jeiw

Thank you all for your suggestions, really helpful. Also thanks for the device references, I did not know most of those brands, this gives me more options. Sadly I do not have a DMXCat (seems like a great tool, I'll put it on my wish list for my theatre's next budgets). I tried to do something similar directly with my FLX console, with no success until now. Actually no, my tests were made with the second splitter connected to the thru port of the first one (I thought that an already re-timed signal shouldn't need be re-timed again, and that on the contrary it might add more delays that could throw the whole communication out of specification). But I do not think this really matters in my case as I also tested using a single splitter and observed the same problem. Sorry, I guess I did not give enough context, and my approximative english did probably not help. By "fixed rig" I meant that I have a permanent structure (aluminium tubes equipped with power sockets and DMX lines) right under the ceiling that cannot be lifted up and down with hoists. But the fixtures on this rig do regularly get new positioning and lighting function, depending on the show. Additionally, between two shows the venue can be rented. So after each show a default fixture implantation must be restored, with fixtures set to a mode with a minimum of DMX channels in order to be easily controlled by a small manual console whe have for that purpose (the FLX is too complex and also expensive to leave in the hands of inexperienced users). And although we have a lot of identical fixtures (ETC S4 LED), whe use them with several optic blocs depending on the needs of a particular show (fresnel, cyclo, wide and narrow zooms) so it is likely that it is not always the same light engines that will be used at the same position for that default stage lighting. For all those reasons being able to reconfigure devices through RDM seemed useful to me. As for the "always on" part, this comes from the RDM implementation on the Zero88 FLX console (called "RigSync"). The idea is that the console constantly monitors the rig and either adapts the patch according to changes made on the fixtures, or automatically reverts those changes if you do not want modifications made on the fixtures. On the console itself one can of course edit fixture mode and adressing. I've just started to use RDM, so the idea of Zero88 seemed quite clever to me, but now I see that if the whole rig is not fully RDM compliant this approach might not work at all. Of course the FLX has an option to disable RigSync, but then there is no RDM functionality at all. I think I'll invest some more time to deeply understand RigSync and see if I can for instance connect the FLX to a single DMX line when I need to make changes to the fixtures' addressing or personality, enable RigSync and do the changes, then disable it and reconnect the whole thing to the splitter again. Maybe using one output of the FLX without RDM for normal operation, and the other with RDM for configuration purposes. If not, I guess I'll go buy a DMXCat

Thanks for the advice. I'll probably go this way, but I hope I can find some user feedback on that product first to convince myself that it will work. This is the bit I don't understand really - if you can run a DMX line to each fixture from a splitter, is it not possible to run a DMX line to the first fixture and then daisy chain DMX from fixture to fixture? Or is the rig very sparse, needing long, awkward runs of DMX cable? If the rig is fixed, you're not going to be regularly plugging and unplugging the line, and if they all came off a splitter before, then they're all on the same universe I guess. This just needs one DMX line, using just one output of the FLX, the other output can go directly to the non RDM dimmer rack. So although a splitter is nice, and arguably good practice, it's not essential, here. Thank you for your time spent thinking about my problem! I probably wasn't clear enough (sorry, my mother tongue is french and my english is a bit rusty). To clarify : my rig is constituted of 10 tubes that run across the room above the stage and the tiers. Every tube is equipped with a DMX cable that runs through walls to the control room where the console and the splitters are located. The remaining two lines run from the control room to the stage. Working with only one daisy-chain would not only be impractical but also force me to recable the entire thing or do some dirty stuff like using inverter cables to alternatively plug together cable ends in the control room and between two tubes. Maybe the whole thing was poorly designed, but I guess I now am stuck with it...

I have 24 RDM devices, plus one non-RDM 12-channel dimmer. Technically it would be feasible to link all my ceiling DMX lines together (although highly impractical given the fixed nature of the rig), and to link the floor lines together. But as I'd prefer to have the dimmer on a separate line, this is still too much for the two outputs of my FLX console. So I do not think I can avoid using a splitter. I'll definitely try to return the Showtecs. The Splitter 8 seems great, but also quite expensive. As reference I got my splitters for about 100 pounds each. I guess I could convince the board of my theatre to scrape enough money in order to invest 3 times as much for at least 12 working splitter outputs. I've listed some references in that price range found on the internet, but I have no idea wether these devices work properly or not : https://www.thomannmusic.ch/botex_dmx_splitter_dd_6_rdm.htmhttps://www.thomannmusic.ch/stairville_dmx_splitter_6_rdm.htmhttps://www.thomannmusic.ch/showtec_booster_pro_2_8_dmx_rdm_5_pin.htmhttps://www.thomannmusic.ch/major_dmx_booster_1in12_xlr3.htm Does anyone have (good) experience with one of those devices, or another suggestion of a suitable device?

Hi, I just installed a fixed DMX installation in my small theatre. I have 12 distinct DMX lines running to the ceiling and stage floor and both my lighting console (Zero88 FLX) and my fixtures (ETC SourceFour Series 2 Lustr, ETC ColorSource PAR) are RDM capable so I need one or many DMX/RDM splitters in order to use my devices at full potential (RDM is especially useful to me as I have a fixed ceiling rig that is not very easily accessible, so remote configuration of fixtures will save me quite a lot of time and spare my back from carrying ladders back and forth...) As I spent all available money on the console and fixtures, I looked for the cheapest DMX/RDM splitter available and decided to buy two Showtec DB-1-8/RDM, thinking that if it is advertised as a RDM capable splitter, it must do the job, maybe with a shorter lifespan than higher-end devices, what was OK. So I daisy-chained my two splitters to the console using their Thru port and terminated the line, then I plugged my 12 DMX lines into the splitters' outputs. I then tried to discover the devices on my DMX network and everything went sideways. After several tests and a discussion with people from Highlite (manufacturer of Showtec devices), it seems that de device is not a "smart device", meaning that it only copies the signal back and forth on the wires without paying attention to DMX/RDM timing, what leads to collisions and unreliable signal. Maybe it was obvious given the very low price tag on the devices, but still I find it unbelievable to sell a device that will not work for the purpose it is supposed to serve. Anyways, now that I completely the trust I once had in the documentation of lighting devices, I'd like to know if someone has experience with DMX/RDM splitters that work and do not cost an arm in order to avoid buying other bad devices. All advice is welcome! Thanks