Media Servers

Useful Information
Many Media Servers are designed to be controlled using DMX (often over Art-Net) in a similar manner to any other moving light with multiple attributes. If using simple DMX control then any of the Avolites consoles are capable of controlling a Media Server (you may need one of the available 3rd party DMX-USB devices in order for the media server PC to connect to a DMX cable). If using a Diamond 4 or Pearl Expert you can connect the console to the media server using the onboard network interface and send DMX across the network using Art-Net. For Titan and the Diamond 4, Avolites have developed a system for controlling complex devices, such as media servers, directly from the console in a way that allows two way communication between console and media server. In this scenario, the Media Server is termed an Active Device and each of the Media "Layers" an Active Fixture. When working with Active Fixtures, it is possible, for example, for the console to display the name of each media clip above the encoder wheels and to present the user with thumbnail clips of the media content on the VDU. The console can also tell the media server to set its DMX address to a certain value.

Useful Information

Many Media Servers are designed to be controlled using DMX (often over Art-Net) in a similar manner to any other moving light with multiple attributes. If using simple DMX control then any of the Avolites consoles are capable of controlling a Media Server (you may need one of the available 3rd party DMX-USB devices in order for the media server PC to connect to a DMX cable). If using a Diamond 4 or Pearl Expert you can connect the console to the media server using the onboard network interface and send DMX across the network using Art-Net.

For Titan and the Diamond 4, Avolites have developed a system for controlling complex devices, such as media servers, directly from the console in a way that allows two way communication between console and media server. In this scenario, the Media Server is termed an Active Device and each of the Media "Layers" an Active Fixture. When working with Active Fixtures, it is possible, for example, for the console to display the name of each media clip above the encoder wheels and to present the user with thumbnail clips of the media content on the VDU. The console can also tell the media server to set its DMX address to a certain value.

Titan & CITP
CITP (Controller Interface Transport Protocol) is an open protocol which allows consoles to retrieve media clip information and thumbnails from media servers. Titan version 3, on the Pearl Expert and Tiger Touch consoles, is able to communicate directly with media servers that support the CITP protocol without the need to install any extra software on the media server. The personality files for media servers require to be written and tested to match the CITP information to the fixtures patched on the console. These updates will be included with the standard personality library installer which can be downloaded from here. Currently supported media servers include: Hippotizer (v3.0.14 and above) ArKaos MediaMaster ArKaos VJ Robe Digital Spot 3000 Titan is backwards compatible with Active Fixture Plugins (see section below).

Titan & CITP

CITP (Controller Interface Transport Protocol) is an open protocol which allows consoles to retrieve media clip information and thumbnails from media servers. Titan version 3, on the Pearl Expert and Tiger Touch consoles, is able to communicate directly with media servers that support the CITP protocol without the need to install any extra software on the media server.

The personality files for media servers require to be written and tested to match the CITP information to the fixtures patched on the console. These updates will be included with the standard personality library installer which can be downloaded from here.

Currently supported media servers include:

Hippotizer (v3.0.14 and above)
ArKaos MediaMaster
ArKaos VJ
Robe Digital Spot 3000

Titan is backwards compatible with Active Fixture Plugins (see section below).

Active Fixture Plugins for Diamond 4
To allow the Diamond 4 to receive thumbnails and clip information from the Media Server, you will need to install a small piece of software, called an Active Fixture Plugin, onto the Media Server PC. Please download the relevant plugin from the links below and follow the instructions given in the associated documentation. For Active Fixture Plugins to work, you must have a correctly configured network between the console and the Media Server. There is a networking section in the Diamond 4 manual, available for download from here, which may help you in getting your network running. You will also need to make sure that the console is correctly outputting DMX over the right Art-Net universes The Diamond 4 must be running software version 1.5.0 or later. We recommned you download and install the latest version of the console software from here Quick Start Guide: Download and install the correct plugin on the PC running your Media Server software Ensure you have a correctly configured and working network between the PC and the console Ensure you have configured the console for DMX control using Art-Net Run the Active Fixture Plugin on the PC Run the Media Server software on the PC Ensure that the Art-Net settings on the media server match those set on the console Start the console software Patch the Media Server as an "Active Fixture"
Hippotizer V2 Version 2.1 [12th June 2007] For use with Hippotizer software version 2 or earlier	HippoPlugin 2.1.zip	209KB	12/06/2007
Hippotizer V3 Version 3.1 [25th June 2008] For use with Hippotizer software version 3.0.11 or later*	HippoPluginSetup_3.1.zip	401KB	25/06/2008
ArKaos VJ Version 2.2 [5th August 2008]	ArkaosPlugin 2.2.zip	297KB	05/08/2008
* Please ensure that your hippotizer has both the DMX and the HMAP2 components installed and running before starting the Avolites plugin (You may need to click on [Reset Config] from the DMX component dialog). For more information see the Green Hippo website.