Lighting and control
High End Systems Road Hog 4
Follow the show from its fixture patch to the internal processor, local DMX widget and FixtureNet output on the original Road Hog console.
Ask GLMedia about renting High End Systems Road Hog 4 for your event. Availability and configuration are subject to confirmation.
Model and purpose
- Manufacturer
- High End Systems / ETC
- Model
- High End Systems Road Hog 4
- Variant
- Original Road Hog 4 with 22-inch screen; not Road Hog 4-21
- Procedure scope
- Official HTML manual 3.15.0; check installed software
- Local processing / DMX sockets
- 8 universes; 4 female 5-pin XLR outputs
- Other connections
- 2 Gigabit Ethernet; 5 USB; DVI-D external display
A console for programming and playing back lighting cues and effects. It can send local DMX or network control to suitable receivers. This guide addresses the original hardware: the later model has different display connections. A visible patch proves neither that a processor is active nor that its output ports are mapped.
Prepare your rental inquiry
- Date, city, venue and setup, event and pickup schedule.
- Intended use, area dimensions and equipment already supplied by the venue or production.
- Show platform and version, fixture profiles, universe count and required outputs.
- Operator, connections, backup and replacement equipment to be considered.
Specify equipment only or whether setup, programming, operation and strike are also needed. Scope is confirmed in the proposal.
You do not need a final equipment list: tell us the result you want and the part you need help with. Availability and scope are confirmed in the proposal.
Features and connections
HogNet carries the console/show network, while FixtureNet carries Art-Net or sACN to compatible fixtures, nodes or media equipment. Identify both physical ports and prepare a separate network plan; the names are not interchangeable.
The internal processor’s universe allowance is distinct from the number of local XLR sockets. Additional compatible processing requires its own system configuration; an ordinary network switch does not add output capacity.
For the original model, ETC supports an external DVI display and warns against relying on VGA, even if a socket is present. Do not transfer the newer model’s DisplayPort specification to this console. Prepare suitable DMX/network cables and USB storage for a separate backup.
Prepare the system
- Identify the rear-panel model, software version and local processor before connecting the rig. Match the supply to the actual rating plate and applicable hardware documentation; do not infer electrical limits from another generation. Use protective earth and a dry, stable operating position.
- Create an external backup through Setup > Shows > Current Show > Backup and choose the USB destination. Keep the original preprogramming file. Record processor net number, patch, output map and network settings before changing them.
- Prepare one isolated fixture or agreed low-level test circuit with a known cable and matching fixture mode. Check mapping before rehearsing cues; do not rebuild the entire patch simply because a transferred show has no output.
Questions and troubleshooting
A show from Hog PC has its patch but no local DMX: what should I compare?
Separate fixture addressing, processor state and physical output mapping. A PC-created show can arrive without the mapping required by the console’s internal widget.
- Check Setup > Control Panel > System Info for the internal widget serial. If it is not found, record the status and request qualified service; do not open the desk.
- In Setup > Network, identify the intended processor and check Outputs Active. Compare the net number with the patch assignment. If offline, document Run Processor and the intended net number before planning an interruption.
- Inspect that processor’s Settings > Output map for the intended universe and internal widget port, including error icons. Correct a confirmed mapping mismatch on the test system, apply it and retest the same fixture before changing the patch.
Local DMX works but the Art-Net or sACN receiver stays idle: what differs?
The physical network, protocol destination and universe mapping need to agree independently of the XLR output.
- Trace the cable from FixtureNet to the intended receiving network. Compare actual IP and subnet settings with the agreed plan. If DHCP is selected without a server, check whether the interface has fallen back to loopback rather than assuming it has a usable address.
- In the processor’s Settings > Output, inspect the protocol mapping, destination and protocol universe at both ends. Use Add Mapping only for a confirmed missing route, then Apply. For sACN, compare priority with the venue’s other sources.
- Observe data at the receiver and test one mapped fixture. Preserve the current routing before changes. A report involving a different node or wireless path does not prove a generic console fault; do not raise every channel to diagnose reception.
After loading a show, color or movement affects the wrong function: where do I start?
A correct start address is insufficient if the console personality and fixture mode occupy channels differently.
- Compare exact fixture model, active fixture mode and console library entry. In Setup > Patch, review universe, address and processor assignment together.
- Use Universe View to inspect occupied addresses. On the isolated fixture, compare one intended attribute at a safe value with the manufacturer’s DMX chart; stop if it triggers a different function.
- Save a copy before editing the fixture type or mode. Recheck affected cues after a corrected profile. Keep messages and version details if output remains wrong; resetting the desk, changing firmware or deleting the show is not the first diagnostic step.
Quick reference
| Layer | Check |
|---|---|
| Patch | Fixture mode, address, universe and processor |
| Physical output | Internal widget detected and local port mapped |
| Network output | FixtureNet addressing, protocol and receiver universe |
Precautions
- Use dry locations and protective earth. Internal inspection and electrical faults require qualified personnel; no user serviceable parts are assumed.
- Back up and plan an interruption before logging off, shutting down or changing processor configuration. Network and physical outputs can behave differently during recovery; rehearse the actual receiver’s loss behavior.
- The official support notice about universes above the processor’s original range is limited to 3.15.0 and reports a correction in 3.15.1. Do not treat that historical symptom as a universal address limit or apply its processor-removal workaround to an active show.
Terms on this page
- DMX
- A data protocol controlling lighting functions; each model defines what its channels mean.
- Patch
- Assignment of fixture, profile, address and universe in the control system.
- Personality
- A control mode defining the channels and functions used by a fixture.
Documentation and sources
- Hog 4 manual — 3.15.0
- Road Hog 4 hardware
- Monitor support by model
- No built-in DMX output
- Fixture patch and processor mapping
- Art-Net and sACN
- Console setup
- Show backup
- Safety warnings
- Universe mapping issue limited to 3.15.0
Consulted October 22, 2026. Original hardware is distinguished using official model-specific specifications and monitor support. Menu paths follow the legacy HTML manual, not a claim of current software. Verify the installed version and electrical rating before use. Forum cases supplied questions;