FAQ
General
Can I use other equipment at the same time with the Art-Net controller?
Yes, that's one of the advantages of the Art-Net controller: you can connect other devices to it (which is very convenient for installations), as long as they are DMX compatible. An Art-Net controller is also an accurate choice in case you upgrade your setup in the future.
Can I use the MiniMad to control my LED by garageCube?
Yes, MadMapper is able to export recorded DMX sequences to the MiniMad. Only one MadMapper license (perpetual or rental) is needed to export as many sequences as you want to as many SD cards (and therefore MiniMads) as you want.
Can I use the MiniMad to control LED and my video mapping?
You currently can’t playback video AND light at the same time from one MiniMad, you would have to use different units.
Do I need a macOS or Windows computer to use the LED?
Both are supported, it’s actually a matter of software handling DMX (MadMapper does and is available for macOS and Windows).
Do I need MadMapper to use the LED by garageCube?
Any software that can handle the DMX protocol will be able to control the LEDs. However, both the LED by garageCube and the MadLight feature in MadMapper have been developed together which makes MadMapper the most accurate choice. For modest setups to massive installations, MadMapper will be the perfect tool with its friendly user interface and its plethora of possibilities to animate your LED. A free demo version is available as well as rental, perpetual and educational versions. You need only one MadMapper license in order to use any amount of LEDs.
Do you deliver LED by garageCube anywhere in the world?
Yes, with the exception of North Korea and Iran.
Do you have an Educational pricing?
Educational pricing is only available for softwares : MadMapper, MadLaser and Modul8. We do not have such program for hardware products such as the MiniMad or the LED by garageCube.
Do you have distributors or resellers for the LED by garageCube?
Our LED are only available through our website at the moment. However if you’re a reseller or distributor, feel free to contact our customer service.
How many channels can I control with the garageCube ArtNet Controller
The garageCube ArtNet controller can handle 16 DMX universes, so up to 8 192 DMX channels. One starter kit (8m of our LEDs) = 1 universe.
I am supposed to be exempt from VAT, how do I proceed?
If you have a valid EU VAT number, you can enter it before checkout, at the cart page. VAT will then be excluded from the total amount of your order. If the VAT is still applied, please contact our customer service.
I have a M1 Mac computer, can I use it to control my LED?
If you plan to use MadMapper then yes: the software is M1 native since MadMapper 5 released in November 2021.
What are the general safety instructions?
DO NOT expose your LED to rain, snow and/or moisture.
DO NOT use more than 32 meters of LED with our 4 universes power supply.
DO NOT use more than 8 meters of LED with our 1 universe power supply.
DO NOT use more than 8 meters of LED bar in the same circuit.
DO NOT use the cable connector to suspend the LED.
DO NOT use more than 5 meters of cable between the power supply and the first LED bar.
Anyone suffering from EPILEPSY should avoid looking directly into the light sources.
DO NOT look directly into the light source if the white diffuser is not fixed on the LED bar.
ALWAYS disconnect the main power supply before performing any type of service and/or cleaning procedure.
DO NOT use any cable or power supply that is not provided by garageCube.
DO NOT use the LED to suspend anything.
DO NOT use the LED under an ambient temperatures of -10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit) and beyond an ambient temperature of 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).
Make sure that you :
DO NOT tighten the screws too much in order to avoid damaging the aluminium profile.
Installation in a public space and in a suspended environment must be secured with a secondary safety attachment, such as a safety cable.
For installation in a public space, make sure that you FOLLOW the current security regulations and directives from your country.
Make sure that there are NO FLAMMABLE MATERIALS close to the fixture, and they are at least at 2 meters away.
What are the minimum requirements to use LED by garageCube ?
A computer and a DMX (or Art-Net) controller. The choice of the controller will depend on how many LEDs you need to handle. For the computer we recommend a good, dedicated GPU as well as a decent CPU and min. 8gb of RAM.
What is included in an LED kit?
Apart from the DMX/Art-Net controllers, the LED kits contain everything you need (cables, power supply, etc.) to use the supplied LED bars. Please note that only the Discovery Kits include a usb-dmx controller.
What power supply do I need?
We do offer 2 power supplies for our LED by garageCube, the 150W for 1 universe (=any starter kit) and the 350W for 4 universes (=any professional kit). Depending on your project configuration you may need several 1 universe power supplies instead of one 4 universe power supply. In this case, do not hesitate to contact us.
Which carrier do we use to deliver orders?
We use TNT for France, GLS for Europe, Coliposte for Switzerland and UK and UPS for the rest of the world. A tracking number is always provided once the order is shipped.
Which controller do I need?
For 1 universe (512 DMX channels), the classic USB-DMX controller by garageCube is enough: 8 meters of our LED product (so any starter kit) corresponds to 1 universe. Above 1 universe you’ll need an Art-Net controller which can support multiple universes. Or you can now use the MadMapper DMX Router module to use multiple USB DMXcontrollers. Although for serious installations with multiple universes, we’ll always recommend using Art-Net.
Tips and Tricks
3D LED setup with MadMapper material
If you have a 3D LED setup you might want to control it with 3D animations. This tutorial shows how you could do it in MadMapper using a custom made material that splits 3D in a set of 2D planes rendered next to each other, where you could map your LED fixtures. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Deul2yR7nHQ
Art-Net settings
The default IP of the garageCube Art-Net controller is 192.168.1.200 and the net mask is : 255.255.255.0. If you want to change this address, go to the address 192.168.1.200 on your web browser. Otherwise make sure the IP addresses match in both MadMapper Preferences / DMX Output and your system Network configuration. Beware that if 192.168.1.200 is setup, the other address has to be 192.168.1.201.
Brodcast vs Unicast
Broadcast (preferred for small installations) is transferring data to all network device simultaneously and is easy to configure. Unicast (preferred for bigger installations including a lof of DMX universes) is transferring data to each network device independently and have much better performances by sending data only where is needed. Unicast need an extra configuration.
Custom light fixture
You can do whatever you want with the pixel colors using pixels of type "custom" and choosing "Expression". Then you're writing GLSL code and you can introduce tests and mathematical functions (GLSL compliant). There is a short demo here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgxyNQSMmns
DMX interfaces compatibility (usb)
Officially supported devices are the garageCube usb-to-dmx, the Enttec Open USB DMX and the Enttec DMX USB Pro MKII. We cannot guarantee compatibility and reliability anymore for other equipment. We prefer not to support everything but focus on reliability. Handling many hardware would require more work to keep them perfectly stable on macOS & Windows as well as updating the code when hardware is changed etc. garageCube USB DMX is great solution because it has double buffering, so for instance by sending a black & white strobe to RGB LEDs, you can be sure you'll never get some colors appearing (which happens with others, it is sending DMX universe data while it updates the data from an incoming USB packet, so you'll get part of the universe from a MadMapper frame and the rest from the next MadMapper frame... that can be very annoying).
DMX Interfaces compatibility (Art-Net)
Any LED driver that supports Art-Net (broadcast or unicast) or sACN (multicast only) will work with MadMapper.
DMX interfaces over Wi-Fi
You could use them with MadMapper, for instance the AirPixel ONE. If you face difficulties during your setup, try to deactivate the "Unicast" option in the MadMapper Preferences/DMX Output, try to deactivate "UniverseSynchronisation" as well since some LED drivers don't handle it properly.
Fixture group cloning and addresses shifting
Here’s a workaround: use the "Edit/Clone Selected Fixtures" option instead of "duplicate". It will not alter the DMX patching. Then you can right click a selection of fixtures and choose "Shift Addresses”.
How to resize, scale fixtures while keeping its width & height ratio?
If you have a single fixture it’s fast to do. If you have hundreds of fixtures, just resize one at the good size, then select all fixtures, right click the one that has correct size and choose "Resize All". All fixtures will be resized to the size of the one under your mouse when right clicking.
How to manage my LED fixtures for 3D geometry?
You actually have to "unfold" your shape in to a 2D representation.
How to directly map my LED fixtures on a composition of multiple media
In MadMapper you can’t directly map the DMX fixtures on one media, but you can use as a media the video output of a MadMapper projector through Syphon (macOS) or Spout (Windows). Then you can do video compositing for your fixtures and have a better overview of your show in your previews. Here's a useful video explaining the steps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ielXPTqh79E
Is there alignment tools for fixtures in MadMapper’s MadLight?
There is no button or obvious tool although you can do a multi-selection in the preview and then right click it -> align / distribute etc.
Lighting and DMX video tutorials
We do have a youtube video playlist on our MadMapper channel, covering the basics of DMX controls, the LED bar setup, the custom light fixture, the use of the LED scanner and the MiniMad's DMX playback : https://youtu.be/1a7Rqk7nGtM
Pixelite tip
Activate the "Skip last universe channels if needed" option. It’s needed when using more than one universe on an output with Pixelite.
What connecting parts can I use to connect my LED bars?
The LED bracket system was designed for the LEDs to allow assembly in multiple positions and orientations. Our system is also compatible with standard fastening elements available on the market (in a DIY shop) either directly on the profile adapted for hex head screws or on our bracket mounting system. In order to create 3D structures you can print 3D connection parts as well. You can download 3D models for free and 3D print assembly parts on this page : http://www.garagecube.com/diy-led-accessories/
What is the maximum of universes supported by MadMapper in Art-Net
MadMapper supports Art-Net 4, so it can address universes 0-32767 with a software limitation to 16384 universes.
Troubleshooting
Animations no longer work (MadMapper)
You BPM may be set to zero : check it out in Master Tab. Try to set the Global BPM to manual/120 BPM.
I can’t setup my controller (MadMapper)
Please first make sure it’s properly plugged according to the LED manual. Please then make sure it’s not selected in DMX Input but only in DMX Output (MadMapper Preferences). If you’re using an Art-Net controller please refer to the dedicated section above.
I think one of my LED bars has a problem
Please perform tests only with this bar, a new, empty MadMapper project and the minimum of connectivity. Please switch cables and eventually the controller and the power supply. If you still face issues please send us complete explanation and a short video showing precisely the problem.
MadMapper crashes at program launch
First, a couple of specific recommendations for Windows users: make sure all your graphic card driver(s) are up to date, make sure your Windows OS is up to date, make sure you’re not running MadMapper from a virtual machine. For both macOS and Windows users we also recommend to properly uninstall the software and then re-download and install the most recent version of MadMapper available in the Download section of your user account. If the application still crashes, please send us a crash report and contact us.
MadMapper seems to have problem
If you face issues with MadMapper, please first make sure you’re using the very last version available with your license(go to the MadMapper website/user account/Downloads section). If you’re on Windows, please make sure all your graphics card drivers are up to date. Feel free to create a new empty project too to perform tests and contact us if the issue(s) persist(s).
My LED bars don't light up
You must check first several parameters:
Do your connections correspond to those detailed in the manual provided
Does the power outlet of the power supply work properly? (perform a test with another equipment).
In MadMapper, is your USB-DMX controller correctly selected? Go to MadMapper/Preferences/DMX Output. If the controller is selected correctly in DMX Output, it should not be selected in MadMapper/Preferences/DMX Input.
In MadLight, is the garageCube fixture correctly selected?
Is your Madmapper version up to date?
Plus, on recent Mac computers, be sure to use an official Apple USB adapter.
In the case where all these parameters have been verified, we suggest that you perform a test with a single LED bar and a minimum of connectivity.
Do not hesitate to contact the garageCube support at anytime, precising your MadMapper version, your computer and OS specs, and providing pictures or videos of the issue.
"Please activate MadMapper to install this material"
If you get this error message while MadMapper is already activated please deactivate (deauthorize) MadMapper then reactivate (authorize) MadMapper.
USB generic driver (Windows)
If you’re on Windows and planning to use the garageCube usb-dmx controller you may be requested to enable usb generic driver with Zadig. Follow the instructions, the pop-up window contain a html link towards the Zadig installer. Once launched, choose your usb-dmx controller then click on Install Driver. You’ll then be able to properly select and use your controller in MadMapper.