Martin LIGHTING DIRECTOR, MLD User Manual
MARTIN
LIGHTING
DIRECTOR
Performer-activated show control system
USER MANUAL
Version 1.1
Martin Lighting Director, by Acoustic Positioning Research Incorporated, Edmonton,
Canada. Based on U.S. patents 5,107,746 and 5,214,615 and 5,412,619 and international
patent pending PCT/CA95/00180.
Lighting control portions of the MLD software are licensed exclusively worldwide to
Martin Professional A/S, Denmark by APR inc. GAMS Core Tracking technology is
licensed non-exclusively to Martin Professional A/S by APR.
Martin Lighting Director is a trademark of Martin Professional A/S. Other product
names mentioned may be trademarks or registered trademarks of other companies.
The information in this manual is furnished for informational use only, is subject to
change without notice, and should not be construed as a commitment by Martin
Professional A/S or APR inc. Martin Professional and APR assume no responsibility or
liability for any errors or inaccuracies that may appear in this manual.
No part of this manual may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without prior
written approval of Martin Professional A/S.
© Martin Professional A/S, Denmark. All Rights Reserved.
Printed in Denmark
Third Edition: October 1997.
Martin Professional A/S APR inc.
Nordlandsvej 114 Suite 200, 8526-109 St.
8240 Risskov, Denmark Edmonton, Alberta
www.martin.dk T6G 1E5 Canada
Page 2 MLD manual 1.1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
WELCOME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
About this Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
What is the Martin Lighting Director? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
How does the Martin Lighting Director work? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
What’s included with the MLD package? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
What’s NOT included with the MLD package? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Ordering Trackers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
CHAPTER 1 - PC Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
PC HARDWARE INSTALLATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
MLD Card Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
MIDI card installation (optional) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
SOFTWARE INSTALLATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Automatic installation from Windows 95 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Automatic installation from MS-DOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Installer options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Manual installation (for experts or troubleshooters) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Run the MLD software from Windows 95 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Run the MLD software from MS-DOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
CHAPTER 2 - System Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
1. Mark your stage floor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
2. Mount your speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
3. Connect your speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
4. Connect the trackers' radio receivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
a) If you are using modified Samson wireless microphone systems from
Martin: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
a) If you are using your own modified wireless microphone system: . . . 22
5. Power up the system and start the software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
6. Prepare your tracker(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
7. Test your speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
8. Calibrate your speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Automatic calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Manual regular calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Manual irregular calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
9. Calibrate your tracker(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
CHAPTER 3 - Light and Media Set-up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Lighting control configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Basic light definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Choosing base channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Automated followspot calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
1. Automatic calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
a) Define the four lighting calibration points. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
b) Point your lights to your calibration points. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
c) Find the location of the points. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
d) Select the lights and calibrate them. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
e) Test and troubleshoot. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
MLD manual 1.1 Page 3
2. Manual set-up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Other set-up options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Setting the map path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Tracking remote control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Midi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Serial ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Backing up your settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
CHAPTER 4 - Automated followspot Quick Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
CHAPTER 5 - Layer Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
LAYERS (WHERE?) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Drawing and moving regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Resizing regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Deleting regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Zooming the editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Scrolling the editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Notes on layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Defining layer heights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
DEFINING MEDIA ASSIGNMENTS (WHAT?) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Light control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Automated followspot control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Static look control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Dynamic control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Grouping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
DEFINING LAYER MEDIA BEHAVIOUR (HOW?) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
MAPS (WHO? and WHEN?) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Assigning trackers to maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Map control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Map notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
WORKING OFFLINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
CHAPTER 6 - Real-time mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Maps and Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Setting tracking parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Sample rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Samples averaged . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Anchoring radius . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Pulse volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Cymbal rejection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Prediction time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Prediction sensitivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Mouse test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
DMX Priorities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Override procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
CHAPTER 7 - MIDI Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Static control example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Dynamic control example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
List of midi commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Layer defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Page 4 MLD manual 1.1
CHAPTER 8 - Tips to optimize system performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Speaker positioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Sampling rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Followspot issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
CHAPTER 9 - Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
CHAPTER 10 - System maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Tracker maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Attaching the tracker to performers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Speaker and fixture maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
APPENDIX A - Frequently Asked Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
APPENDIX B - MLD card jumper settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
APPENDIX C - MIDI Hexadecimal table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
APPENDIX D - MLD fixture library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
APPENDIX E - Serial output format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
APPENDIX F - Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Hardware / Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
APPENDIX G - Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
APPENDIX H - Modifying Wireless Mics to become trackers . . . . . . . . . 99
APPENDIX I - Reference Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
INDEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
MLD manual 1.1 Page 5
Page 6 MLD manual 1.1
INTRODUCTION
WELCOME!
Thank you for purchasing the Martin Lighting Director system. The Martin Lighting
Director, abbreviated MLD, is the most versatile performer-centered show control and
automated followspot system. This manual describes how to install and use your new
hardware and software. Please read this manual completely to ensure optimum
operation of the system.
To get the most out of the MLD, like with any other sophisticated controller, the
lighting designer or technician will need to familiarize himself with the system. While
you may want to receive training from your Martin dealer in order to learn the MLD
quickly, this manual contains all the information that you need to tackle even the most
ambitious show control projects.
Even though the prospect of reading this manual may be intimidating, be assured that
experienced users of the MLD can set up the tracking and program a show in less than
30 minutes! This may include automated followspots, remote control via a DMX board,
override procedures, advanced zoning and more!
If you have a problem during installation or operation refer to the appropriate chapter
in this manual or to Appendix G "Troubleshooting". If the problem persists contact
your Martin Professional dealer or distributor. You may find additional up-to-date
information and software upgrades on the Martin World Wide Web site at
www.martin.dk/mld/
Side note: This manual can be retrieved in electronic form from the Martin web site. You will
need Adobe acrobat reader software to view it.
MLD manual 1.1 Page 7
About this Manual
This manual is designed to get your MLD system up and running as quickly possible.
Throughout the chapters you will find diagrams to illustrate the main ideas and “side
notes” with additional information.
Chapter 1 of this manual discusses hardware and software installation for a PC
computer. If you have purchased the MLD pre-installed by your Martin dealer then you
can skip this chapter.
Chapter 2 shows you how to calibrate and configure the system in your performance
or rehearsal space.
Chapter 3 describes the set-up routine for lighting fixtures and other media to be
controlled by the MLD.
Chapter 4 is a step by step guide to use the MLD for basic automated followspot
functionality.
Chapter 5 covers how to use the MLD software to define relationships between
lighting and the movement of trackers on the stage.
Chapter 6 describes the real time operation mode of the MLD, this is the mode used in
actual performance situations.
Chapter 7 explains MIDI control with the MLD.
Chapter 8 contains tips to improve system performance, including quality of the
tracking and suggestions for followspot optimization.
Chapter 9 shows some "real world" examples which you might use as tutorials.
Chapter 10 describes proper system maintenance.
Nine appendixes include information which might be useful for certain scenarios, plus
FAQ, specs and troubleshooting sections. The final appendix is a set-up reference with
a calibration template that you may photocopy and use as a guide to take on the road.
Page 8 MLD manual 1.1
What is the Martin Lighting Director?
The Martin Lighting Director is a 3D tracking system for lighting and show control. It
uses unique, patented technology to determine the 3D position of up to four “trackers”
in a performance area. The MLD offers unprecedented lighting automation features
while integrating seamlessly into your existing control system:
— Up to 64 lighting fixtures react to 4 performers simultaneously and automatically.
— You decide when, where, how and what parameters are automatically controlled by
the performer(s) on the stage: colour wheels, gobos, iris, intensity, dimmer, focus, pan,
tilt, pre-set cues, etc. Your lighting console may retain control of whatever DMX
parameters you choose and cue new MLD maps dynamically.
— "Follow spot" functionality allows moving lights to lock automatically onto designated
performers, following their every move. Includes height correction, light anchoring for
highly active performers, prediction, 3D zoning and more.
— MIDI IN/OUT/THRU support. Cue, trigger and dynamically control any MIDI device.
— Control graphics, virtual reality and digital video from any computer platform using a
direct serial data connection.
— DMX, MIDI and serial protocols can be used simultaneously or independently. MLD
maps can be enabled and disabled from any or all of the three protocols.
MLD manual 1.1 Page 9
How does the Martin Lighting Director work?
The MLD system uses a proprietary tracking system developed by APR inc. of
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The tracking is done by firing ultrasonic pulses from four
speakers in the corners of the stage and measuring the “time of flight” between each
speaker's pulse emission and the pulse detection by the tracker microphone. The
tracker, which is essentially a modified wireless microphone, reports to the MLD using
radio signals that get picked up by a receiver. Thus, the MLD uses four radial
measurements (between each of the speakers and the tracker) to calculate the mic's
position in three dimensions. The MLD software then takes this positional information
and directs DMX, MIDI or serial data to the appropriate media according to behaviours
defined by the user.
111
1
MLD
1. Speaker sends an ultrasonic pulse
2. Tracker
microphone
detects the
pulse
3. Tracker sends a
radio signal
4. Radio receiver picks up the radio signal
and relays it back to the MLD
Figure 1- The MLD loop
5. The MLD calculates the
tracker position by using the
difference in time between
pulse emission and reception
The MLD software provides three basic functions to the user:
1. Set-up: allows calibration of the tracking system and DMX lights.
2. Editing: the ability to design relationships between the trackers on stage and the lights
and media.
3. Real Time: mode for actual performances.
Page 10 MLD manual 1.1
What’s included with the MLD package?
The following items comprise the Martin Lighting Director package (order # 920901):
1 MLD software 3.5” diskette
1 Manual
1 MLD hardware card with cable to connect to the external box
1 MLD rackmount external box with universal power supply
4 Ultrasonic speakers with mounting brackets and 4 x 20 m cables
1 Standard power supply cable for the MLD external box I. E. C. 1.5 m
1 MLD microphone assembly
What’s NOT included with the MLD package?
The following items are not included with order # 920901:
Wireless microphone system
Additional Trackers (please see the next section “Ordering trackers”)
A PC compatible computer (see below for system requirements)
9V Batteries for the trackers
DMX cables
MIDI card, connectors or cables
Ordering Trackers
MLD trackers are modified wireless microphones that detect the MLD ultrasonic pulses
and send radio back to the system. Each tracker consists of two parts:
1. A small “MLD microphone assembly” (which has an ultrasonic microphone and a
filter). This comes standard with the MLD package, and you can order additional
assemblies from Martin, order# 850066.
2. A wireless microphone system (radio transmitter and radio receiver) modified to
work with the MLD. So far, both UHF and VHF systems have been adapted successfully,
from manufacturers such as Samson, Shure, Senheiser and Vega. Appendix H has
instructions on how to modify the wireless microphones.
Martin has the following modified wireless microphone systems in stock:
Order Number
# 920911 1 radio transmitter and receiver, 174.6 MHz (SC 0)
# 920912 1 radio transmitter and receiver, 181.6 MHz (SC 2)
# 920913 1 radio transmitter and receiver, 199.6 MHz (SC 9)
# 920914 1 radio transmitter and receiver, 208.2 MHz (SC 11)
# 920915 1 radio transmitter and receiver, 192.6 MHz (SC 6)
# 920916 1 radio transmitter and receiver, 195.6 MHz (SC 7)
# 920917 1 radio transmitter and receiver, 196.6 MHz (SC 8)
Each tracker comes with a male to male 1/4 inch (jack) signal cable and a DC power
supply cable to interconnect the radio receiver with the MLD external box.
IMPORTANT NOTE: if you would like to adapt your own wireless microphone system
to become an MLD tracker please a) obtain one “MLD microphone assembly” per
MLD manual 1.1 Page 11
tracker that you need (the standard MLD package comes with one) b) look at the
example on Appendix H, and c) consult the Martin web site for late-breaking
instructions and case studies on how to modify radios www.martin.dk/mld/
System Requirements
The Martin Lighting Director runs on a dedicated PC compatible computer.
Requirements for a minimal system are as follows:
Processor: Pentium 133 series chip or better
RAM Memory: 4MB or more
Hard Drive: A fast hard drive is recommended
MLD Card: One 8-bit ISA slot
MIDI Card support: Roland MPU-401 AT card, in/out/thru (optional)
Graphics: VGA at 640 x 480 pixels, colour monitor
Mouse: Any Logitech "mouseman" or compatible with two buttons
Operating System: MS-DOS 6.1 or later
Page 12 MLD manual 1.1
CHAPTER 1 - PC Installation
If the Martin Lighting Director card and software have been pre-installed onto your PC
you may skip this chapter.
IMPORTANT NOTE: this chapter assumes that you are familiar with certain basic
terminology and methods required when installing new hardware and software on a PC.
If you do not feel comfortable performing the installation yourself please ask your
Martin dealer or distributor to do it for you.
PC HARDWARE INSTALLATION
Two PC cards may be necessary to use the Martin Lighting Director:
1) the MLD card, which occupies an 8-bit ISA slot, and
2) an optional Roland MPU-401 card to use MIDI with the MLD.
MLD Card Installation
Make sure the PC is turned off and its power cord is unplugged from the wall. Remove
the PC chassis cover as discussed in your PC owner’s manual. Locate an ISA bus card
slot and insert the MLD card in it, making sure that the card is nestled all the way into
the slot. Secure the card by screwing the card’s bracket to the computer chassis.
Side note: The MLD card is very sensitive to electrostatic charges. When it is not in the PC
keep the card in the anti-static bag provided.
Please note that rarely, depending on your hardware configuration, the MLD card may
need to be set to a different base memory address. The default address for the MLD
card is D000h. If you are aware that other hardware in the PC is using the MLD default
address, or if you are experiencing unexpected system crashes, please refer to
Appendix B for instructions on how to change the address of the MLD card.
MIDI card installation (optional)
The Martin Lighting Director supports Roland’s MPU 401 AT cards. These are small
inexpensive cards that occasionally come with a small break-out box which houses the
connectors. Please refer to your MIDI card’s installation guide for instructions.
Side note: The MLD may not work with cards that claim to be “MPU-401 compatible” or
“Uart Mode Compatible with the MPU-401”, only the actual cards by Roland are supported.
Once the cards have been installed, the computer chassis can be closed and the PC
power cord can be reconnected.
MLD manual 1.1 Page 13
SOFTWARE INSTALLATION
The MLD software comes on a single 3.5" high density (1.44 MB) disk and runs under
MS-DOS. This manual covers software version 1.1. You may want to check the Martin
website at www.martin.dk/mld/ for upgrades and maintenance releases.
For simplicity, you may want to use the automatic “install” program that comes with
the software. The installer performs the necessary steps to get the MLD system
operating smoothly on your PC. If you are an expert PC user, and you would rather
perform the installation manually, you can skip ahead to the section entitled “Manual
Installation”.
Automatic installation from Windows 95
1. Install the MLD hardware card on the PC, as described in the previous section of this
chapter.
2. Double click on the file “install.exe” which comes with the MLD software.
3. Press “Begin” to accept all the default options.
4. Follow the instructions on screen regarding the VESA test.
5. Press “OK” to exit the installer.
6. Restart your computer.
Following these six easy steps copies the MLD software into a directory folder called
“mld” on the start-up hard drive and makes all the modifications necessary to run the
system. You are ready to go! (Please see the “Manual Installation” section below if you
would like to see a detailed discussions of all the modifications).
Automatic installation from MS-DOS
1. Install the MLD hardware card on the PC, as described in the previous section of this
chapter.
2. a) If the MLD software is on a floppy diskette then insert the diskette into the PC
and type the following at the DOS prompt:
a:\install
b) If the MLD software is on a hard drive, for example if you downloaded it from the
internet, then type the following at the DOS prompt:
cd drive:\path
install
Where “drive” is the letter that represents the drive where the software is located, for
example “c”, and “path” is the path that leads up to the directory where the software is
located, for example “internet\downloads\”. So in this example you would type:
cd c:\internet\downloads\
install
3. Press “Begin” to accept all the default options.
4. Follow the instructions on screen regarding the VESA test.
5. Press “OK” to exit the installer.
6. Restart your computer.
Following these six easy steps copies the MLD software into a directory folder called
“mld” on the start-up hard drive and makes all the modifications necessary to run the
Page 14 MLD manual 1.1
system. You are ready to go! (Please see the “Manual Installation” section below if you
would like to see a detailed discussions of all the modifications).
Installer options
There are four options available in the installer program:
1) Install from: a:\
Allows you to specify in which drive and in which directory the software is. Normally
you want to accept the default path that the installer suggests, since the it is normally in
the same drive and directory as the mld software.
2) Install to: c:\mld
Here you can choose the drive and the directory where you would like the MLD
software to be placed. The default choice, “c:\mld”, will create a directory called “mld”
on the main hard drive and place the software there.
3) X Modify config.sys if necessary
This option allows the installer to make any necessary modifications to the “config.sys”
file of your PC.
Side note: If you prefer, you may make the modifications to the config.sys file manually, by
following the detailed instructions below.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are installing the software without the MLD hardware card
in the PC make sure to tell the installer NOT to modify your config.sys file. If you
receive the hardware at a later time, you can re-install the software into the same
directory. This will make the necessary changes to the config.sys file, as well as allow
you to keep your mld.cfg configuration file and any maps or sets that you might have
already made.
4) X Test for VESA graphics support
A simple test for VESA compatibility.
Side note: VESA support is only needed to show the mld splash screen. If your computer is not
VESA compatible you can still run the software by deleting the file “cover.dat” (which is the
fancy splashscreen). If you do this, a text splash screen will appear instead, but the program
will still have complete functionality.
Manual installation (for experts or troubleshooters)
1) Copy all the MLD files to the folder or directory where you want them. The
following is a list of all the files that are needed to use the mld:
- mld.exe main mld executable
- mld.ovr overlay support file for mld.exe
- evavga.obj graphics support file for mld, dmxtest, and dmxmon
- logo.dat graphics support file for mld.exe
- cover.dat graphics support file for mld.exe
- litt.obj font support file for mld, dmxtest, and dmxmon
- digits.pic font support file for mld.exe
MLD manual 1.1 Page 15
- mld.lod firmware support file for mld.exe
- mldmic.lod firmware support file for mld.exe
- vesa.dat graphics support file for install.exe
- testvesa.exe support file for install.exe
- dmxtest.exe dmx lighting board emulator program
- dmxmon.exe dmx monitor program
- dmx.dat graphics support file for dmxtest and dmxmon
2) In your config.sys file, look for a line that says files=xx, where xx is a number. If xx
is greater than or equal to 30, you can leave it alone. If xx is a smaller number or the
files=xx line is not present, remove the old files=xx and add files=100 (or a greater
number).
3) In your config.sys file, you will have to make sure that EMM386 or QEMM386 doesn't
try to use the region of memory that the MLD system uses.
For the default MLD card’s memory address setting (D000h), add (or modify) the
config.sys file to include the following line
DEVICE:C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE X=D000-D3FF
or, if you are using QEMM,
DEVICE:C:\DOS\QEMM386.EXE X:D000-D3FF
For other memory settings for the MLD hardware card please consult Appendix B.
4) Remove from the config.sys and from the autoexec.bat as many TSRs (terminate and
stay resident) programs as possible, because the mld needs the memory. Type the
letters REM in front of the lines that you want the system to ignore. Typically you may
want to “rem” the lines for CD drives, strange peripherals, keyboards, etc.
Side note: be aware that these changes might mean that those devices that need the
“removed” config.sys lines might not function, in which case you could take away the letters
REM from the lines and restart to enable them again.
5) Set the mouse driver to be loaded into high memory (for example, type: lh mouse)
6) Restart the computer.
7) Run a memory manager program such as memmaker or optimize to free as much
memory as possible.
Side note: if the memory optimization program asks you, you will be using EMS.
Page 16 MLD manual 1.1
Run the MLD software from Windows 95
To run the MLD software look for the file called MLD.EXE and double click on its icon.
A warning message will appear, saying the program is in DOS mode and that to
continue all the other programs need to be closed. Click YES to continue. The MLD
will load and the main editor screen should appear.
Side note: if you click on the mld.exe icon with the right mouse button, and you choose
“properties” from the pop-up menu, you will be able to look at and set “advanced” properties
for the application. If you click on “Program” properties and then on the “Advanced” button
you will be able to specify the MS-DOS mode. Make sure that the program is set to “MS-DOS
Mode”, and “Use current MS-DOS configuration”.
Run the MLD software from MS-DOS
Change to the appropriate directory (typically, type “cd c:\mld”) and type “mld” (no
quotes) and press the ENTER key. The MLD will load and the main editor screen
should appear.
Figure 2- MLD Software main screen
showing default configuration
version number
IMPORTANT NOTE: On start-up the MLD software tests your hardware and software
and then produces a splash screen. The first time you run it, the software will create an
“mld.cfg” configuration file. If the program does not start up, please refer to the
Appendix G “Troubleshooting” to solve possible problems.
MLD manual 1.1 Page 17
Page 18 MLD manual 1.1
CHAPTER 2 - System Calibration
The Martin Lighting Director uses four ultrasonic emitters as a reference frame to find
wireless trackers on the stage. The following is a step by step guide for setting up the
emitters; experienced users will find that the calibration will take them less than 30
minutes. Please refer to chapter 8 “Tips to optimize performance” for further
suggestions and information on ideal tracking conditions.
1. Mark your stage floor
Mark the centre of your stage with some gaffer tape. This will be the central reference
point for the tracking system, also called the origin. Make four other markings with
gaffer tape, as indicated in Figure 3: the centre of your stage downstage (close to the
public), the centre of your stage upstage (far from the public) and the centre of the
stage's right and left wings, as you stand on the stage facing the public.
Public
Downstage
Upstage
Stage
Left
centre stage
mark
upstage mark
Figure 3 - Stage terminology and system calibration markings
Stage
Right
downstage mark
stage left
mark
stage right
mark
Side note: even if your public surrounds the stage or if you do not have a specific place for the
public, you must choose some points that will define your interactive area and its orientation.
These points will serve as a reference when you are using the MLD software to define regions
of your stage. For convenience, if there is no clear stage orientation, set the downstage of the
stage to be the side that is closest to the MLD computer so that the orientation of the space
“matches” the orientation presented in the MLD software’s “map editor”.
MLD manual 1.1 Page 19
2. Mount your speakers
Mount the four speakers on the corners of the stage by clamping them to trussing,
static props, walls or the ceiling. Make sure the speakers are mounted on static
structures so the frame of reference for tracking does not vary after calibration. Set up
the speakers so they are about the same height above the floor, ideally between 5 and
9 m (16 and 30 feet) high. The speakers should form more or less a square or rectangle
covering the area of the stage that you want to be tracked. The centre of the square or
rectangle defined by the speakers should be approximately on top of the centre of the
stage. Speakers should point to one and a half metres (5 feet) directly over the centre
of the stage and have a free line of sight over the entire area in which tracking is
needed. Objects blocking speakers’ lines of sight can degrade system performance,
especially if they are close to the speakers themselves.
We will refer to each speaker by a letter from A to D. Figure 4 shows which speaker
goes where:
Public
Speaker A
Speaker D
Speaker B
Speaker C
Downstage
Upstage
Stage
Left
Stage
Right
Figure 4 - Ideal speaker mounting. The dotted line shows the
speaker area, which is slightly bigger than the area of
the stage that will be tracked by the MLD
Speaker A is towards the stage right and upstage (far from the public)
Speaker B is towards the stage left and upstage (far from the public)
Speaker C is towards the stage left and downstage (close to the public)
Speaker D is towards the stage right and downstage (close to the public)
Side note: If it is impossible to have the speakers mounted around the stage, you may place
them in some “alternative” positions. Please refer to chapter 8 “Tips to Optimize System
performance” for a full discussion of other options.
Page 20 MLD manual 1.1
3. Connect your speakers
Connect each of the four MLD speakers to the MLD box. This must be done using the
speaker cables supplied (20 m each) and an appropriate XLR male to female extension
cable, if necessary. Wiring of the XLR cables conforms to normal audio speaker cable
wiring conventions. The female XLR connectors must be plugged into the MLD box’s
audio output jacks. The male XLR connectors plug into the speakers’ female XLR.
Numbering of the output jacks goes from left to right. The speaker output jack #1
closest to the left of the box must be connected to speaker A; the next one, output #2,
is for speaker B; the next is for speaker C and the jack closest to the right of the box is
for speaker D. Figure 5 shows the numbering of jacks and the cabling connections.
TRACKERS
1 2 3 4
female 1/4" phone jacks for
tracker radio receiver intput
SPEAKERS
1 2 3 4
male XLR jacks for speaker
ultrasonic output
DMX 512
in out
male & female DMX jacks
for DMX input and output
Figure 5 - MLD external box connections (back view)
DC out
to PC
remote
control
mains
V
4. Connect the trackers' radio receivers
a) If you are using modified Samson wireless microphone systems from
Martin:
Using the supplied male to male 1/4” phono jack cable(s), the output of each tracker’s
radio receiver should be plugged into one of the four female 1/4" (6.35 mm) jacks on
the MLD box. As with the speaker output jacks, the 1/4" radio input jacks on the MLD
box are numbered from left to right. The connector nearest the left of the box is for
tracker 1. The next connector is for tracker 2, the next for tracker 3, and the
connector nearest the right of the box is for tracker 4. Figure 5 above shows the
numbering of jacks on the back of the MLD box.
Side note: Under ideal circumstances the distance between the tracker and its radio receiver
should not be bigger than about 30 m (100 ft). In very large events where the control booth is
farther away than that, it may be necessary to place the radio receiver closer to the stage and
run a long audio cable between it and the MLD. If so, you might want to use the receiver’s
balanced output (the XLR plug) with a direct box (also called an audio or impedance matching
transformer) rather than the normal 1/4" phono output.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The Samson radio receivers have two outputs: one, on the front,
is a female 1/4” phono jack with a line-level signal (-10dB 5KΩ) and the other, on the
back, is a male XLR output with a mic-level signal (-30dBm 600Ω). The MLD inputs
expect a line-level signal so normally you would use the 1/4” phono jack output. If you
need to use the XLR output, make sure that the signal is amplified before it reaches the
MLD.
MLD manual 1.1 Page 21
a) If you are using your own modified wireless microphone system:
Locate your radio receiver’s line-level output. You will need to connect this into one of
the four female 1/4" (6.35 mm) jacks on the MLD box. To do this, you can use the
male-male 1/4” cable supplied if the radio receiver output has a female 1/4" (6.35 mm)
connector; otherwise, you will have to get or make a special cable that matches your
output’s connector. The 1/4" radio input jacks on the MLD box are numbered from left
to right. The connector nearest the left of the box is for tracker 1. The next connector
is for tracker 2, the next for tracker 3, and the connector nearest the right of the box
is for tracker 4. Figure 5 above shows the numbering of jacks on the back of the MLD
box.
Side note: Please read the manual that came with your wireless microphone system to see
what is the maximum distance that there should be between the radio transmitter (the
tracker) and the receiver.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Some wireless microphone systems have both a line-level and a
mic-level output. The MLD inputs expect a line-level signal (-10dB 5KΩ), so if you must
use a mic-level signal, please make sure that the signal is amplified before it reaches the
MLD.
Side note: users of an MLD system with a single tracker may want to connect their radio
receiver to the tracker 1 input nearest the left of the box, since this is the default tracker used
for designing maps.
5. Power up the system and start the software
IMPORTANT NOTE: the MLD box can take 115 or 230 V, please set the switch at the
back to the appropriate setting for your electricity before powering up the box.
Connect the MLD external box to the MLD card using the supplied grey 26-pin cable.
Start the PC and power up the MLD box by plugging in a standard power supply cable
and turning the switch “on”, —a red status light should come on.
For convenience, the MLD breakout box centralizes the power supply for the radio
receivers, giving them 12V DC current 100mA each. If you are using modified Samson
wireless microphone systems from Martin (or if your radio receivers can be powered
by 12V DC 100mA) connect each receiver to any of the four DC power plugs using the
supplied cable, —a red status light should come on to indicate it is ready for operation.
Side note: you may power the radio receivers directly from the mains if you use the correct DC
power adapter. Note that the break-out box’s DC power plugs are only live when the MLD PC
computer is turned on.
If you are running MS-DOS, go to the “mld” directory and type “mld” (no quotes) and
press ENTER. If you are running Windows 95, look for the mld.exe file and double click
on its icon. On start-up the MLD software tests your hardware and software and then
produces a splash screen. If you get a warning message or the program does not start
up, please refer to the Appendix G “Troubleshooting” to solve possible problems.
Page 22 MLD manual 1.1
6. Prepare your tracker(s)
The MLD tracker is a modified wireless microphone that detects the ultrasonic pulses
and sends radio signals back to the MLD system. It consists of the following parts:
power and mute
9v battery compartment
ultrasonic
microphone
Figure 6 - MLD Tracker terminology
filter
mini XLR plug
radio transmitter
antennae
volume knob
radio receiver, Samson model shown (powered by and
connected to MLD box from one of its audio outputs)
female 1/4" jack output
Fit an MLD microphone assembly, which consists of the ultrasonic microphone, the
filter and the mini-XLR connector, into each radio transmitter. Make sure you place a
fresh 9V battery in the tracker(s). Turn the tracker(s) “on” and set mute to “off”. The
small ultrasonic microphone is in fact the point tracked by the system so make sure it is
not blocked.
7. Test your speakers
In the MLD software, click on the “Set-up” option. On the “Set-up” screen, click on the
“Test Speakers” button. Clicking on the speaker icons that appear on the screen should
produce a constant high-pitch audible tone from the speaker that you are clicking on. If
you do not hear this constant tone, or if it comes from an incorrect speaker, then
check your cable connections to that speaker. When you have verified that all the
speakers are working properly and are correctly placed with respect to the centre
stage mark and each other, click “Done”.
MLD manual 1.1 Page 23
Figure 7 - Speaker Test screen. Clicking on the icons
generates audible tones from the speakers.
8. Calibrate your speakers
The MLD must know the precise 3D location of the four speakers with respect to the
origin; this is called “calibrating the speakers”. First, choose the units that the MLD will
use, centimetres or inches, by clicking in the appropriate radio button in the “Set-up”
screen. Now click on the “Speaker Set-up” button. There are three ways to calibrate
the tracking system’s speakers: automatic (the best way), manual regular (the fastest
way) and manual irregular (the “last resort” way). Figure 8 shows the screen with the
relevant areas.
Figure 8 - Speaker calibration screen showing the three
ways to calibrate the speakers.
Page 24 MLD manual 1.1
AUTOMATIC CALIBRATION is the most common method for setting up the
tracking system. This method entails measuring the distances, in centimeters (or inches,
if those are the units that have been selected), between the five gaffer-tape stagemarkings and then using the tracker to correlate those distances to actual speaker
positions. Measure the distances between the stage marks indicated on the screen, six
in total, and enter them in centimeters (or inches) in the appropriate fields (The label
“D14” means the distance from point 1 to point 4, an similarly for D13, DC1, DC2,
D23, D24). Appendix I has a template that may help you record calibration data. Once
you have entered the data, you can press the “Point #1” button, which will start MLD
tracking, and take the tracker microphone to the floor just above the gaffer-tape stagemarking number 1, which is the upstage centre mark. The tracker microphone should
be pointing up and have a clear line of sight to all four speakers.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If the tracker does not seem to update during stage-mark
measurement, for example if it is showing zero vales or a static number, adjust the
volume on the radio receiver.
Once the readings are steady on the tracking screen, you should press “Accept”. Next,
do the same for points 2, 3 and 4, which correspond to the downstage centre, stage
right and stage left gaffer-tape markings. Finally, select the “Use Automatic” button to
calculate the speaker locations. At this point, the fields in the manual irregular zone at
the bottom of the screen will show approximations of the position of each speaker in
the XYZ coordinate system.
Now that you have calibrated your speakers you may press OK to exit the speaker setup screen. Click OK again to exit the set-up screen. You will now see the five stage
markings appear on your editor window at their relative positions. The four calibration
points are numbered from 1 to 4 as in the set-up screen. You will see an “interactive
perimeter” surrounding the stagemarks: this rectangle defines the area where tracking
will take place.
Side note: when you press the “Use Automatic” button, the software finds the speaker
positions in three-dimensions by mathematically relating the distances between the stage marks
and the tracker measurements. The precision of these measurements will become the accuracy
of the whole system. If the information collected by the tracker produces an impossible speaker
coordinate, the software will produce a warning message. When this happens, you should try
measuring the stage marks again with the tracker. If this problem persists it might be because
the tracker does not receive pulses from all four speakers and new stage-marks in slightly less
obstructed positions need to be used. Alternatively, you can use the stage-marks but measure
them at a fixed height above the floor, as discussed in the next side note (at the end of this
chapter).
MANUAL REGULAR CALIBRATION is normally the fastest method to set up
the tracking system. However, it can only be used when the four speakers have been
positioned at exactly the same height above the stage and are at perfect right angles to
each other, i.e. the speakers form a regular square or rectangle. If this is so, simply
enter the width (distance from speaker A to B or from C to D), depth (distance from
speaker B to C or from A to D) and height (distance from the stage floor to the
speakers) in the appropriate fields, in centimetres (or inches if those are the units
selected). Select the “Use Manual Regular” button to calculate the speaker positions
using the values you have entered. Press OK to exit the speaker set-up screen. Click
OK again to exit the set-up screen. If you use the Manual Regular Calibration the editor
window will show an interactive perimeter which is the speaker area that you entered.
MLD manual 1.1 Page 25
The five stage markings will not appear on your editor window because the program
hides them as it knows that they are default values that do not correspond to your real
markings, since no tracker measurements were made.
Side note: by pressing the editor’s “Options” button, you may view these default calibration
points and set a different “interactive perimeter”.
MANUAL IRREGULAR CALIBRATION should be used only if for some reason
automatic calibration is not possible and the speakers are not in a “regular”
configuration (not at right angles to each other or not at the same height from the stage
floor). To use the manual irregular method you must measure the exact position in
centimetres of each speaker relative to the origin, which is the centre stage mark.
By convention:
• At the origin the X, Y and Z are zero.
• X is the stage width, with positive values towards stage left and negative values
towards stage right.
• Y is the stage depth, with positive values towards upstage and negative values
towards downstage.
• Z is the stage height, with positive values above the stage floor.
Downstage
Upstage
Stage
Left
Figure 9 - MLD coordinate system
Stage
Right
+Y
-Y
+X
-X
Once you have entered all twelve distances select the “Use Manual Irregular” button to
use those values to calculate speaker positions. As with the other two methods, once
the speakers are calibrated you may press OK to exit the speaker set-up screen and
click OK again to exit the set-up screen. If you use the Manual Irregular Calibration the
five stage markings that appear on your editor window are not affected. You may hide
the calibration points and set a different “interactive perimeter” by pressing the editor’s
“Options” button.
Side note: for the automatic speaker calibration, sometimes props or other obstructions make
it impossible to measure the distance between stage marks or to have tracking take place right
above the markings on the floor. In these cases, it is possible to measure the points at a fixed
height from the floor. For example, suppose you can only track at a height of one meter and a
half: a) take a measuring tape or a measured plumb bob and use it to find the tracker at
Page 26 MLD manual 1.1
exactly that height over the markings b) press the “Use Automatic” button so that the
calculated values appear for speaker positions in the Manual Irregular fields, c) add the
number 150 (which is 1.5 m) to each of the z values, and d) Press the “Use Manual Irregular”
button to use the new values. If you do this the stage marks that appear on the editor window
will in fact correspond to your actual stage marks.
9. Calibrate your tracker(s)
Hold the tracker(s) on the centre of the stage at a height of approximately 1.80 m
(6 ft), making sure the small microphone has a clear line of sight to the four speakers. In
the MLD software, click on the “Set-up” option. On the screen that appears, click on
the “tracker calibration” button. Set the volume knob of each radio receiver so that the
display for each tracker is in the “ideal” position. Click OK to accept the readings. Click
OK again to exit the set-up window. Your trackers are now ready to be used. Please
refer to chapter 10 “System maintenance” for information on attaching the tracker to
your performers and tracker maintenance.
Figure 10 - Tracker calibration screen shows the signal
levels received from each tracker
MLD manual 1.1 Page 27
Page 28 MLD manual 1.1
CHAPTER 3 - Light and Media Set-up
In this chapter you will learn how to define and calibrate lighting fixtures and other
media for use with the MLD. The system is very flexible and it is designed to work in a
wide variety of configurations which we will review here.
LIGHTING CONTROL CONFIGURATIONS
The MLD can work as a “stand-alone” control system or in tandem with DMX
consoles, software controllers, MIDI instruments, and so on. The following figures show
some popular arrangements:
MLD box
Figure 11 - "Stand-alone" configuration: MLD
connected directly to DMX lights
DMX cable
DMX 512
out
in
Light 1
Light 2
to other lights in series
(controlled by MLD)
Here the MLD system can control directly up to 64 fixtures using 512 DMX control
channels. This is a “stand-alone” configuration which lets the MLD control fixtures
without the need of any other controller, sequencer or console. In this configuration
there can be 4 maps loaded simultaneously and new ones can be added manually in the
real time screen. This arrangement is suitable for completely automated situations such
as convention centre presentations, small concerts, fashion shows or other events
where the lighting behaviour is not going to change too frequently or require
sophisticated moving light sequences.
Side note: it is possible for the performers themselves to load new maps from the stage so
that new behaviours can be seen. This is done by setting appropriate DMX triggers as dimmer
pack static controls in certain regions so that when the performer enters those regions the
maps load with the map remote control option. (Don’t worry! the terminology used in this note
will be explained in the following chapters).
MLD manual 1.1 Page 29
MLD box
Figure 12 - MLD between the console and the lights.
This is the most common configuration
DMX cable
DMX 512
out
in
Light 1
Light 2
to other lights controlled
directly by the MLD and
console (up to 64 fixtures
512 DMX channels)
Control console
DMX 512
out
out
out
out
to other lights
(not controlled
by the MLD)
DMX
cables
DMX cable
This is the most common configuration for the system: the MLD “intercepts” DMX
data coming from a console and replaces predetermined DMX channels with data
generated by the performer. For example, the MLD may take control of pan and tilt
channels while letting all the other channels be controlled by the console. In addition,
through DMX, the console may load and unload MLD maps to change the behaviour of
the tracking system, or to override it. This is ideal for performance situations in which
the lighting designer wants to integrate the MLD system into a sophisticated light show,
with the DMX console directing all show control.
MLD box
Figure 13 - Dream configuration: MLD completely
interconnected to Martin Case boards.
DMX cable
DMX 512
out
in
Light 1
Light 2
to other lights
controlled directly
by the MLD and
console (up to 64
fixtures or 512
DMX channels)
Martin Case Board
DMX 512
out
out
out
out
to other lights, controlled by Case
but the MLD may trigger cues.
DMX
cables
DMX cable
in
DMX
splitter
Here the MLD and the Martin CASE board are interconnected so that they have
complete bi-directional communication. Apart from both the CASE and the MLD
controlling directly the fixtures connected to the DMX splitter, the MLD may also
Page 30 MLD manual 1.1
Loading...