# Ion XE and QLab OSC



## GrantHughes (Nov 7, 2018)

Hi CB

I'm in a bit of a bind trying to set up QLab to control my Ion XE via OSC. I have previously controlled an ETC Express via QLab MIDI cues, but the Ion XE doesn't have MIDI ports. Currently, I'm waiting on a USB to MIDI adapter to see if I can run it that way, but in the meantime I have been suggested OSC.

What I Have:
QLab 3 running on a Mac Mini, ethernet cable running out of the Mac into the second ethernet port of the Ion (the first port is used for DMX)

I have looked at the OSC Rx and Tx port numbers. I have tried going through the threads online. I have found nothing that has worked for me. I'm hoping to be able to tell the board what cue to execute and also when to hit a bump button for a submaster.


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## sk8rsdad (Nov 7, 2018)

Lots of things to check, starting with this guide...

The ethernet port on the Ion will be disabled if there's no connection when the console powers up. It's always recommended to connect via a router.
In this configuration the ethernet ports on both devices in a static IP address and comparable subnet masks.

The send port for Qlab 3 is 53001 UDP. Configure the Ion to receive OSC on this port.
Tab 99 on the Ion will tell you if any OSC messages are arriving. If you don't see anything then either QLab isn't sending or the network is not configured correctly.

Once you see anything the rest is just sending the correct strings.


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## dbaxter (Nov 7, 2018)

For a direct connect you may need a crossover ethernet cable. sk8rsdad is right, it's probably easier to use a router or network switch. [Some of us will remember null modems]


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## sk8rsdad (Nov 7, 2018)

dbaxter said:


> For a direct connect you may need a crossover ethernet cablle



I'm pretty sure that even the oldest version of the Ion has auto-sensing ethernet ports so no crossover cable is required.


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## GrantHughes (Nov 7, 2018)

Thanks for your response. I'm not at the console right at the moment, so I'll have to check out the port numbers when I get there tomorrow. 
I will say, I've seen that guide and it was helpful to a point. Maybe I'm unsure what I set the ports to in QLab, maybe I'm misunderstanding parts of the guide.

For example, it says to set the Ion's receiving OSC port to 9000. Which I don't understand. 
I guess what I don't understand is:
1. What goes into OSC Rx port number for the console
2. What goes into the OSC Tx port number for the console
3. What goes into Qlab's port number for where I list the console's IP address
4. Does the console need to know the computer's IP address in the same way that QLab needs to know the console's IP address
5. Do you think this will work without a router, because that might not be an option


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## sk8rsdad (Nov 7, 2018)

_1. What goes into OSC Rx port number for the console _
Whatever you set in QLab as the OSC TX port. The default is 53001.
_
2. What goes into the OSC Tx port number for the console_
It doesn't matter if you're not sending any commands from the Ion to QLab. Otherwise, whatever you set as the QLab receive port. The default is 53000.

3. What goes into Qlab's port number for where I list the console's IP address
Not sure what's being asked here - if you're asked to provide an IP address it should be the address you're sending to. On the Ion that would be the IP address of the Mac running QLab. In Qlab it would be the IP address of the Ion console.

_4. Does the console need to know the computer's IP address in the same way that QLab needs to know the console's IP address_
Only if you're sending commands from the console to the Mac.

_5. Do you think this will work without a router, because that might not be an option_
It should work as long as the ethernet ports are active and have negotiated their connection successfully. Routers take away a lot of the uncertainty and give you some status LEDs. A cheap router is under $20.


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## GrantHughes (Nov 7, 2018)

3. 3. What goes into Qlab's port number for where I list the console's IP address

You're right. This question was unclear. I mean to say what goes into the port number on the OSC tab in QLab. Here's a screenshot: https://ibb.co/h4OfTV


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## sk8rsdad (Nov 7, 2018)

53001, if that's what you set the Ion to listen on


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## Jay Ashworth (Nov 10, 2018)

Hey! Something I know!

Whether the ION will listen to OSC/TCP *depends on a setting in each show file*.

It's in Settings->Desk Settings, I think. It's the same knob you gotta turn on to use things like Alien Software's OSCrfr.

Something about "Strings". If that's not enough hint I'l go shoulder the boss off the desk and look. 

If you're gonna use OSC, you go turn this on in your grandfather showfile and let it trickle down.


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