RKS: RDM and DMX Modes

[Petr Vanek]

A DMX Mode is a container holding definition of DMX channels and GDTF allows us to define multiple DMX modes for a single device withing one GDTF file. The concept of multiple DMX modes is good, because not only we can have a complete device definition in a single GDTF file, but we can also define DMX modes for different software version of the device. This allows us to provide both older and newer versions of DMX definitions if needed.

For this to work in the GDTF Builder, we must first define RDM details on the Fixture tab:

If you do not know the Manufacturer ID, it can be found here: https://tsp.esta.org/tsp/working_groups/CP/mfctrIDs.php . The Device Model must be retrieved from manufacturer documentation, or you can also try to find it in the OpenLighting database: http://rdm.openlighting.org/model/display?manufacturer=21075&model=263 . Do note that you fill in the hexadecimal values, not the decimal representation.

With these data being filled in, you can now define DMX Model and provide the name, top level geometry (base) and the "RDM Software version + RDM Personality ID" pair for each DMX Mode:

 

If you have for example a DMX Mode, which was added only in software version 2, you can define this pair of Software Version - Personality values in the DMX Mode definition. So in the following example, we have a DMX Mode 1 and 2 available in software versions 1 and 2. Then we have DMX Modes 3 and 4, which were only added on software version 2:

Hope this helps,

Petr

 

 

[Paolo.Prolights]

Hi Peter,

I have questions about the second part of this guide, I searched the DIN_SPEC documents but I didn't find anything.

Would what is reported as "RDM Software Version" actually be the firmware version of the device or is it simply a value that indicates the firmware versions progressively? Is the value to be entered in HEX or in decimal?

As for the RDM Personality ID, is the value to be entered in HEX or in decimal?

Following an example of this info so we have a real reference.

Thanks for your attention.

Best Regards.

Paolo.

[Petr Vanek]

Hi Pablo,

you enter the values in hex, this is defined in the DIN Spec, see here all relevant sections (they are close to each other, but i linked them anyways):

https://github.com/mvrdevelopment/spec/blob/main/gdtf-spec.md#rdm-section

https://github.com/mvrdevelopment/spec/blob/main/gdtf-spec.md#softwareversionid

https://github.com/mvrdevelopment/spec/blob/main/gdtf-spec.md#table-72-dmxpersonality

In the DMX mode the software version is a version that is sent via RDM and the RDM Mode Id the ID of the mode your software sends when querying the DMX Modes via RDM.

The software version linked to the dmx mode id in the GDTF builder indicates from which software is this DMX mode available in the fixture.

So for you, it would be, as per the image example above:

Software version 1 (taken from boot software id)

and the 1, 2, 3, 4 for modes Basic, FX, Standard, Extended

Hope this helps

P.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Paolo.Prolights]

Hi Petr,

thanks very much, yes it's very helpful.

Best Regards.

Paolo.

 

[Petr Vanek]

And Pablo,

just for your information... it may depend on console/software implementation to choose the RDM related field, but for auto matching, Software Version ID from DEVICE_INFO would make sense. For the user matching it, it may be different... so this depends on the implementation.

Have a good weekend,

P.

edited for clarity.