Martin Mx series User manual

© 2010 Martin Professional A/S
Mx Series
User Manual

©2010 Martin Professional A/S. Information subject to change without notice. Martin Professional A/S and all affiliated
companies disclaim liability for any injury, damage, direct or indirect loss, consequential or economic loss or any other loss
occasioned by the use of, inability to use or reliance on the information contained in this manual. The Martin logo, the Martin
name and all other trademarks in this document pertaining to services or products by Martin Professional A/S or its affiliates and
subsidiaries are trademarks owned or licensed by Martin Professional A/S or its affiliates or subsidiaries.

I© 2010 Martin Professional A/S
Mx-Series Controller Manual
Table of Contents
......................................................................................1
Introduction
................................................................................................................................... 3Help and Support
................................................................................................................................... 5Text Conventions
......................................................................................6
Getting Started
................................................................................................................................... 7General Concepts
................................................................................................................................... 10Turn it on!
......................................................................................12
Patch
................................................................................................................................... 13Adding Fixtures to the Patch
.......................................................................................................................................................... 13Accessing the Patch Screen
.......................................................................................................................................................... 15Patching Fixtures Using the Tasks Menu
......................................................................................................................................................... 15The Fixture Library
......................................................................................................................................................... 15Auto Patch
......................................................................................................................................................... 17Patch Wizard
................................................................................................................................... 19Patching Fixtures Using the Command Line
.......................................................................................................................................................... 21Fixture Numbering
.......................................................................................................................................................... 22Assigning DMX Addresses
.......................................................................................................................................................... 23Patching an Individual Fixture
.......................................................................................................................................................... 24Patching a Range of Fixtures
.......................................................................................................................................................... 24Patching Conventional Dimmers
.......................................................................................................................................................... 25Patching Multiple DMX Addresses to One Fixture
.......................................................................................................................................................... 26Adding DMX Addresses to a Previously Patched Fixture or Channel
.......................................................................................................................................................... 26Patching Multi-Part Fixtures
................................................................................................................................... 28Other Patch Functions
.......................................................................................................................................................... 28Pan/Tilt Swap and Invert
.......................................................................................................................................................... 28Labeling Fixtures
.......................................................................................................................................................... 29Cloning Fixtures
................................................................................................................................... 31Other Patch Screen Controls
.......................................................................................................................................................... 31Sorting the Patch
.......................................................................................................................................................... 31Patch Universe View
.......................................................................................................................................................... 32Patch Window Tabs
......................................................................................33
Selecting Fixtures
................................................................................................................................... 34The Fixtures Screen
................................................................................................................................... 35Using The Keypad
................................................................................................................................... 37Using the Selected Fixtures Screen
................................................................................................................................... 38Conditional Fixture Selection
......................................................................................40
Manipulating Fixtures
................................................................................................................................... 41Programmer Control
................................................................................................................................... 43Fixture Parameter Screen
................................................................................................................................... 47Fixture Fanning
................................................................................................................................... 55Undo
................................................................................................................................... 56Common Parameters
......................................................................................59
Groups
................................................................................................................................... 60Recording Groups

II © 2010 Martin Professional A/S
Mx-Series Controller Manual
................................................................................................................................... 61Using the Grouping ToolsScreen
.......................................................................................................................................................... 61Mask Options
.......................................................................................................................................................... 67Fan Masks
.......................................................................................................................................................... 71Storing Fixture Selection Masks
................................................................................................................................... 73GroupsExample
................................................................................................................................... 74Moving and Copying Groups
................................................................................................................................... 77Editing Groups
................................................................................................................................... 78Selecting groups
......................................................................................79
Presets
................................................................................................................................... 80The Preset Screen
................................................................................................................................... 82Selecting Presets
................................................................................................................................... 83Recording Presets
................................................................................................................................... 85Editing Presets
................................................................................................................................... 87Moving and Copying Presets
................................................................................................................................... 88Default Preset
................................................................................................................................... 90Highlight Presets
......................................................................................91
The Programmer
................................................................................................................................... 92The Programmer Screen
................................................................................................................................... 95Programmer Modes
................................................................................................................................... 96Loading the Programmer
................................................................................................................................... 105Clearing the Programmer
......................................................................................108
Recording Cues
................................................................................................................................... 109Recording a Simple Cue
................................................................................................................................... 110The Record Options Window
................................................................................................................................... 114Recording a Range of Cues
......................................................................................115
Modifying Cues
................................................................................................................................... 116Re-Recording a Cue
................................................................................................................................... 117Editing a Cue
................................................................................................................................... 118Deleting a Cue
................................................................................................................................... 119Copying a Cue
................................................................................................................................... 121Moving a Cue
................................................................................................................................... 124Renumbering Cues
................................................................................................................................... 125Updating Cues
................................................................................................................................... 131Cue Macros
.......................................................................................................................................................... 134Deleting or Editing Macros
.......................................................................................................................................................... 134MIDI Macro
......................................................................................140
Creating Cuelists
................................................................................................................................... 141Example: Creating a Cuelist
................................................................................................................................... 142The Selected Cuelist Screen
................................................................................................................................... 145Setting Cue Timing
................................................................................................................................... 154Cuelist Options
................................................................................................................................... 157General Options
................................................................................................................................... 160Function Assignments

III © 2010 Martin Professional A/S
Mx-Series Controller Manual
................................................................................................................................... 164Cuelist Info
................................................................................................................................... 165Auto Mark
................................................................................................................................... 168Cuelist Modes
......................................................................................176
Executing Cuelists
................................................................................................................................... 177Playback Controls
................................................................................................................................... 179The “Main Go” Buttons
................................................................................................................................... 180Playback Command
................................................................................................................................... 181Master Faders
................................................................................................................................... 182Playback Pages (Banks)
................................................................................................................................... 183Selecting a Cuelist
................................................................................................................................... 184Releasing Cuelists
................................................................................................................................... 185Changing Global Cue Timing
................................................................................................................................... 187Moving, Copying, and Deleting Cuelistson Playback Controls
................................................................................................................................... 188Cuelist Directory
................................................................................................................................... 193Playback Buttons
................................................................................................................................... 195Active Cuelists Screen
......................................................................................196
Effects
................................................................................................................................... 197Effects Controls
................................................................................................................................... 207FX Link
................................................................................................................................... 209Effect Macros
......................................................................................210
Displays and Views
................................................................................................................................... 211View Menu
......................................................................................216
Advanced Controls
................................................................................................................................... 217Programmable Buttons
......................................................................................219
Menu
................................................................................................................................... 221Appearance
.......................................................................................................................................................... 221Settings
......................................................................................................................................................... 221General
......................................................................................................................................................... 223Screen(s)
......................................................................................................................................................... 223Advanced
.......................................................................................................................................................... 224Load/Save
.......................................................................................................................................................... 225Themes
.......................................................................................................................................................... 225Language
................................................................................................................................... 226Show
.......................................................................................................................................................... 226Patch
.......................................................................................................................................................... 227General Settings
......................................................................................................................................................... 227Parameter Groups
......................................................................................................................................................... 228Startup
......................................................................................................................................................... 228Console Lock
......................................................................................................................................................... 230Advanced
.......................................................................................................................................................... 231Cue Settings
......................................................................................................................................................... 231Cue Fade Times
......................................................................................................................................................... 232Playback
......................................................................................................................................................... 233Mark Cue
......................................................................................................................................................... 234TapSync
.......................................................................................................................................................... 235Load/Save
.......................................................................................................................................................... 237Statistics

IV © 2010 Martin Professional A/S
Mx-Series Controller Manual
................................................................................................................................... 238Network
.......................................................................................................................................................... 238Settings
.......................................................................................................................................................... 240Artnet
......................................................................................................................................................... 240Settings
......................................................................................................................................................... 241Devices
.......................................................................................................................................................... 243CITP Thumbs
.......................................................................................................................................................... 243MAXRemote
................................................................................................................................... 245System
.......................................................................................................................................................... 246About
......................................................................................................................................................... 246License info...
.......................................................................................................................................................... 248DMX Settings
......................................................................................................................................................... 248Routing
......................................................................................................................................................... 249USB2DMX
......................................................................................................................................................... 250Artnet Devices
......................................................................................................................................................... 251Timings
.......................................................................................................................................................... 251DMX In
......................................................................................................................................................... 252Routing
......................................................................................................................................................... 252Mergers
......................................................................................................................................................... 253Remote
......................................................................................................................................................... 256Playback Control
.......................................................................................................................................................... 256IO Settings
......................................................................................................................................................... 257MIDI
......................................................................................................................................... 257MIDI Show Control (MSC)
......................................................................................................................................................... 258Timecode
......................................................................................................................................................... 259RDM
.......................................................................................................................................................... 259Tools
......................................................................................................................................................... 259Date and Time
......................................................................................................................................................... 260Maintenance
......................................................................................................................................................... 261Recovery
......................................................................................................................................................... 262Diagnostic
......................................................................................264
Commandline Reference
................................................................................................................................... 264Overview
................................................................................................................................... 265Status
................................................................................................................................... 268Keypad
................................................................................................................................... 270Selection
................................................................................................................................... 271Grouping
................................................................................................................................... 273Conditional Fixture Selection
................................................................................................................................... 274Intensity Commands
................................................................................................................................... 275Parameter Commands
................................................................................................................................... 276Playback Select
................................................................................................................................... 277Record
................................................................................................................................... 278Edit
................................................................................................................................... 279Update
................................................................................................................................... 280Copy
................................................................................................................................... 281Move
................................................................................................................................... 282Delete
................................................................................................................................... 283Clear
................................................................................................................................... 284Load
................................................................................................................................... 285Cue
................................................................................................................................... 286Fade and Delay
................................................................................................................................... 287Bank
................................................................................................................................... 288Cuelist Edit

V© 2010 Martin Professional A/S
Mx-Series Controller Manual
................................................................................................................................... 290Cuelist Renumber
................................................................................................................................... 291Patch
.......................................................................................................................................................... 291Commandline
.......................................................................................................................................................... 292Wizards
.......................................................................................................................................................... 294Fixture Cloning
......................................................................................295
Appendix
................................................................................................................................... 295Martin One-Key
................................................................................................................................... 297Shortcuts

1© 2010 Martin Professional A/S
Mx-Series Controller Manual
Introduction
Welcome to our world!
Thank you very much for choosing the Mx-Series control platform.
This is a system designed with and by real users with extensive experience in lighting control systems.
Martin Professional strives to provide a stable and efficient programming platform that is fast to program and
fun to operate.
We sincerely hope you enjoy working with the software and hardware we have designed for you!
Who reads this manual?
If you've used other top-level professional lighting desks, then you know that the reference manual is not
something you sit down and read; it is simply too dense and technical to absorb. By its nature, a reference
manual is intended to be referenced rather than read. If you work professionally in the lighting business,
the chances are high that you've used a lighting desk before and that you have a general understanding of
the related concepts. So all you really need to do is ask the manual questions like, "How do I record a
cue?" or "How do I fan timing values?" or "How do I store a custom highlight preset?" or "Where is the suck
knob? I need to turn it down."
The problem is that the manual assumes prior knowledge of lighting desks and their associated language.
If you are a beginner, you are lost. Where do you start? Why doesn't it just work? What is swing? What is
marking? What is my name?
During every stage of development, the creators of the Mx-Series platform have endeavored (and continue) to
present the user with a simple and clean control environment. While staggeringly complex programming is
possible, even easy to achieve on the desk, the beginning user is not encumbered with endless options and
confusing language.

2© 2010 Martin Professional A/S
Mx-Series Controller Manual

3© 2010 Martin Professional A/S
Mx-Series Controller Manual
Help and Support
Martin Professional operates a complete network of support services around the world.
Experts in programming and operating any of Martin Professional's control system can be found in any
timezone and every continent.
Contact by phone
For emergencies contact the support hotline which will direct the call to the appropriate resource.
Martin 24-hour Service Hotline
International [phone]
United States [phone]
Contact by email
All control system related emails should be send to [e-mail]
Fixture Type Requests
The Mx-Series contains a extensive fixture library. However new fixtures are introduced to the market at a
rapid pace and a specific fixture may not be available in the fixture library yet.
Fixture requests can be made on the support page www.martin.com/controllersupport.
A fixture may already have been created and included in the library update package. An index of all fixture
types can be found on the support page and it is recommended to check it before filling out the request
form.
Once a fixture update is received follow the instructions how to install it on the system.
Controller Support website
Up to date software, manuals and training documentation is available at
www.martin.com/controllersupport
User Forums
The forums are a helpful resource to communicate with other users around the world. Many questions may
already be answered in the forums and it is a great way to interact with other programmers and users.
www.martin.com