Questions about DMX Controller

DMX (or digital multiplex) allows you to take control of what your lighting fuxtures do. You can tell them to turn on and off, move to certain positions, change colors, etc. Each function is controlled by an individual channel (and it varies by brand and fixture type).

For example (and hypothetically) channel 1 controls pan (left/right position) channel 2 controls tilt (up/down position) channel 3 controls color selection, etc. Every DMX fixture has a specified number of control channels for each of its features (you can find this in the user manual).

The DMX Programmer, Operator, Show Designer, etc, are all DMX intelligent lighting controllers designed to control DMX fixtures. As for their single outputs, the DMX protocol is designed to communicate with fixtures in 'daisy chains.' This means you plug the output of the controller into the input of fixture 1, then plug the output of fixture 1 into the input of fixture 2 and so on. The fixtures are deliniated by individual addressing, which is accomplished via the set of dip switches located on the fixtures themselves. That way, you can control each fixture individually, rather than all of them doing the same thing when you go to program them.

There's plenty of information available on how to address individual fixtures, so I won't get into it right now, as to not be confusing any further. It basically involves setting the starting control channel for that particular fixture in the chain. The DMX protocol allows for 512 control channels. So fixture 1 may use channels 1-6, and fixture 2 channels 7-11, and so on.

Using DMX control will effectively render the sc-8 system useless for those particular fixtures. Just plug their power into the wall instead. You can use the controller to turn the lamps off, or close the shutters, etc. That way you don't have to keep powering the fixture down to turn out the light (plus it's not really good to do that to DMX enabled fixtures). As for the non DMX fixtures, you can leave them on the control system as it is, because a DMX controller will not apply to them.

Hope it makes sense, and let us know how things are going.

Ok, that makes sense now, i wasnt sure how i would connect all my fixtures to just one DMX output.

Another question, i was reading about packs.. like dimmer and relay packs, are those used with the DMX controller somehow? From what i understood, there is some kind of a pack i can buy that i can plug in my non-DMX fixtures so that i can use the DMX controller to turn them on and off so that i can get rid of the sc/8 system. Also is there a pack that i can buy to plug in all my DMX fixtures so that i dont have to run a power cord to each one, kinda like the sc/8 system?

For the DMX fixtures you will need to run power for each fixture. They can be on the same circuit and you can combine them with strip surges/multitaps, but putting them on regular switches like the sc-8 can eventually damage them because they are not designed to be repeatedly turned on and off over and over again in a short period of time.

DMX dimmers are designed to work with regular old par cans that can function with varying levels of voltage in order to 'dim' - fade from off to full on and anything in between. A DMX controller, like the Programmer, Operator, or Show Designer can control these dimmers (they're addressed the same way as intelligent lighting fixtures...start channel and all). DMX is the common denominator.

For non-DMX fixtures, you can use a special kind of DMX dimmer pack called a RELAY pack. These switch power either full on or full off, nothing in between. These can be used for effects that do no have DMX and are not capable of being dimmed (dimming a non-dimmable fixture is not a good idea either). DMX dimmer/relay packs will need to be plugged into the wall though. Power still needs to be obtained: the dimmer/relays help distribute it.

The good news is, there are DMX controllable packs that can either be Dimmers OR Relays (all in one) - by some sort of switch or address settings. So, in theory, you can make your entire light show DMX controllable with DMX fixtures, and other fixtures plugged into DMX relay packs.

The benefit is universal control with one controller, and no banks of hard-switches to be flipping. It consolidates everything into one controller.

So i need to buy the DMX Programmer and a relay pack. Then just use a regular surge protector to plugin my DMX lights and my non-DMX lights will plugin to the relay pack.

So i should be able to control all lights with the controller? Do you have any suggestions for a simple american dj relay pack with at least 6 plugins?

edit: would the Aviator-SP8 be a relay pack? it says its a power pack.

yeah the avaitor should work for you(i think). i personally reccommend the dmx operator 192 with the joystick. it has a lot more room for programming scenes. you can program up to 240 scenes over 30 banks at 8 scenes in a bank. and it has 12 chases that hold up to 240 scenes in one chase. it really depends if you want to be able to program individual speed and fade times or not cause the operator runs the banks and the chases all at one speed and fade time unless you manually change it mid scene. it just depends on what you are looking to achieve with your lights. sincerly jingles! p/s/ NEVER EVER PLUG DMX FIXTURES INTO A DIMMER PACK! just so you know!
one more question do your mania lights do dmx? and if so how many channels do they have? cause if you wanted more lights in the future you would have to upgrade to a bigger controller. the programmer only holds eight lights at up to 8 channels each light for a total of 64 channels.

i looked in my user manual for the mania lights and it seems they can can do either 8 channels or 6 channels.

im not sure how many channels the Emerald Scans have, i should be getting them tomorrow.

currently i only have 4 fixtures that can be controlled (2 manias and the 2 emerald scans).. the rest are just on or off.

I searched for the dmx operator 192 but none of them had a joystick. Do you know of a link where i can view it at?

Here is a link to the Operator 192

It comes in 2 versions. One with a joystick, and one with two control wheels.

yeah i for got to mention that the op. 192 is from elation a sister company of american dj. these controllers are very nice! i have a dmx op 192 with the joystick from elation it is very easy to use and very easy to program lights with. the only thing that i want is to be able to have individual fade and speed times, which the op 192 does not have as a feature. check out the link from tech. and i would use all the channells avail. on the mania's cause the more channells you have the more control over the fixture, more control means more programming options. sincerly jingles! p.s. i would reccommend the joystick cause it is easier to do pan/tilt!

i checked out he emerald scans for ya they are 4 channels each. which would put you at a total of 24 channels with the mania lights on 8 ch's each. anymore questions please feel free to post here. sincerly jingles! also see my post,"can't decide..." and let me know what you think. you too tech! jingles out!

quote:

Originally posted by LighTech:
[qb]
The good news is, there are DMX controllable packs that can either be Dimmers OR Relays (all in one) - by some sort of switch or address settings. So, in theory, you can make your entire light show DMX controllable with DMX fixtures, and other fixtures plugged into DMX relay packs. [/qb]

I have some DP-DMX20L's and can't figure out how to set them to have a few channels become Relay...any help would be cool...Thanks

i found it for ya. what it says is on the operation recieve (dmx) mode it tells you how to switch from dimmer to switch pack. here is a link for the manual. you can find what u want on the manual pages 7-8. (not the pages the pdf files says. look on the printed manual) CLICK HERE!

Thanks man...I just didn't see it...got it now...

no prob. check out some pics of my stuff and post a reply. click HERE!

Ok...if anyone owns one of these, let me know what I am doing wrong...I can't get the menu that allows me to set dimmer/switch to come up...what am I doing wrong?

i don't own one but r u following the instructions to the Tee? also u could call adj. the number is in ur manual. it would be quicker than waitin for a response in here maybe? i believe it is also a toll free number? im not sure.

Are there different versions of the DP-DMX20L's?
The ones that I have DO NOT have the option to be used as relay packs...which sucks since that is why I went with them over less expensive DMX dimmer packs...Everything I read on them said that they could be used as a relay...It just does not exist in any of the menu's on mine...

maybe u got a bad apple! CALL ADJ at the number and talk to them! that is what they r there for. if there is anything wrong they can help u! u still have at least a half hour left today! call them! if not today then tommorrow! jingles out!

one bad apple I can understand...but six?
I was planning on calling them...but been way to busy w/ work...I will if/when I get a chance...

SIX? how have u had six of them? also i checked out ur homepage. very nice. u play drums? me too! did u ever check out the pics of my stuff? peace! jingles out!

I have six...I use the lighting for my band...lot's of pars...

and all of them do not have the relay menu function? u must be overlooking something! call adj tommorrow or whenever u get the chance. the times r from 9 am to 5pm california time!

First off, the DP-DMX20L is a dimmer pack. If you wanted a relay pack, you would go with the LESSER expensive PP-DMX20L.

There are apparently NEWER versions of the DP-DMX20L, which is overall good, but bad for me since I already have 3. The option is to allow any channel to be set for either switching/relay or dimming. I went with another brand that does the same thing and at half the price.

Since I swing the rear panels around to speed mounting on the trusses, the internal guts of each(ADJ vs. the one that starts with a CH.....), they are pretty much identical. Apparently it is an OEM'ed item. Whatever, it's a commodity type item anyways.