Hotline: +49 5251 688865-99
Hotline: +49 5251 688865-99
Hotline: +49 5251 688865-99
Hotline: +49 5251 688865-99
Hotline: +49 5251 688865-99
. Operating Manual grandMA Version 5.4
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16.3
16.3
16.3
16.3
16.3
Setting up a Network System
Setting up a Network System
Setting up a Network System
Setting up a Network System
Setting up a Network System
In order to set up a network configuration within the grandMA family, you can connect consoles of different types
or with different numbers of DMX channels. The grandMA software is very flexible and can „correct“ possible
differences in the current hardware.
16.3.1
16.3.1
16.3.1
16.3.1
16.3.1 Connecting consoles of different types
Connecting consoles of different types
Connecting consoles of different types
Connecting consoles of different types
Connecting consoles of different types
The master console always demands the slave(s) to behave like the master hardware. This means a “full” grandMA
master forces a grandMA light slave to be a “full” grandMA temporarily. This results in phantom executor faders
and buttons as the grandMA light (or grandMA replay unit) has a reduced hardware platform. Switching executor
pages will then renumber the executors as given by the first executor on the master console.
When the connection is either manually or automatically (by a user-definable timeout) broken the slave console
can be switched to Master mode with maintaining the setup and configuration of the “lost” master. For example, a
grandMA master connected to a grandMA light slave will force the “light” to operate like a grandMA, even when
the connection is lost and the grandMA light is forced to solo mode.
The table shows what master/slave connections are possible and how many and which executor faders and
buttons are available on the slave during Tracking Backup and in solo mode afterwards.
Please note that the slave’s assignment of executor faders and buttons restores to the hardware default after the
console is once re-booted.
16.3.2
16.3.2
16.3.2
16.3.2
16.3.2 Connecting consoles with different DMX channel count
Connecting consoles with different DMX channel count
Connecting consoles with different DMX channel count
Connecting consoles with different DMX channel count
Connecting consoles with different DMX channel count
In a Full Tracking Backup system the DMX channel count of the master console demands a temporary update or
downgrade of the connected grandMA slave automatically. If a 4096 channel master is connected to a 2048
channel slave the grandMA slave will take over the 4096 channels and process them in all conditions even when
the connection is broken regardless of what the original installed channel count.
Rebooting the slave will restore the installed channel count immediately. In a Full Tracking Backup situation
where the master is defective this may cause a loss of show data as only DMX channels 1 to 2048 are processed
on “smaller” 2048 channel systems. Therefore please make sure that the channel upgrade is being implemented
on the slave.
16.3.3
16.3.3
16.3.3
16.3.3
16.3.3 Using a PC as master or slave console
Using a PC as master or slave console
Using a PC as master or slave console
Using a PC as master or slave console
Using a PC as master or slave console
Though the grandMA Offline Editor software cannot be used to actively control DMX-channels as the DMX-
Ethernet protocol is permanently disabled it still can be used in a master/slave connection with “real” grandMA
consoles.
Because of the limitations of the PC hardware in combination with Windows® operation systems the grandMA Off-
line Editor must be seen as “weakest” part of the EtherNet chain therefore it may only be operated as slave
console.
You may use this setup with a PC as slave to easily transfer show file data to other grandMA consoles (whatever
type they are), especially when they are used on a distributed network.
