This guide is designed to help DMX USB Pro users discover their device which is currently not being recognized or found by their Windows based software such as ENTTEC EMU, Chamsys MagicQ, D::Light and QLC+.


Software not recognizing DMX USB Pro on Mac


Two causes of not being able to find the device within your software is conflicting drivers, or multiple pieces of software open at the same time all trying to access the device.

Information:

  1. We recommend that you make sure that your chosen software and the operating system are both up to date:
    1. To update your operating system, please visit the Microsoft or Apple support article.
    2. To update the software, please visit the developers website.
    3. ENTTEC EMU: Using the link provided, download the latest version of EMU.
  2. The DMX USB Proare Open Source Hardware, this means that 3rd party developers can use our API (instructions) to allow their software to work with the DMX USB Pro.
    1. Please check with the 3rd party developer that the DMX USB Pro  is supported. The 3rd party developer is responsible for the implementation and maintenance of their software and compatibility with our devices.
    2. If you are unsure if your software is compatible, then we recommend using our EMU software or QLC+ (Use Input/Outputs to identify DMX USB Pro and activate the output. Use the top row of faders in ‘Simple Desk’ to control each channel).
    3. Only one program can be trying to control your USB device at a time. This means that if you already have software open (for example ENTTEC Pro Manager) which may have ‘latched’ onto the USB port your chosen software might not be able to access the DMX USB Pro. This also means that you can’t use two pieces of software and merge the DMX onto the DMX USB Pro output.
    4. A list of known compatible software can be found in our knowledge base.


Windows Troubleshooting:

Step 1: Closing all software

The USB device might have ‘latched’ onto a different piece of software running. Please close all software that is running (you might need to access Task Manager - right click the Start Button > Task Manager) to close any programs running in the background.


Please unplug, re-plug and try to discover the device in your chosen software. If you get stuck, please contact support with details of the step you got stuck on.

Step 2: EMU

Open the ENTTEC EMU software, using the Settings cog in the top right of EMU, navigate to the Output tab. Use the Rescan for device and your device should appear within the list.

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If the device does not appears, skip to Step 3


Configure the device

First, ensure that the device is Enabled using the switch on the right. Once you do this, the green LED on the DMX USB Pro and Pro Mk2 should start to flash which indicates the device is receiving DMX.


Next click on the Setting cog next to the switch. Here we can re-flash/change the firmware on the device at the top of the screen, to do this use the drop down, select a firmware (for DMX USB Pro we suggest testing on the DMX only firmware version), then click Update Firmware.


Within this page, we should also click the Set Parameters to Default followed by the Set DMX Parameters button.


Test the output

If you close out of both these settings pages you will be on the main EMU page.


From here you can patch a fixture in the Patch window (located in the top right). Add a fixture to the patch grid, close the Patch window and then use the green faders.  Next if you go to ‘DMX Send' then under 'Source' select 'Test Patterns’, your device should now be outputting DMX to your lights. Choose different patterns for different effects.

  • If you still don't have output, check the steps below:
    1. Make sure the DMX cable is going out of the DMX OUT port on the device
    2. Change the DMX cable to a known good cable
    3. Change the lighting fixture your controlling to a known good fixture


Step 3: Does Windows recognize the device?

Navigate to ‘Device Manager’ (right click Start Button > Device Manager).


Dependent on your computers configuration, your DMX USB Pro may show up as a ‘USB Serial Converter’, ‘USB Serial Device’ or under ‘Other Devices’ when plugged in. You may want to unplug / re-plug your USB cable from the device to make it disappear and re-appear in the list to make finding it easier.

If this doesn't appear, you may need to try the following before repeating this step:

  • a different USB cable (under 1m in length). DMX USB Pro uses Type-B and the DMX USB Pro Mk2 uses Type-B Micro connectors
  • a different PC

Please unplug, re-plug and try to discover the device in your chosen software. If you get stuck, please contact support with details of the step you got stuck on.


Step 4: Uninstall the device

After you have located it, right click and select ‘Uninstall device’.

Please unplug, re-plug and try to discover the device in your chosen software. If you get stuck, please contact support with details of the step you got stuck on.


Step 5: Disk Clean-up

Next, run Windows Disk Clean-up as an Administrator and be sure to select ‘Device Driver Packages’. (this will remove any unnecessary drivers that could be conflicting).

Please unplug, re-plug and try to discover the device in your chosen software. If you get stuck, please contact support with details of the step you got stuck on.


Step 6: Uninstall and reinstall the FTDI Drivers

  1. Close all programs
  2. Run the following application: https://www.ftdichip.com/Support/Utilities/CDM_Uninst_GUI_Readme.html
  3. Restart you computer
  4. Install the USB Driver onto the device as found in Device Manager. https://ftdichip.com/Drivers/D2XX.htm
    1. You will need to download the Windows version, to check if you need 32bit or 64 bit Right Click Start Button>System, under System Type it will tell you what to download.
    2. Extract the zipped folder.
    3. Right click the device under Device Manager (in the Ports (COM & LPT) dropdown)
    4. Select ‘Update Driver’
    5. Choose the driver you just downloaded

Please unplug, re-plug and try to discover the device in your chosen software. If you get stuck, please contact support with details of the step you got stuck on.


Step 7: Changing COM Port

In most cases, the USB port you plug the DMX USB PRO into will automatically fall into an acceptable range with respect to the other elements of your computer’s communications ports, if you are having problems or conflicts between the ports, you may want to change the COM Port number the DMX USB Pro is connected to.


Before making any changes. it is advisable to keep a record of which serial port has been used in each attempt to configure the hardware and drivers. That way you will be able to retrace your steps should you decide to go back and try something again but with different settings elsewhere.


We only recommend doing this if you've already closed all other applications and ensured you have the correct FTDI D2xx drivers installed.


Open Device Manager on your Windows machine. (Control Panel → Device Manager)

Expand the “Ports” section, and identify the DMX USB PRO, which usually is “USB Serial Port”.

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  • Make sure to take a note of this COM port to allow you to revert settings later if required.
  • Right click on it and select “Properties”. Under “Port Settings”, click on “Advanced”, and you can then change the COM Port No. under this screen:

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Please unplug, re-plug and try to discover the device in your chosen software. If you get stuck, please contact support with details of the step you got stuck on.