Q-SYS Designer 9.x KNX plugin

QSC Q-SYS Designer 9.x includes a Plugin Manager (menu: Tools → Plugin Manager) that provides certified third-party integrations. Search for 'KNX' in the Plugin Manager to find the Q-SYS KNX plugin (published by QSC or a certified partner). Install the plugin, which adds a 'KNX' component to the Component Library. Drag the KNX component into your Q-SYS design schematic.

Configure the KNX component properties in Q-SYS Designer: KNXnet/IP Interface Mode = Tunnelling (required for unicast connection to a specific KNX IP router or interface). Remote IP = IP address of the KNX IP router (e.g., Weinzierl BAOS 770 at 192.168.10.200). Local IP = IP address of the Q-SYS Core processor (e.g., 192.168.10.150). Multicast Group = 224.0.23.12 (standard KNXnet/IP multicast, used in Routing mode only — leave at default for Tunnelling). Port = 3671 (standard KNXnet/IP port). Connection Timeout = 30 seconds.

Binding audio controls to KNX group addresses

In the KNX component property sheet, each KNX binding is a row in the binding table: select a Q-SYS control pin, assign a GA, select the DPT, and set the direction (send, receive, or both).

Main Volume fader ('Gain' control on a mixer component) → DPT 5.001 (1-byte unsigned, 0–255) → GA 10/0/1. Direction: Receive (KNX writes to Q-SYS). DPT 5.001 value 0 = minimum (mapped to -60 dBFS), value 255 = maximum (0 dBFS). Q-SYS DSP automatically scales the 0–255 input to the fader range. Mute button ('Mute' toggle) → DPT 1.001 → GA 10/0/2. Direction: Bidirectional (KNX can mute/unmute, and Q-SYS mute state reflects back to KNX for indicator light on KNX wall panel).

Input selector (router matrix crosspoint) → DPT 5.001 → GA 10/0/6. Value 1=presentation PC, 2=wireless presentation (Barco ClickShare), 3=video conferencing (Zoom Room). This allows the KNX room panel to switch AV input without touching Q-SYS directly.

Conference preset recall via DPT 18.001

KNX DPT 18.001 (Scene Control, 1-byte) is the standard datapoint for scene recall. Bit 7 = 0 means 'activate scene'; bits 0–5 = scene number (0–63). GA 10/0/3 receives DPT 18.001 values from KNX wall panels or time controllers. In Q-SYS Designer, a script component listens to the KNX scene GA and executes the matching Q-SYS named preset:

Scene 1 (byte value 0) → run Q-SYS Preset 'Meeting' (gain levels normalised, all inputs active, AEC on, DALI meeting illuminance 400 lux). Scene 2 (byte value 1) → run Q-SYS Preset 'Presentation' (gain reduced on microphone channels, HDMI output to projector enabled, DALI dimmed to 150 lux for projection). Scene 3 (byte value 2) → run Q-SYS Preset 'Webinar' (camera on, echo cancellation maximum, audio ducking enabled). Scene 4 (byte value 3) → run Q-SYS Preset 'Standby' (all outputs muted, DALI off after 10 minutes).

Bidirectional control: Q-SYS writes to KNX

Q-SYS can also originate KNX writes. A Q-SYS signal processing event: when Dante signal level on Input 1 (conference microphone) exceeds -40 dBFS for more than 5 seconds → Q-SYS logic script writes value 1 to GA 10/0/4 (DPT 1.001 'Call Active' indicator). KNX receives this and: dims DALI room luminaires to Presentation scene (reduces glare for camera), enables 'In Use' indicator light on room booking display (KNX DPT 1.001 write to room status panel), sends occupancy confirmation to building management system via KNX GA 10/0/7.

KNX occupancy → Q-SYS wake

KNX occupancy sensor (Theben PD 4 N KNX or similar, GA 10/0/5) triggers conference room activation. When GA 10/0/5 = 1 (presence detected): Q-SYS script receives the KNX value via the binding table → executes 'Meeting' preset if no active booking, or the booked preset if a calendar event is found via Q-SYS Scheduler integration. This eliminates the need for the first person entering the room to manually configure AV.

Commissioning test sequence: (1) In ETS6 Group Monitor, write DPT 18.001 scene 2 to GA 10/0/3 and verify Q-SYS switches to Presentation preset (observe fader levels change). (2) Write value 128 (DPT 5.001) to GA 10/0/1 and verify main volume moves to midpoint. (3) Write 1 to GA 10/0/2 and verify mute activates. (4) Speak into a microphone to trigger the Call Active logic and verify GA 10/0/4 = 1 appears in Group Monitor. Check DALI scene changes as expected for each step.