Andrew Edwards Posted June 1, 2006 Share Posted June 1, 2006 We have 3 Strand Permus dimmer racks (giving 72 channels) and Strand 300 console. DMX conversion is currently being performed by 2 Zero88 Demux 48s. One the dumux units has developed an intermittent irrepairable fault. We are looking to completely replace everything soon but in the meantime need a quick and more to the point cheap solution.To replace the Demux 48 is about £350. The Strand S72 is £250 and Botex ME-72 is just over £100. Both the strand and Botex units have 25 pin d-sub ouputs. Is there any way of converting the parallel outputs into 8pin locking DIN which we need to connect to our dimmers? Thanks, Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce Posted June 1, 2006 Share Posted June 1, 2006 Straightforward, albeit a bit tedious, if you're handy with a soldering iron. See the thread on converting DMX to D54 - which is a misleading title, D54 was not involved, it ended up being a DMX-to-analogue thread. Basically you need a fan-out cable with a D25 connector at one end , and 4x x-pin DIN (or preh) connectors at the other. Wiring for the DINs is on http://freespace.virgin.net/tom.baldwin/pinout-8din.html - follow the zero-88 convention, and make sure the demux is set to -ve output mode. Bruce. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Edwards Posted June 2, 2006 Author Share Posted June 2, 2006 Thanks Bruce, I suspected as much, as the number of pins for both ends 'matched' and therefore would not need any extra electronics. I think I managed to work out the whole which pin is which channel debate and am assuming that the pin labelled 'supply' for the DIN should be connected to the 'common' on the D25. Is this right? Just as an aside and assuming that anyone reading this has also read the thread mentioned by bruce, my theatre is also part of an educational establishment. Up until about 2 years ago the only users were students and the occasional local amdram. During this time some of the previous technicians have 'fixed' and 'upgraded' some of the old failing systems essentially throwing good money after bad. It's now come to me to try and replace all these things with essentially no budget. :). Thank goodness I found this forum hey!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 ...am assuming that the pin labelled 'supply' for the DIN should be connected to the 'common' on the D25. Is this right?NO NO NO NO NO sorry but you run the risk of breaking something. The pin on the dimmers labelled suply is an output used to supply DC power to a lighing desk. You need the 'ground' pin on the dimmers to be connected to common. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 This is amazing - I was about to reply saying "NO NO NO NO NO", but brian used exactly the same words! common up the "ground" pins... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Edwards Posted June 5, 2006 Author Share Posted June 5, 2006 Doh! I just realised what I did. With the diagrams printed out and everything in front of me, I would definitely have NOT connected DIN supply to a pin labeled earth (or common on some) on the D25. I would have worked out what you have advised and then come back here and asked what the supply pin is for!!!!! Thanks again for all your help. I have now worked out a simple formula (business plan + students) / executive management = Don't do anything with electricty that week :blink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 To replace the Demux 48 is about £350. The Strand S72 is £250 and Botex ME-72 is just over £100. Both the strand and Botex units have 25 pin d-sub ouputs. Is there any way of converting the parallel outputs into 8pin locking DIN which we need to connect to our dimmers?Hi Andrew - welcome to the Blue room. First question - I'm confused about your 'cost to replace' being £350... if the Strand S72 is just £250....? You only need one of these units, so the cheapest option, (the Botex) is way less than your £350..... Second question - You're saying the Permus racks have 8-pin Bleecons (lockable DIN) accepting the analogue signals from the demux? If that's the case, as an option, why don't you consider opening the rack (taking all proper precautions of course) and wiring the analogue signal direct to the screw terminals inside? That way you can use the suggestion in the other thread by investing in a cheap parallel printer cable, chopping it in the middle, and having a ready-made cable 25-pin to bare ends.... Just some thoughts.Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Edwards Posted June 5, 2006 Author Share Posted June 5, 2006 Hi Tony and thanks for the welcome. We have currently have 2 zero88 demux 48s. They are set to 1 thru 48 and 49 thru 96. The reason for this is we have them configured to output to the 72 dimmers and also to our pit and house lights (ch's 95 and 96). Only one is faulty. The solution that to me seemed the easiest, would be to buy one replacement Demux 48 and move the negative output kit from the old one to the new one. This would give us exactly the same setup, hence the 'cost to replace'. I believe a number of years ago, one of the previous technicians had a problem with one of the demux 48s and did just that. It is therefore likely that the current faulty demux is the older of the two, although we are not 100% sure. Due to the nature of our funding we have to provide a number of solutions and quotes for capital outlay. This proves we have done adequate research and are spending the money in the most appropriate way. (this is not neceesarily always the cheapest but more often than not is) During this research, I found the other types of converters. Realising that these were cheaper, newer and indeed had more channels of conversion, I decided that this would be the better option. Still needing those extra few channels for pit and house light dimmers, I was going to continue to use the working demux 48 with the appropriate offest, connected thru the new unit. However this would involve slightly more complicated re-wiring to the main dimmers. Furnished with all the right information, I felt confident enough to do this. We also do not need to buy any of the cable components as enough old connectors have been squirreled away in our store over the years. I had considered using a cannibalised printer cable and going straight to the dimmers. I do feel a little less confident in doing this however. Are the wires within a printer cable clearly labelled? If you or anyone else know of another solution to our predicament, I would be grateful to hear it.Things to bear in mind however...There are a great many old and failing systems in our theatre. We are trying to spend as little as possible on fixing them or trying to buy replacements parts that will contunue be used when we get our rebuild funding. *fingers crossed* Thanks, Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 Are the wires within a printer cable clearly labelled?They are all colour coded, though not to any standard I've ever come across. It took me about 5 minutes with a bleeping multimeter to buzz out the colour code. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ampcats Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 roottwo - regarding your commentHowever this would involve slightly more complicated re-wiring to the main dimmersdo remember that you do not have to run DMX to the box with the lowest DMX address first - there is nothing wrong with going first to your houselight demux (95 and 96), and then onto your dimmer demux (1 to 72).... both the zero88 and the s-72 and me-72 (identical units with different shaped buttons and panel decals) have DMX out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 Hi Tony and thanks for the welcome. We have currently have 2 zero88 demux 48s. They are set to 1 thru 48 and 49 thru 96. The reason for this is we have them configured to output to the 72 dimmers and also to our pit and house lights (ch's 95 and 96). Only one is faulty. The solution that to me seemed the easiest, would be to buy one replacement Demux 48 and move the negative output kit from the old one to the new one. This would give us exactly the same setup, hence the 'cost to replace'. AHA! My apologies - have now re-read the first post and it's the 48-way Zero demux that's the expensive bit, which makes the 72-way options (esp the Botex) very attractive in my eyes. So, if you bought a Botex (eg) and kept the working Zero 48-way, you'd actually then have a max of 120 analogue channels to play with - means the 48-way would be a bit under-utilised being used for just your channels 95/96, BUT it does mean you have capacity for adding extra dimmers (hired) when needed later. That just means it will cost you the ton instead of 350 notes for the Zero kit.I was going to continue to use the working demux 48 with the appropriate offest, connected thru the new unit. However this would involve slightly more complicated re-wiring to the main dimmers. Not sure why this would be complex - the DMX line should go in and out of most demuxes, and the analogue outs simply terminate on choc-block inside the racks. I had considered using a cannibalised printer cable and going straight to the dimmers. I do feel a little less confident in doing this however. Are the wires within a printer cable clearly labelled? they won't be labelled, but a quick check with a meter and a bit of paper should help you out with that. But make sure you have the proper pin-outs for the D-sub sockets if you do go that way (see that other thread!!) Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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