Rocket Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 Hi everyone, This is a problem I have had since last year when I bought some new kit which included two Mac 250's, two Futurelight MH660's and a Disasterpiece 108. First of all, the Macs work fine - they have brand new lamps, work in test mode etc. However, if I run the DMX straight off the desk and into the Macs, they don't work - they don't respond to DMX, and I don't think they even show as receiving it (forgive me, I gave up with them last year and haven't tried since). However, if I run off the desk directly into the mh660's, they work fine. If I then run from the last futurelight to ONE Mac - that Mac works fine and the MH660's are ok except for a little bit of twittering. So then.....I add on the last Mac - and it all goes to pot! Neither of the Macs work, and as for the MH660's - one stops reciving DMX and the other shows as receiving DMX but goes off on one and just moves and flashes all over the place. I've tried everything.....reverse DMX, terminators, putting the lights at different stages in the link...etc etc. I spoke to Svend Pedersen (don't know if any of you have heard of him?) when I was at ITV and he seemed to lay the blame with the desk (wouldn't surprise me!). I spoke to another of the guys there who seemed to have a vague recollection of hearing about the fault but couldn't remember any form of solution. I tried the guys over at UKSLC and none of those could seem to shed any light on it. So I'm really at the end of my tether....has anyone any suggestions at all to get my Macs running off the desk and working fine with the Futurelights and my other gear? Has anyone experienced this problem, or encountered anything similair? Cheers for any advice. Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 Have you ever tried running the Macs from another desk (using the same cables that you use with your own)? If they work fine from another controller, but not with your Masterpiece, then that's your problem. If not, then try replacing the cables and see what happens. Basically, you need to follow one of the basic principles of fault-finding - replace one piece of the system at a time until the fault clears, and there's your culprit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocket Posted February 12, 2007 Author Share Posted February 12, 2007 Cheers for the reply - I completely forgot to mention that bit! The macs went in for a service when we bought them and ran fine off a small desk in there. So the culprit is the Masterpiece - but what I don't get is why ;) One of them works fine if its placed at the end of the chain, but adding the second it all up. Yet they don't work directly off the desk - I can't get my head round why it wouldn't? Anyone any clues? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 Presumably you're going through some 5-pin to 3-pin jumpers to get DMX into the Macs - are you sure the wiring of these is correct? 1-1, 2-2, 3-3 is how it should be. It's a shot in the dark, but worth asking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamtastic3 Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 The MP108 has two DMX outputs: try testing the fixtures on both outputs...Plug in your Futurelights into the first DMX output. If all is working then put the connection in the second output. Any change? Then do the same for the Macs.If it comes down to it, you may have to test each fixture individually to see what errors arise.If both tests result in the Macs not responding then it must mean there is something wrong with the Macs or how the Macs are recieving the information. Because the Futurelights work fine does this not indicate that there cannot be a problem with the desk and something to do with pin reversal/information to the Macs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David A Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 Instead of playing guessing games with an infinite range of scenarios buy or borrow a DMX tester and you can check every input, output and cable at working frequency.One step at a time will find the problems which will probably be a series of small faults which will only be found by testing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocket Posted February 12, 2007 Author Share Posted February 12, 2007 Cheers for the replies. I'll borrow a DMX tester and have another stab at them. AFAIK the 5 - 3 pin connector is fine, or it would be causing problems for the other fixtures? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom hinkley Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 I could be totally wrong here, but I vaguely remeber reading somewhere that Martin at some point switched the Data- and Data+ on some gear? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 The Martin pin reversal issue went away when the Macs came out. It's only an issue if you're using the older (Roboscan, etc.) stuff. And I only mentioned the 5-3 jumpers because I didn't know that the other stuff you're using also suffers from the curse of 3-pin connectors - if I'd know that you use the jumpers to successfully run the other kit, I'd have known that there was obviously no problem with them and wouldn't have brought it up! Just goes to show, really - the more information you provide concerning the problem, the more relevant will be the replies that you receive. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roderick Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 My money is on a problem with the DMX cables. If possible, try to borrow a complete set of good quality DMX cables and see if the problem persists.I have had a similar problem with different gear. It came down to one poxy link cable that pulled the DMX stream down to a level where everything else freaked out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noiseboymart Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 If my memory serves me right mp pin outs are 1 screen ,2 data -ve ,3 data +ve .Mac inputs are the same , so are straight wired pin for pin cable will eliminate the problem of any worries about cross wiring.LaterMart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 1-1, 2-2, 3-3 is how it should be. straight wired pin for pin cable will eliminate the problem of any worries about cross wiring. Echo ... echo ... echo ... echo ... :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocket Posted February 12, 2007 Author Share Posted February 12, 2007 Cheers for the replies everyone....sorry if I didn't give enough detail, but tried my best! I've got to nip into my local shop tomorrow to sort out some lights that are in for repair (got to decide whether its economical to even bother!) so I'll see if I can borrow a DMX tester and some decent cables off them. Time for further investigation... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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