Troubleshooting

Check whether the desk is operating correctly by opening the Outputs Window and looking at the channel data. If channels are not at their correct levels, then check:

If the Outputs Window shows correct values. Look at the View Chans, View DMX view in the Outputs Window – this shows the real values that are being output in the DMX 512 or ArtNet stream.

Check the Outputs are configured and enabled correctly in the View DMX I/O view of the Setup Window. If you are using an Ethernet convertor box check that it is receiving data correctly. Check:

Is the time changing in the status window? If the time is not changing then a reset is required (see resetting the Console). If the time is changing then the main processor and software are running fine. Check

Are all the Select buttons flashing blue? This indicates that the front panel is not communicating with the main processor board. Try:

Enter board test mode to determine the cause of the fault. On MQ100 hold top left SHIFT button and press top right SHIFT button. On Compact console hold ALT and CTRL and press SHIFT.

Check a button has not become stuck down. Check nothing is accidentally leaning on the keyboard or other buttons. Exit button test mode by using the same keys as pressed to enter test mode above.

If the screen is blank – then this may be because of the screen saver. Try pressing SHIFT. If the screen remains blank even after pressing buttons, then try holding CTRL and pressing the bottom right soft button (soft button closest to the large encoder wheels) twice. This attempts to restart the screen backlight.

The screen may have been turned off and locked by a user. Press CTRL and the second soft button down on the left (soft button B). If this does not help, then press CTRL and the second soft button a second time.

If the screen remains blank, then try connecting an external monitor.

If the screen is slightly blue or pictures are distorted after power up then shut down the console and restart. If you cannot see the QUIT button on the screen, then hold the Left, Down and Right cursor keys and press DBO to force a shutdown.

If the screen is white, then the processor has stopped running. Press and hold the reset button on the back panel for 15 seconds to power off the console. Then restart the console. If the white screen continues then it may be necessary to unplug and replace the power connection to the processor inside the rear panel.

If the screen shows “Enter system disk” then the main processor has not recognised the hard drive correctly. Restart the console using the reset button on the console.

If the console does not start at all – i.e. no LEDs are lit on the rear panel then check the front panel LED under the arm-rest. If no LEDs are lit then there is a failure of the main PSU. Contact your dealer for support.

If the console starts but fails to boot completely then the power cables or disc cables may have come loose during transport. Contact an electrically competent engineer, to re-seat the cables.

If the console always enters the Software Upgrade Utility, then a button is most likely stuck down. Enter 0 or quit to leave the Software Upgrade Utility. Once the console has started then hold one SHIFT button and press another SHIFT button to enter the button test mode. Press SHIFT and SHIFT again to exit button test mode.

If the console fails to start and displays a message asking you to run fsck manually then see disc repair below.

By default, the console stores an archive of the show files for every quarter of an hour of the day, and for every day of the week. This enables the user to revert to a previous copy of their show.

Archive files are only made when the console auto saves – so if auto saves are disabled then no archive files will be generated. If the console is set to “auto save on changes” then archive files will only be stored when changes are made. To revert to an archived file press SHIFT and LOAD SHOW in the Setup Window.

Archive files are stored in a special directory that should not be modified by the user. When the user re-loads an archived backup file, the backup file is restored into the standard show directory.

Archive files have the name “backup0530.sbk” to indicate the show file that was recorded just before 5.30am. Daily files are also stored – “backupfri.sbk” indicates the show file that was recorded at the start of Friday. Archive files are overwritten every 24 hours, except for the daily files which are overwritten every 7 days.

MagicQ stores diagnostic information about keys pressed, strange events and resets in log files. If you notice a problem, then please send us the show file and the log file for the time the problem occurred and we will investigate and fix the problem in the next version of software.

Log files are stored in the log folder and are named according to the time and date the session was started – a new log file is started each time the console re-starts. The time and date of the file is the time that the session ended.

Please email the log files and show files to support@chamsys.co.uk.

New versions of MagicQ console software are made available on the downloads page of the ChamSys website – www.chamsys.co.uk in the form of .cdc files.

Ensure you have saved your current show file to a USB memory stick or to an external computer via network before you change software version. Also, ensure any personalities that you have customised have been saved to a different file name of your choice – the new software will install the latest version of the standard personalities.

MagicQ includes a software management utility. This can be accessed from within the MagicQ software from Setup, View System, View Status. It can also be accessed on powering off the console and then pressing a key during boot up.

From a USB stick

From network

The console software upgrade utility has 2 other functions – reset to factory defaults and erase console.

“Reset to factory defaults” changes settings back to factory settings but does not erase any user data. It is recommended that the current show is saved to a known file name before carrying out a factory reset. Because of the reset to factory defaults, the console will reload the default show.

“Erase console” erases all user data and reloads the newest software on the system. All show data, custom personalities, and settings will be erased. Ensure all user data is saved before carrying out this action.

It is not necessary to recalibrate the touch screen after a factory reset. If for any reason the touch screen is not calibrated, then press CTRL + SET to calibrate it.