DMX Lighting: Fixed Setup Suggestions

[dhicks]

Hello All,

 

In our main school hall we have a pretty basic lighting setup, with a dozen or so RGB LED lights up on a scaffold framework around a stage at one end of the hall. We have a lighting control desk for productions, but for day-to-day operations (morning assemblies, etc) it would be nice to have a basic touch panel or similar so people could select a particular lighting configuration without having to plug in and use the control board. What are the available options? I'm guessing somebody does a nice all-in-one device, I guess it's just a case of how affordable the hardware / software is? Writing my own looks like a realistic option here - a quick bit of Googling suggests an FTDI-based USB-to-DMX bridge (£20), which should be easily enough programmable in Go, that combined with a Raspberry Pi and a touch screen (£150-ish?) would sort the hardware. However, it would still take time / effort to create a user interface, so I would prefer an existing solution if possible.

[itskdog]

I've used QLC+ before - can be configured to have a custom UI to control the lights, and supports most USB-to-DMX dongles.

 

Depending on the quality of the lights you're using, you may want to get one with voltage isolation, as otherwise a cheap no-name light could develop a fault and send 230V AC down the DMX pins, straight into the USB port of the PC. They're a bit more expensive, but could save bigger costs in the long run.

 

Name-brand versions include these:

• DMX USB PRO - the industry standard for DMX to USB conversion | ENTTEC
• Eurolite USB-DMX512 PRO Interface MK2 – Thomann UK

[synaesthesia]

There's a few USB/WiFi addons available to do this - we have an Airstream DMX which works nicely with an iPad app but will also work with any software like QLC. It's then easy to set templates and load them up for any situation you need

Along the same lines you could probably achieve exactly that with a Pi if you wanted something dedicated!

You can also get hardware systems such as the Anyscene which are pretty much a selection of buttons where you can add memory scenes etc. We have one, but the ipad app is far simpler

[AlphamaleZed]

If anyone does know we have DMX new and old stuff. how do you move to LED Bulbs for the dimmers from the halogen stuff? we have ALOT of halogen stuff.

 

[synaesthesia]

Generally dimmers for halogen kit won't work for LED - LED lamps usually have the dimmer capability built in.

[dhicks]

30 minutes ago, itskdog said:

I've used QLC+ before - can be configured to have a custom UI to control the lights, and supports most USB-to-DMX dongles.

 

Ah - yes, that sounds like it might be the best option. I can get QLC+ installed on a device (and I see it supports Raspberry Pi, which is handy) plugged in in the hall and set it up so I (and other staff) can remote into it, that should give us the option of using it in-place or on a different machine.

[dhicks]

31 minutes ago, synaesthesia said:

You can also get hardware systems such as the Anyscene which are pretty much a selection of buttons where you can add memory scenes etc. We have one, but the ipad app is far simpler

 

Thanks, that's good to know. Yes, I think our users would understand a nice touch-screen interface better than something with physical buttons these days.

[Andrew_C]

48 minutes ago, dhicks said:

 have a basic touch panel or similar so people could select a particular lighting configuration without having to plug in and use the control board. 

Include for a DMX merge; one with opto-isolation.  Also - would your panel work as "latest takes precedence" or "highest value takes precedence"? ie - half way though a production, someone presses a button on the new control panel, what happens?  Some merges are flexible in how this is handled.

 

7 minutes ago, AlphamaleZed said:

If anyone does know we have DMX new and old stuff. how do you move to LED Bulbs for the dimmers from the halogen stuff? we have ALOT of halogen stuff.

 

You need to have some way of by-passing the dimmers, or new non-dim sockets installed for your new LED lights.  They way well let out the magic smoke if dimmed externally.  You then need DMX distribution to bars/lighting positions.  Can all be daisy chained, or active splitters in some form of star topology.

[dhicks]

11 minutes ago, Andrew_C said:

Include for a DMX merge; one with opto-isolation.  Also - would your panel work as "latest takes precedence" or "highest value takes precedence"? ie - half way though a production, someone presses a button on the new control panel, what happens?  Some merges are flexible in how this is handled.

 

I'm thinking to simply unplug the fixed console for productions. We have a Zero 88 FLX S24 DMX desk, bigger productions can be done on that, day-to-day just-turn-the-lights-on stuff can be done on a separate fixed touch screen. The ability for that fixed console device to act as a Bluetooth input for people bringing phones / laptops to connect to the sound system would be nice, too, which by the looks of things QLC+ might be able to handle as well.

[AlphamaleZed]

How come i am not able to use dimmable LED bulbs? 

Commercial/Home Lighting, 3phase etc.. im all good, DMX no clue lol!

[Andrew_C]

You can bet any money you like people will forget to change the plug back.

[Andrew_C]

Just now, AlphamaleZed said:

How come i am not able to use dimmable LED bulbs? 

Commercial/Home Lighting, 3phase etc.. im all good, DMX no clue lol!

They don't 'dim' nicely in a theatrical context. Nasty stepping as you go down, and then snap off from about 10%. It just isn't what they are designed to do.

[synaesthesia]

I like your idea of the Pi & Screen setup, might have a play with that for ours. We have (well, had, until it got dropped!) a large Zero88 Jester controller but it was a bit old and too complicated.

Forgot QLC is multi platform, I tinkered with it on a windows laptop but a single device would be simpler still - and easy to back up or duplicate the SD card. A big drive these days is to have students handling backstage bits for productions so it's good if they can get to use these too.

[AlphamaleZed]

6 minutes ago, Andrew_C said:

They don't 'dim' nicely in a theatrical context. Nasty stepping as you go down, and then snap off from about 10%. It just isn't what they are designed to do.

ah okay any converter things i could possibly use in place?

[Andrew_C]

No. You either use tungsten and dimmers, or self contained LED fixtures.

 

Cheap disco LEDs aren't much use in theatre either. Poor focus control. Good lanterns aren't cheap.

[dhicks]

13 minutes ago, Andrew_C said:

You can bet any money you like people will forget to change the plug back.

 

Indeed, but I think we'll manage okay - we don't have that many "big" productions in that hall, and not that many lights, so I suspect if I can do a good selection of lighting setups that'll be all that's needed in a lot of cases. For context, the whole interior of the hall is clad in grade-2 listed wooden paneling, with all the stage and lighting being a "portable" setup that can be removed if needed, anything we add / do is, in theory, temporary.

[Chris_Cook]

1 hour ago, AlphamaleZed said:

ah okay any converter things i could possibly use in place?

One way to do it, assuming you have patchable dimmers, is to have a hard power distribution box next to the dimmers so you can send normal mains power up to the lighting bar. This could be as simple as a bunch of 15 amp sockets and a small fuse board if that's the plugs you use. Some used Wieland, American or GST connectors. You can get adaptor cables for these to plug into normal UK sockets.

 

You could also get normal mains sockets installed next to the bars, as the patch option has the risk that someone plugs an led light into a dimmer by accident.

 

Alternately if you get the bars wired for mains, then you can get single and 4 channel dimmers that can be hung on the bar next to the light and controlled by DMX.

 

You would then need a way to get DMX signal up to the lights. If its a recent rig from the last 20 years, you should have this, otherwise Cat5/6 from the control or dimmer position up to the rig would be best. Ethercon connecters are more robust for this application, and backwards compatible with normal rj45. and cat5 to DMX adaptors are available. Wireless DMX is also an option, but not something I'd recommend for a permanent install.

 

The problem is that stage dimmers turn the power off and on again 100 times a second. If the light has transformers in it, then this sends a back-emf pulse back down to the triac (solid state relay) in the dimmer and this can get overloaded. The power also isn't smooth enough for a lot of digital circuits. You could/would end up blowing the dimmer channel and the light.

 

I think the Betapack4 has hard power on some of the sockets, and some dimmers have a rating for transformer loads, but this is normally much less than the normal rating and I still wouldn't want to run digital stuff from that.

 

You might also need to check with your PAT testers as some might not be too keen on the 15 amp plugs not having fuses in them.

 

Edit: I misread the original and thought you wanted to plug DMX controlled LED fixtures in, not just put LED lamps in old fixtures.

 

Some manufactures like ETC do make an LED conversion module, but this is almost the cost of a new light.

Edited April 14 by Chris_Cook

[TLARWise]

For a basic DMX interface have you had a look at the Anytronics AnyScene system (Anytronics | Anyscene DMX Recall Units)

[synaesthesia]

10 minutes ago, TLARWise said:

For a basic DMX interface have you had a look at the Anytronics AnyScene system (Anytronics | Anyscene DMX Recall Units)

That's what I said (and what we have) - needlessly complicated for something with so few buttons!

[dhicks]

39 minutes ago, TLARWise said:

For a basic DMX interface have you had a look at the Anytronics AnyScene system (Anytronics | Anyscene DMX Recall Units)

 

Okay: so a simple four-button selector would be nice and easy for our users to use. I'm assuming the control panel has to be programmed in some way - is it its own self-contained system of some sort, or would we need to purchase some other equipment to be able to set it up? Any idea on rough pricing? I can find a mini PC and touch screen to install QLC+ on, the main cost involved there is going to be my time spent configuring it.

[synaesthesia]

Looking at around £300 for the most basic. The gist is you set the anyscene up with DIP switches on the board then screw it away. It's been a long time since I fiddled with ours, but if I remember correctly you set the DIPs to record, use your controller (whether it's a desk or software) to set the scene then set the DIPs back, and pressing that button then sets that scene. My memory does appear to be getting worse though so @TLARWise might be able to confirm or provide more info

Still likely cheaper to go for what you'd thought up originally, or even just saving a scene in QLC for anyone to play back as and when they see fit.

[dhicks]

8 minutes ago, synaesthesia said:

Looking at around £300 for the most basic. The gist is you set the anyscene up with DIP switches on the board then screw it away. It's been a long time since I fiddled with ours, but if I remember correctly you set the DIPs to record, use your controller (whether it's a desk or software) to set the scene then set the DIPs back, and pressing that button then sets that scene.

 

That does, actually, sound quite simple - a little fiddly to set up, but probably less time-consuming than getting QLC+ installed and set up.

[TLARWise]

@synaesthesia is correct regarding the programming of the unit (once the scene is configured on the main controller you hold the button down on the unit to record to that preset), although I don't think I have ever changed the DIPs back to protected mode after setting the scenes (makes it easier if you want to make changes in the future but there is a risk of them getting overridden if someone messes with the panel while you have the main DMX controller connected at the same time).

 

A basic search online is listing the 4 preset version at the same price as the 23 preset version for some reason:

 

Anyscene DMX Scene Recall Units

Anytronic Lighting

 

Another cheaper option might be the Showtec TR-512 Playback Recorder and Wall Panel Remote but I have no experience of this setup at all:

 

Power DMX Trigger Playback Recorder - SHOWTEC | CPC UK

Wall Panel Remote for TR-512 Install / Pocket, Black - SHOWTEC | CPC UK

 

[ColonelPogs]

On 14/04/2026 at 10:41, dhicks said:

Hello All,

 

In our main school hall we have a pretty basic lighting setup, with a dozen or so RGB LED lights up on a scaffold framework around a stage at one end of the hall. We have a lighting control desk for productions, but for day-to-day operations (morning assemblies, etc) it would be nice to have a basic touch panel or similar so people could select a particular lighting configuration without having to plug in and use the control board. What are the available options? I'm guessing somebody does a nice all-in-one device, I guess it's just a case of how affordable the hardware / software is? Writing my own looks like a realistic option here - a quick bit of Googling suggests an FTDI-based USB-to-DMX bridge (£20), which should be easily enough programmable in Go, that combined with a Raspberry Pi and a touch screen (£150-ish?) would sort the hardware. However, it would still take time / effort to create a user interface, so I would prefer an existing solution if possible.

 

There a loads of either 'Architectural DMX controllers'  that will do what you want.  But are probably a bit expensive,  I've used one made by Nicolaudie.  You program it with a laptop in then works as a stand alone all controller.   I used one in a venue,   and it has basically just sat there and worked for about 10 years.

 

The alternative is a DMX replay unit,  these are a fairly similar,  but you need to use a lighting desk to program them. They have a DMX input and will basically capture and store the DMX signal sent by the desk.  

 

The other piece of the puzzle is a DMX merger,  this is a handy bit of kit that will take two DMX inputs and let one take priority over the other.  So you handy controller will do it's thing,  and then your lighting desk will take over without any intervention.  

[dhicks]

2 hours ago, ColonelPogs said:

... Architectural DMX controller ... DMX replay unit ... DMX merger ...

 

Thanks, that very useful - once I know the names for the things I'm looking for a bit of Googling should start turning up some answers. I could, potentially, look at making my own DMX replay / recall unit, as it seems that some of those USB / DMX bridges can read DMX data as well as write - I wouldn't then have to create a user interface to set up the lights, I'd just be recording a table of values set by a controller.