighting board and making sure that no extra DMX packets are competing when desiring to playback that same recorded track.
Pause Send DMX
Quickly and temporarily disable outbound DMX packets in the editor.
This is particularly useful when you are trying to edit your scene or DMX project without having your hardware fixtures animate at the same time.