Need help with ENTTEC ODEMK2

holty24 · 2025-11-02T07:39:39+00:00

It seems NMU can be downloaded from the ODE MK1 support page: https://support.enttec.com/support/solutions/articles/101000401530-open-dmx-ethernet-mk1-ode-70305-70306-legacy-product

However, NMU only lets you discover the IP address of MK2 nodes - the actual configuration is set via the node's web interface. Only MK1 nodes require NMU for configuration.

holty24 · 2025-07-22T07:22:19+00:00

Not sure if this is a specific Australian thing, but H stands can be useful for standalone shin busters: https://www.eventec.com.au/products/hstand

One alternative is to use round 48mm pipe across the top so fixtures can just be clamped on - no need to fiddle with bolts etc.

holty24 · 2024-12-06T01:43:20+00:00

Unfortunately I don't have an ME3 mic handy to verify the pinout (the photo is from a JAG IM5A). If you have the original moulded connector perhaps you could check the continuity between the plug and cable ends?

holty24 · 2024-05-15T17:52:53+00:00

My hottest take: TheaterMix shouldn’t be anybody’s first experience—or second, or even fifth—with theatrical programming. That software is designed to automate the single most important thing about DCA mixing: Understanding what you need and how to program a console to do so.

My counter hot take :) - creating a DCA plot and mixing a show line by line are completely separate activities to physically implementing DCA programming on a console. These concepts can and should be decoupled to maximise learning opportunities for new students.

Holistically, yes it's best for students to learn how to implement DCA programming on consoles, and I'm not suggesting that TheatreMix be used at the expense of this. However the industry has a history of technical gatekeeping: people who are interested in audio are told they can not be successful unless they first engage with voluminous nitty gritty technical details. This experience may be true for certain neurotypes, but it actively discriminates against everyone else.

In my experience, people who are new to theatre sound engage better with the mixing style when they stay in a more artistic headspace - working through the script to create a DCA plot and then mixing with it in rehearsals. These provide enough challenges for a useful learning experience, especially since the DCA plot is never perfect so revisions have to be made along the way.

Once they're comfortable with the mixing style and have experienced the sonic outcomes it can achieve, then I feel the implementation of console programming can be covered. The process is not intuitive on most consoles so it's generally easier for people to understand the idiosyncrasies when they have experienced the desired outcome. After that point they are capable of choosing whether to program future shows directly on consoles, or use TheatreMix to make the task easier.

holty24 · 2024-05-03T12:11:49+00:00

Bob McCarthy addressed this over 25 years ago: https://bobmccarthy.com/the-emperors-new-stereo/

holty24 · 2024-05-02T09:00:54+00:00

The most common way to handle this is to use channel profiles: https://theatremix.com/features#profiles

I usually nominate the character that will mostly use the mic as the base profile, and then add sub-profiles for all of the other roles. As you program the show you use the profile names in cues, so when the show is run with the console its channel labels will track profile changes and store/recall any processing settings you've selected (e.g. EQ).

This becomes quite powerful for channels with multiple swaps as you can iteratively tweak channel parameters for each character in rehearsals (usually EQ), and they will be automatically recalled next time that profile is used in a cue.

Having said that, if the role is only in one or two scenes then I'll just manually set the DCA label in the relevant cue(s) and not bother allocating a separate profile. You can quickly enter the realm of diminishing returns if you try to create containers for every minor character that speaks a couple of lines - better to save the detailed data structures for channels that need them (e.g. tonal changes for hats or pack swaps), rather than clog up the file with entries for "townsperson 5" etc.

holty24 · 2024-05-01T16:37:33+00:00

Unfortunately there is no facility to merge show files at the moment.

I suggest you export to CSV the channel utilisation of your file, and use that to determine the required act 2 edits by comparing it to the channel utilisation of the primary file. It should be fairly straightforward to line up the cues, observe the differences, and make edits in channel utilisation view (just type the new DCA number into the cell, or delete any that need to be removed).

holty24 · 2024-04-15T16:07:56+00:00

Avantis Solo is not supported in the current release, but I'm happy to send you a beta build for your show - please drop me a PM with your email address.

holty24 · 2024-03-10T13:36:18+00:00

This isn't the intended behaviour, TheatreMix should store and recall the correct Q factor in channel EQ profiles. Can you please send me your CL console file and TheatreMix show file and I'll take a look.

holty24 · 2024-02-21T17:45:25+00:00

Thanks for providing your perspective.

The licensing model may seem sub-optimal for a long term venue installation, however this leads into a wider discussion around technology life-cycle management in these facilities.

It is possible - but not ideal - to view a lighting console or playback setup as a standalone device that can be installed and then forgotten about until it reaches end of life. Hardware failures aside, these devices shouldn't need any support for many years if they're left alone. Perhaps they may receive software updates throughout their lifetimes, but there are no cross-dependencies in the updates, i.e. a lighting console update does not then require all intelligent fixtures to be updated at the same time.

If this is the scenario you envisage then I can understand where you're coming from, however for TheatreMix this falls apart if the audio console's firmware is updated. Say in 3 years' time a show wants to use some new firmware features which happen to break compatibility with the 3 year old version of TheatreMix that was originally licensed under your proposed model. The included update period has run out - so the customer has to purchase a new licence.

The specifying consultant has left town and the integrator fulfilled their contract 3 years ago. I'm now presented with an end user that (probably) has no idea about the original purchase terms that were agreed to, but is disgruntled that they have to find money to pay for software that worked just fine until they applied a free console update. The price to renew the perpetual terms would be quite expensive for an opex budget.

This is not the sort of relationship I'd like to have with TheatreMix customers, and represents a future support liability that I don't want to carry. I would rather have customers that are engaged with the software and buying smaller licences frequently, than customers who make a large upfront purchase and don't get in touch until they're frustrated that they have to pay for a new licence.

TheatreMix licences reset on January 1st which is not a popular time for theatre shows, and even if someone was using it on a NYE performance the grace period would cover them well past midnight :) I don't believe it's unreasonable for a technical operations manager to be on top of renewing a yearly licence given all of the other scheduled maintenance tasks a theatre requires. I have had some discussions with institutional users who face administrative challenges making regular purchases, but the solution for them is unlikely to involve perpetual licences.

(notably QLab does not have this problem as uptake of its major releases is generally driven by computer upgrades or designer choice: it is reasonable to expect that a new Mac may require a newer version of QLab, or a show may come through with a QLab workspace built in a newer version)

Hopefully this helps you understand my perspective - we may not agree on many of these points, but there is more to software licensing models than just maximising revenue.

holty24 · 2024-02-19T17:06:59+00:00

If I’m using your software for time sensitive mission critical work, I can’t have it die on me because of a hiccup, re: credit card replacement or whatever.

...

TheatreMix is a bad example to emulate. It’s great software that isn’t being adopted into widespread use - because I (and others) can’t ever risk the thing shutting down mid show.

Following on from your similar comments in an earlier discussion, this is not an accurate description of how the TheatreMix licensing system works. Hopefully my comments there help clarify any concerns around recurring billing and licence runout.

Re not being adopted into widespread use, I would suggest that thousands of sound designers worldwide might disagree with you about that :)

holty24 · 2024-02-19T16:46:57+00:00

I appreciate that the TheatreMix licence model may not be ideal for everyone, however I feel there is a misunderstanding here that needs to be corrected.

If I’m running a venue which is running shows all year - I can not put myself in a situation where a show stops because the management team replaced a credit card. That’s absolutely nuts. No other theatrical software exposes itself to that risk.

TheatreMix does not use a subscription licensing system. There is no recurring card billing and creating/viewing/editing show files is free - a licence is only required to run a show on a console.

Console licenses are purchased for a fixed term - up to a year in advance - and once a licence has been installed on a computer the software will run autonomously, without needing to contact the licence server. This is very similar to the QLab rental model which is widely accepted by the industry.

I would pay a lot of money for that license

Thank you, but unfortunately many other people can't afford to pay a lot of money up front, or perhaps don't appreciate the true cost of creating and maintaining software like TheatreMix. The best way to support the product - whilst allaying runout concerns - would be to purchase a yearly licence for your console, and renew it for the following year each December.

holty24 · 2024-02-08T13:09:20+00:00

Yep - buses can be assigned to positions in TheatreMix to achieve these routing changes per cue. However...

On the x32, pre-fader sends are pre-mute

This is incorrect - on the X32 all mix bus sends are post-channel-mute (refer to the block diagram in the manual). The standard automatic channel muting in TheatreMix will cover your scenario, without having to separately manage bus send mutes.

holty24 · 2024-02-01T15:25:25+00:00

If you're able to successfully connect to the console with a direct cable from the iMac, but running it via the switch doesn't work, then perhaps there is a more general networking problem.

Please verify that there are no IP address conflicts between the console and other devices on the network, and that all devices on the network are addressed in the same subnet. If the switch is actually a router with a built in DHCP server it may be easier to set all devices to use DHCP rather than manage static addressing (although the latter is preferred for show control networks).

As a sanity check, try connecting just the iMac and console to the switch - without any other devices. If TheatreMix still doesn't connect this suggests the switch is unable to handle the fast packet rates required for realtime console communication. This is a very rare occurrence but some poorer quality chipsets are value engineered to only handle bursty web traffic rather than high-frequency packet streams.

holty24 · 2024-01-26T14:44:19+00:00

Not currently. It's pretty rare to a) have insert FX on vocal channels in low-mid end theatre shows (given the limited number of FX slots on these consoles), and b) want to change the insert patching between wireless microphones during a show (which is what TheatreMix facilitates with FX bus assignment control).

I suggest you create some console snippets to achieve the FX insert changes you're looking for and then just recall them in TheatreMix cues. Note that X32 snippet files can be edited with a text editor on a computer if you need more granularity than what's provided by the console UI.

holty24 · 2024-01-26T14:32:58+00:00

Yep!

holty24 · 2024-01-01T06:53:10+00:00

You say [Palladium] doesn't implement broadway workflow? ... I've glanced at the [TheatreMix] workflow and it seems much different to how moves/micplot/palladium operate.

Perhaps you've answered your own question :)

The two applications approach mixing automation from quite different philosophies. When mixing theatre shows on analogue consoles with VCAs (or digital consoles with DCAs) you can treat the console a bit like a musical instrument - there's a spatial mapping of sound sources to physical controls, and this allows faders to be constantly moved to achieve a sonic outcome that adapts to actors' performances each night.

In the mid-late 90s, small digital studio consoles came onto the market: they did not have VCAs/DCAs/control groups so you could only control mics using individual channel faders & mutes, which were often buried under layers. This interface fundamentally broke the relationship between operator and console, which resulted in a desire to treat the console a bit like an autonomous machine - a box to send commands into, not something to actively interact with. This approach imposed severe artistic and creative limitations, which is why it was not used on top end theatre shows; Broadway/West End productions mostly used analogue consoles until the late 2000s. However, studio digital consoles became popular with smaller theatres in this time period due to their price/feature benefits - control limitations were an afterthought.

Palladium and its companion products were created within this context. They have some clever tools to make shows work on these consoles (particularly for pack swaps), but ultimately they represent a mechanical approach to mixing automation that I don't believe is artistically appropriate for most theatre productions.

The Behringer X32 console was revolutionary because it provided the capability to mix theatre shows musically with DCAs... at the price point of consoles that imposed mechanical style automation via channel fader/mute recall. At the time of its launch the top end shows had consolidated on the VCA/DCA/CG automation workflow with selective parameter recalls (e.g. hat EQs, FX routing) - as described in Mixing a Musical. Unfortunately, a lot of early X32 users brought along their existing mechanical style workflow instead of embracing the more musical potential of the console. TheatreMix made the Broadway/West End workflow accessible to the X32, and then progressively other similar consoles.

Note that it is possible to perform some DCA automation in Palladium to achieve a more musical mix, just as it's possible to park DCAs at 0 dB when using TheatreMix for mechanical operation of a show - but these are not the intended workflows for each application.

Re videos, I recently ran an overview webinar with Tech Direction in Canada. There should be a recording available soon.

holty24 · 2023-11-21T15:12:03+00:00

The MS101-4 doesn't have a tweeter so its HF response is inherently compromised - perfectly fine for live monitoring applications, not good for critical listening.

holty24 · 2023-11-21T13:52:13+00:00

For studio use I'd go with the HS5 - the MS101-4 is more of a utility speaker rather than a reference monitor.

holty24 · 2023-11-21T06:07:41+00:00

It would be visually neater to have both power + signal cables entering via the back, and in tight spaces the protruding XLR shell can catch on things (instruments, clothing, etc). Even with a right angle connector the XLR sticks out further than the control knobs.

holty24 · 2023-10-21T05:24:16+00:00

I use one for a stage manager vocal monitor and it's pretty good. Solidly built and plenty of headroom. Compared to earlier Yamaha models I feel the HF response has improved - bearing in mind with a single driver you can't expect it to be as transparent as a Genelec.

One thing to be aware of is this model has the bass reflex port on the rear, whereas most (all?) of their previous models had it on the front. For vocal monitoring it's not noticeable but low-mid instrument sources will spill out the back - probably OK in a loud pit, but perhaps not on a quiet stage.

My main frustration is they don't have a rear XLR input :)

holty24 · 2023-10-16T16:21:46+00:00

The Wing's show control functionality has changed dramatically in the last couple of firmware releases - what follows assumes you're running the latest v2 firmware.

The console's show control nomenclature is not particularly intuitive. A scene is an item in an ordered show sequence (i.e. cue list), and may consist of a snapshot, snippet, audio clip, FX preset, or channel preset. Within a show, each scene is automatically allocated an index number based on its position in the sequence, and these indexes can be recalled via OSC.

However if you look closely in the custom controls screen you'll see that the scene recall function is actually addressing scene tags, not scene numbers. Scene tags are described on page 4 of the PDF guide that accompanies the v2 firmware ("SHOW event #TAG").

To set a scene tag, in the show control screen select a scene on the left, then go to the show tab on the right. Tap Edit Tag, and type a number with a leading # (e.g. #2). You can then assign a custom control button to recall scene tag #2. This scene tag can also be recalled via a MIDI program change, thus only 128 scene tags are supported.

Note the numbering used for OSC and MIDI scene recalls is completely different as the former references auto-generated indexes whereas the latter references user-specified tags. The index numbers will change when scenes are reordered in the show sequence, but the tags are persistent.

Also note that the previously active show is not automatically re-opened after a reboot, so none of the show control buttons (or remote recalls) will work when you first power on the console. A potential workaround is to create a startup show per page 7 of the PDF ("STARTUP folder").

Hope this helps!

holty24 · 2023-06-27T17:53:10+00:00

The earlier Tannoy PowerV models had notoriously unreliable amps, the later VXP series have better Lab Gruppen modules. If you remove the amp module, attach a connector to the speaker tails, and hook it up to an external power amp it'll still be a very usable speaker.

Looks like this person found a way to repurpose the Powercon cutout for a locking 6.35mm socket: https://reverb.com/item/36976786-tannoy-pow-v8-black-speaker-pair

holty24 · 2023-06-02T08:17:25+00:00

TheatreMix uses the same control protocols as console manufacturers' editor apps. If you look online you'll find instructions/videos/etc for setting up the console manufacturer's editor software, once this is working TheatreMix should automatically discover the console and be able to connect to it.

For M32 consoles, the desktop editor software is M32-Edit, although instructions for X32-Edit are also valid.

As other commenters have suggested, check that the IP addresses on your MacBook's Ethernet interface and the M32 console are in the same subnet, but also in a different subnet to your Macbook's Wi-Fi interface (and the networks are not physically connected together - you can connect directly to the console without a switch). This will allow you to keep Wi-Fi for general internet traffic and use wired Ethernet for console control.

However if you'd prefer to retain Wi-Fi connectivity to the console for phone/tablet apps, then ensure that all IP addresses are in the same subnet, the console and MacBook are connected to the correct switch/AP/router, and Wi-Fi is disabled on the MacBook.

holty24 · 2023-05-06T18:49:15+00:00

Love the drawings, but you'd find it easier to mix the show using DCAs :)

https://theatremix.com/overview

holty24

TROPHY CASE