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Unit for changing DMX address from one address to another


gerry5992

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I bought 4 adj fs600led followspots and would like to control them indivually through DMX on one DMX line. The lights have DMX input and output but don't have dip switches.

Unfortunately I assumed all DMX controlled units would come with a minimum of a dip switch control (well at least I have never seen this before but there is always a first) and in hindsight I should have checked but however these units are set at DMX address 1, 2 and 3 channels. So now I have 4 units on the same address.Does anyone know of a small external unit (or any unit) that I can address the unit to whatever DMX Chanel number I want but still output to my followspot on Chanel 1,2,3 etc via xlr so that I can use the 4 lights on one line indivually for different parts of the show or is this impossible without interfering with the hardware on the light which I'm not going down that route.I know I can use on the four different universes on my desk and would have separate control and this will be the last option but I really would like an external unit to do this and run one DMX line . Don't want to run four cables when I could just run one. These lights On this occasion are being used more as profiles than followspots so I won't have operators to control on this occasion and Im also using the colours in them so generic profiles are not suitable unless I had a crazy amount of them or colour scrollers and I don't have. Any useful suggestions gratefully appreciated.

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Off the shelf you could do it with a Pathport Quattro plus either an artnet connection or a Pathport Uno to get the DMX into it. You could even use just a Quattro with three of the followspots on three of the ports, one on the real DMX universe and the fourth port on the Quattro also on the real DMX. The Pathway software would handle all the mapping for you. No idea what the price of the Pathway stuff is mind...

 

At the other end of the scale it sounds like an Arduino project!

 

Dave

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As a wise man once said .... it looks like you're screwed.

 

Just had a quick look at the ADJ website and found a manual for this particular product, and it clearly says that the DMX address is fixed at 1. What a pile of crap. If I were you, I'd send them back, get a refund, and buy some proper lights! They're advertised as DMX controllable, and I think it's reasonable for anyone to assume that it would be possible to use more than one of them on a single controller - so if your supplier argues about refunding them, you could try arguing that they're not 'fit for purpose'. On the other hand, the manual is freely downloadable from the website and is quite clear about the DMX address being fixed, so most people would've run a mile at that point!

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Strange thing is, the Manual I came across (Link) states "The FS600LED can be controlled via DMX-512 protocol. The FS600LED has 3 DMX channels. The DMX address is set on the rear panel of the FS600LED. " (Page 6, para 4). There is however, no explanation on how this should be done. Wonder if the original spec was changed?
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1413913185[/url]' post='509700']

Strange thing is, the Manual I came across (Link) states "The FS600LED can be controlled via DMX-512 protocol. The FS600LED has 3 DMX channels. The DMX address is set on the rear panel of the FS600LED. " (Page 6, para 4). There is however, no explanation on how this should be done. Wonder if the original spec was changed?

 

It's the same manual as I have and I also rang them to see if I could change it be getting into the fixture but they Said not possible well not without restructuring the unit. Ya it's correct no dip switches the light is just set to Chanel 1 and that's it. I wouldn't mind I love it cos I use them to project gobos etc aswell and there bright lights for the money. Great multifunctional lights on a budget but no dips :-( suppose they have to keep something back for the new model ** laughs out loud ** as usualI was just hoping I wasn't the first one to come across this and that somebody may have a box made for this conversion.I don't know too much about the art net side of things so must get learning. Thanks for the help

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1413927077[/url]' post='509727']

Hi

 

I'm gobsmacked. A fixture with a fixed address.

 

An Arduino could drive 4 RS485 chips with reasonable accuracy, but it would be a rubbish and dirty implementation.

 

All the best

Timmeh

 

Ya something I would prefer to avoid if possible . I was as shocked because I never expected it wouldn't have dip switches so I didn't look for it on the spec or pictures before I bought just looked and saw that it had DMX and said brilliant. Never thought the address would be fixed to channel 1. Lesson learnt. I could send them back but I like them as a fixture so will keep them . I use the titan mobile and have 4 output on it as it is and I think I can get 8 by splitting the 5 pin outs and if I bought the Titan net processor I would get another 8 for future use. It maybe a solution. It's just I'm trying to cut down on cabling and it's actually making it worse. ** laughs out loud **

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Are you able to look inside the fixture and see if there is a place for a dip switch on the circuit board ? Does the rear control panel connect to the circuit board as a 3 wire cable as it appears to offer all of the DMX functions.
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ETC Net3 DMX Gateways can easily do this type of "Advanced Output Patch" if you have those available.

Given that they seem to be 'stuck' at address 1 you'd need four ports of output, and either Ethernet (if your console does it) or a fifth port of Gateway for input.

 

In real life, I'd send the lights back!

A single-channel "DMX" device that can't be readdressed at all is effectively useless.

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