Control fixtures Intensity & Colour via a custom Program

[MD1125]

Hi,

I was just in general interested how the whole ZerOS and the remote apps etc. work together and wether I could remotely for example via my own "code" send data / packets to change colours, intensity etc. So I looked into that a bit but I was wondering if there is a easier method to do so.

I thought maybe the Monitor App has an easy API to reverse Engineer but from what I’ve observed when inspecting network traffic between the ZerOS Monitor App and the FLX:

• The Monitor app doesn’t appear to have it's own UI, as it's just displaying the raw image stream sent from the console (please correct me if I’m mistaken).

• The FLX sends this UI as raw image data, and in return, the app sends mouse coordinates (x, y) and state changes (down, up, move) back to the console, which then updates the display.

In theory, it looks like I could send raw hex strings (e.g. "1 enter @100 enter") but I really hope theres an easier way I overlooked.

So my main question is:

Is there an easier or officially supported way to remotely control the FLX (S24) to change colours or intensity via the standard DMX universe — ideally by sending packets directly over Ethernet from custom code?

I’ve checked out a few options, but they don’t seem to fit:

• Triggers: Only seem to fire cues/playbacks, not direct channel control.

• KiNET: Doesn’t appear compatible with my setup.

• Philips Hue: Works only with Hue devices, as far as I can tell.

Any advice or insight would be really appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

[kgallen]

OSC or MIDI would be the usual remote control methods.

Others on here have experience of these and will no doubt be along shortly (I have no experience of using them). You could search the Forum for OSC, there are quite a few detailed threads.

User @Davidmk has a lot of OSC experience so you could look at posts by him in the FLX/FLX-S and Solution forums.

examples:

 

 

 

 

[MD1125]

Well the problem with OSC is, from the commands provided in this documentation file it appears to me as if it can only receive these:

• Cues
• Playbacks
• Macros, Grandmaster & Blackout

It could be that I just overlooked the file but on the FLX S24 OSC does not seem to have individual colour control that is not pre-programmed

[kgallen]

I believe you’re correct.  I think MIDI and OSC can only trigger pre programmed cues. Others will know better than me though. 

[Davidmk]

What do you actually want to achieve with this?

Not in terms of what you would do if you were at the desk, more in terms of what it looks like on stage.

[Archie D]

Hello @MD1125,

Welcome to the Zero 88 forum.

13 hours ago, MD1125 said:

• The Monitor app doesn’t appear to have it's own UI, as it's just displaying the raw image stream sent from the console (please correct me if I’m mistaken).

• The FLX sends this UI as raw image data, and in return, the app sends mouse coordinates (x, y)

Yes, this is correct. The ZerOS Monitor and Remote apps rely directly on the console, therefore all processing when performing actions on the remote apps is done on the console itself, and rather not your own device apart from sending the x and y coordinates like you say.

13 hours ago, MD1125 said:

In theory, it looks like I could send raw hex strings (e.g. "1 enter @100 enter")

I believe this unfortunately won't be directly possible, as ZerOS only accepts communication to the console via the methods @kgallen outlined regarding MIDI and OSC, however the FLX S is unable to use MIDI as it doesn't have a physical port.

11 hours ago, MD1125 said:

Well the problem with OSC is, from the commands provided in this documentation file it appears to me as if it can only receive these:

• Cues
• Playbacks
• Macros, Grandmaster & Blackout

This is correct as well, however I am going to highlight 'Macros' as a part of this.

There are two types of Macros within ZerOS. Fixture Macros, and User Macros. Fixture Macros are available on the FLX S, but User Macros aren't. On the other hand, if you did have access to User Macros for example on a full size FLX (max 240 macros) or a Solution (max 400 macros), you could theoretically: Record -> Tap 'Macro' -> Select a macro to record to -> Keys -> Type the syntax commands you would like (Keys will also record presses such as 'Home') -> Tap 'Macro' again to stop recording -> Tap 'Clear' to clear the syntax line. If you use Solution for this, you need to instead tap the Macro's MFK to stop recording I think.

Doing this is of course rather painful, and will only let you control specific fixtures at specific levels you have already programmed into the console, and if using the full size FLX it will eat into your macro count relatively quickly (max 240) depending on how you use this, but it will allow you to control the macro you have just programmed via the OSC protocol, which you could use in your own codebase as you wish to control the intensity levels of specific fixtures.

For example, if I then programmed a macro via the following: Record -> Macro -> Macro 1 -> Keys -> '1 thru 10 Home' -> Macro
I could then execute that exact combination of key presses on the console by firing a command over the OSC protocol: /zeros/macro/1 (if I recorded it as Macro 1).

You could record singular colours using Macros as well.

I am aware that you are on the FLX S, and that this unfortunately won't be possible for your console regarding User Macros, but I thought I would take the chance to share this information in case it is of use for the future for you (who knows...). It definitely isn't the best way of doing things, but it is a little workaround that I found to partially work. So, in answer to your question, you could fire 1 enter @100 enter, but just not on the FLX S.

[Archie D]

Ah, @Davidmk, I do apologise for posting over your post, the forum page didn't update for me showing your post when you posted it while I was writing mine.

Archie

[Davidmk]

@Archie D I'm not sure what the level of control @MD1125 described is for. It would be easier to get a long DMX cable and move the desk.

I use OSC to get quick access to colours, positions, effects and other stuff when I'm busking. I record what I might want as cues in playbacks and send a go PB/cue by OSC from a screen next to the desk.

I don't use it when programming the show file in the first place.

[MD1125]

54 minutes ago, Davidmk said:

What do you actually want to achieve with this?

Not in terms of what you would do if you were at the desk, more in terms of what it looks like on stage.

I was just in general interested in how all of it works I guess. No direct purpose, just pure interest. Oh and regarding the theoretical direct string input:

48 minutes ago, Archie D said:

I believe this unfortunately won't be directly possible, as ZerOS only accepts communication to the console via the methods @kgallen outlined regarding MIDI and OSC, however the FLX S is unable to use MIDI as it doesn't have a physical port.

I was actually able, after some playing around, to fully emulate the traffic between the Monitor and FLX S24 by opening my own TCP connection to the FLX and then send the same strings it does from the Monitor App. From what I've looked at in the traffic it first sends a string to initialize, then one carrying the Password, and then you have (in theory) full control over the Keyboard.
By sending these strings:

•     "5a 38 38 52 01 00 00 00 1d 00 00 00 44 4b 65 79 00 00 00 00 00 0a 00 00 00 00 00 00 00",
•     "5a 38 38 52 01 00 00 00 1d 00 00 00 44 4b 65 79 00 00 00 00 03 61 00 00 00 00 00 00 00",
•     "5a 38 38 52 01 00 00 00 1d 00 00 00 44 4b 65 79 00 00 00 00 01 0a 00 00 00 00 00 00 00",

You can emulate you typing an "@" on your keyboard, same goes for any other keys you might press, so by expanding this system you could (theoretically) make your own API I guess, just not directly for colour, although that would also work if you kinda pre-record where the mouse has to press. 

And as far as "debugging" these strings goes, they seem to be actually rather structured, example:

First string for @ -> "5a 38 38 52 01 00 00 00 1d 00 00 00 44 4b 65 79 00 00 00 00 00 0a 00 00 00 00 00 00 00"
                                   Z 8 8 R                                                    D   k   e    y                         Presumably key data
                                  "5a 38 38 52 01 00 00 00 1d 00 00 00 44 4b 65 79 00 00 00 00 03 61 00 00 00 00 00 00 00"

[Archie D]

@MD1125, thank you very much for sharing and outlining this. Analysing network traffic.. I wouldn't have figured that out straight off!
That's really interesting to see how ZerOS handles inputs from the mobile apps.

I recognise the Z88R part of the string - presumably meaning "Zero 88 Remote". When I opened some of the obfuscated files that ZerOS contains (built on a linux system), most begin with "Z88C" from what I remember, presumably meaning "Zero 88 Console", so I can see the links starting to form...

[Davidmk]

@Archie D @MD1125 You are out of my experience here. Nearest I've been was programming PDP11s 50yrs ago. No desire to return to that level of detail