MagicQ Serialport

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Using the serial port on MagicQ

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Introduction

The MagicQ console and MagicQ PC software supports the use of a serial port for controllingexternal devices, such as CD or DVD players, video or automation computers.

The serial port can also be used to remote control the MagicQ console or MagicQ PC software via

a simple set of text commands.

A standard male 9 pin D type connector is provided on MagicQ consoles. On MagicQ PC the

availability of a serial port will depend on the PC. Many modern laptops do not have a serial port

however, USB to serial converters are readily available.

MagicQ supports standard baud rates, stop bits and parity options for serial communication.

Note that the use of the serial port on MagicQ PC is only enabled when it is connected to aMagicQ PC Wing.

Enabling the serial port

Enable the serial port in the View Settings view of the Setup Window. Page down to the PortSettings. Select the COM port that you wish to use (on the console always select COM1). Set the

baud rate, polarity, data bits and stop bits.


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Writing to the serial port

Commands are transmitted from the serial port by placing the command in the Macro field of theCue Stack window.

The format of serial commands is X followed by the data. To send serial data, the X commandmust be the only macro command in the macro field. The X command is followed by ASCII data

contained within or or by decimal values separated by commas. For example to send Hello

World followed by a carriage return:

XHello World,10,13

To send the binary data stream 00 01 02 03 04

X0,1,2,3,4

To send text only:

Xabcedf

To send several lines of text:

XHello,10,13,World,10,13


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Reading from the serial port

By default data received on the serial port is ignored. This can be changed to make MagicQ acceptremote commands received on the serial port. In the View Settings view of the Setup Window, set

the serial input type to ChamSys Serial Remote.

ChamSys Serial Remote protocol consists of simple commands consisting of a list parameter

values separated by commas , and ending in a character A to Z (or a to z). Commands can

contain spaces, tabs, and carriage returns; they are all ignored.

The commands are:

A Activate playback R Release playback

T Test playback (activate with level 100%) U Un-test playback (release with level 0%)

G Go on playback

S Stop (go back) on playback , L Set playback fader level

, , J Jump to Cue Id on playback

P Change page

, I Set intensity channel to level

H Remote programming command

The following parameter values are supported

is a number between 1 and 10

is an integer between 0 and 100. is an integer between 0 and 100

is an integer between 1 and 6144



So for example, to set dimmer channel 4 to 50% you would use:

4,50I

To jump to Cue id 2.5 on playback 8 you would use:

8,2,5J

Commands can be sent back to back e.g.

1A2A1S2G3,4I


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Remote programming commands

Remote programming commands enable simple programming actions to be carried out from aremote terminal. Remote programming commands consist of the program command number

followed by parameters and completed with an H.

The commands are:

, , [] H Select one or more heads

, , [] H Deselect one or more heads

H Deselect all heads

, H Select group

, , [] H Set intensity of selected heads , , , [] H Set attribute value of selected heads

, , , [] H Increase attribute of selected heads

, , , [] H Decrease attribute of selected heads H Clear programmer

, H Include position palette , H Include colour palette

, H Include beam palette

, H Include cue

H Update

, H Record position palette

, H Record colour palette

, H Record beam palette

, H Record cue

H Next head H Previous head

H All heads

H Locate

H Lamp on

H Lamp off

H Reset

[] indicates an optional parameter

is an integer between 0 and 100 is an integer between 1 and 1024


is a flag. 0 for change in 8 bit resolution, 1 for change in 16 bit resolution

is an integer time in seconds


and are integers between 1 and 6145

Attribute numbers

Intensity attributes (I1)

- -


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- -

- -

- Intensity (0)

Position attributes (P1)

Pos1 (46) Pos5 (50)

Pos2 (47) Pos6 (51)

Pos3 (48) Pan (4)

Pos4 (49) Tilt (5)

Colour attributes (C1)

Cyan (16) Col4 (27)

Magenta (17) Col3 (26)Yellow(18) Col2 (7)

Col mix (19) Col1 (6)

Beam attributes page 1 (B1)

Shutter (2) Rotate2 (11)

Iris (3) Rotate1 (10)

Focus (12) Gobo2 (9)FX1 (14) Gobo1 (8)


Frost1 (32) Rotate4 (31)Frost2 (33) Rotate3 (30)

Zoom (13) Gobo4 (29)

FX2 (15) Gobo3 (28)


Macro1 (22) FX8 (39)Macro2 (23) FX7 (38)

FX3 (34) FX6 (37)

FX4 (35) FX5 (36)


Cont1 (20) Cont8 (45)

Cont2 (21) Cont7 (44)

Cont3 (40) Cont6 (43)

Cont4 (41) Cont5 (42)


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Any comments on how these instructions could be improved will be gratefully received at

[email protected],

Documents

MagicQ Serialport