Start with Basic Wireless Dimming
Before you can make use of this guide, you need your RC4 Wireless system up and running in basic wireless dimming mode. Find the RC4Magic Series 3 Quick Start Guide at:
http://www.rc4wireless.com/support/manuals/
For sophisticated DC servo motor control with the DMXmot, RC4 Commander software is required. To get started with this software, review RC4Magic Series-3 Quick Start – Device Dongle Mode with RC4 Commander Software.
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RC4 Commander does not communicate with LumenDim and W-DIM devices.
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Tutorial videos help you use and understand RC4 technology. Find them at:
http://www.rc4wireless.com/category/support/video/.
Seeing the process is often easier than reading a manual.
Wireless dimming, with professional and reliable results, is easy –
it’s easier than you think!
The RC4 Series 3 User Interface
The RC4 Series 3 User Interface consists of numerous LEDs and recessed pushbuttons. All LED are behind small round holes. All buttons are behind small slotted openings. A small tool, like a bent paperclip, is required to press the recessed buttons.
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Never insert a tool into a round hole – buttons are only behind slotted holes. Poking tools into round holes can damage LED indicators and circuit-board traces. Such damage is not covered under warranty.
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Restore Defaults
If you are unsure of the settings in an RC4 Series-3 device, or if it is not responding as expected, you can restore default settings:
Hold the recessed Func button while you press and release the SetA recessed button. The data and COP indicators will blink together severeal times, and interal settings will be cleared to defaults.
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Restoring defaults is easiest with two bent paperclips, one for each button.
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RC4 Commander Software
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RC4 Commander does not communicate with LumenDim and W-DIM devices.
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RC4 Commander software provides wireless access to functions and features of RC4Magic Series 2 and Series 3 devices through an easy-to-use Mac or Windows interface. A hardware device is required for a PC to communicate with external RC4Magic devices over the wireless dimming and DMX network. This interface can either be an RC4Magic 2.4Ghz or 900MHz Dongle or an RC4Magic Series 3 CodeLoader cable plugged into a compatible RC4Magic Series 3 device in dongle mode.
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RC4 Commander does not configure parameters in the dongle device. It uses the dongle device to configure other remote RC4Magic devices over a wireless connection.
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To get started, you must install the hardware drivers for the dongle, install the RC4 Commander software. Then, your system must learn your private RC4 Magic System IDs by either (a) loading an encrypted RC4 System ID file, or (b) loading your IDs from one of your devices using the Public ID (ID3).
Download Required Files
Everything you need is provided at http://www.rc4wireless.com/download/.
Download the RC4 Commander installer, which is a zip file. Microsoft Update will provide the drivers for the RC4Magic USB CodeLoader the first time it is plugged in. Alternatively, you may also choose to download the hardware drivers for the dongle.
Install USB Dongle Drivers
Plug the RC4 Dongle or RC4 CodeLoader Cable into one of your PC USB ports. Let Windows find the drivers for you automatically or follow the appropriate steps to direct Windows to the folder where you downloaded and saved the drivers yourself. It takes some time for Windows to search and find the drivers online.
If you are installing RC4 Commander on a Mac running Bootcamp, Parallels, or any other Windows environment, it is recommended that you download and manually install the USB dongle drivers. On the Mac, automatic Windows Update device driver identification often takes a very long time and is not always successful.
Install Software
Unzip the software installer to a temporary folder. In that folder, run setup.exe (the actual setup file may have a longer self-explanatory name).
Set Up Communication
Before running the software, you need a connected and working dongle device.
With the RC4 Commander Dongle or RC4 CodeLoader Cable plugged in and driver software installed successfully, you’ll see a list of available COM ports when you open the RC4 Commander program. One of them will be your RC4 dongle device. If you do not have any other COM devices installed, it will be the only COM port in the list.
Using the RC4 Magic Dongle
The RC4 Magic Dongle is ready to use with RC4 Commander software when plugged in. With drivers correctly installed and the dongle appearing as a COM port, nothing more is required. The RC4 Magic Dongle is powered by the USB port and does not require an external power supply.
Using an RC4Magic Series 3 Device with CodeLoader Cable
With the RC4 CodeLoader Cable plugged in and driver software correctly installed, connect the 3.5mm plug to the data receptacle of a compatible RC4Magic Series 3 device.
An RC4Magic Series 3 device can be used as a dongle if:
- An RC4 CodeLoader cable is available for connection to a PC.
- The RC4Magic device is loaded with firmware version 4.050 or later, including DMXio, DMX2dim, DMX4dim, DMX4dim-500, DMXpix, and DMXmot.
A DMXio with firmware 4.019 can also be used as a dongle. - The device has a 3.5mm mini data port.
- The device has a Func
Connect power to the RC4Magic Series 3 device and wait for it to start up. This usually takes 2 to 3 seconds and is complete when the COP indicator is slowly and continuously blinking.
If you are using an RC4Magic Series 3 DMXio with firmware 4.019 or later as the dongle device, tap the ID3/Public button. Dongle Mode is immediately invoked, and DMXio indicators will continuously chase from left to right.
If you are using any RC4Magic Series 3 device that meets the criteria noted above, hold the Func button for several seconds (we call this a “long-press”). Dongle Mode is indicated by a COP “triple blip” blink pattern.
DMXio devices with firmware version 4.050 or later can enter dongle mode using either of the two methods above (tap ID3/Public or long-press Func).
Run the Software
At this point, with a device actively in Dongle Mode and connected to your computer, you may run RC4 Commander software.
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Launching the software before the external device is in Dongle Mode will not work. The connected RC4Magic Series 3 device MUST be in Dongle Mode before launching RC4 Commander software.
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After the RC4 Commander splash screen, the program opens with the PC Com tab displayed. You will see a list of available COM ports. One of them will be your RC4 Dongle or RC4 CodeLoader Cable. If you do not have other COM devices installed, it will be the only one. You must select the Dongle Device port by clicking its name/number (i.e. COM1, COM3, etc.) before the program will let you proceed to any other tab. When a valid COM port is clicked and selected, you will be able to proceed with the “next” button.
If no COM devices are listed, or DEMO devices appear in place of COM devices, your Dongle or CodeLoader Cable is not properly installed. Be sure the drivers are there and the device is plugged into a USB port. RC4Magic USB devices use genuine FTDI interface components. Refer to the FTDI Knowledge Base for further assistance. RC4 Wireless has not modified the standard FTDI VCP drivers.
Learn Your Unique Digital IDs
RC4 Commander must learn your private system IDs. Until it does so, it can only communicate on the Public ID. There are two methods for learning your IDs.
The easiest method is to load an encrypted system ID file provided by RC4 Wireless. You can request your ID file through http://www.rc4wireless.com/contact/. Once you have it, click Load ID File on the PC Com tab. Your IDs will appear and be available for selection.
If you do not have an encrypted ID file and must learn your IDs immediately, you can use the manual learning process. To do this, you must wirelessly connect to one of your RC4Magic devices using the Public ID, and then read your IDs from that device. Until you do this, RC4 Commander does not know what your unique IDs are. For help with selecting the Public ID, see RC4Magic Series 3 Quick Start Guide: Selecting System IDs.
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The Public ID must be used for the initial ID learning process.
On most RC4Magic Series 2 and Series 3 devices, the Public ID is selected by holding the 4th button during power-up. This button is clearly marked ID3/Public on the DMXio. On four channel dimmers, hold the DimD button during power up.
On 2 channel dimmers, which only have 2 buttons, hold DimA and DimB together during power-up (two paperclips and a second person are helpful for this).
On Series 3 devices, the Public ID is indicated when the RFdata and COP indicators quickly toggle back and forth several times on power-up. Other patterns indicate other IDs.
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On the PC Com tab, below the COM port list, click Use Public ID / 999.
If you are using RC4Magic Series 2 or Series 3, select RC4Magic (2.4GHz) at the lower left. If you are using RC4Magic-900 (900MHz), then select that option. The correct RF Type must be selected, and the connected Dongle Device must work in that band, for communication to be successful.
With (a) the dongle device connected and configured, (b) the correct COM port, System ID, and RF Type selected in RC4 Commander software, and (c) a remote RC4Magic dimmer or receiver device powered up and running on the Public ID, click the Device and IDs tab. A progress bar will appear while the software configures the dongle device for the Public ID:
When the dongle has been successfully configured, the Device and IDs tab will be displayed and the blue RFconnect (RFcon) indicator on the dongle device will begin (and continue) blinking. On the RC4Magic receiver device you are configuring, wait for the blue RFconnect (RFcon) indicator to also begin blinking.
When RFcon is blinking on both the dongle and the remote device, you have a working wireless connection. It can take up to 15 seconds for the dongle and receiver to find each other, but it is usually much less.
Click the Read Device button at the top right of the Device and IDs tab. When the connection works, the small box at the bottom right of the software window will turn green, and data will stream in. If that little box is red, the PC and remote device have not successfully connected.
After you have read data from the device, RC4 Commander now knows your private RC4 System IDs, and displays them on the Device and IDs tab. You can close and re-open the program and it will remember your IDs. From then on, you don’t have to set a unit to the Public ID to read and configure it. You can communicate with devices using one of your unique IDs. The default ID selected on all new devices is ID0, so devices you have not yet used in a new system are ready to work on your private ID0.
To ensure private failsafe operation, the device you just used for learning should be switched back to ID0. For help with selecting ID0, see RC4Magic Series 3 Quick Start Guide: Selecting System IDs. From now on, run RC4 Commander on a private ID, not the Public ID.
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Every new RC4 Wireless customer and project is assigned new IDs. Your ID0, ID1, and ID2 codes belong only to you, they are never shared with any other RC4 user.
RC4Magic Unique System IDs are the secret to system reliability worldwide, no matter where you go and no matter how many other RC4Magic systems might be operating nearby.
On most RC4Magic Series 3 devices, ID0 is selected by holding the 1st button during power-up. This button is clearly marked ID0 on the DMXio. On two and four channel dimmers, hold the DimA button during power up.
ID0 is indicated on power-up when the RFdata indicator blinks by itself several times. Other indicators and patterns indicate other ID selections.
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RC4Magic Series 2 and Series 3 Features and Functions
RC4 Commander provides simple and easy-to-understand access to product features and functions documented in RC4Magic Series 3 Quick Start Guides and User Manuals. In most cases these features are self-explanatory on-screen.
Documentation and Online Tutorial Videos are available at:
http://www.rc4wireless.com/category/support/video/
Function Tabs
RC4 Commander resembles a Control Panel, with tabs for various categories of controls.
PC Com Tab
Initial communications are established on this tab. No other tabs can be selected until settings here are used to initialize a USB Dongle Device on a selected COM port using a selected system ID and RF Type.
Com Port
The list of ports includes all devices that Windows recognizes as COM devices. RC4 Commander will only work correctly with a COM port associated with an RC4 product – either a Dongle, or a CodeLoader cable.
RC4 System ID
Before the program learns the private IDs from a hardware device, only the Public ID can be used. After private IDs have been loaded or learned, the buttons for ID0, ID1, and ID2 will select the private ID codes that belong only to you.
After the loading or learning process is complete, which is only required when the system is first setup, most users operate all their RC4Magic devices on ID0. The selected ID code on this tab must match the ID code that is selected in remote hardware being configured.
Each ID supports a complete wireless DMX universe. Thus, a system with more than one DMXio is capable of more than one separate wireless DMX universe by setting each one to a different system ID.
RF Band and Channels
RC4Magic Series and Series 3 devices operate in the 2.4GHz band. RC4Magic-90o operates in the 902-928MHz band. Be sure the correct band is selected for the system you are using.
RF Power refers to the transmit power of the Dongle. The Dongle is usually used in close proximity to devices being configured. Thus, the lowest RF power is the default. When using RC4 Commander to configure devices at a distance, perhaps embedded in props, costumes, or set pieces, a higher RF power may be required. High numeric values represent higher RF power levels. The maximum RF power setting is similar to the default power of a DMXio in transmitter mode.
RC4Magic (2.4GHz)
When using RC4Magic at 2.4GHz, the Dongle can scan and find the best RF channel automatically (the default) or a specific RF channel can be selected. If your remote hardware devices have been configured to operate on a specific RF channel, you must select that channel for RC4 Commander, or the devices will be unable to connect.
Rc4Magic-900 (900MHz)
When using RC4Magic-900, an optional FHSS Channel Mask can be used. This mask is ignored when using the Public ID, to ensure that any device with unknown settings can always be recovered by switching to the Public ID for configuration.
RCMagic-900 frequency hopping divides the 902-928MHz band into 64 RF channels, each 400kHz wide. The FHSS Channel Mask is a 64-bit bitfield where each bit represents one RF channel. For purposes of data entry, this bitfield is represented with eight 8-bit hexadecimal values.
RC4Magic-900 devices can be programmed to use a unique Channel Mask. The Channel Mask in the RC4 Commander Dongle device must match in order to connect. This provides an additional level of system security, on top of the Private System ID security.
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The RC4Magic-900 FHSS Mask Builder R1-0.xlsx spreadsheet can be used to generate the eight hexadecimal values that represent any combination of enabled RF channels.
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Proceeding to Any Other Tab
When all settings on the PC Com tab are correct and appropriate, selecting any other tab will invoke dongle configuration. A progress bar and message appears while dongle configuration takes place.
When complete, the software switches to the selected tab.
Device and IDs
Device information, including serial number, device type, and unique digital IDs are displayed here.
Read Device
Click Read Device to query and display settings in a connected RC4Magic device.
SettingsTab
Basic settings for RC4Magic Series 2 and Series 3 devices are viewed and changed here. When using a Unit Number other than 0 (zer0), applicable device sensors are also read.
Unit Numbers
By default, all RC4Magic Series 2 and Series 3 devices are set as Unit 0, which is “All Devices.” You can structure your system so that each of your devices has its own unique Unit number. This allows you to remotely access and configure one particular device, even when many (or all) of them are powered up and within radio range.
To set the Unit number for a device, you must first work with one receiver device at a time, with no other devices powered up or in range. This is because the Unit Num setting is being transmitted to Unit 0 (All Devices). There is no other option until after you have set the Unit number to something other than Unit 0 (All Devices). Set the desired number at the top right, in the box beside the Read Device button, then click Set Unit Num at the lower left. These areas are intentionally separated to reduce the risk of an unintentional Unit Number change.
Sending settings to the default Unit 0 (All Devices) will affect every unit in your system that is currently powered up and active, which can be catastrophic. You probably did not want to set everything identically, which is what will happen. This includes setting the Unit Number. You must take the time to assign individual Unit Numbers in advance, one device at a time, to effectively use RC4 Commander for configuration of systems with multiple receiver devices.
Device Name
Device Name provides an easy way to identify specific units doing particular jobs in your system and project. It can be any text you choose, up to 20 characters long. Change this field and click Send Settings to change this information. Click Read Device to recall the information.
Device Name is stored in the device itself, just like all other settings.
| This RC4 Quick Start document is a WIP (work in progress). Sections and subjects below this point are incomplete. Future revisions of this document will provide additional detail.
We believe that much of the remaining content is self-explanatory. Thank you for your patience.
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ID Select
TX/RX
RF TX Power
Chan Groups
Dimmer DMX Channel
Dimmer Curves
Sensors for Voltage, Temperature, and Amperage
Send Settings
Advanced SettingsTab (Series 3 Only)
The features and functions on this tab are applicable only to Series 3 devices.
RF Channel Enable
RC4Magic (2.4GHz)
RC4Magic-900 (900MHz)
Global Parameters
PWM Configuration
ColorMatchTM
OneTouch
Modes and Patching
Virtual DMX Console
This tab provides a virtual RC4Magic wireless DMX console with 16 faders. Each fader can be assigned an independent DMX channel. They do not need to be contiguous. A simple chase feature is provided for device testing.
Slider Configuration
DMX Ch
Fill -> and Fill <- (For Each Row of Faders)
Chase
A simple chaser can fade a series of channels up and down, and any combination of fader channels can be added or removed from the chase. The overall speed of the chase is adjustable.