Skip to content

Serial Tester — OSC / FreeD / UDP Diagnostics Tool

CONFIRMED ALL RIGS

Summary

SerialTester is a Windows diagnostic utility distributed by MRMC. It displays incoming UDP, FreeD, OSC, and serial data in real time, making it the primary first-step tool for confirming that Flair is actually sending data to the correct IP and port before troubleshooting Unreal Engine, Disguise, Aximmetry, or any other receiver application.

The most recent version (shared July 2024) includes OSC support alongside FreeD and serial modes. It is not publicly listed for download — it is shared directly by MRMC Support or via the community chat.

When to Use Serial Tester

  • Unreal Engine, Disguise, or another VP application shows no FreeD or OSC data from Flair.
  • You are unsure whether Flair is sending data at all, or whether the problem is in the receiving application.
  • You need to confirm the correct UDP port and packet format before configuring a third-party receiver.
  • You want to verify OSC output from Flair (e.g., for lighting desks, TouchDesigner, custom integrations).

The diagnostic workflow is:

  1. Run Serial Tester on the receiving machine (or the Flair PC).
  2. Listen on the same port that Flair is configured to send to.
  3. If Serial Tester sees data — the problem is in the receiver app, its firewall, or its configuration.
  4. If Serial Tester sees nothing — the problem is in Flair's output settings, IP address, or network path.

Critical: Only One App Can Bind a UDP Port at a Time

Close Serial Tester before testing your receiver

Serial Tester binds the UDP port it listens on. If Serial Tester is open and listening on port 55535, Unreal Engine (or any other app) cannot receive on the same port simultaneously — it is already taken. Always close Serial Tester before switching to testing the actual receiver application.

Getting Serial Tester

Serial Tester is not available on a public download page. To get the latest version:

  • Ask MRMC Support directly: support@mrmoco.com
  • Or ask in the community chat — the latest version was shared by Simon Wakley on 2024-07-20.

The file is SerialTester.zip containing SerialTester.exe. It is a standalone Windows executable; no installer is required.

"I know Simon has shared the latest Serial Tester — it has OSC and other things now. The public download is the old one." — David Jeffries (2024-07-20)

Using Serial Tester for FreeD

  1. Extract SerialTester.exe from the zip file.
  2. Run it on the machine that should be receiving FreeD data.
  3. Select FreeD mode and set the port to match the port configured in Flair's External Devices output (default: 55535).
  4. Click Listen (or equivalent).
  5. Trigger a robot move in Flair — FreeD data should stream in immediately.

If no data appears: - Confirm the receiving machine is on the 192.168.1.xxx subnet (InTime subnet). FreeD packets leave via the InTime NIC. - Confirm Flair's External Devices output is pointing to the correct IP of the receiving machine. - Check Windows Firewall on both machines.

Using Serial Tester for OSC

Serial Tester's OSC mode allows you to view incoming OSC messages (e.g., from Flair's OSC output, or to test OSC commands being sent to Flair). Set the port to match your OSC configuration and click Listen.

Official Documentation

Flair Classic Manual — Ch.22 Network Direct — p.313

Flair 7 Manual — Ch.19 Network Direct — p.263