Pharos Configuration
ShowRunner™ can control DMX fixtures through several different methods, including Pharos DMX controllers. The most common Pharos controllers sold through Crestron are the Pharos LPC-1 (DIN-DMX-1UNIVERSE) and the Pharos LPC-2 (DIN-DMX-2UNIVERSE). These LPC controllers appear physically identical, but the LPC-1 shares a single universe across both DMX outputs while the LPC-2 has a separate universe for each output. ShowRunner™ uses the Pharos Controller API to send commands over Ethernet to the Pharos Controller, which then sends DMX commands to the fixtures.
Pharos Project
Pharos projects are created using the free Pharos Designer 2 software from Pharos Controls. When creating a project for use with ShowRunner™, ensure that API version 5.0 is selected for the project. Individual loads control from ShowRunner™ is achieved with group-level commands using the Pharos Controller API, so each Fixture Group defined in the Pharos Project should correspond to a single load in ShowRunner™. In addition to group-level commands, ShowRunner™ also supports mapping ShowRunner™ Scenes to Pharos Timelines.
The basic steps for creating a Pharos Project for use with ShowRunner™ are:
- Open the Pharos Designer 2 software
- In the top-right, click "New Project" and select the type of Pharos controller that will be the primary controller
- Crestron SKUs DIN-DMX-1UNIVERSE and DIN-DMX-2UNIVERSE both correspond to "LPC" in Pharos
- Navigate to the "Project" page by clicking the Pharos logo on the left
- Under the "Controller API" heading, verify that API Version 5.0 is selected
- Navigate to the "Layout" page by clicking the pencil and ruler icon on the left
- At the top left, click "Manage..." to edit the layout name and dimensions, modify grid settings, and upload a background image if desired
- Locate the desired fixture in the Fixture Profile List on the right side of the Layout page
- Most fixtures can be controlled correctly using the generic single-channel, RGB, warm/cool, intensity/CCT, HSIC, etc. profiles
- Pharos also has a large selection of manufacturer-specific profiles which can be used instead of the generics
- Additional generic and manufacturer-specific profiles can be downloaded by clicking the cloud icon on the right, above the fixture profile list
- Prior to adding fixtures to the layout, consider the following:
- ShowRunner™ uses group-level commands, so each individual load in ShowRunner™ must have a corresponding Fixture Group in Pharos
- The Pharos API limits commands to single-channel (intensity), RGB, or Intensity/CCT
- For RGBW fixtures, it may be a good idea to define them as separate RGB and W fixtures so that ShowRunner™ is able to control the white channel separately from the RGB channels
- Fixtures can belong to multiple Fixture Groups, allowing ShowRunner™ to send different types of commands to the same fixtures
- For example,
- Add fixtures to the layout by dragging them from the fixture profile list
- Every fixture that is added to the layout represents a unique set of DMX addresses
- Note that the fixture number is different than the fixture address, and is automatically incremented by Pharos Designer 2
- Right-clicking a fixture on the layout will allow you to "Duplicate" or create a "New Instance" of a fixture
- Duplicating a fixture creates a new fixture with the same profile and properties
- Creating a New Instance will create a new representation of the fixture without actually creating a new fixture; this allows you to have multiple fixtures represented on the layout that share the same DMX address
- When adding fixtures to the layout, keep in mind ShowRunner™ uses group-level controls
- ShowRunner™ is only able to send RGB, single-channel, and intensity/CCT commands
- Other fixture types (such as HSI, warm/cool, ICHS, etc.) still work correctly, but only RGB, single-channel, and intensity/CCT commands can be sent ot them
- RGBW fixtures should be defined as separate RGB and W fixtures so that ShowRunner™ can control the white channel separately from the RGB channels
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Note: Due to limitations with the API, only single channel, RGB, or Intensity/CCT load types can be defined in ShowRunner™. Other fixture types are controllable, but the types of command that ShowRunner™
Device Configuration
ShowRunner™ Configuration