We have never used Eos. Is this the right desk for us?

Honestly, perhaps not. Eos is a command-line desk with real depth, and if you just want lights on faders for a school show, one of our simpler desks costs less and takes minutes to learn. This page is really for people who already think in Eos, or venues that already run it. If you want its power without the learning curve, hire it with one of our technicians and tell them what you want to see.

Do we need the Gadget II, or the network node?

You need one of them if the laptop has to plug into a DMX rig, which in most halls it does. Both give two universes, 1,024 addresses, on five-pin XLR, which covers school and am-dram rigs several times over, and we include adaptors if your fixtures run on three-pin. The Gadget II is the simple choice: it hangs off the laptop's USB port and the DMX leaves from the desk. The Cygnus node is for when the rig is a long way from the desk, because one network cable from the laptop carries the show to a node beside the stage and the DMX starts there. If your venue already has ETC gateways or networked nodes, Nomad can send sACN or Art-Net straight into them and neither is needed.

Can it work alongside our venue's Eos console, or pre-program a show for it?

Both. Nomad joins an Eos network as a client, giving a programmer or designer a second seat on the same show, or as a backup that tracks the console and can take over if it fails. The one rule is that software versions have to match across the network, so tell us what your console is running and we will put the same version on the laptop before it leaves. Pre-programming is one of the best reasons to hire it: build your rig in Augment3d, Eos's 3D visualiser, write your cues at the kitchen table, and carry the show file in on a USB stick. It will open on any Eos-family console running the same or a newer software version, which can turn a midnight plotting session into an afternoon.

Either, and honestly the difference is small. Both are third-party mechanical keyboards laid out like an Eos console's keypad, both carry a two-port USB hub for the Nomad key and a mouse, and both do nothing you cannot do from the laptop keyboard, since Eos maps every console button onto it. What they add is the real layout, so fast programming and live operating stop being an exercise in remembering shortcuts. The LX Key has 123 keys and is the lighter of the two at about 1.1 kg. The cmd_key has 125, with colour-coded zones and dedicated macro, snapshot and filter keys, on a steel frame with quieter Cherry MX Black switches; its mapping is fixed and it needs Eos 2.9 or later. If you have used one before, ask for that one. If two programmers need seats, take both.

Can Eos follow timecode from QLab?

Yes, through the SMPTE gateway. QLab can play a timecode track alongside the show's music when the Mac has a suitable audio output for it. That track runs down an XLR into the gateway, which passes it to Eos over USB or the network, and Eos fires whatever cues you have written against those times in a show control event list. The frame rate has to match at both ends, 25 frames a second being the usual choice in the UK, and the level has to be sensible: timecode is an audio signal, and if it is too quiet or clipping the desk will not lock to it. Eos only receives timecode, so the traffic runs one way, from playback to lights. Our QLab playback system is the natural partner; tell us when you book and we will pair it with an audio interface that has enough outputs for the music and the timecode together.

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ETC Nomad hire — Eos lighting control on a laptop

Eos is the software inside ETC's theatre consoles, and ETCnomad puts it on a laptop. The Nomad USB key is the licence that lets it control real lights, so the laptop becomes a working desk, not an offline editor. We hire it set up and tested, with the add-ons that complete it: the Gadget II for two universes of DMX, the LX Key and cmd_key console keyboards, a network node for rigs at the far end of a cable, and a timecode gateway so Eos can follow your soundtrack. The package is £90 per day, the Gadget II £8 and the LX Key £10; for the rest, contact us for pricing.

Eos runs everything in ETC's console family, from the Element in a school hall to the Gio and Apex desks in producing theatres, and a show file moves between all of them. The software itself is a free download, so if you only want to learn it or edit a show offline you do not need to hire anything. What the ETCnomad USB key adds is the licence to output: plug it in and the laptop stops being a simulator and starts being a lighting desk. Ours arrives with Eos installed, updated and tested, so you are on the command line within minutes of opening the lid.

The Gadget II is ETC's own USB to DMX interface, and it is how the laptop reaches a conventional rig. It gives two universes of DMX, 1,024 addresses, on two five-pin XLR outputs, runs on USB power and sits in a palm. It also speaks RDM, so compatible fixtures can be addressed and monitored from the desk. If your venue already has ETC gateways or networked nodes you may not need it, because Nomad also sends sACN and Art-Net straight from the laptop's network port. If it does not, the network node below does the same job from the far end of a cable.

Two programming keyboards hire alongside it, and they do the same job. Each is a mechanical keyboard laid out like an Eos console's keypad, with the record, group and cue buttons where console muscle memory expects them, and each carries a two-port USB hub that makes a tidy home for the Nomad key and a mouse. The LX Key was designed in Britain for Nomad users: 123 Cherry MX keys, about 1.1 kg. The cmd_key comes from High Output in Maine: 125 keys on a steel frame, colour-coded zones, dedicated macro, snapshot and filter keys, and quieter Cherry MX Black switches; its mapping is fixed and it needs Eos 2.9 or later. Neither is an ETC product and neither is a licence; the Nomad key still does that job. You can run Eos perfectly well from the laptop keyboard. These are for hands that already know the way, and holding both means two programmers each get a proper seat.

The eLumen8 Cygnus NET2 is a network node: a small aluminium box that takes the Art-Net or sACN the laptop sends down an ordinary network cable and turns it back into two universes of DMX, 1,024 addresses, on two five-pin XLR sockets. It is the answer when the desk sits at the back of a hall and the rig is a long way off, because one network run replaces two long DMX runs. It is set up through a web browser, speaks RDM, and runs from its own small mains adaptor or from a PoE network switch. It needs a controller that outputs Art-Net or sACN, which Nomad, the Zero 88 FLX S24 and the Orb all do, and it needs network addressing, so our technician configures it to the laptop before it leaves rather than leaving that to you.

The ETC Response SMPTE Gateway lets Eos follow timecode. Timecode is a running clock, in hours, minutes, seconds and frames, that a sound or video playback system sends out alongside the show's audio. The gateway takes that signal in on a three-pin XLR and hands it to Eos over USB or the network; write your lighting cues against the clock in an Eos event list and they fire at the same moment every performance, with nobody pressing GO. It is a receiver only. It brings timecode into Eos, and Eos never sends timecode out, so the traffic runs one way, from playback to lights. It needs Eos 2.9 or later and something to generate the timecode, usually QLab or a video server. A timecode show has to be programmed properly, so this is an add-on we would normally send with a technician.

Three jobs suit the package particularly well. As a main desk it will run a small rig outright. As a client or backup it joins an Eos network alongside a house console, giving a programmer a second seat or tracking the show so the laptop can take over if the desk fails. And as a pre-programming rig it lets you build the venue in Augment3d, Eos's 3D visualiser, and arrive at the get-in with the show already in cues. Software versions have to match across an Eos network, so tell us what your console is running and we will put the same version on the laptop before it leaves.

The whole package travels in a laptop bag and needs one 13A socket. Hire it by the day, dry hire or with a technician who knows Eos. The package is £90 per day, the Gadget II £8 and the LX Key £10; for the cmd_key, the network node and the timecode gateway, contact us for pricing.

What you get

A laptop with Eos installed, updated and licensed by the ETCnomad USB key, tested before it leaves

The laptop's mains supply: one 13A socket runs the whole package

With the Gadget II option: the interface, its USB lead, and five-pin to three-pin DMX adaptors if your rig needs them

With the LX Key or cmd_key option: the keyboard and its USB lead, and the laptop set up for whichever one is going out. Both carry a two-port USB hub for the Nomad key and a mouse

With the Cygnus NET2 option: the node, its 12V mains adaptor and DMX adaptors for three-pin fixtures, configured to the laptop before it leaves. Bring or hire the network cable to reach it

With the SMPTE gateway option: the gateway and the USB lead that powers it and carries the timecode into the laptop. Tell us what connector your playback system's output has and we will add the lead to it

Not included as standard: DMX cable runs to your rig, or a network switch if the show has more than one networked device. The network node hires as an add-on here, and a second monitor, the HP 24-inch, is on our Mac and monitor page

A technician who knows Eos, to patch, program and operate, if you would rather bring the ideas than the syntax

Good for

Visiting designers and programmers who think in Eos and want their own seat rather than an unfamiliar house desk

A backup desk sitting beside a venue's Eos console for the run of a show

Pre-programming: build the rig in Augment3d and write your cues before the get-in

School and college theatres that run an ETC console and need an extra programming seat, or a stand-in while their desk is away

Dance numbers and musical finales that run to a pre-recorded track, where the lighting follows timecode and lands on the same beat every night

Halls where the desk is at the back and the rig is a long way off: one network cable to the node instead of long DMX runs across the floor

Small shows and one-offs where a flightcased console is more than the van or the budget wants

Running a universe or two of dimmers and LEDs at an event from something that fits in a shoulder bag

What you need to know

What it is: ETC's Eos lighting software on a laptop, with the Nomad USB key that licenses it to control real lights. The same software family as the Element, Ion and Gio consoles.
The pieces: The Nomad key and laptop are the desk. The Gadget II or the Cygnus node adds the DMX sockets, one at the desk and one at the far end of a network cable. The LX Key or the cmd_key adds real console keys. The SMPTE gateway lets Eos follow timecode from your playback system.
Output: Two universes of DMX, 1,024 addresses, from the Gadget II on USB or from the Cygnus node over a network cable, or sACN and Art-Net straight into venues with their own Ethernet distribution.
Power: One 13A socket for the laptop supply. The Gadget II, both keyboards and the SMPTE gateway run on USB; the network node has its own small mains adaptor or takes power from a PoE switch.
Carrying: The whole rig fits in a laptop bag. The heaviest pieces are the keyboards, about 1.1 kg for the LX Key and 1.4 kg for the cmd_key; the node and the timecode gateway are small boxes that sit beside the laptop.

Hire rates

Tick the add-ons you want with the ETC Nomad Package. They go on your enquiry list together.

ETC Nomad PackageEos on a laptop: the programming rig visiting LDs ask for.£90a day

Add-ons

ETC Gadget IIThe USB-to-DMX interface that puts Nomad on a real rig.£8a day

LX Key for EOSThe Eos shortcut keyboard for faster programming.£10a day

cmd_key Eos Programming KeyboardThe other Eos programming keyboard: 125 console keys, so two programmers each get a proper seat.Contact usfor pricing

ETC Response SMPTE GatewayLets Eos follow timecode from your playback system, so the cues land on the beat every night.Contact usfor pricing

eLumen8 Cygnus NET2 Art-Net NodeTurns the laptop's Art-Net or sACN back into two universes of DMX at the far end of one network cable.Contact usfor pricing

Rates are per day and exclude VAT. A longer hire costs less per day — tell us your dates and we will price the period exactly. Ask us about delivery and hiring with a technician. Where a line says contact us for pricing, tell us the dates and quantities and we will quote it.

Alternatives

Zero 88 FLX S24 and Orb — the desks with real faders for shows that do not need Eos, and home of the DMX splitter when one line has to feed several directions.

QLab playback system — the usual source of the timecode the SMPTE gateway listens for, playing the show's music and video from a Mac.

Mac and monitor hire — the HP 24-inch monitor that gives Eos a second screen.

Cable — DMX runs to the rig and Cat6 network cable to the node, by the length.

Full technical specification (38)

Nomad — manufacturer and model	ETC ETCnomad USB key, on a laptop meeting ETC's minimum specification for the Eos version installed
Nomad — product type	Laptop-based Eos-family lighting control
Nomad — software	ETC Eos, installed and licensed on the supplied laptop
Nomad — network output	sACN and Art-Net from the laptop's Ethernet port
Gadget II — DMX output	2 universes, 1,024 addresses, on two 5-pin XLR ports, RDM capable
Gadget II — power	USB bus powered
Gadget II — dimensions Mm	108 x 57 x 25 (approx)
Gadget II — weight Kg	0.18 (approx)
LX Key — maker	lxkey.co.uk; a third-party keyboard designed in Britain for Nomad, not made or endorsed by ETC
LX Key — layout	123 Cherry MX mechanical keys in the Eos console layout, two-port USB hub
LX Key — dimensions Mm	329 x 222 x 42
LX Key — weight Kg	1.1 (approx)
Cmd key — maker	High Output, Portland, Maine (cmd-key.com); a third-party keyboard, not made or endorsed by ETC
Cmd key — layout	125 pre-mapped keys in the Eos console layout with colour-coded zones; six macro keys, five snapshot keys and five filter keys; fixed mapping
Cmd key — switches	Cherry MX Black silent mechanical switches on a steel key frame
Cmd key — USB hub	Two ports, for the Nomad key and a mouse
Cmd key — software	Eos family consoles and ETCnomad running software 2.9 or later
Cmd key — power	USB bus powered, 5V
Cmd key — dimensions Mm	330 x 228 x 50 (approx, from the maker's imperial figures)
Cmd key — weight Kg	1.36 (approx)
Cygnus NET2 — manufacturer and model	eLumen8 Cygnus NET2 Mini ArtNet Node, Prolight Concepts order code ELUM257
Cygnus NET2 — function	Art-Net or sACN to DMX node: 2 universes, 1,024 addresses
Cygnus NET2 — DMX outputs	2 x 5-pin XLR (Seetronic), opto-isolated from each other and from the network input
Cygnus NET2 — network	RJ45, etherCON compatible, 10/100 Mb/s; static or DHCP addressing, set up through a web browser
Cygnus NET2 — protocols	Art-Net, sACN, DMX, RDM
Cygnus NET2 — power	12V 1A DC adaptor (included) or Power over Ethernet (IEEE 802.3af); 3W
Cygnus NET2 — construction	Powder-coated aluminium chassis, convection cooled, no fan
Cygnus NET2 — dimensions Mm	46 x 80 x 121 (H x W x D)
Cygnus NET2 — weight Kg	0.36
SMPTE gateway — manufacturer and model	ETC Response SMPTE Gateway (RSN-SMPTE)
SMPTE gateway — function	Receives SMPTE linear timecode (LTC) and passes it to Eos; receive only
SMPTE gateway — timecode input	3-pin XLR, balanced audio input; unbalanced sources such as a 3.5 mm jack via an adaptor lead
SMPTE gateway — frame rates	23.98 drop-frame, 24, 25, 29.97, 29.97 drop-frame and 30 fps
SMPTE gateway — output to Eos	Over the network (Net3/ACN or SMPTE over UDP), or over USB converted to MIDI timecode, with the USB lead straight into the Eos computer
SMPTE gateway — power	Power over Ethernet (IEEE 802.3af) or 5V USB; a plain network switch does not power it
SMPTE gateway — console compatibility	Eos family consoles and ETCnomad running software 2.9.0 or later
SMPTE gateway — controls	OLED screen showing name, IP address and the last timecode received; four buttons and status LEDs
Power	Interfaces, keyboards and the SMPTE gateway are USB powered; the network node has a 12V adaptor; the laptop supply plugs into a standard 230V 13A socket

Common questions

Honestly, perhaps not. Eos is a command-line desk with real depth, and if you just want lights on faders for a school show, one of our simpler desks costs less and takes minutes to learn. This page is really for people who already think in Eos, or venues that already run it. If you want its power without the learning curve, hire it with one of our technicians and tell them what you want to see.
You need one of them if the laptop has to plug into a DMX rig, which in most halls it does. Both give two universes, 1,024 addresses, on five-pin XLR, which covers school and am-dram rigs several times over, and we include adaptors if your fixtures run on three-pin. The Gadget II is the simple choice: it hangs off the laptop's USB port and the DMX leaves from the desk. The Cygnus node is for when the rig is a long way from the desk, because one network cable from the laptop carries the show to a node beside the stage and the DMX starts there. If your venue already has ETC gateways or networked nodes, Nomad can send sACN or Art-Net straight into them and neither is needed.
Both. Nomad joins an Eos network as a client, giving a programmer or designer a second seat on the same show, or as a backup that tracks the console and can take over if it fails. The one rule is that software versions have to match across the network, so tell us what your console is running and we will put the same version on the laptop before it leaves. Pre-programming is one of the best reasons to hire it: build your rig in Augment3d, Eos's 3D visualiser, write your cues at the kitchen table, and carry the show file in on a USB stick. It will open on any Eos-family console running the same or a newer software version, which can turn a midnight plotting session into an afternoon.
Either, and honestly the difference is small. Both are third-party mechanical keyboards laid out like an Eos console's keypad, both carry a two-port USB hub for the Nomad key and a mouse, and both do nothing you cannot do from the laptop keyboard, since Eos maps every console button onto it. What they add is the real layout, so fast programming and live operating stop being an exercise in remembering shortcuts. The LX Key has 123 keys and is the lighter of the two at about 1.1 kg. The cmd_key has 125, with colour-coded zones and dedicated macro, snapshot and filter keys, on a steel frame with quieter Cherry MX Black switches; its mapping is fixed and it needs Eos 2.9 or later. If you have used one before, ask for that one. If two programmers need seats, take both.
Yes, through the SMPTE gateway. QLab can play a timecode track alongside the show's music when the Mac has a suitable audio output for it. That track runs down an XLR into the gateway, which passes it to Eos over USB or the network, and Eos fires whatever cues you have written against those times in a show control event list. The frame rate has to match at both ends, 25 frames a second being the usual choice in the UK, and the level has to be sensible: timecode is an audio signal, and if it is too quiet or clipping the desk will not lock to it. Eos only receives timecode, so the traffic runs one way, from playback to lights. Our QLab playback system is the natural partner; tell us when you book and we will pair it with an audio interface that has enough outputs for the music and the timecode together.