Show Cue System

I recently purchased the SCS Lite version and will be upgrading to the Pro Plus version in a few weeks. I am researching USB audio interfaces and am considering the PreSonus 1818VSL. What issues have people had with this interface and what can be done in advance to prevent problems. Or is there any other interface I should consider?

Also I plan on purchasing the Entec DMX USB Pro and connecting to either an ETC Element or ETC Express. Has anyone had any issues connecting to ETC consoles and does anyone have any tips on preventing issues before the occur. Thanks.

I can't comment on the PreSonus as I have no experience of it, but I wouldn't expect there to be any issues using this with SCS.

Regarding DMX, note that SCS only handles DMX Receive (for controlling SCS cues etc). SCS does not support DMX Send.

May be other users can comment on the PreSonus 181VSL or on the ETC consoles.

I can certainly shed some light on this. SCS doesn't output DMX, so if you wanted to trigger a lighting console with SCS you need to use MIDI show control. The Element and whole Ion series has MIDI capabilities and this is the best way I have found.

http://www.etcconnect.com/Community/wik ... smits.aspx

There is some info there about MIDI, it seems complicated and it can be but SCS has s nifty feature that makes it a snap. Get a USB to MIDI interface like an M-audio one that has a MIDI in and out. Connect both to your console.
In the menu you can send MIDI show control or receive it.
You will notice the console can only send and accept certain types of commands so keep that in mind. Go, pause, resume, set fader level, and fire macro. That should be good enough though right....

So set your console to MSC transmit, and turn off receive, otherwise you may create a loop....
In SCS make sure you have your control send and control receive for MIDI set up for the USB to MIDI device you have.

Then create a cue. Create a control send cue. Pick MIDI free format then there is a button for capture next MIDI message. Select the interface you are using.
Then all you have to do is hit the cue or macro or whatever you are trying to do. SCS will record the hex values. Turn off MIDI transmit, turn on receive and test to see if you got it.

It takes all the hard part out of crafting HEX messages for the console to understand....
The Ions can't receive notes so that is the easiest way to do it!