ChamSys MQ Compact Connect

Start with the connection between Compact Connect and the computer running MagicQ. The surface needs the software on a computer: illuminated controls do not prove MagicQ has recognized it. Use the surface’s USB-C input and check power and the data cable; its four USB-A ports belong to the downstream hub.

Manual 1.9.8.x says Compact Connect needs no special driver installation. Enable it under Setup > View Settings > Ports > MagicQ Wings & Interfaces, using Yes (auto DMX). Make this check off air: enabling auto DMX can activate physical outputs.

Compact Connect is one of the USB devices that enables Unlocked Mode. If Demo Mode remains, check recognition and software version before assuming a license problem. Demo Mode allows programming, playback and 64 Art-Net/sACN universes; restrictions apply to other functions. The Demo indication alone does not explain every missing output.

1. Identify the model on the label, MagicQ version and operating system. Save the show and configuration before changing settings. Older Mini Wing, PC Wing and Maxi Wing instructions are in different sections; do not install their FTDI drivers just because the names look similar.
2. During rehearsal, check MagicQ Wings & Interfaces and move a known fader. Look for its response in the software and any change in unlock status. Neither observation proves DMX is reaching the fixture.
3. If there is no response, compare a data cable and a different computer port, changing one thing at a time, and check whether the operating system detects the connection. If the OS detects it but MagicQ does not respond, keep that distinction with the versions and settings for support.
4. If the controls respond but the lights do not, follow the output checks in the next question. Identify the cause and back up the show before updating or reinstalling.

Identify the output you are testing. Compact Connect has two physical DMX512 outputs and an integrated network port. In MagicQ, MQ Wing is the path for Wing and Connect outputs; Art-Net and sACN are network paths. MagicDMX and MQ Direct refer to other paths.

For physical DMX, the manual describes automatic assignment of universes 1 and 2 when auto DMX is active and no universes are explicitly assigned to MQ Wing. If explicit assignments exist, check which universes are enabled: they are sent to the ports in order. Check the loaded show before assuming the default map.

The Connect network port appears as a computer network interface. Set its IP address and subnet mask in the operating system, and match the interface selected in MagicQ. The manufacturer specifies a different IP range from the computer’s other interfaces. Include these addresses in the event network plan.

1. In Setup > View DMX I/O, check Out Type, Out Uni and the enabled state of each intended universe. For Art-Net, match Out Uni to the universe received by the node and enable that output. A patch universe, a network universe and a physical port are separate settings.
2. In Setup > View Settings > Network, check IP Address and Subnet Mask. On PC/Mac, double-click IP Address to list the available interfaces. If you change adapters, check that MagicQ still uses the interface connected to the node.
3. Also check panel mode. The manual warns that MQ250M/MQ500/MQ500M Pre-Vis modes disable normal outputs and are intended for visualization. A responding visualizer alone does not validate the output to a real rig.
4. Rehearse a static scene with a known fixture and signal path. In Output > View Chans > View DMX, make sure you are viewing View Outputs: inputs show received data, not calculated output. Compare those values with node reception and fixture response. If only the network path fails, check interface, protocol and universe; if data reaches the node but not the light, continue with the port, address and personality.
5. Save the setting that resolved each stage and repeat from the saved show. Avoid sending 255 on every channel to connected fixtures: this can trigger functions other than dimming. Verify recovery on the actual event signal path.