Funky Lasers (Trident)

[chipito]

Greetings Lighting chums.

As a total noob here, I was wondering if anyone had an opinion on the Funky Laser range distributed in the UK.

The reason for asking is that I've had one (a Trident) for about 5 months now but only recently bought a DMX controller to start experimenting.

Except the Funky Trident won't behave like my other three lasers.

e.g. when I hit the blackout button, the other three go blank whereas the Trident bursts into life (in Auto Mode)

 

I did search the site but could find no mention of the Funky range.

Perhaps it's considered a toy amongst the "Big Boys" on this site but we've all got to start somewhere. :D

[musht]

Have a look at the DMX chart for your lasers, presume the Trident is different from the others so what will be blackout on them will be auto on the Trident. So you will need to set the DMX Start Address differently from your other 3 so that you can control it seperately.

[greenalien]

Although your Trident has a DMX input, that doesn't mean DMX mode is automatically enabled - lot of cheaper DMX devices default to 'master/slave' mode so that you can chain them together for a coordinated show without using a controller. Look at the manual, you'll probably need to put it in 'ADDR' mode and then set the base address, even if that is zero.

Note that regardless of the base address to which they are set, all connected DMX devices should always respond correctly to a 'blackout' command, as this sets all DMX channels to zero - hence the reason I suspect your laser is set to the wrong operating mode.

Let us know if this solves the problem! :D

[chipito]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I'll have to have a root around for the manual as I have misplaced it for the moment.

However, the unit only contains 10 dip switches to set the address and no other ones so I don't see how I can change the operating mode.

The chap in the shop did say something about that but when I said I wouldn't want to open the case myself in case I void any warranty, he mentioned that it was a "switch" type thing.

Ahh well.. I guess I'l have to go mooching about amongst all my boxes to see if I can find that darned manual.

I'll update my thread with any results in case anyone else comes across a similar problem.

Thanks again for your input folks.

 

Chipi .....

[MarkPAman]

I think you only need 9 switches to address the unit 0 - 511, so I guess the last one (probably) is used to set the operating mode.

[pete LD]

Note that regardless of the base address to which they are set, all connected DMX devices should always respond correctly to a 'blackout' command, as this sets all DMX channels to zero - hence the reason I suspect your laser is set to the wrong operating mode.

Let us know if this solves the problem! :)

Not all desks set all channels to zero most just take the intensity channels to 0 and leave pan tilt etc alone. even cheep disco desks do that so it could be that you have done something wrong with the desk. I imagine the laser has a DMX fail mode which puts it on auto and it thinks as there is no DMX that it has failed!

HTH

Pete

[chipito]

Thanks for the input Pete but as the Trident acts the same regardless of which channel I assign it to then it has to be a "design feature" of the laser and not my DMX Controller.

This is kind of backed up by my phone call to the distributor (EU Lights) who I phoned today.

I spoke to an (allegedly) support person who claimed that, although the Trident is a DMX laser, they (EU Lights) do not support DMX on this laser.

When I pointed out that if it wasn't a DMX controllable laser then it isn't a DMX compatible laser, the Muppet on the phone merely repeated that it IS a DMX laser but they don't support DMX.

He also pointed out that I was getting a lot of laser for a little money (£350 – approx $650).

 

Now I've only been tinkering with DMX and lasers for a few weeks but even I could tell that I was dealing with a moron at this point and whilst 350 quid might not be a lot to a company that ships lighting equipment out by the shed load, it’s quite a few weeks pocket money for me to indulge in my hobby.

Needless to say my opinion of the Funky range has now gone right down the pan and I would advise everyone to steer well clear of them unless the only control you want over a laser is the on/off switch.

[greenalien]

Not all desks set all channels to zero most just take the intensity channels to 0 and leave pan tilt etc alone. even cheep (sic) disco desks do that

 

In my experience, cheap (and even some expensive) DMX control desks usually set all channels to zero when you press the blackout switch. You have to have a desk that splits LTP / HTP signals or has assignable blackout to leave some channels alone, hardly a common feature of 'cheap disco desks'. Given the original poster's assertion that he was 'only experimenting' with DMX, I doubt if he's using anything that sophisticated.

 

Having just looked at Ebay to see what vendors are saying about the Funky Trident laser, neither of the 2 sellers that I found mention anything about this device having DMX control - just Master / Slave mode. If you were sold this as a DMX device, unless the person who sold it to you can demonstrate it working in DMX mode, I'd say you have a good case for asking for your money back.

[chipito]

Thanks for your input Greenalien.

During my many visits to the shop where I bought the laser, the chap behind the counter expressed surprise that I wanted to use DMX with the laser as he had sold many and I was the first to want to do so.

My sipder senses started tingling then.

 

Although this laser was advertised as DMX a few months ago that particular wording has since disappeared from everywhere so I assume that the distributors got wind of the problems and "reclassified" it as just "A Laser".

 

I guess we all get shafted when we are starting out with new hobbies.

Hopefully I'll be able to ask the right questions now before I lash out hundreds of pounds on my next toy. :D