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Electronic Theatre Controls Inc

Eos and Cobalt Family Output Counts

This article is about consoles. For information on ETCnomad dongle output counts, see this article

Introduction

All Eos and Cobalt/Congo family consoles have an output count, which is the number of patched DMX addresses that the console can output at one time. Each console hardware type has a minimum and maximum output count, and if a console has less than the maximum, it can be upgraded using a software code.

Eos 2.6.0 and Cobalt 8.0.0 introduced a change to the way that output counts were sold. Before, output counts were sold in increments (512, 1K, 2K, 4K). We simplified this and changed the way units in the field were handled - now there is only a base count and an unlocked count.

This does not reprogram the dongle – if you downgrade to Eos 2.5.2 / Cobalt 7.3.1 or lower, you’ll revert to whatever output count was there before.

RulesEdit section

Rule 1 - If current output is lower than (or equal to) "base", it will increase to (or remain at) the "base" output count.

Rule 2 - If your current output count is higher than "base", but lower than "unlocked", it will increase to the "unlocked" count.

Rule 3 - If your current output is higher than "unlocked" don't change anything, it will stay at the higher amount.

Eos Family Consoles

Consoles
Console Operating System Base Count Unlocked Count

Eos Classic

Windows XP

4,096

8,192

Ion

(With 1 network port)

Windows XP

1,024

3,072

Ion

(With 2 network ports)

Windows 7

1,024

6,144

Element

Windows XP or Windows 7

250ch

(Element 1 has a fixed output count of 1,024 and cannot be upgraded)

500ch

(Element 1 has a fixed output count of 1,024 and cannot be upgraded)

Gio

(With DVI)

Windows 7

4,096

12,288

Gio

(With DisplayPort)

Windows 7

4,096

24,576

Eos Ti

(With DVI)

Windows 7

4,096

16,384

Eos Ti

(With DisplayPort)

Windows 7

4,096

24,576

Gio @5

Windows 7 or Windows 10

4,096

24,576

Ion Xe / Ion Xe 20

Windows 7 or Windows 10

2,048

12,288

Element 2

Windows 7 or Windows 10

1,024

6,144

Eos Apex Consoles

Windows 10

24K

(cannot be upgraded)

Remote Processors
Device Operating System Base Unlocked

Eos RPU

Windows XP

4,096

8,192

Ion RPU

(With 1 Network Port)

Windows XP

2,048

3,072

Ion RPU

(With 2 Network Ports)

Windows 7

2,048

6,144

Eos RPU3

(With DVI)

Windows 7

4,096

12,288

Eos RPU3

(With DisplayPort)

Windows 7

4,096

24,576

Eos Apex Processor

Windows 10

24K

(cannot be upgraded)

ETCnomad and ETC Puck
Device Operating System Base Unlocked

ETCnomad Dongle

Windows or macOS

1,024(1)

6,144

ETCnomad Puck

(with 2 HDMI)

Windows 7

1,024(1)

2,048

ETCnomad Puck

(with 1 HDMI and 1 Mini DisplayPort)

Windows 7

1,024(1)

6,144

ETCnomad Puck

(With SD Card Reader)

Windows 7

1,024(1)

6,144

ETC Puck

Windows 10

1,024

6,144

(1) from Eos software version 2.9.0 - see the ETCnomad output count article for details

 

Cobalt and Congo Family Consoles

In addition to output count, Cobalt and Congo consoles have a control channel count. This cannot be upgraded (except Congo Kid, see below), but the user can reduce it for neatness when desired. Channels can be renamed up to 9,999

Console Base Count Unlocked Count Channel Count
Cobalt 20 (all versions) 4,096 16,384 5,000
Cobalt 10 4,096 16,384 5,000
Cobalt Light Server 4,096 16,384 5,000
Congo Jr (Windows XP and Windows 7 based) (1) 1,024 6,144 3,072
Congo Sr and Congo Light Server (1) 1,024 6,144 3,072
Congo Kid

Congo Kid has a fixed output count of 1,024 and cannot be upgraded.

Congo Kid instead has a control channel count of either 256 or 512 channels. If 256, this can be upgraded to 512 by purchasing a code.

N/A 256 or 512

(1) Because Cobalt v8 software cannot be installed on consoles running Windows XP, these consoles are not included in the new system of base count vs unlocking. Please contact your local ETC office for further information.

 

Hardware Upgrades

Several Windows XP based consoles were eligible for the now-discontinued hardware upgrades to Windows 7. Of these, only the Ion and Ion RPU have different unlocked counts. If the console was unlocked before the upgrade, it will remain unlocked afterwards, at the higher output count (6,144 instead of 3,072).

 

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