RedDog

Easy mistake to make. If in doubt most reputable plugs and sockets have the PIN numbers moulded into the ends

So,I have connected the pins correctly. It was while testing I got the strange readings.... Checked again and - user error... I had both ends in one hand and tested for continuity by going - left female to left male as I looked at the plugs.

When of course it would be mirrored. Dick.

Thanks for your input, as usual.

So, bit long winded but....

5 LED uplighters on stage, DMX controlled, working fine for over a year suddenly started behaving erratically, random flashes. also caused PARs on dimmer pack to blow due to this random strobing.Individually tested each LED, swapped DMX cables and found that someone had rolled our 1 ton piano over the DMX cable that runs across rear of stage, replaced cable, re-plumbed everything, replaced blown PARs.All working as it should.Now, after repairing damaged cable that was shorting out, cut beyond damage and resoldered XLR, discovered that the XLR plugs on each end were connected differently, ie.. male pin 1 to female pin 1, male pin 2 to female common, male common to female pin 2. I know that in an audio cable this could be an issue, but it seems not to be an issue in the DMX cable. Is this the case?

thanks for that...

I am assuming at this stage that 6.3A 640V is the same, and that, as it's on a lamp circuit it wil be quick blow.

 

Probably best stick to 250v, not 640v!

 

 

The hard to read letter is almost certainly an F, options are FF,F,M,T,TT

 

F - Fast Acting

 

6.3A - 6.3 Amps

 

L - Low breaking capacity

 

250V - 250 volts

Indeed it was...

Might be a typo for 240 volts ? or misread ?

 

 

I suspect it was a typo :-)

Err.... forgot to make a note of that...!I'll climb back up into the roof later...

Just to be sure....Fuse has blown on one channel of my DMX dimmer pack, result of lamp blowing.

The barely readable info is.. F (or P ) 6.3AL250V

I am assuming at this stage that 6.3A 640V is the same, and that, as it's on a lamp circuit it wil be quick blow.

thank you.

I've done a few gigs in a similar venue in Wales. Concerts, not theatre. It's not as big, but is a similar format of balcony. Have a look at these pictures, which show how they mounted bars along the balcony front. I think this is also grade 2 listed so the bars are in effect temporary.

 

The rig is something like 3 x 500w fresnels per side, and 3 x RGB pars per side with a couple more on the front balcony. This is adequate to give a good stage cover from the fresnels and colour from the Pars. When I go in there, if I need more, I can rig from their bars and run a 3 channel dimmer from the 13A sockets on the balcony or I can put a couple of stands in the balcony seating, though this obviously reduces seating capacity upstairs.

 

 

My link 01

 

My link 02

Cheers.Will mail you.

Hi Red Dog, as you are in Hastings why not pop along to the Stables Theatre in the old town and have a chat to our lighting team and look at what we use to light our stage, we may be able to let you borrow some lantern to try out at your venue. Frank

cool, thanks.

Using the side balcony fronts will also help. Newcastle City Hall is a similar long narrow building (albeit much larger) and the side balcony positions provide a decent amount of front lighting

 

 

thanks, nice and simple..yes, that's kind of our plan.. in effect hang brackets from the balcony. just got to get a couple of fixtures to test..

I've done a few gigs in a similar venue in Wales. Concerts, not theatre. It's not as big, but is a similar format of balcony. Have a look at these pictures, which show how they mounted bars along the balcony front. I think this is also grade 2 listed so the bars are in effect temporary.

 

The rig is something like 3 x 500w fresnels per side, and 3 x RGB pars per side with a couple more on the front balcony. This is adequate to give a good stage cover from the fresnels and colour from the Pars. When I go in there, if I need more, I can rig from their bars and run a 3 channel dimmer from the 13A sockets on the balcony or I can put a couple of stands in the balcony seating, though this obviously reduces seating capacity upstairs.

 

 

My link 01

 

My link 02

at the present we have 3 showtec par 18 mk3s per side on stands at those positions.....

which provide ample coverage.we also have 7 overheads in the roof, 4 over the stage 3 slightly forward.need 2 more from balcony as per post, to complete.this will be ample lighting for our needs.

Right then. Take the balcony seats between the organ wall and the first aisle out of use for audience and rig stands and lanterns there when required. Hire them in, run the tails to the control point. Job done.

Thanks for all your input..yes it's a church building... and still holds sunday service.. it is also a community resource, helping the homeless, those with mental health issues, a community cafe, amongst other things,and home to the opus theatre.just looking for advice couple of 'cheapish' spots to help light the stage.. we are fully awre of the dificulties, and our obligations regrding the grade 2 listing.just need a couple of not too expensive spots to add to the mix...Donations gratefully received... a couple of old non-led will do.. we have a small dimmer.

All the stuff we are doing/hoping to do, is within the listing parameters.

Probably talking to whoever supervises your grade II listing is the first point of call. Listing protects the building against others and you changing it's appearance so adding permanent stage lighting may well be a problem. Sometimes you may have to adopt a removable system. Look into Manfrotto Autopoles to clamp a lighting stand into a window arch on the upper floor.

 

Either clamp a short autopole across the window frame, or use a long autopole from floor to the top of the arch. -They have a low but usually adequate weight limit, and the black rubber pads can mark light surfaces.

Thanks for your input..

it's a wall behind the photographer.It is a very cool building, the accoustics are superb.

Hmmm, interesting building.

So going from this photo

you have a few options...

If the balcony isn't used for audience you could rig some profile spots temporarily on stands in the front row of the balcony. That would get you a better position.

 

Where this photo is taken from would not be a bad place to put front lighting spots - assuming the back wall has windows like the side ones, could you install a couple of bars across the window recesses fairly high up and hang lights there?

 

If under the balcony is your only option, I'd go down the sides fairly near the stage. That will be least uncomfortable for the actors and give a less flat light. The s4 jr lights I suggested above would be good there as the wide end of the zoom should allow you to cover the stage ok. If you are going right from the back you might need something with a bit narrower beam angle.

 

It is. but we have very little lighting,with which,along with the nature of the building, we manage to make stuff look good..

Presumably this isn't the Opus Theatre (your profile), which is described as having "fantastic lighting". The Grade II listing might complicate hanging extra lights.

Anything on the balcony front is going to be lower than ideal. But if there is no option, coming in from the sides is better than straight in from the back. Most theatres have lights up at ceiling height because it gives a more natural lighting angle.

 

How high is the balcony relative to the stage? Do you have any photos of the space?

can't seem to attach an image...?

Ok, so 1 or 2 spots further round? the balcony extends along sides of theatre to stage.we only have 6 showtec par 18s currently as washes from sides of stage,

 

 

 

Balcony front is not a great place for front lighting - it's visually very flattening and also unpleasant for the actors. You need to light from higher up if you can.

What other lighting do you have? The ETC source 4 junior 25-50 is a versatile little light and not too expensive. At 15m throw you'd get a 6.6m wide spot at the minimum 25 degrees. But 575W might not be bright enough if you have a lot of other lighting.Or you could go LED, which are quite a lot more expensive but low maintenance. Elation, Martin and Chauvet make some nice LED profile spots.

 

can't seem to attach an image...?

Ok, so 1 or 2 spots further round? the balcony extends along sides of theatre to stage.we only have 6 showtec par 18s currently as washes from sides of stage,

 

 

 

Balcony front is not a great place for front lighting - it's visually very flattening and also unpleasant for the actors. You need to light from higher up if you can.

What other lighting do you have? The ETC source 4 junior 25-50 is a versatile little light and not too expensive. At 15m throw you'd get a 6.6m wide spot at the minimum 25 degrees. But 575W might not be bright enough if you have a lot of other lighting.Or you could go LED, which are quite a lot more expensive but low maintenance. Elation, Martin and Chauvet make some nice LED profile spots.

 

Ok, so 1 or 2 spots further round? the balcony extends along sides of theatre to stage.we only have 6 showtec par 18s currently as washes from sides of stage,

Balcony front is not a great place for front lighting - it's visually very flattening and also unpleasant for the actors. You need to light from higher up if you can.

What other lighting do you have? The ETC source 4 junior 25-50 is a versatile little light and not too expensive. At 15m throw you'd get a 6.6m wide spot at the minimum 25 degrees. But 575W might not be bright enough if you have a lot of other lighting.Or you could go LED, which are quite a lot more expensive but low maintenance. Elation, Martin and Chauvet make some nice LED profile spots.

 

Looking for the most suitable lights for this scenario.

Our stage is 15M to the rear from the balcony at FOH. I want to fit a couple of spotlights under the balcony for front lighting.Suggestions please.

Cheers Edward,thanks for all your advice.Yes, I put desk in wide mode as the already patched lamps were 1-12.Set my Par 18s to DMX 13 and 3 channel mode, works fine.. leaves me 8 further channels ( got one fader missing ! )

Seems like I have a MK1 desk, not a MK2...Found the correct user manual...Lights working, so all good.

So,Alcora... got into Superuser mode, but when I pressed the D.B.O ( Blackout ) button.. it doesn't light up.The display remains on the software version, which is 1.1.

However, as this didn't work I summised that the channel assignments were probably 1-1 as default, so I set to wide mode and my new pars to 13/14/15.. works!

So all good for now, but would like to be able to sort the non-functioning button.

Thnk, thought so..It's just the examples were so 'sequential' , I wondered for a minute..

You can patch each fader to any DMX channel or multiple of channels. The 101, 201 is just an example.

Ok,

In the section DMX Patching for the Alcora it states....

The desk has a default 1:1 DMX patch

(desk channel 1 is patched to DMX

channel 1, desk channel 2 patched to

DMX channel 2 etc.).

Each desk channel may be patched to

any number of different DMX channels.

For example, desk channel 1 could be

patched to DMX channels 1, 101, 201.

A desk channel may also be unpatched

such that it is no longer patched to any

DMX channel.

Each DMX channel can only have one

desk channel assigned to it.

Am I right in thinking that this means by default desk channel 13 ( in wide mode ) will be patched to DMX channel 13, and that it can only be patched to that or 113 or 213?Or can I unpatch the desk channel fromn channel 13 and set any DMX number I choose?cheers.

Thank you..I'll report back...

So, let's say I put all the par 18s on one address 150, for example and on 3 chnnel setting (rgb) I set fader 13 on the alcora to 150 I then need to set fader 14 to 151 and fader 15 to 152? to get R,G,B?

is my thinking sound?

 

 

 

Yes, that's correct.

 

Edward

Thank you..I'll report back...

So, let's say I put all the par 18s on one address 150, for example and on 3 chnnel setting (rgb) I set fader 13 on the alcora to 150 I then need to set fader 14 to 151 and fader 15 to 152? to get R,G,B?

is my thinking sound?

 

 

 

Yes, that's correct.

 

Edward

Thanks, much appreciated.

thanks, I'll need manual to assign faders to lamps.

 

 

Hi RedDog,

 

Page 36 of the manual goes through DMX patching on the Alcora MK2. You may find this helpful, as it allows you to customise the DMX address each channel fader controls. Each channel fader can also control multiple addresses.

 

If you have any questions let me know.

Edward

So,let's say I put all the par 18s on one address 150, for example and on 3 chnnel setting (rgb) I set fader 13 on the alcora to 150 I then need to set fader 14 to 151 and fader 15 to 152? to get R,G,B?

is my thinking sound?

Thanks, much appreciated.

thanks, I'll need manual to assign faders to lamps.

 

 

Hi RedDog,

 

Page 36 of the manual goes through DMX patching on the Alcora MK2. You may find this helpful, as it allows you to customise the DMX address each channel fader controls. Each channel fader can also control multiple addresses.

 

If you have any questions let me know.

Edward