Upgrade Catalyst 3560-cx series pd firmware

This will explain high-level of how to do it by TFTP

Make sure your switch is on the same vlan network (or accessible) to your TFTP server.

Install a TFTP service.  This document uses TFTPD64 for Windows.

I feel there are lots of docs that describe how to install and configure.  

Point the "BASE DIRECTORY" to that folder.  I bound the TFTP to an ip of 192.168.0.50 because I have several NICs in my machine.

In the switch, go into ENABLE mode and issue the command

copy tftp: flash:

It prompts you to Provide the IP of your TFTP box, the source file BIN name and the destination file name (same name).  These files are generally available from cisco, but you will need to create an account.

If all goes as planned, you'll see something like this in your console

If you want you can verify the MD5 has of the file

Set the new image to boot (example below using the latest firmware as of writing)

Config t

DeskSW(config)#boot system flash:c3560cx-universalk9-mz.152-7.E13.bin

Then exit from config mode

exit

Then copy the run

copy run start

Then reload the new update

reload

Give it about 5 minutes to go through the boot process for the update firmware

Change the Windows 11 Boot Screen

You can use a program called HackBGRT on GIThub to modify the Windows 11 boot screen

The standard warnings are that you can potentially mess up a system using this, so you should tread with caution.  

This video by Techy Druid really helps to explain it!

Basically, you create a BMP and in the folder that you download there is a file called SPLASH.BMP

Save the file there (as a bmp)

Run the tool (AS ADMINISTRATOR)

The first option will be to "INSTALL" or "i"

Press that.  You will be shows the SPLASH.BMP page in PAINT.  You can make additional adjustments if you want, then close the file.

The rest will happen automatically. 

If successful, you can reboot and it will show the boot screen you created.

NOTE:

Chances are on a reboot you'll get a verification error message similar to the one below.

CLICK "OK"

Perform a Key management

Select Enroll has from disk

If asked, select the drive containing your boot drive

Select "EFI/"

Select HackBGRT

Select Grub64.efi

Select 

CONTINUE

Select YES

Select REBOOT

Run Multiple instances of OBS

In windows for awhile, you could just double click the icon a few times for OBS and just launch additional instances on the same machine.  That changed during some recent updates in 2025, so this is how you do it now.

1. Download OBS, but download the ZIP file
   
   
   
2. Unzip it
   
   
   
   
3. Go into the unzipped folder and into BIN->64BIT 
4. right click on the file called " OBS64 " 
5. select "SEND TO -> Desktop (create shortcut)"
   
   
   
   
6. Rename that shortcut to identify it.  I renamed mine to end in " 1 "
   
   
   
   
7. Right click that short cut and select "PROPERTIES"
   
   
   
8. In the "TARGET" box you will see something like " 4-Windows-x64\bin\64bit\obs64.exe "
9. add " --portable " to the end.  It will look like this.
   
   
   
10. Apply those changes.
    
    
11. Repeat the unzip steps for the number of instances you need. 
    Unzip the same download, but to a separate folder
    
    In the example below I'm unzipping the file again, but this time to a folder that ends in -2
    
    
    
12. Repeat the same step with creating a short cut, renaming it to identify it (in my example I added a "2" to it as well.
    
    
    
    
13. Here I have two instances running.
    
    

Scraping music or VLC video source data in OBS using TUNA

This will show how you can parse some data out of an OBS VLC Playlist.

First create scene with a VLC Playlist with some content.  

In this example there are two MP4 files with color bars.  ColorBars#1 and Colorbars#2

Install TUNA

https://obsproject.com/forum/resources/tuna.843/

Open OBS and go to TOOLS - TUNA SETTINGS

Select "ADD NEW" 

In the "OUTPUT EDITOR" window

Click on the "..." in the "Song info Path"

This will be the TXT file that TUNA will store the info it collects (to be read by OBS later)

Create a file name and click "SAVE"

In this example we are creating a file called "TunaTest"

You'll be taken back to the "OUTPUT EDITOR" window, at the bottom under the variable list, there is a blank bar. 

Enter in the value: {title}

Click on "OK

You'll be taken back to the "TUNA SETTINGS" box.

You should see something similar to below, showing the "title" in the song format, and the path to your text file.

At the bottom of the window 

Select "SONG SOURCE" as "VLC"

Make sure that "Tuna is Running" (press start button if not)

Click on the VLC tab at the top

Beside scene, you will see a drop box containing the different scenes in your OBS, make sure it matches the one that contains your VLC play list.

Beside "SOURCE" you should see your VLC play list, click on "ADD"

You'll see it appear at the bottom

Click on "OK"

Go to your SCENE that contains your VLC Play list and create a "TEXT (GDI+)" source

Select "READ FROM FILE"

Click on "BROWSE" and select your TunaTest file

Click on "SELECT FONT"

Give it a suitable size for your test

Align your test

Assuming your VLC play list is playing, you should see this value changing between the different file names

Factory Reset 3560-cx series PD

Factory Reset 3560-cx series PD and set up some other commands

With the unit powered off, hold the MODE button

Power on unit

Wait about 30 seconds, assuming you have a console cable attached, you'll see in the output

You will see the USB references circles in RED at below, or the "SYST" light will be SOLID GREEN.

Either of these should be an indication you've held the button down long enough

Let go of the MODE button

You'll be prompted with "SWITCH:"

flash_init

Enter in the following command:

delete flash:vlan.dat

Enter in the following command:

del flash:config.text

Enter in the following command:

boot 

Now your switch will boot up.  You'll see 

You are now ready to configure your switch.

Set Clock

1. Set the Clock: Use the following command to set the time and date:

clock set hh:mm:ss MONTH DAY YEAR

• For example, to set the clock to 12:15:30 on May 12, 2024, you would enter:

clock set 12:15:30 May 12 2024

5. Set Time Zone (Optional): If you want to set the time zone, use the command:

clock timezone TIMEZONE_NAME OFFSET

• For example, for Eastern Standard Time (EST), you would enter:

clock timezone EST -5

6. Configure Daylight Saving Time (Optional): To set daylight saving time, use:

clock summer-time TIMEZONE_NAME START_DATE END_DATE

• For example:

clock summer-time EDT recurring

Enable SSH to a switch

• Enter global configuration mode by typing configure terminal.

• Set a hostname for the switch using the command: hostname <your_hostname> Example: hostname Switch1.

• Configure a domain name using the command: ip domain-name <your_domain> Example: ip domain-name example.com.

• Generate an RSA key pair for encryption by typing: crypto key generate rsa When prompted, specify a key size of 2048 bits or higher for better security.

• Enable SSH version 2 for enhanced security by typing: ip ssh version 2.

• Create a local user account with a username and password for SSH authentication: username <username> privilege 15 secret <password> Example: username admin privilege 15 secret StrongPassword123.

• Configure the VTY lines to allow SSH access and disable Telnet:

line vty 0 15

login local

transport input ssh

exit

• Save the configuration 

copy running-config startup-config.

Assign an IP to a VLAN on a cisco switch

1. Access the Switch: console cable or SSH and enter "enable mode"
   enable
   
   
2. Enter Configuration Mode: 
   configure terminal
   
   
3. Select the VLAN Interface: Specify the VLAN interface you want to configure
   interface vlan 1
   
   
4. Assign the IP Address: IP address and subnet mask 
   ip address 192.168.0.12 255.255.255.0
   
   
5. Enable the VLAN Interface: sets VLAN interface to stay active 
   no shutdown
   
   
6. Exit
   exit
7. Save config
   write memory

POE POWER

Switch(config-if)#power inline ?

  auto         Automatically detect and power inline devices

  consumption  Configure the inline device consumption

  never        Never apply inline power

  police       Police the power drawn on the port

  static       High priority inline power interface

Use an X32 to Control QLC+ using MIDI cable

 

Controlling QLC with an X32 using a $30 USB to MIDI cable (E-MU XMidi1x1 Tab )

Yes, the built in USB port that comes with an X32 mixer sends MIDI data, I'm multitracking a performance, so the USB port is in use on a different machine.  The midi data that Behringer makes available is minimal to start with and the USB port on the 32 has even less parameters than the midi jacks.  

Make sure your cable has the proper drivers. (Windows 11)

Windows found the drivers 

Launched QLC+

Inputs/Outputs -> Select MIDI and select the USB adapter

Make sure the status for input changes to "OPEN" very important.  If it doesn't say open, something is conflicting with your midi connection.

Now plug in the MIDI cables into your X32

Make the following changes in SETUP - > MIDI CONTROL in your X32

(Dont need Mackie Control)

In QLC select "PROFILE" tab in the inputs/outputs

Give your midi controller a name, then click on "INPUT MAPPING"

Click on the Input Wizard Button

A window will prompt you that you will be put in "WIZARD" mode, which makes QLC listen to the midi line to let you program the various data streams that X32 sends.  This will let you create MIDI associations to buttons in the QLC control panel.  

Its not super obvious, but you will need to click on this wizard button to get out of the mode, else it will feel that QLC is locked up when you try and move or close windows.

Now click a MUTE button on your X32

If everything is setup ok, you should see some data appear in the window.

In this example, midi channel button 4097 is the mute

Channel 2 fader on X32 is channel 0002 on the midi

Now the X32 MIDI is really limited, fader value and mute buttons mostly.

What I've done on my 32 is use the matrix outputs to control QLC, as I don't use matrix in most situations that I would run lights, so these were the inputs I used.

For the input/output section of QLC, I've set it for INPUT and Feedback.  This way I can also control the faders in QLC and it will reflect in the X32.

In the Virtual Console, setup a button or fader, then in the properties, select "CHOOSE" on External input.  Select the midi value that you want to associate with a button.

In this example below, the 6 faders and mute buttons for the matrix in the X32 are assigned to 6 faders and buttons in QLC+.  

With buttons, they are latched. This means you press MUTE (and it will light up) to activate the QLC scene, but you need to press it again twice to deactivate it.  So in QLC we've set the buttons to be "FLASH" as this will keep them running as long as the MUTE is pressed.