Ovation OSC configuration.

Owned by David Jacques
Last updated: Sept 15, 2020
6 min read
Prerequisites

OSC is supported since Ovation 9.
OSC is using network connections, therefore make sure that your network is properly configured.
The supported Ovation OSC commands are available in  C:\Program Files\Merging Technologies\Ovation\Docs\OSC Dictionnary.TXT
For Ravenna/AES67 users, Merging recommends you use  a separate network for OSC communications.



IP Configuration

Set up a Streamer

  • Go in Ovation Settings >Application Settings > General > IP Connections
  • In front of IPx, select the Type :  UDP Streamer
  • Now enter the destination IP address and Port Number, which is the third-party OSC device IP.
  • Click on Apply changes to IP Connections.

In our example we have configured IP1 as an UDP Streamer, on 192.168.1.105 Port 8000 


Set up a Receiver

  • Go in Ovation Settings >Application Settings > General > IP Connections
  • In front of IPx, select the Type :  UDP Receiver
  • Now enter the Ovation computer IP address, and a Port Number. 
    Port Number must be unique,.
  • Click on Apply changes to IP Connections.

In our example Ovation computer IP is 192.168.1.100, so we have configured IP2 as an UDP Receiver, on 192.168.1.100, Port 8001   
The third-party OSC device has to be configured to send its OSC commands on this 192.168.1.100 IP and Port 8001.

Type :

  • Only use UDP Streamer or Receiver, as OSC does not support TCP connections.

IP Address :

  • If both Ovation and the other OSC programs are on the same computer, you can use the 127.0.0.1 (local host IP address)
  • Merging recommends to set static IP address, as DHCP servers may not always assign the same IP addresses to devices.
  • UDP receiver IP can be set to 0.0.0.0  If you have several network adapters, OSC commands from all adapters will be received.  On the other hand if you have several network adapters but only want to process the commands on a specific adapter, enters its IP address.

Port :

  • It is best to avoid using the most common port numbers (under 1024).  Usually, OSC recommendation is to start on Port 8000, and increment depending on the requirements.
  • Some OSC devices or programs can only use specific ports, please refer to their documentation.



Player Units 

To send OSC commands from Ovation.

  • Go in Ovation Settings >Player Units > IP > IP x (IP that has been set as UDP Streamer above)
  • Enable the port
  • Activate the required OSC options
    Send Cue Status will send real-time Cue information (including time)
    Send Mixer Status will send real-time Mixer (pan, gain, phase,...)
    Remap to : a selection of Mixer Status messages are remapped to another OSC Dictionary.  (only working if Send Mixer Status is active - currently Flux :: SpatRevolution available)
    Refer to Ovation OSC Dictionary for further details. 
    If you only need to send OSC commands to a third party OSC device/program, those OSC options are not required.
  • Click on OK to close the settings.



Controller Units 

To receive OSC commands in Ovation.

  • Go in Ovation Settings >Controller Units > IP > IP x (IP that has been set as UDP Receiver above)
  • Enable the port
  • Set the port to OSC
  • Activate the required OSC options
    /Server messages are related to global Ovation functionalities (Show state, Cues and Cue lists,...)
    /Mixer messages are obviously related to Mixer control.
    /CueMapping messages are related to Cue specific control, as set on the Cue's Remote Control - IP / OSC Command.  See Controlling a Cue to receive custom OSC commands below.
    Refer to Ovation OSC dictionary for details.
    Flux :: SpatRevolution messages :  Fader, Solo, Mute and Panner messages from Flux::Spat Revolution are automatically are remapped to Ovation OSC Dictionary scheme.
  • Click on OK to close the settings.


Setting a Cue to send OSC commands

  • Select or create a Cue and access the Cue Properties
  • Browse to the IP/OSC Command section
  • Set the IP port that has been configured as UDP Streamer (IP1 in our example)
  • Set the Command format to OSC
  • Enter the OSC Command to send when Firing, Pausing and/or Stopping the Cue.
    Refer to your third-party OSC device - program documentation for their supported OSC commands list.

Setting a Marker to send OSC commands

  • On a Cue configured to send OSC Command (see Setting a Cue to send OSC Commands above - IP Command Output Port and Command Format must be set)
  • Select or create a Marker on a Cue
  • Browse to the Cue Properties - Markers section
  • Enter the OSC Command to send in the Marker IP/OSC Command field.
    The command will be sent on the parent Cue IP Port.

Controlling a Cue to receive custom OSC commands

  • Select or create a Cue and access the Cue Properties
  • Browse to the IP/OSC Commands section
  • Set the IP port that has been configured as UDP Receiver (IP2 in our example)
  • Set the Command format to OSC

  • Enter the incoming OSC Command to Fire, Pause and/or Stop the Cue.
    The command MUST begin with /CueMapping/ (or /cuemapping/ as the commands are not case sensitive)
    The Dispatch /CueMapping messages option MUST be enabled on the IP receiving port.  See Controller Units - To receive OSC commands in Ovation above.


  • If you don't know the command, send it from your OSC Controller device/program and click on the arrow next to Fire, Pause or Stop Command field.
    The list will show the latest incoming messages, simply select the required one (but remember the command must start with /CueMapping/).

Controlling Ovation with OSC 

  • Configure your third-party OSC device - program to send commands to the Ovation receiving IP and port set on Controller Units - To receive OSC commands in Ovation above.
  • The supported Ovation OSC commands are available in  C:\Program Files\Merging Technologies\Ovation\Docs\OSC Dictionnary.
    For example /Server/Cue/Fire 2 4 will fire Cue 4 in Cue list 2, /Server/Show/Stop will stop the show.
  • The supported Ovation OSC commands are NOT case sensitive. 
    For example /Mixer/Strip/Phase 2 -1 or /mixer/strip/phase 2 -1 will toggle phase invert on Mixer strip 2, ...
  • The "f" values have to be entered with a dot (.) to be properly parsed, e.g.  
    /Mixer/Strip/Gain -1 -5. will set the fader gain of the selected strip to -5.0 (/Mixer/Strip/Gain -1 -5 without dot will not work).

OSC Automation

  • Select a Cue or Add Cue >Record OSC Automation as New Cue and access the Cue Properties.
  • Browse to the OSC Automation section
  • Select an OSC Automation Input Port that is configured as UDP Receiver (see Controller Units - To receive OSC commands in Ovation above)
    Any IP Port will record from all IP ports set as UDP Receiver.
  • Select an OSC Automation Output Port that is configured as UDP Streamer (see Player Units - To send OSC commands from Ovation above)
    This port will be used to send the recorded OSC Automation 
  • Right-click on the Cue and select menu Start Recording OSC Automation.
    A blinking red dot with the OSC Automation logo will appear on the Cue to show that the Cue is ready to record.
  • Now Fire or Audition that Cue.  Any OSC messages entering on the OSC Automation Input Port will be recorded in that Cue while the Cue is playing.
    Multiple OSC automation record passes can be performed on the same cue, one after each other. Just stop the Cue and Fire or Audition it again.
    The last recorded OSC Automation pass can be undone at any time using the Cue > Undo command.
    When done, right-click on the Cue and select menu Stop Recording OSC Automation.
  • When the Cue is now Fired or Auditioned, any recorded OSC messages are sent to the IP port selected in the OSC Automation Output Port row. 
  • The Timing Mode row gives to options: (Not implemented yet, currently set to Absolute)
    Absolute: Any recorded OSC Automation is played back with the same timing it was recorded
    Relative to Cue Length: Any recorded OSC Automation is played back relatively to the Cue Length. In other words the OSC automation can be stretched or squeezed in time by changing the cue length. 


Additional Notes