The E-Show™ MIDI Tools & Network Drivers
by Joanne Dow
1999
Entertainment Design
Magazine EDDY
Award - Show Control Product of the Year
for
Industrial and Show Hardware with
100% TCP/IP Network
Compatibility
Driven by
ShowMan™
software
for real time control of all show production elements in the
E-Show Network
ShowMan, SoundMan-Server & E-Show power
Universal Hollywood's 'Waterworld' live stunt show
Compatible Industrial Hardware
E-Show Overview
The E-Show Network is based on industry standard 64 bit Windows 7
computers interconnected via a TCP/IP-based network: Normally
Ethernet but essentially any TCP/IP compatible network, even the
Internet, may be used. Compatible hardware comprises a variety of
industry standard industrial devices from industrial computer
suppliers and PLC manufacturers to provide maximum performance
and reliability. Examples of these suppliers is provided and the
cards and hardware may be purchased from RSD or directly from the
supplier, where applicable.
E-Show Control Hubs
E-Show also supports direct Ethernet connection with
Ethernet-capable industrial control devices (thereby eliminating
the need for host computers at the remote terminals). Some
makers of these devices are indicated in the supplier chart. If
you have a favourite manufacturer of industrial PC interface
cards or industrial Ethernet control hubs, we can integrate them
into E-Show! Contact RSD for further information.
Serial and MIDI Ports Anywhere
For example, an Ethernet serial hub allows you to stick a serial
port anywhere you need it and hang it off the E-Show network.
Examples would be a rack of laserdisk players in the back of the
booth, or a film projector backstage doing rear projection. And
you don't need to run multiple serial cables to do it, just one
Ethernet cable. Or you can have MIDI Anywhere. Just put in a
Serial-to-MIDI converter and instant MIDI ports appear!
Maximum Reliability
Fail-Safe design can also incorporate Hot Standby. The
Rocketport Serial Hubs can be set up to be controlled by two 64 bit Windows 7
boxes, so that one will take over as a backup if the main one
loses communication. Other modes of redundancy and error-checking
across the entire E-Show Network can be easily incorporated to
your specifications. E-Show also fully supports the latest MIDI
Show Control Two-Phase Commit (2PC) protocol for maximum
dependability automatically.
MIDI
Any number of MIDI IN and MIDI OUT ports are available. Each
computer normally contains a single MIDI IN and MIDI OUT port,
which is generally more than adequate given the ability of a
single MIDI channel to communicate with well over 1000 MIDI Show
Control Devices.
Ethernet
Almost any Ethernet TCP/IP system devices may be incorporated
directly into the E-Show system. RSD will provide software
interfaces to these devices on an RFQ custom basis. Please
contact us to establish the cost and availability of the
interface you desire. An example of such an interface is the
E-Show WonderWare ActiveX module and our own SoundMan-Server software.
TTL I/O
Any number are available, with up to 120 lines per PCI card.
Typical uses are to interface with industrial PLC's, drive solid
state relays and directly connect with HMI panels. Switches on
the panel interface directly with TTL Inputs and LED's on the
panel interface directly with TTL Outputs.
Serial I/O
Any number are available, with up to 64 ports per PCI card.
RS-232, -422, -485 are standard with baud rates up to almost
1Mbps.
USB
High speed data transmission may be taken short
distances by the Universal Serial Buses built into the computer
mainboard.
IEEE 1394 (Firewire)
High speed point-to-point data transmission (up to 100Mbps) may
be taken short distances with 1394 PCI interface cards.
DMX-512
Standard DMX-512 with up to 1024 channels of control is achieved
using third party devices.
Ethernet linked PLCs
Many industrial PLC's now have Ethernet ports and can be
controlled and monitored via Ethernet. PLC's open up the world
of industrial control interfaces, including environmental
monitoring, analog I/O, motor control, high voltage and power
control, industrial processing and gateways to industrial
networks such as MAP, DH+, DeviceNET, CAN, and of course the
standard PLC world of parallel I/O interfaces of every type
imaginable.
ModBus
Many industrial controls have ModBus ports and can be controlled
and monitored via ModBus. These industrial automation devices
open up the world of industrial control interfaces, including
environmental monitoring, analog I/O, motor control, high voltage
and power control, industrial processing and gateways to
industrial networks such as MAP, DH+, DeviceNET, CAN, and of
course the standard PLC world of parallel I/O interfaces of every
type imaginable.
ButtonBuilder
ButtonBuilder creates and programs virtually any array of buttons and controls
that can be conceived and overlays the computer screen with an easy-to-use user
interface window that presents clear operational choices and functions along
with full, programmable interactive menus and responses.
Other Interfaces
Additional special interfaces such as 0-10V analog output lines
can be quoted by special order. Please contact RSD for further
information.
E-Show Multimedia Devices, Utilities & Drivers
Multimedia MIDI Devices for 64 bit Windows 7
These devices and utilities provide any number of specialized
MIDI IN and OUT ports accessible across the entire E-Show
network.
-
The Ethernet Command device allows the execution of IP
commands via MIDI sysex messages
-
The DOS Command device allows the execution of MS-DOS
commands via MIDI sysex messages
-
The ButtonBuilder user interactive control device creates and programs virtually
any array of buttons and controls
that can be conceived and overlays the computer screen with an easy-to-use user
interface window that presents clear operational choices and functions along
with full, programmable interactive menus and responses.
-
The MIDI_AutomationDirect2_IO virtual PLC device is a configurable interface
for AutomationDirect Ethernet-connected PLCs. All PLC output
ports can be controlled by MIDI messages and all types of MIDI
messages can be generated by PLC input ports.
-
MIDI_Ethergate virtual Device - sends commands to the ENTTEC DMXEtherGate for
512 channels of DMX lighting control per unit
-
MIDI_Fishcamp virtual PLC Device - allows input and output signals
from Fishcamp parallel IO cards to be controlled by and control
ShowMan via standard MSC messages
-
The MIDI_MTS232 device provides MIDI-to-Serial and Serial-to-MIDI
interfaces just like the RSD model MTS-232 legacy hardware
device. Make as many MTS-232 devices as you have standard PC
serial ports in your E-Show network. It uses standard MTS-232
MIDI messages (shows written on Stage Manager® using MTS-232's
can be imported and used directly) and handles ASCII serial input
like an MTS-232. A configuration panel defines devices and sets
serial port parameters. This setup panel has even more
flexibility than an old style rack mount MTS-232!
-
MIDI_MTS232V2 Device - allows ShowMan to send data out
any network-based serial port
-
The MIDI_Serial device sends raw MIDI via serial and accepts
correctly formatted serial data for delivery to a virtual MIDI IN
port. Again, devices are defined via a setup panel. This is great
for fast cheap MIDI using baud rates of 115200 baud or higher
depending on the serial card.
-
The MIDI_ModBus PLC device is a configurable interface
for all ModBus connected PLCs and industrial automation controls.
All output functions can be controlled by MIDI messages and all
types of MIDI messages can be generated by input functions.
-
MIDI_ModBusIP PLC Device - allows input and output signals
from ModBus based PLC's to be controlled by and control ShowMan
via standard MSC messages
-
MIDI_Pioneer Device - allows ShowMan to control Pioneer DVD-7400 and LD7400
players over network-based serial port
-
MIDI_Serial Device - allows MIDI to be carried over any
industry standard serial link at speeds much higher than
standard MIDI
-
The MIDI_SimpleDMX device sends commands to the Artistic Licence
DMXDongleII and Dove StarPort and the MIDI_Ethergate talks to the
ENTTEC DMXEtherGate for 512 channels of DMX
lighting control per device
-
The MIDI_Wire utility is a configurable MIDI Patch Bay which runs
resident on any 64 bit Windows XP computer. Any of 10 MIDI OUT ports
can be patched uniquely to any MIDI IN port across the entire
E-Show network, including all ports created by the above
Multimedia devices.
-
The NetMIDI device is a configurable set of 32 MIDI OUT ports and
32 merging MIDI IN ports. Each OUT and IN port can be named and
selected much like a MIDI patchbay or OMS on the Macintosh
platform. Individual IN and OUT ports can even be on different
computers in the E-Show network!
E-SHOW HARDWARE SUPPLIERS
|
