Fixtures – ETC Unison Mosaic Designer v1.11.0 User Manual
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Frequently asked questions
How do I programme RS232, RS485 or Ethernet triggers?
Unison Mosaic Controllers can send and receive triggers from 3rd party devices over RS232 Serial, RS485 Serial
and Ethernet protocols. Programming these all involve entering a string of characters in the trigger parameter
pane. These can be entered in three formats; ASCII, Hex & Decimal.
Essentially, the format and string entered depends entirely on the other device. In the Designer trigger/action
fields enter exactly the same string as the other device sends, or is expecting to receive. Simply match the string.
Some devices will have a fixed string. For example, the Dynalite button panel sends "1c0164000000ff
ton 1 is pressed. Therefore in an RS485 trigger the same hex characters are entered in the String box.
Other devices may accept customisable messages, allowing meaningful names, descriptions or comments to be
entered in an ASCII format (ASCII being standard letters & numbers). In this instance you may create a string in
the other device such as "play timeline 6". Then in Designer, the ASCII string entered for the trigger will also be
"play timeline 6". The action will be to start timeline 6. For a useful user interface it may be that the user choice
and string may be descriptive, such as "red walls, blue ceiling". The trigger string in Designer will be "red walls,
blue ceiling", and start the appropriate timeline without the user needing to know what the timeline number is for
the desired look.
Variables can also be used within these Serial and Ethernet strings. A message such as "GOxx" is valid, where
the xx is replaced with a two digit decimal number which will start the timeline with the corresponding number,
rather than having to assign distinct strings to every timeline. In Designer the string would be "GO<2d>" which
indicates the system will expect a 2 digit variable. The action would still be Start Timeline, but rather than select-
ing a specific timeline, set the Variable Index to 1.
A useful tip for programming the Controller is to be connected and utilize the Controller's log. Any messages on
the line will appear here, be it in nice friendly ASCII, or other formats. The string can be copied straight out of the
log and pasted into the parameters string box - eliminating the possibility for typos, etc. The trigger types can be
mapped out in advance with comments and actions, then whatever the other device sends can be grabbed accur-
ately at the time. The log is a great troubleshooting tool for checking what triggers have been received and what
actions are fired as a result.
Fixtures
What happens if I need a fixture that isn't in the library?
If you're keen you can make your own fixture by grappling with the
I have a fixture with lots of DMX modes, which mode should I use?
The "flat" mode that addresses each cell/element/pixel individually with no additional intensity master nor effect-
s/macro channels. Designer has been developed to get the most out of compound fixtures, typically LED bat-
tens, tubes and tiles, by driving each pixel individually, without "help" or complication - virtual intensity channels
are created as required and arrays can be constructed onto which effects and media, far more powerful than any
built-in function, can be applied and precisely controlled. If in doubt please contact
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