Hogpc4 + Roadhog4 Backup
skier
Registered User
Not sure If what we are trying to achieve is possible or we are doing something wrong.
We have a Roadhog 4 running a show & outputing Artnet. We want to use a HogPC4 to provide backup. This is also connected to the Artnet network. (it has widgets connected to enable Artnet)
We then link the 2 machines together via Hognet (seperate network) and depending if the console numbers are the same or different etc the Hogpc4 tracks or controls the show as you would expect.
Now for the BUT - if we disconnect the Roadhog from the network the Hogpc4 won't take control of the show. If we load the show directly to the Hogpc4 it works perfectly but seems unable to take over seamlessly from the Roadhog4.
Should we be able to seamlessly take over the show from the Roadhog with this type of setup?
Any thoughts on this appreciated!
Many thanks
S
We have a Roadhog 4 running a show & outputing Artnet. We want to use a HogPC4 to provide backup. This is also connected to the Artnet network. (it has widgets connected to enable Artnet)
We then link the 2 machines together via Hognet (seperate network) and depending if the console numbers are the same or different etc the Hogpc4 tracks or controls the show as you would expect.
Now for the BUT - if we disconnect the Roadhog from the network the Hogpc4 won't take control of the show. If we load the show directly to the Hogpc4 it works perfectly but seems unable to take over seamlessly from the Roadhog4.
Should we be able to seamlessly take over the show from the Roadhog with this type of setup?
Any thoughts on this appreciated!
Many thanks
S
Comments
--L.
Regards
S
Have you patched your outputs to the same art-net universes, this might cause problems.
Seamless would only work if you have an automatic switch from artnet output of the Roadhog to the HOGPC-System.
There are switches like the ones from Luminex who provied this function or also other brands (spanning tree is the keyword)
This means, you output artnet from both machines, the network-switch has one port configured as the "main" and an other as the "Spare", if the main input fails the switch changes after a set time to the spare input.
In this case you will need also to configure your DPs the same way but with different net-numbers. If they have the same net-numbers one DP will always stay idle (which might be your problem here)
To have a full tracking backup in your situation i would go for:
Console net #1, internal DP #1
PC net #1, internal DP #2
clone DP #1 to DP #2
Now the HOG PC will fully track the Console in Playback
and now to the artnet-part
get a progammable switch, and let some IT-cracks configure this for you like decribed above
this will then switch your artnet if one of the Artnet-outs fails
If one of the show-server fails the hog software will switch to the other server.
Why the need for a automatic switch? Won't the active DP send artnet packets and the idle dp not send packets? Then when the active DP goes offline, the idle DP goes active replicating the same patch?
JB
you are right... I only had the setup in my mind when this takeover function was not existing.
Never tried it since then, cause the switches I use are already configured in that way so I stayed with my setup (never touch a running system)
How do you determine which one will be active or idle?
In my quick experiments, it seemed like the first DPs logged onto the show became the active DPs and the last ones went idle.
Maybe some of you can test if you have multiple DPs.
FB4 b540 running everything on net1 ip at 101
H4PC b540 running everything on net1 ip at 102
No external dp's only internals with one widget attached to H4pc
Created show on console at 101 and patched 10 desk channels to DP1/1
Logged 102 into show at 101
Both desks show two dp's in network screen with dp from 101 showing active and dp from 102 idle.
Grabbed 1-10 at full and saved to 1/1 on 101. Ran Q 1/1. Consoles tracked.
Killed the DP8000 process on 101 and watched dp101 go offline on the network screen.
DP 102 did not come online and stayed idle. Confirmed two dead dp's with swisson.
Killed console 101 and 102 took over the show as master. But it did not activate DP 102.
I did a few more tests and noticed a few things that were inconsistent with show login and patch creation when two consoles/DP's are on the same net number. I think I need to experiment a bit more to get my head around whats going on...
JB
That's why I use different DP numbers and Luminex taking care of switching to active DP.
Like I proposed...
Cause this works great!!
I dont know if this automatic takeover for DPs is something that only works with external DPs?!
Never tried it and are so used to the other setup with Luminex or another managed switch.
I am looking at building a similar setup for an upcoming festival
ta
mikey
Thats the one I use
Can do a lot more
You can also use managed switches like HP ProCurves that support spanning tree and configure them to your needs (I cant, thats why I use the Luminex ;-) )
only asking as ive never used luminex kit really
m
Easy to understand web-interface
Hi Lorenz, do you mean using spanning tree with Artnet only? I remember some time ago, there was a thread in the forum stating that Hognet is not happy with spanning tree setup for redundancy. Wonder if anyone can confirm on this? I do not have enough gears to test this on my own.
I only used HP spanning tree with Artnet
With Hognet I recently used this product:
http://www.luminex.be/products_details.php?cat=2&prod=0100038&display=description
1 at FoH, 1 at Dimmer-City,
Connected via the 2 fibre ports.
Worked great without any problems.
I tried it with unplugging and replugging the 2 fibre lines
No drops or so
Thanks for the reply. It would also be great to hear from HES with regards to spamming tree for Hognet.