Quick Start

[SimpleDMX]

You don't need to build a full show to see SDC working. Follow these four steps and you'll have a light responding to SDC almost immediately.

Step 1 - Connect your interface

SDC talks to your lights through either a USB-to-DMX interface or an Art-Net node.
USB: Go to Settings, then find the USB Settings section. Pick your device under "Use Comport", choose the matching protocol - DMX USB Pro for the Enttec DMX USB Pro and other processor-based interfaces, Open DMX for the Enttec Open DMX and similar - and click Connect. The status should read "Connected".
Art-Net: Go to Settings, then find the Art-Net Settings section, tick Enable Art-Net, then open Art-Net Routing and point your universe at your device. If your node doesn't appear automatically, add its IP address manually.
Using USB and connected but the lights don't respond later? It's almost always the wrong protocol. Disconnect, switch protocol, and reconnect.

Step 2 - Prove it works

Before adding anything, confirm SDC is actually reaching your fixture. Make sure one fixture is powered on and set to DMX start address 1. If you're not sure of your fixture's address, check its display or DIP switches and set it to 1.
Open the Views menu and choose Set Single DMX Value. Leave Universe at 1, then set channels to 255 one at a time - channel 1, then 2, then 3, and so on - watching your fixture after each. Keep going up through the channels until one of them produces visible output.
As you step through the channels, one of them will give you visible output:

You don't need to know which channel does what yet - just set each to 255 and watch. The moment a fixture reacts, you've confirmed the whole chain works: SDC, your interface, your cabling and your fixture.

Step 3 - Add your fixture

Now SDC needs to know what your fixture is. Go to Add Fixture.
Have a GDTF file? Click Select GDTF File, choose it, pick the DMX mode that matches your fixture, fill in the nameand the rest of the fields, and click Add fixtures. SDC builds the faders and colour palettes for you automatically.
No GDTF file? Click Manage SDC Files and map the channels yourself - just enter the channel numbers from your fixture's manual for the functions you want (dimmer, pan, tilt, colours, and so on), remember to enter the total numbers.
Either way, make sure the start address and DMX mode match what is physically set on the fixture when adding your fixture. A mismatch is the number-one reason a fixture behaves oddly.

Step 4 - Control it

Go to Fixture Faders. Your fixture's faders are already there. On the right, tick its checkbox, then pull up the Dimmer fader - and the Grand Master in the right-hand Masters section. Pull up some more faders and watch your fixture.
That's it - you're driving real fixtures from SDC. From here you can mix colours, save palettes, build effects and sequence a full show.
Nothing happening? Check that Blackout isn't active, the Grand Master is up, and open the Views menu and choose Universe Levels to confirm the values are landing on the channels you expect.
For everything else - every feature, in depth - see the SDC User Manual at https://simpledmx.net/dmx-software-how-to/.