Art-Net Timecode
With Art-Net Timecode, FrenschPress sends timecode to the network and receives it from there. You need it when a lighting desk, media server or show computer exchanges timecode over Ethernet.
It works in both directions:
- MTC Master: while an MTC master macro runs, timecode goes out on USB 1, USB 2 and Art-Net at the same time (Art-Net 4, OpCode
0x9700). - Art-Net Bridge: FrenschPress receives timecode from an external Art-Net TC sender and distributes it to both USB ports, and optionally to further Art-Net receivers.
- USB Bridge: incoming MTC on USB 1 goes to USB 2 and vice versa, optionally also as Art-Net.
For an overview of roles and routing, see Timecode overview.
Enabling Art-Net Timecode
- Open Settings → Art-Net TC.
- Turn on Enable Art-Net Timecode. The switch saves immediately; you don't need Save Settings.
- If needed, open Advanced… for diagnostics and fine-tuning.
| Setting | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Enable Art-Net Timecode | Turns Art-Net TC on or off as a whole. When it is off, no TC packets are received or sent. |
| Advanced… | Opens the advanced panel with live diagnostics, quick tuning profiles and transport settings |
On the device, you can toggle Art-Net TC from the on-deck tools menu of an attached Stream Deck (ART TC ON / ART TC OFF).
Advanced panel
Changes in the advanced panel are saved immediately. You don't need Save Settings here. Defaults restores the sync-tuning defaults.
Start with Balanced / Normal / Balanced. Change the values only if your source shows dropouts or unstable timing.
Health monitor
Four indicators at the top of the panel update live:
| Indicator | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Sync State | Current synchronisation state: idle, locking, locked or holdover |
| Packet Flow | How fresh the incoming Art-Net TC packets are |
| Timing Error | Quality of the phase correction: how closely the local clock follows the incoming signal |
| Output | Whether TC is currently being sent |
Quick tuning
Three dropdowns adjust the sync behaviour without you having to set individual parameters:
| Setting | Options | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Stability | Balanced / Very Stable / More Responsive | How steadily the slave stays locked while the source is stable. Higher stability filters jitter harder. |
| Dropout Tolerance | Normal / Short / Extended | How long the local clock keeps running when packets are missing or late |
| Relock Speed | Balanced / Gentle / Fast | How quickly the slave relocks after a dropout or timing jump |
Transport & routing
| Setting | Meaning | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Freewheel | Time in ms (0–2000 ms) after which missing Art-Net TC counts as lost. 0 = immediately. | 500 ms |
| Unicast TX | Off = broadcast to 255.255.255.255. On = unicast to a target IP. | Off |
| Target IP | IP address of the receiver. Only visible with unicast enabled. | – |
| TX Port | UDP destination port for Art-Net TC packets | 6454 |
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| No TC packets in or out | Art-Net TC is off | Turn on Enable Art-Net Timecode |
| One particular receiver sees no timecode | Unicast to the wrong address, or wrong port | Check Target IP and TX Port, or turn off Unicast TX |
Sync State keeps dropping to holdover, timing is unsteady | Dropouts or jitter from the source | In Quick tuning, set Dropout Tolerance to Extended or Stability to Very Stable; Defaults restores the starting point |