Help with stage lights and DMX!!

[sparkeh]

So, someone has ordered one of these:

and a bunch of unbranded lights that this unit is supposed to control. Said person has no idea how to operate them so naturally its landed on my desk to sort out and I know nothing about this kind of thing

 

I have read the manual: http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/1518635.pdf and it seems that the controller has 3 DMX channels and the lights have the ability to set the DMX channel for them to operate on. However, I can't work out how to find out what channels the controller is using. There's nothing on the unit or in the manual except a bit that says you need to make sure that the unit and lights are on the same channel.

 

Help! :S

[Steve21]

Normally if it's a tiny setup, the channels will just be the colours. (Red/Green/Blue). No options like moving/rotation etc

 

And the lights need setting to DMX control (normally all 4 switches on if it's that sort of light)

 

You got a pic of the back of the lights?

 

Steve

[VeryPC_Anthony_L]

From looking at the manual I think the lights will need to be on channel 1. If thee lights have different modes then they will need to be in 3 channel mode.

You get some lights with lcd screens and some with dip switches, dip switches are done in binary

 

1=1

2=2

3=4

4=8

5=16

6=32

7=64

8= 128

9=256

10= generally a control for dmx on or off

 

hope that helps.

[twin--turbo]

Whats the model of lamp?

Whats the model of the controller?

How many lamps?

Do you want all lamps to do the same thing or act individualy? I guess they are RGBW Parcans?

 

DMX is simple. Manufacturers instructions are generally incomprehensible on cheap stuff so you have to read between the lines (if there are more than 2)

[sparkeh]

Whats the model of lamp?

No idea. They have no identification at all on them or the box. The instructions are indecipherable Chinglish.

They have an LED display to cycle through the options. As far as I can work out, to use 3 channel DMX you need to select an option called A001. Though when I select that nothing happens. But I can cycle from A001 to A512 if that means anything?

Whats the model of the controller?

Showtec LED Operator 1

How many lamps?

Do you want all lamps to do the same thing or act individualy?

4. But I just want to get one working first! It seems that you daisy chain them and set the lamps following the first ones as slaves?

I guess they are RGBW Parcans?

Whattittywhatnows? I really know nothing about this

[Steve21]

It's not that simple if you're using multiple.

 

Each light has it's own channel range, so if you have for example 6 lights with 3 channels each.

 

One would be A001 start, but other would be A004 etc (Or if it's 9 channels per light, A001 A010 etc)

 

If you have any overlaps on the system it won't work properly e.g. all set to A001 means all get the same signals

 

Also don't forget if you have a few chained you "have" to terminate the XLR/DMX with a termination plug

 

-Edit (in terms of your 512 question that's max number supported normally, so if you have 100 lights with 5 channels one would be A500~ etc)

 

Steve

Edited February 9, 2016 by Steve21

[sparkeh]

So....

 

If I plug in 1 lamp, then I should set the lamp address to A001?

 

Sorry if these are dumb questions.

[VeryPC_Anthony_L]

It's not that simple if you're using multiple.

 

Each light has it's own channel range, so if you have for example 6 lights with 3 channels each.

 

One would be A001 start, but other would be A004 etc (Or if it's 9 channels per light, A001 A010 etc)

 

 

You can have all the lights on the same DMX address, it will mean you wont get individual control but it will work fine. From looking at the controller you can only use 3 channel fixtures which would need a start address of A001. In the lights you have there prob will be various settings to change the amount of channels as well.

 

On the termination aspect you will be fine without one. I have had massive rigs with no termination in and all has worked fine.

Edited February 9, 2016 by VeryPC_Anthony_L

[sparkeh]

Well, I have 1 lamp plugged into the controller and set to A001 but nothing appears to be happening. *sigh*

 

Not much else to try I don't think.

[Willott]

can you take a pic of the fixture? may give some clues as to what it is and if it's a 3 channel jobbie, or whether it requires something setting to put it in 3 channel mode

[sparkeh]

Here are some pics

[Willott]

What happens if you press the menu button - does the letter at the front change? And if so, what to?

[sparkeh]

What happens if you press the menu button - does the letter at the front change? And if so, what to?

 

You can cycle through different manual setups. There are two dmx options, 3 channel where the display says A001 and 7 channel where the display says d001

[twin--turbo]

Ahh we have one of them. Not sure where the manual is though.

 

Will have a look for it.

 

TT

[twin--turbo]

If you can scan the lamp manual just in case that would help.

 

TT

[twin--turbo]

Ok all lamps will need to be on A001 ( or perhaps A000?)

 

The controller has no selectable DMX output address and outputs on channels 1,2,3

 

If you plug the lamps in and press "MANUAL RGB" on the desk you should get some output.

 

From memory appart from A.../D... the lamps also have a standard sound to light program Pxxx to work independently

 

TT

[twin--turbo]

Right. Found the manual ( I hope they did not pay much more than £18 a unit...)

 

Press mode until you get to "Soud" play some music and check the lamp responds.

 

go back through the menu to A001, press + to get to A002 and then - to go back to A001 ( not sure if it matters but I had trouble from memory the first time I tried).

 

Try with one lamp at a time, then with one working add the next one in series. They should all be on A001, and will all output the same.

 

As I say, press Manual RGB on the controller.

 

The units most probably are RGBW, (Red,Green,Blue, White) Which is 4ch so you will not be able to get pure white.

 

TT

[sparkeh]

@twin--turbo Thanks for your help

 

So I did as suggested and all 4 lights work with the 'Soud' setting. I plugged 1 light into the controller, set the lamp to A002 then A001, hit 'Manual RGB' on the controller and... nothing. I have tried all 4 lamps and 4 different DMX cables.

 

Oddly though, taking out and inserting the dmx cable into the lamp has an effect such that when its connected or disconnected to the controller it implements what the sliders are set to on the controller (if that makes sense). So it seems the lamps are getting the signal but only changing when the lamps are connected or disconnected!?!?!

[VeryPC_Anthony_L]

From the looks of the fixture they look to be these 127Pcs LED RGB PAR Stage Lighting Effects DJ Disco Wash Can Lights DMX512 Strobe | eBay

 

If you have not done already I would get these PAT tested as there are alot of dodgy fixtures like these out on the market which are built really badly and have been known to be electrically unsafe.

If you are buying LED lighting I would suggest buying either Chauvet or ADJ as a minimum as these are well trusted brands which fully test their equipment and have proper safety checks.

[sparkeh]

From the looks of the fixture they look to be these 127Pcs LED RGB PAR Stage Lighting Effects DJ Disco Wash Can Lights DMX512 Strobe | eBay

 

If you have not done already I would get these PAT tested as there are alot of dodgy fixtures like these out on the market which are built really badly and have been known to be electrically unsafe.

If you are buying LED lighting I would suggest buying either Chauvet or ADJ as a minimum as these are well trusted brands which fully test their equipment and have proper safety checks.

Yikes! Off to the Premises Manager they go!

 

Recommendation back to member of staff: "Buy decent equipment"

[localzuk]

I have one similar to this (fewer LEDs, but exactly the same in every other way) and they definitely aren't a safe light. I had to strip mine down and resolder/rewire it as it was so poorly made. I only use it as a test device for making a Arduino based DMX controller.

 

I'd definitely not use them in school! They're a fire hazard IMO.

[nwkeene]

That controller looks like a 'copy' of a Chauvet Obey 3 controller...

[Chris_]

When the screen says A001, if you then press 'Enter' then can you use up/down to select 3 or 4 channel mode. This should then allow you to control red, green, blue, white/amber when connected to the controller.

 

Although very basic, something like this controller (Stairville DDC-6 DMX Controller - Thomann UK) would be very straightforward to use. I've used much more complex lighting desks, but I've never managed to get my head around controllers like that you've been landed with!

[sparkeh]

When the screen says A001, if you then press 'Enter' then can you use up/down to select 3 or 4 channel mode.

Nope there's no sub-menu for that, it just moves on to A002

[Chris_]

Nope there's no sub-menu for that, it just moves on to A002

 

So there's 4 buttons, enter, mode, up and down? When you've selected A001 by pressing mode a few times, I'd have thought you could press enter to select what channel mode to operate in?