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For Venue Installers

You're setting up the IMMERSE platform at a physical venue. You've got:

  • A Windows mini-PC for IMMERSE Runtime
  • IMMERSE Nodes (audio, video, GPIO) shipped from us
  • Networked DMX lighting fixtures (sACN-compatible)
  • A .ishow file from the show designer

This documentation walks you through doing it right the first time.

Read in order

  1. site-prep.md — what to verify before you arrive on site
  2. runtime-install.md — install Runtime on the Windows mini-PC
  3. node-setup.md — deploy each IMMERSE Node
  4. media-distribution.md — push audio/video files to the venue
  5. pre-show-checklist.md — verify everything before doors open
  6. troubleshooting.md — common symptoms and fixes

Time estimate

For a typical 5-15 node venue:

  • Site prep + cabling: depends on the venue, typically 1-3 days
  • Runtime install: 30 minutes
  • Node setup per unit: 5-10 minutes (Nodes ship pre-configured)
  • Media push: 30 minutes
  • Pre-show checklist: 30 minutes

For 50+ Node venues, contact sales@immersecontrol.com about pre-configuration services that let you skip per-Node setup entirely.

What you need on hand

Hardware:

  • 1× Windows mini-PC (Intel NUC, Beelink, or similar; minimum 4 GB RAM, 64 GB SSD)
  • IMMERSE Nodes for the venue's audio, video, and GPIO needs (ordered ahead of time from sales@immersecontrol.com)
  • 1× managed network switch with sufficient ports + IGMP snooping enabled
  • Cat6 cables to every Node
  • DMX lighting fixtures with sACN support
  • (Per video Node) HDMI cable + display
  • (Per audio Node) Speaker connection (3.5mm, line, or HDMI to amp)
  • (Per GPIO Node) Wired output to the controlled hardware (relays, doors, effects)

Tools / software:

  • A laptop on the show network for testing
  • The .ishow file from the show designer
  • All the audio/video files referenced in the .ishow
  • This documentation, downloaded for offline reading (you may not have internet at the venue)

People:

  • One person who knows networking (subnets, IGMP, switch config)
  • The show designer or a phone number to call them

Network requirements

Read this before you order the switch.

  • Layer 2 (single subnet) — Runtime, all Nodes, and DMX fixtures should be on one subnet. No routing.
  • IGMP snooping enabled on the switch — sACN is multicast. Without IGMP snooping, every multicast packet floods every port and your network melts.
  • Static IPs — Each Node ships with a pre-printed static IP. Document these on a venue map.
  • No internet required during a show — the entire IMMERSE platform runs on local network. Internet is optional and only useful for time sync.
  • Consider a separate VLAN for show traffic — if the venue has guest Wi-Fi or POS systems on the same physical network, isolate IMMERSE so a guest device can't fire cues. Currently there's no auth in v0.1.x, so network isolation is your only protection.

Ordering Nodes

Before site setup, you'll need to know:

  • How many audio Nodes (one per audio zone)
  • How many video Nodes (one per HDMI display)
  • How many GPIO Nodes (one per cluster of relays/effects)
  • Your venue's IP address scheme (we can pre-configure Nodes with the right IPs)

Email sales@immersecontrol.com with your show plan and we'll provide a quote and lead time.

Order spare Nodes — typically one per role per venue. Hot-swap replacement is under a minute.