NOTE: the method described below for EDNs also applies to KiNET Power Supplies.
The EDN is our new Ethernet Data Node, capable of distributing up to 20 ports of DMX from a Pharos networked control system. As well as a single Controller, such as an LPC 20, sending its output to all the ports on an EDN, we can also combine the outputs of smaller capacity controllers, assigning ports to different Controllers.
This post will cover an example multi-controller project with an LPC 10, LPC 4, LPC 2, and a TPC, illustrating how to have all of your Controllers outputting to their own ports on a single EDN 20. Please note, a port can only be assigned to one Controller at a time and cannot have two Controllers outputting to two different patch points in the same universe.
In this example, we’ll start with the EDN 20 attached to the LPC 10, then we will move some of the EDN ports to the other Controllers.
In the Patch view, we can see that all ports are assigned to the LPC 10, meaning that the LPC 10 will currently have control of all ports. However, we only want the LPC 10 to output on Ports 1 – 10.
Pull by Context
To re-assign unused ports 11-14 to Controller 2, our LPC 4 Controller, select Controller 2 in the Patch view, select the EDN DMX Protocol, then EDN 20 1 in the Node column, ensuring the Show All checkbox is checked at the bottom of the Node column. As it currently stands, the EDN node and ports will all be greyed out (implying they are assigned to a different Controller).
To enable Controller 2 to take control of the desired ports, select them in the Universe column (Click + Drag or Ctrl + Click or Shift + Click), right-click on any selected port and select Move Ports to Controller 2.
Now these ports will be displayed in black, indicating they are now assigned to the selected controller.
Pull by Patching
We can also pull ports over to a Controller by just dropping fixtures on them. In the following example, we have a group containing enough fixtures to fully patch 2 universes.
Very simply, to pull the universe over, just drop the fixtures on the desired empty universe. It will then pull over enough ports to fulfil the required patch count.
In this example, we will be pulling over ports 15-16 to Controller 3, our LPC 2.
As the port is being assigned to another Controller, a window will pop up, asking you if you are sure that this was the intended operation. Clicking Continue will cause the ports to be pulled over. Clicking Don’t show this again will cause the operation to be automatically accepted next time.
General
Now that we have given control of some of the ports to the other controllers, reselecting Controller 1 will now show the ports are greyed out, and indicates to which Controller they are assigned.
Also, with the Controller and Protocol selected, but not any specific Node, we will only see the ports that the specified Controller will output to, but not the ports on other Controllers.
