Introduction
Controller devices are hardware tools that are used for:
- External control of Aximmetry
- Control production gear (e.g. light fixtures) from Aximmetry
Controllers use specific communication protocols to be able to communicate with a computer: MIDI, OSC, GPIO, and DMX (ArtNet) are the four most common ones in the video, audio, and lighting communities. They can be used for sending control information between instruments, computers, consoles, and lighting equipment.
Communication protocols serve as a translator between a hardware device or software application from two ends. In Aximmetry every control element (a button, a slider, a value placeholder) can receive and send control information over these protocols.
Why should I use a Controller?
Controllers make using Aximmetry much easier and more intuitive. By mapping the functions that you will need during production to a few physical buttons on a control board or virtual buttons on a touch screen, the operators will be able to go through production with ease from any location within the studio.
For example, using a MIDI Controller, you can switch between cameras just by pressing a button. You can also change the virtual camera's panning speed by turning a knob. Alternatively, using OSC, you can create a virtual interface on your phone or tablet allowing you to control all aspects of Aximmetry remotely. The options are limitless.
Communication Protocols
Aximmetry supports any Controller device that uses the after-mentioned communication protocols.
MIDI
MIDI is a technical standard for communication that was created to control Musical devices such as electronic instruments. However, it can also be used to communicate between computers and other devices that support it.
MIDI Device: Any device that can send or receive MIDI messages is referred to as a MIDI device. Input ports, output ports, or both are present on MIDI devices. A MIDI device may be virtual or physical.
Articles about MIDI with Aximmetry:
Using MIDI with Aximmetry.
OSC
OSC (Open Sound Control) was originally intended for sharing musical data between electronic musical instruments, computers, and other multimedia devices. OSC messages are usually transported within local computer networks, but can also be transmitted across the internet. Nowadays, it is mostly used on a software level as other protocols such as MIDI are more commonly used with physical gear. Software such as TouchOSC allows you to create a virtual interface on your phone or tablet, giving you remote control over all aspects of Aximmetry.
NOTE: Aximmetry can only receive and send OSC messages via UDP.
Articles about OSC with Aximmetry:
OSC In-, and Output Setup
OSC messages in Aximmetry
GPIO
GPIO (General Purpose Input/Output) describes electronic circuit boards that can be used as input or output. The electronic circuit board consists of multiple pins that can be used to send or receive signals. A GPIO pin is a generic pin whose behavior can be programmed through software, in this case, programmed through Aximmetry. All the pins on the GPIO board can be assigned individually as input or output pins allowing Aximmetry to be controlled externally or to control external hardware.
Articles about GPIO with Aximmetry:
GPIO In-, and Output Setup
Using GPIO in Aximmetry
DMX / ArtNet
DMX or more particularly DMX512 is the standard protocol for digital communication used to operate stage lighting. A DMX console delivers DMX messages to fixtures through XLR cables.
The number 512 after the DMX stands for the number of control channels available on a single cable which is often referred to as a universe. One DMX channel can be used to control a single parameter, such as the brightness or hue of a light fixture.
The DMX protocol will do just fine in case of a small production where not a lot of fixtures are used, meaning with a DMX console that has 4 XLR outputs for example (4*512= 2048 channels or 4 universes are available) you can have 4 fixtures with each one using 512 channels. Some fixtures support daisy-chaining, which allows you to connect more fixtures without the need for a larger DMX Console (Keep in mind that you are limited to the 2048 channels that the DMX console supports). For a larger-scale production, Art-Net is a better choice.
Art-Net is a protocol to transmit a DMX512 signal. However, instead of using an XLR cable, an ethernet cable is used. This allows us to transmit multiple universes over one ethernet cable allowing for a much larger operation scale. So, from your DMX console, you will have a single ethernet cable out that connects to an ethernet switch with an arbitrary number of ethernet ports. This way you can connect an arbitrary number of fixtures using ethernet cables. Better yet, if the fixtures can output a DMX512 signal or have an output ethernet port you can connect even more fixtures. Learn more about how Art-Net works here.
You can learn how to control light equipment using DMX/Art-Net here.
Being communication protocols, we can use DMX and Art-Net control boards as controller devices for Aximmetry. You can do so by following this guide.
Game Devices
We refer to devices that are targeted at personal consumers as Game devices. These can have programmable buttons, screens, knobs, and more. They use a USB cable to connect to your machine. You can learn how to use them to control Aximmetry by pressing on the respective device's name:
Serial Port
Aximmetry supports the use of Serial Port interfaces for transferring data between a computer and an external device, transmitting data one bit at a time.
NOTE: Aximmetry has implementations of various protocols that use Serial Ports. We recommend to always refer to the documentation of the specific protocol of your choice.
IMPORTANT: Serial Port is available from the Professional Edition.
Articles about Serial Port with Aximmetry:
Using MIDI with Aximmetry
Using Serial Port in Aximmetry
UDP and TCP
Aximmetry supports using UDP or TCP to communicate between different computers, devices, or software. You can communicate over the internet or in the local network or even on the same computer between different apps.
NOTE: Aximmetry has implementations of various protocols that use UDP or TCP. We recommend to always refer to the documentation of the specific protocol of your choice.
IMPORTANT: UDP and TCP are available from the Professional Edition.
Articles about UDP and TCP with Aximmetry:
OSC In-, and Output Setup
Using UDP and TCP in Aximmetry
Visca
While Aximmetry supports the use of VISCA as a tracking protocol to receive tracking input, it can also utilize this protocol to control PTZ cameras by sending them commands.
IMPORTANT: Visca is available from the Broadcast Edition.
Article about using VISCA to Control a PTZ Camera from Aximmetry:
Using Visca to Control a PTZ Camera From Aximmetry
Web Server
Aximmetry's Web Server feature enables the replication of a selected control board of the running scene as a web page, thereby facilitating remote control via a web browser. Since web browsers are available across countless operating systems, this feature allows for an easy-to-set-up control interface of Aximmetry from various operating systems, including Linux, Mac OS, iOS, and Android (on both mobile and tablet devices).
IMPORTANT: Web Server is available from the Professional Edition.
Article about the use of Web Server with Aximmetry:
Using Web Server to Remote Control Aximmetry from a Web Browser
WebSocket and HTTP
Aximmetry can initiate its own WebSocket or HTTP server, allowing us to send and receive WebSocket or HTTP commands to and from other servers. This allows for:
- Controlling Aximmetry externally from a server.
- Retrieving data from a server.
IMPORTANT: WebSocket and HTTP are available from the Professional Edition.
Articles about WebSocket and HTTP with Aximmetry:
External Control of Aximmetry via HTTP
Using WebSocket and HTTP in Aximmetry
