Roboscan to control via DMX

[five_pin_xlr]

Hi,

 

Basically I want to know exactly how and what I need to do to control 2 roboscan 812's off of Hog PC via a usb > DMX widget.

 

I changed the jumpers like it says, but it also has the fan on a different jumper, and when I change this the fan doesnt turn on.

 

what do I need it set to jumper wise in order to work off hog pc and what do I patch it in as??

 

as its 3pin XLR connection I am using a 3pin XLR to a 3pin > 5pin male DMX connector.

 

Please can someone help me, I also have a terminator.

 

BR

 

alex

[Nicktaylor]

I dont know if my comments will help but here goes.

 

I have just had a similar problem with 218s on a Frog. I pressume you are talking about using the Martin DMX interface in the DMX line? I am not sure if your lanterns take straight DMX

 

I misinterpreted the logic!If you set the start address at say 128 on the dip switches, this actually controls starting on the lantern at 129! So on the desk you set your fixture to be 129 not 128.

 

I hope this makes sense and if anyone thinks I have put this wrong then correct me! I found out this once I had tried to install without reading the martin widget book! :)

[ampcats]

812's do take DMX, but IIRC the 812's have DMX polarity swapped... i.e. + and - need to be swapped with an adapter...

 

218's are different fixtures, and v1 need interfaces, but v2 takes DMX (again, swapped + and -)

[ThomJ]

I'm intrigued

 

The only jumper change on an RC812 is mode setting 5 or 7 channel DMX. the extra 2 channels give speed control over the mirror and the gobo/colour wheels.

 

These selections are on PL11 pins 4 & 5 the fan is on pins 1 & 2 the mode selection should not effect the fan in any way.

 

According to the manual the 812 automatically detects DMX or Martin Protocol if it does not you can reset the detection by switching on all dips before setting the dips for the address.

 

You will need a phase reversing cable in the system for the 812 to detect DMX.

 

Hope this helps

 

Thom

 

RC812 Manual: http://www.martin.com/service/downloadfile...EN_C.PDF&cat=65

[five_pin_xlr]

whats a phase reversing cable and where can I get one from.

 

BR

 

alex

[Stu]

You can make one up easily enough, make up a short adaptor with pin 1 wired to pin 1, and then pin 2 to pin 3 and pin 3 to pin 2 - basically the older Martin kit worked the other way round to normal 3 pin DMX fixtures (if you can count 3pin fixtures as normal anyway, devils advocate) so when using them with normal desks, dimmers, fixtures etc, you need to have an adaptor before the first one you use, and then one after the last one you use before going onto any normally wired fixtures.

 

Stu

[five_pin_xlr]

I tried the fan on 1+2 but still nothing. so put it back to 2+3 and it works. how do I make that thing to phase it. Also I want it in 7 channels.

 

BR

alex

[MarcT]

Is this equipment hired? If so the hire co should have provided the appropriate adapters.

 

Unfortunately on some (older) Martin kit the 3 pin XLRs used for DMX are wired differently from how every other manufacturer did it. You therefore need EITHER an XLR3M to XLR3F phase reversing adapter (pins 2&3 swapped) AND an XLR5M to XLR3F 5to3 pin DMX adapter (wired straight) OR a single XLR5M to XLR3F with pins 2 & 3 swapped.

 

If you open your 5 pin to 3 pin XLR adapter and take a look at how the pins are wired at each end, the usual wiring would be:

1 -- 1

2 -- 2

3 -- 3

 

...if you do have this, then you also need a phase reversing 3 pin XLR adapter for your 812s.

 

If your cable is wired:

1 -- 1

2 -- 3

3 -- 2

 

...then it should work, but be aware you may need another phase reversing cable after your Martin 812s for any downstream DMX devices which are wired the other way.

 

HTH - Regards,

Marc

[johnhuson]

Does any one else have a feeling of deja vu here?

[five_pin_xlr]

Is any one else got a feeling of deja vu here?

 

I may of asked before but it kind of hasnt solved it, and I dont know how to loop it, so many people are saying different things.

[ampcats]

you MAY have asked before (it would have been nice to know you had...)

 

apart from messing with jumpers, HAVE YOU MADE UP A DMX PHASE REVERSER?

 

(you have 2 812's and problems, and apart from hating the clicky little things, I - and many others..... have used them working off pearls, navigators and even manual desks (Brrr...) when I had to.... all without a jumper change, and with a phase reverser...)

 

having said that, with the smooth action pan and tilt of the 812's, a jumper to set speed of PATI is like asking how quickly you wish to crash into the car in front...

 

 

going back to your previous topic.... johnhuson pointed you in the direction of the 812 user manual.... did you read it???

 

on page 7 is the following...

 

 

The RoboScan 812 may be used with DMX and Martin protocol controllers. The RoboScan

812’s XLR connections are configured for Martin protocol controllers such as the 3032.

When connecting a RoboScan 812 to any DMX-standard device, you must swap pins 2 and

3 with a phase-reversing cable.

 

if you need futher convincing that a phase reversal cable might be a good idea...

 

DMX512.com's pinout page

 

scroll down to the table headed 'DMX512 on XLR 3 pin' and look at the +ve and -ve... compare with others....

 

as someone probably never said.... you can teach, but will they learn?

 

then, maybe 5 pin XLR can come to terms with 3 pin DMX

[johnhuson]

I may of asked before but it kind of hasn't solved it, and I don't know how to loop it, so many people are saying different things.

 

It's just that in your position as the subject matter is the same, it's generally etiquette round here to post a message in your original thread that it still hasn't been solved. This will bring your thread back up to the top of the board so you will still get as much interest. Despite asking the question before you haven't really given us a great deal more information about what the problem is, simply asking the same question again without any further information is only going to produce the same information you had before. Also not sure why you are confused about the different things people have said as all the posts pretty much say the same thing......use a phase reverse cable.

 

Anyway as the mods don't seem to bothered about the double posting, back to your question. If the ONLY fixtures you want to control are the 812's then if you carry out the following it should work. Firstly make sure the jumper on PL11 on the circuit board is fitted across pins 4 & 5 if you want 7 channel mode. The fan should be connected to pins 1 & 2 of the same connector, if the fan doesn't work straight away on that connection give the lamp chance to strike as it may only run when the lamp is struck, can't remember from memory! If the fan doesn't work on those pins after that then there is something wrong with the fixtures.

 

Once you've set the jumpers then you need to set the DMX addresses on the two fixtures. Set fixture 1 to DMX address 1 (DIP Switch 1 turned on only), set fixture 2 to DMX address 8 (DIP Switch 4 turned on only). Then from the 5-pin output from your widget connect a 5-pin male to 3-pin female adaptor followed by a 3-pin male to 3-pin female adaptor with pins 2 & 3 crossed between each end as described above. If your going to make these cables up specifically then you could include the phase reverse in the 5 to 3 adaptor. If you plan to use them again you might find it more useful to make two separate adaptors for the two different functions. Then after both the adaptors use 3-pin cables to connect from there to your first fixture, then from out of your first fixture into your second. On the output of the second fixture you need to put a terminator, the exact value of this will depend on the cable your using but 120 Ohm is generally good. Also make sure you use proper DMX cable not mic cable.

 

You then need to assign the fixtures in Hog PC using an 812 fixture profile that is configured for 7-channel made and then patch the fixtures to DMX address 1 & 8. Hopefully you know how to do that as my post is already quite long. If you don't then I strongly suggest you download the manual and read it throughly because if you can't patch then you don't stand a chance of programming.

 

If that doesn't work then you have some other problem, if thats the case please post describing exactly how the fixtures are behaving and we may be able to help.