Patch a Fixture Rig

Add fixtures, patch them to DMX, and verify output.

Goal

Set up a complete fixture configuration including:

• Adding fixtures from the library
• Configuring DMX addresses
• Setting up multiple universes
• Testing output

Time: 10-15 minutes

Step 1: Open the Library Manager

1. Go to Project > Library Manager
2. Select the Fixtures tab

The Fixtures tab shows categories of available fixtures.

Step 2: Find your fixture

Search by name

Type your fixture's name or manufacturer in the search box.

Browse categories

Fixtures are organized by type:

• LED - LED pars, bars, and panels
• Moving Head - Spot and wash moving heads
• Scanner - Mirror-based scanners
• Laser - Laser fixtures
• Conventional - Traditional incandescent fixtures
• Pixel - LED strips and matrices

Using generic fixtures

If your exact fixture isn't available:

• Generic RGB - Basic RGB LED
• Generic RGBW - RGB plus white
• Generic Dimmer - Single channel dimmer

Step 3: Add fixtures to project

1. Find the fixture you need
2. Click the + button to add one, or click the count selector to add multiple at once

Fixtures appear in the Fixtures panel.

Step 4: Patch DMX addresses

Each fixture needs a unique DMX address:

1. Select a fixture in Fixtures
2. In the Parameters panel, find the DMX section
3. Set the Universe (starts at 1)
4. Set the Address (1-512)

Automatic patching

For multiple fixtures:

1. Select all fixtures to patch
2. Right-click and choose Auto Patch
3. Set the starting universe and address
4. Fixtures are patched sequentially

Address conflicts

If two fixtures share addresses, you'll see a warning. Resolve by:

• Moving one fixture to a different address
• Moving one to a different universe

Step 5: Configure fixture mode

Many fixtures have multiple DMX modes:

1. Select the fixture
2. In Parameters, find the Mode dropdown
3. Choose the mode that matches your fixture's settings

Common modes:

• 3-channel - Basic RGB
• 4-channel - RGB + Dimmer
• Full - All features enabled

Step 6: Position in Preview

For accurate visualization:

1. Select a fixture
2. In Parameters, find Position
3. Set X, Y, Z coordinates
4. Adjust rotation if needed

Or drag fixtures directly in the 3D Preview.

Step 7: Test output

Verify your setup:

1. Select a fixture
2. In Parameters, find the Test section
3. Click Locate to flash the fixture
4. Adjust channel values manually to verify

Test without hardware

Even without physical fixtures:

• The Preview panel shows your output
• Each fixture displays its current color and intensity

Working with multiple universes

For large setups:

1. Universe 1 handles addresses 1-512
2. Universe 2 handles the next 512 addresses
3. Continue as needed

Universe setup

1. Patch each fixture to its universe in the Fixtures panel
2. Open Edit > Outputs and add an Art-Net or sACN output
3. If your downstream hardware expects a different universe numbering, set a universe offset on the output

Fixture groups

Organize fixtures for easier control:

1. Select multiple fixtures
2. Right-click and choose Create Group
3. Name the group (e.g., "Stage Left", "Truss 1")
4. Control groups as a unit

Next steps

• Create effects for your fixtures
• Set up Art-Net output
• Create custom fixture definitions