RDM: Device_Unit_Number Pid to be adopted as the unique ID across a rig

[TdatRJ]

Hello,

We would like to push the RDM PID 0x0656 Device_Unit_Number to be adopted as the unique ID from the visualizer to the responder through the lighting console.

This pid is part of E1.37-5 which has been officially published.

See extract from E.37-5 below:

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4.15 Get / Set Device Unit Number (DEVICE_UNIT_NUMBER)

A DMX512 address is only unique across a single DMX connection, and may change if certain
parameters, such as personality, are altered.

The Device Unit Number parameter attempts to apply a unique identifier by allowing a Controller to store
a 32-bit unit number in the Responder.

Unit numbers are often used in lighting to identify individual fixtures within a rig. It is beneficial for all
Controllers in a system to see a common unit number in order to allow the user to identify specific
fixtures. Because of this, unit numbers should be unique across the entire rig.

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If we are not mistaken, up to now a controller such as a visualiser or a lighting desk attributes an ID to a fixture and this ID is not unique /consistent along the chain.

It would be great to use this pid as a unique reference.

• For instance:
  No need to set a fixture. The tech guy inserts the ID into the machine. The console or the visualizer recognizes the fixtures through the discovery and then set the parameters to the fixtures according to their IDs, all is synchronised.

We do understand that it requires a bit a software programming and a lot of tests which will require time, ressources and of course money, but we do believe that it is worth the effort.

We would like to bring this subject among controller manufacturers and to convice them to use it. Equally we would like that GDTF/MVR include somehow this pid.

We do know that RDM is still not popular enough for various reasons, but this protocol works.

Thank you.

[petrvanekrobe]

Hello @TdatRJ , thank you for the remark and for trying to get things working, much appreciated!
MVR Version 1.6 - DIN SPEC 15801 actually already implements the unit number for many of the scene nodes, please see this here in the Fixture node. Hope this helps

[TdatRJ]

Hello @petrvanekrobe,
Thank you Petr.
This is a good start.
Could we officially link the MVR Fixture_ID to the RDM pid Device_Unit_Number?

[petrvanekrobe]

Hi @TdatRJ , we have added this into the Next branch through this proposal #241