Just wondering about future upgrades

I too am in the computer industry, and many devices can be flashed in a variety of ways, including via serial, tftp, and special boot loads.

what you're talking about is a COST issue. Cost 1 is adding a USB port. Cost 2 is adding the infrastructure(and globally across all products for consistency). Cost 3 is going with flash ROMs instead of socketted or soldered ROMS, or even EPROMS.

Even adding this to DMX wouldn't be easy as DMX was not designed to be fault tolerant as an RS-232 connection as there are no checksums and CRC's being generated and transmitted to ensure proper communication.

But hey, if you want to add at least $40/fixture for this functionality, then by all means!!!

The better option would be a socketted ROM or EPROM with a locking mechanism(to ensure the chip can't wiggle out) and then either replace the EPROM or ROM with the replacement chip. Another viable but less practical option is an EPROM writer where the code can be pushed to it. The reason this is a bad idea is mainly because most of us don't have these items.

While your option is viable, it's not cost effective in the ADJ product line. Personally, I don't mind taking a few minutes to crack into the light to remove and seat a new ROM. Plus, what if your flash attemtps fail? SCREWED!! Send to service, wait to have it replaced.

It would be much easier to use a 9-pin serial port, but these days, with laptops going all USB and many USB dongles not being very good for serial applications, it's not a good option.

Also, in my experience, most ADJ upgrades are typically not just ROM issues. They may also improve elements of the electronics as well as motors and other items that go far beyond just a ROM issue. There is a reason why they have like "Rev 2" and stuff like that marked lights.

I'm not knocking your idea. I'd like to see something like that too, but I know it's not practical for this price level of product.

Yeah, I know about the cost. I just bought two Revo 4's and would love to be able to download new patterns and chases. I'd like to see ADJ bring out more intelligent lighting fixture options. I'd buy it.

That's a really good application. It might be better to come up witha "fixture dependent application" for things like the Revo and others(say, lasers) for that purpose.

If you want more intelligent fixture options, consider MyDMX and Compu-series of software controlled DMX applications.

I'm using MyDMX and have 18 ADJ lights connected to it. Good stuff!

Yup, sure is.

I'll have 28 or more lights soon connected to it for my major shows.

8 64 LED Pros
4 Mega Bar 50's
4 Mega Panels
2 Chauvet Q-Spot 150's
4 Chauvet Intimidator Colors(going away soon!)
2 Chauvet Follow spots
2 ADJ Color Fusions(replaced by the Mega Panels)
Elation HZ-3000 hazer and ICE-101 ground fogger
Soon: 8 Elation Opti Tri Pars
Some other fogger, probably the AccuFog 1000.

The rest hang of dimmer packs. Up to 32 Par38's, 4 Par36's, mirror ball motor and ball, 3 centerpieces,4 scanner-types and 2 other sound active fixtures.

The MyDMX is definately some good stuff. I plug my MyDMX hardware into an Elation opto Branch/4, not only to split the signal, but to also boost it and prevent other problems.

You are getting quite a rig there now Chris. Looks like you are turning to the darkside with more and more lighting.

Just remember:

oooohh COOKIES!!

Cookies.... mmmmmmmm!

I thought I was turning to the light side. I'm getting brighter lights.

After the next purchase, I'm saving everything I can for an A&H iLive T112 with the IDR48 rack, UPS's, rack-mounted WIFI and more.