# Ion Controlling QLab - Help!



## TravisSM10 (Aug 2, 2015)

Hello,
I've looked around and so far I've only been able to find some threads on QLab controlling an Ion via various protocol. I'm looking to do it the other way around, I want my Ion to trigger QLab. What's the best way to have them communicate in this set up? Are the settings still the same for UDP connection? I saw the idea of writing the UDP strings for QLab cues as separate macros and then executing those macros in my cues in the Ion. Any and all help would be much appreciated. 

We are renovating our space and have added two onstage edge blended projectors so I'm looking to make the most out of them and a new audio console (Soundcraft SI performer). 

Thanks!
Travis


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## sk8rsdad (Aug 2, 2015)

If you have MIDI then it's pretty easy to have QLab respond to MSC events and MIDI Raw messages.
If you are limited to IP protocols, then UDP strings can be made to work.
If you can wait a week or two you may find it easier to upgrade your Ion to 2.3 and use OSC.

ETC's Eos Family Show Control Guide is a good place to start.


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## TravisSM10 (Aug 2, 2015)

sk8rsdad said:


> If you have MIDI then it's pretty easy to have QLab respond to MSC events and MIDI Raw messages.
> If you are limited to IP protocols, then UDP strings can be made to work.
> If you can wait a week or two you may find it easier to upgrade your Ion to 2.3 and use OSC.
> 
> ETC's Eos Family Show Control Guide is a good place to start.



Hey thanks so much for the reply. I'm actually running the 2.3 BETA so I'm guessing I should be able to do it now? If so, what kind of set up do I need to make it happen?

Thanks again for the help


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## Edurojolavanda (Aug 2, 2015)

I have the Element, which I heard it has the same software, and I used with QLab the both ways: QLab controlling the ETC, and the ETC controlling QLab, both via midi. I had no problem and it's really easy to program. The ION has OSC too (the Element doesn't), so maybe you have more options.
Hope it helped.


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## ScottT (Aug 2, 2015)

Edurojolavanda said:


> The ION has OSC too (the Element doesn't), so maybe you have more options.



Currently neither has OSC - it's part of software version 2.3 which hasn't been released to the public yet. Both consoles will have the same OSC functionality when it's released though.


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## TravisSM10 (Aug 3, 2015)

ScottT said:


> Currently neither has OSC - it's part of software version 2.3 which hasn't been released to the public yet. Both consoles will have the same OSC functionality when it's released though.



So what kind of set up do I need, I mean ideally I'd be able to connect the console directly to the lap top via ethernet cable but then at point I'm a novice as to the settings needed to make the Ion fire the cues in QLab


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## TravisSM10 (Aug 3, 2015)

I got the connection figured. Not sure if I'm doing it haphazardly and its working or if I have it configed correctly. I'm assuming since I'm triggering videos and sounds from my Ion that I did it correctly. I posted a few Qs over on the ETC forum but here how I have it runn: typical network coms from Ion to laptop via ethernet. In QLab in OSC settings I have patch 1 as the Ion with the IP address of the Ion (192.168.100.101) and 53000 as the port. The Ion is configured as follows in show settings/show control:
OSC IP address: laptop IP (192.168.50.101)
OSC TX port: 53000
oSC RX port: 0
String RX disabled
String TX enabled
String TX port: 53001
String TX IP address: laptop IP same as above

Am I correct or this a fluke? I assumed that since I got it working it was correct, but I kind of stumbled upon it after messing around.


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## Drew Schmidt (Aug 6, 2015)

This is all correct.

Since you're running the 2.3 beta, your ION does in fact have OSC (this should be released in November after LDI).
You've enabled the TX (send) portions of the ION show control. 
You've specified the receiving computer's IP address and specified QLab's receiving port (53000, their sending port is 53001 if you wanted to go the other way).
The String RX and TX are for raw ASCII values rather than OSC addresses.

Watch out for one thing, if your computer has DHCP setup rather than a Static IP address, it's possible that your computer could lose its IP address and someone else could take it (unlikely if you're the only computers on the network ... looks like you have a closed local network with a 192 address. This really only happens when you leave, restart, etc and usually only after a long period of time as you've created a lease on the IP address.). If suddenly something stops working, first thing, check your computer's IP address again.

There are ways to do this same thing with the String TX / RX protocol, but OSC is so much easier as you discovered. Can't wait for 2.3 to officially ship!


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## sk8rsdad (Aug 6, 2015)

Drew Schmidt said:


> Since you're running the 2.3 beta, your ION does in fact have OSC (this should be released in November after LDI).


2.3.0 was released on Monday.


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## sk8rsdad (Aug 7, 2015)

sk8rsdad said:


> 2.3.0 was released on Monday.


... and 2.3.1 was released yesterday (emergency fix for some fixtures with framing shutters)


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