DMX and 0-10volt Systems

[Jambo_UK]

Just wondering about from the price what are the differences betweern DMX and 0-10Volt systems apart from the prices :blink:

 

thanks for the help,

 

from

 

Jambo

[gareth]

DMX is a digital multiplexed control protocol, based on RS485. You can send control data for up to 512 channels down 3-core cable via 5-pin XLR connectors.

 

0 to 10v control signals are simple, non-multiplexed analogue - i.e. each control channel needs its own wire, plus an additional wire for a 0v 'reference'. Connectors are usually 8-pin DIN or Bleecon (carrying 6 channels), 25-pin D-sub (carrying 24 channels), or 37-pin Socapex (36 channels).

[Ben Lawrance]

DMX is a digital method consisting of 1 cable (two core + screen), allowing 512 channels to be transmitted down it.

 

0-10v is an anologue method consisting of many cables. You have one cable per dimmer (plus the 0v and 10v feed)

 

Example: You have got 24 dimmer channels. To control these with 0-10v, you would need four 8 core cables. In each cable there would be 6 channel returns, a 0v refrence (ground) and the 10v feed from the dimmer it self.

You lighting desk would take the 10v from the dimmer (in some cases supplying it's own 10v - on modern boards) and as you move the slider on the lighting board, it will give back a percentage of that voltage (slider at 0 would output nothing, slider at 50% would output 5v, slider at 100% would output 10v.

The dimmer will then calculate how much voltage 0-240v to output to the lantern depending on how much you give it from the control input (0-10v)

 

 

DMX however is differant. It is a digital way of sending those 0-10v signals used in those four 8 core cables, and sending it down one cable. Also, instead of each dimmer having it's own cables going directly to the lighting board, with DMX, you can simply "daisy chain" the dimmer's together.

DMX can supply 512 channels of data down one cable (or called a universe) so with the example above, you would use 24 channels, linking the dimmers together, and still have 488 chanels remaining (available to be used for intelligent lighting effects, smoke/haze/low fog machines etc etc)

 

 

There is a website (www.dmx512.com I think) that will give you the inside info on DMX and how it really works (the technical bits that would take an essay to write)

 

 

 

Hope this helps

 

Rgds

Ben Lawrance

[Jambo_UK]

Thanks everyone now I understand completely

 

from

 

jambo