Demo DMXcat-E live at LDI Show 2024

Want to discover DMXcat-E firsthand? Join us at City Theatrical Booth 2139 at LDI Show 2024 at the Las Vegas Convention Center from December 8 - 10, 2024. You can demo the product and ask questions with DMXcat-E experts.

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Browse this page by topic:

I. Requirements ◾ II. Before Setting Up ◾ III. Getting Started ◾ IV. New! DMXcat-E Apps ◾ V. DMXcat Apps ◾ VI. Instructions for Set Up ◾ VII. Accessories ◾ VIII. FAQs ◾ IX. Resources ◾ X. Support

I. Requirements for DMXcat App Connection to DMXcat-E

Smartphone Requirements - Bluetooth ≥ 4.0

Android: Android ≥ 6.0. iPhones: iOS 11 or greater (iPhone 6S and newer). Not optimized for tablets.

II. Before Setting Up Your DMXcat-E

Download the DMXcat® app from the App Store or Google Play, and install it on your smartphone.

WARNING: Do not let the DMXcat-E or DMXcat device rest against hot fixtures or surfaces.

NOTE: Any primary DMXcat firmware update will take 15-20 minutes and your smartphone needs to be kept charged and close to the DMXcat-E throughout the update process.

If the update is disconnected or interrupted, you may need to re-start the update.

What's in the Box?

The DMXcat-E (P/N 6100) box comes with the DMXcat-E Pouch (P/N 6109), Belt Clip and screw, USB-C charging wire, and a key ring.

III. Getting Started with DMXcat-E

These steps will get you on your way.

STEP 1: TURN DMXCAT-E ON.

Press the power button to turn on the DMXcat-E device. When the LED status indicator light is green, the device is on.

STEP 2: LAUNCH DMXCAT APP.

Open the DMXcat app on your smartphone. The main menu screen will appear showing original DMXcat icons and new DMXcat-E icons once connected.

3 - DMXcat app lower left shows connection to device

STEP 3: SCAN TO FIND DEVICE.

The DMXcat app scans for nearby devices. The lower status bar indicates when the DMXcat-E (or DMXcat) device is found.

4 - Open DMXcat Settings by pressing top gear icon

STEP 4: OPEN SETTINGS.

Press the “SETTINGS” menu on the upper status bar (gear icon), and select "Device List" and select your DMXcat-E. The SN to identify your DMXcat-E is located on the back of the device.

6100 DMXcat-E hardware and smartphone app

STEP 5: CONNECT.

The DMXcat app connects the smartphone to the DMXcat-E device. When the connection is made, the LED indicator will glow steady green, and the lower status bar will display “Connected”.

5 - DMXcat-E first time use requires app update

STEP 6: UPDATE APP.

You must make a primary update to the DMXcat app, which will take about 15-20 minutes, to connect your DMXcat app to a DMXcat-E device.

5b - DMXcat-E app update shows percentage

STEP 7: KEEP PHONE CHARGED AND CLOSE TO DMXCAT-E FOR UPDATE.

The primary DMXcat firmware update will take 15-20 minutes. Your phone needs to be kept charged and close to the DMXcat-E throughout the update process. The update progress will be shown as a percentage.

STEP 8: PRESS LINK ICON TO DISCONNECT.

Press the “LINK” icon to disconnect the DMXcat-E. Press and hold the power button until the LED indicator flashes four times. *NOTE: You must disconnect the DMXcat-E from the smartphone before it will power down.

IV. New! DMXcat-E Applications

The updated DMXcat app has seven new applications to choose from when connected to a DMXcat-E device.

Click on an app icon to view information for that app.

IP SETTINGS

IP Settings allows you to change the IP settings.

MIDI

MIDI is used to view MIDI messages coming from any MIDI device

Press “Start” and “Stop” in the top left corner of the screen to start and stop seeing the MIDI messages coming through
The messages will show the time the message came in as well as any details based on the MIDI source

TIMECODE

Timecode will show a live view of the timecode coming through a timecode generator, and allows users to save the data
Once you open the timecode app, the MIDI timecode will appear if a MIDI timecode generator is active
Select “Clear” to clear the MIDI timecode clock
At the bottom of the screen, you can select “Bookmark” to bookmark
You can then click “Save” to save the file as a .csv to upload onto a console or share
All of this functionality is exactly the same on the SMPTE side of the app, just select “SMPTE” at the top

SOURCES

Sources shows all sources in a lighting network
Upon opening Sources, all sources in the network will load and show:
- Source IP
- Universe
- Type
- Priority
You can also select a specific range of universes to view

PING

Ping allows users to ping single or groups of IP addresses on a network
Enter the IP address you want to ping and click “Ping”
You will see the ping message underneath the address
Select “Stop” to end the ping
You can also create ping groups by selecting the plus in the bottom right of the screen
Add IP addresses by selecting the vertical dot menu to the right of “Ping” and select “Add Member…”
Be sure to select the paper plane icon to save each address, then select “Save”
Once you have created a ping group, you can select “Ping” next to the group name
The ping message will show to the right of each IP address in the group

PoE TESTER

PoE Tester shows the voltages on RJ45 cables and specifies the classification of an attached network switch

CABLE TESTING

Cable Testing allows for RJ45 and 5 pin XLR cables to be tested for correct wiring and length
On the RJ45 screen, you can select the type of RJ45 wiring in the middle of the screen
Above the type, you will see the status of each wire pair as well as the length of the cable
On the XLR screen, you will see the status of each wire pair and can select to test either pins 1-3 or pins 1-5

FILE SHARING

File Sharing allows users to share or import app files.

V. DMXcat Applications

DMXcat has eight classic applications to choose from when connected to a DMXcat or DMXcat-E device.

Click on an app icon to view information for that app.

Light Meter app for DMXcat on Android only

DMX CONTROLLER

The DMX Controller is used to control a single universe of DMX slots.
Tapping the screen once will zoom in on a section of addresses.
Tapping again will show you a keypad, where DMX values can be changed.
- In the settings menu, you can change this display to show sliders instead of a keypad, and percent (0-100%) or decimal (0-255).
- A preset can be saved and named in the top right corner, and it can be recalled from the same menu. Swipe left to remove a preset.

Go to "Settings" to choose the view.

KEYPAD VIEW

SLIDERS VIEW

0-100 (%) OR 1-255 (DECIMAL)

FIXTURE CONTROLLER

The Fixture Controller is used to control a single fixture using a DMX profile, or multiple fixtures.
Choose a fixture using the database menu.
Each fixture can be added to a list of favorites with the star button in the bottom left.
After selecting the fixture, choose the starting DMX address of the fixture, and press “Next” and the fixture’s user interface appears.
To see more pages of parameters, swipe to the right or tap the small page indicators at the bottom of the screen.

FIXTURE CONTROLLER

PERSONALITY EDITOR

PERSONALITY EDITOR (In Fixture Controller)

The Personality Editor is found in the Fixture Controller app, in the sub menu in the upper right corner of the screen.
To get started making a personality, press the “+” button, and an encoder wheel will appear. Press “Edit” and fill in the information for the DMX slot that you are working with. When you’re done with the data for this DMX slot, hit “save”, then hit “+” to add another attribute. Continue on until you are done. In the pull-down menu in the upper right-hand corner, you will add the Manufacturer Name, Fixture Name, and Personality Name. When you exit, the Editor prompt will ask if you want to save your changes.
To edit an existing personality to create a new one, load a personality that is similar to the one you want, then enter the Personality Editor and make the changes you want. You will need to enter a Manufacturer Name, Fixture Name, and Personality Name for this new personality.
Your custom personalities live on your “Favorites” menu in the Fixture Controller app.
To delete a custom personality from your Favorites, click on the Favorite on the Favorites menu, and “unstar” it.
It is not possible at this time to share my custom personalities with others. And it is not possible to download custom personalities from a DMXcat to a console, or from a console to a DMXcat.

*Note: We add new fixtures to the database as soon as we are aware of them. Utilize the email function inside DMXcat to reach us directly to let us know your fixture needs in the database.

RDM CONTROLLER

When the app is opened, it will automatically search for any connected RDM compatible fixtures.
The “Identify” option will cause the fixture to flash or identify itself in some way.
The “RDM” option allows the user to change the DMX address, mode, and various other options.
The “DMX” option will automatically load the fixture’s user interface.

DMX TESTER

“Analyze DMX”, “View Levels” and “Flicker Finder” require the use of the male-to-male XLR turnaround that we included with your DMXcat.
The “Receive” and “Transmit” functions allow the user to read, or to change several parameters involved with DMX timing.
“View Levels” show the levels sent from a console in real time.
The “Flicker Finder” function allows the user to find the source of any DMX Flicker on the DMX universe by setting levels and noting if any levels have changed.

DIP SWITCH CALCULATOR

Either type in a DMX value to read the corresponding to DIP switch, or vice versa.
The "Step Size" allows the user to step up in address by a fixed amount, allowing for quick addressing of multiple fixtures as once.
Use the arrows to flip the display left to right or up and down.

LIGHT METER (ANDROID ONLY)

The Light Meter gives a readout of the current LUX and Lumen/ft² from the light sensor on any Android phone.

RF SPECTRUM ANALYZER (ANDROID ONLY)

The RF Spectrum Analyzer scans the 2.4GHz band for any Wi-Fi signals, and displays them in a graph by both strength and frequency.

MULTIVERSE TRANSMITTER (WHEN CONNECTED ONLY)

The Multiverse Transmitter has a Bluetooth radio receiver built in that allows it to communicate with the DMXcat app from the user’s smartphone.
This gives the user smartphone control of any lighting fixture that is part of the Multiverse setup, whether it is a lighting fixture with a Multiverse Module inside, a lighting fixture receiving its data from a Multiverse Node, or any wired fixture downstream of those devices.
The DMXcat-E or DMXcat must be connected to a Multiverse Transmitter for this application to appear in the DMXcat app.

Learn more about Multiverse wireless DMX/RDM solutions and how they work with the DMXcat-E and DMXcat.

Explore Multiverse wireless DMX/RDM

VI. Instructions for Set Up

Two useful steps to get you up and running.

6100 DMXcat-E hardware, with USB-C charging wire plugged in

How to Charge

Use the USB-C charging cable to charge the DMXcat-E device. The LED status indicator will glow red to indicate that the unit is charging. When finished charging the indicator will turn off.

Device Finder

Pressing the Device Finder control icon on the lower status bar will cause the unit to beep and flash to aid in finding a misplaced unit.

VII. DMXcat-E Products & Accessories

DMXcat-E™ (P/N 6100)

Includes: 6109 DMXcat-E pouch, Belt Clip and Screw, and USB-C to USB-A cable, 6”

DMXcat-E product page

DMXcat-E Pouch (P/N 6109)

For P/N 6100 DMXcat-E only. Included in box.

DMXcat® (P/N 6000)

Includes: XLR5F Connector, Belt Clip and screw, and Splint Ring

DMXcat product page

DMXcat Belt Pouch (P/N 6009)

For P/N 6000 DMXcat only. Not included in box.

6005 5-Pin DMX Male to RJ45 Adapter for DMXcat

XLR5M to RJ45 Adapter (P/N 6005)

For DMXcat-E or DMXcat.

6006 5-Pin DMX Male to 3-Pin DMX Female Adapter for DMXcat

XLR5M to XLR3F Adapter (P/N 6006)

For DMXcat-E or DMXcat.

6008 5-Pin DMX Male to 3-Pin DMX Male Turnaround for DMXcat

XLR5M to XLR3M Turnaround (P/N 6008)

For DMXcat-E or DMXcat.

6007 XLR5M to XLR5M Turnaround for DMXcat

XLR5M to XLR5M Turnaround (P/N 6007)

For DMXcat only.

USB to Micro USB cable, 6" (P/N 6010)

For DMXcat only.

60000001 DMXcat Plastic replacement kit 1 top view front

DMXcat Plastic Replacement Kit (P/N 60000001)

For DMXcat only.

VIII. DMXcat-E and DMXcat Frequently Asked Questions

Expand all

DMXcat FAQs Getting Started

1. Do I need a certain version of Bluetooth to be able to connect with DMXcat?

2. How do I know if my phone has Bluetooth 4.0?

3. Will my tablet work with DMXcat?

4. Are there any phones that don’t work with DMXcat?

5. How do I get my DMXcat dongle to connect with my phone?

6. How do I find my serial number?

7. What is the range of the Bluetooth?

8. What happens if I go out of range?

9. I only see five apps on my phone, not seven like I saw on box?

10. Can I change any default settings?

11. My phone has a message that updates are available. Do I need to accept the app updates?

12. How do I know if my DMXcat dongle has the latest updates?

13. I can’t get my DMXcat to turn off. The green pilot light stays on solid green when I push the power button.

14. What is the battery life?

15. If my battery does run down, will my dongle work with the charger plugged in?

16. Can I use my DMXcat to troubleshoot my streaming ACN or Art-‐Net?

17: I opened my DMXcat app, turned my dongle on and plugged it in to a fixture, but the fixture’s DMX indicator light says it is not receiving DMX.

18. Can I change the name of my DMXcat?

19. What is the manufacturer PN for the DMXCat 6000 Power Switch?

20. What wires go to what pins on the DMXCat 5-pin tail?

21. How do I use the Flicker Finder feature?

22. When updating my DMXCat 6000 I receive this message “Update Error! Timeout” “HVVersionGet Error 10” Is there a bypass for this?

23. The fixture I need is not in the 6000 DMXCat fixture library. How do I request it be added?

24. Is the DMXCat 6000 compatible with Lumenpulse?

25. Could I have more than one DMXCat 6000 connected to the same phone if there are multiple locations?

26. Is there any issue with plugging the DMXCat 6000 into a receptacle and using it as the primary DMX controller as a permanent installation?

27. Will my DMXCat 6000 automatically power down or will it stay on as long as it is plugged in?

28. Why does my DMXcat always show and additional universe as 'unconfigured'?

29. I have tried all the connection issue FAQs and am still unable to connect my DMXCat 6000 to my device. What next?

30. What is the refresh rate and break times?

31. Can I run the DMXcat app on my Nintendo Switch?

32. Why do I not have all the apps shown in the quick start guide / manual for my DMXCat 6000 app?

33. How do I find fixtures in the DMXCat 6000 fixture database?

34. I am having connection issue with my DMXCat to Samsung Galaxy A9 with Android 10.

35. My secondary firmware will not update, I have tried forcing the update but it still won't update.

36. Can I share my fixture profiles in DMXCat

37. Can I use my DMXCat while it is charging?

38. Can I change the name of my DMXCat?

39. DMXcat App says my phone does not support BLE

40. Update Loop

41. Problems Pairing

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DMXcat FAQs Fixture Controller

1. Why can’t I find my fixture in the database?

2. Can I write my own custom personality?

3. Can I delete a Favourite?

4. How do I use the Multi Fixture control feature?

First make sure all of your fixture personalities are in your Fixture Controller Favorites list, then click on the Multi Fixture Link.

You can then click the "+" icon to start adding fixtures and groups to your setup.

Once you have selected the personality you would like to patch you are presented with the fixture setup screen. Here you identify the Universe and DMX Address of your fixture. You can then decide to patch in one of two modes:
• Channel Range – Select the starting channel/fixture number and enter the number of fixtures to patch
• Fixture Count – Select the starting and ending channel/fixture numbers to patch
If you select Fixture Count mode you can also opt to have the fixture numbers done sequentially or with all the same number by clicking on the 123 icon. You can then select to have the addressing automatically spaced by the number of DMX attributes in the personality or by an offset of your choosing.

You can also choose to add the fixtures to a group. A group enables you to control the common parameters of several fixtures simultaneously or step through the fixtures in sequence. You can add as many fixtures of different models to a group as is helpful, but the group can only be controlled as a whole if the fixtures all share at least one common parameter (like intensity).

When you have completed patching you will be presented with the list of fixtures in your setup. Their fixture number will contain the colors of any groups they belong to. You can either select fixtures to control or press the 3-dot menu for more options including sorting, filters, saving the current setup or load a preexisting one, and switching to the group view. The group view can also be reached by swiping left from the fixture list.

In the Group List you can click on a group to control the common parameters of all of the fixtures in that group (for example a group containing different models of moving lights will likely have at least intensity, pan, and tilt in common). This enables quick checking of a group of fixtures simultaneously.

When you select an individual fixture from within the group you will be controlling just that fixture, but you can step through the fixtures in the group using the right and left arrows. The attributes you change will transfer to the new fixture enabling you to quickly step through the group to test your fixtures. The last show setup you had open will be present when you open the app again. You can save and recall as many setups as you need giving you the flexibility to save your Multi Fixture setups for different applications. Any saved setups are stored locally to your device, so they will persist even if you have to uninstall and reinstall the app.