Soundlab 4 channel dimmer problems

[damientheevil]

Hello all,

 

I went to set up my new Soundlab Dimmer earlier today, seems to be working fine in stand-alone mode, so no problems with outputting current, then when I addressed it, the signal light was flashing to say it was reveiving DMX, but no matter what I tried, I could not get it to respond to the DMX signal.

 

The signal was clearly coming in fine, as lights after the unit were working fine.

 

I tried re-addressing it to 1 to make sure it wasn't mathmatical error on my part (as if ) and still nothing, I tried inverting the dip switched in case the 'on' position was labelled wrong, I tried changing the cable, I tried shouting at it then gave up.

 

Any siggestions please anyone? The manual's a joke, and the company I bought it from (who I assume I can't name and shame on here!) have a technical support department that is beyond a joke!

 

Thinking it's probably broke.

 

Thanks for any advice,

 

Ali :-)

[musht]

tried reversin DMX polarity in?

[damientheevil]

tried reversin DMX polarity in?

 

Hmm that's one I didn't try...But looking at the wiring diagram on the user manual, it's advising a 'regular' wired DMX cable. So not the problem I think..... Cheers for the suggestion though!!

[bruce]

Which soundlab dimmer is it?

 

If it's this one

http://cpc.farnell.com/productimages/farnell/standard/8803215.jpg

then it definitely needs a reversed polarity lead. Well, mine did anyway...

 

and as discussed here before, it looks like it was designed "correctly" - well, as "correct" as you can be with a de-facto standard, and was later changed - there are 2 resistors inside that have been "crossed" to make it work with this polarity. My suspicion is that the PCB and screen-printed case didn't match, and it was easier to modify the PCB

[damientheevil]

Which soundlab dimmer is it?

 

If it's this one

http://cpc.farnell.com/productimages/farnell/standard/8803215.jpg

then it definitely needs a reversed polarity lead. Well, mine did anyway...

 

and as discussed here before, it looks like it was designed "correctly" - well, as "correct" as you can be with a de-facto standard, and was later changed - there are 2 resistors inside that have been "crossed" to make it work with this polarity. My suspicion is that the PCB and screen-printed case didn't match, and it was easier to modify the PCB

 

Yup that's the one, well phase reverse cable it is then..I'll give that a go tomorrow. Thanks very much :-)

[Blaize110]

Bit of an old thread but:

 

Firstly, thanks so much. I was about to send this back. Yet again blueroom comes up trumps :D

 

But my question is, has anyone rewired the connectors inside the dimmer? This seems a better solution than making permeanant adapters for it as I could also rewire the DIN to Z88 standard (why make your own that is neither Pulsar nor Z88!!!). However I wondered how easy it is before I start cracking it open.

 

EDIT: Just found the other thread on this topic where the mounting of the XLR connectors is discussed.

[TomHoward]

The one I have (someone passed it on broken and we got it working again) had the reversed polarity, and the XLR on that is on a three-pin jumper to the main board. If it's got a centre earth you could just turn the thing around - even if it isn't you could re-solder the back of the XLR quite easily. I will confirm if it is centre earth tomorrow.

[pritch]

I concur with Tom on this one; I've done exactly what he said.

 

The DMX connector to the board is indeed a three pin jumper, with earth at the centre. What's more (on the one that I fettled, anyway), the header for the jumper isn't glued to the board, so that can be removed and turned 180degrees as well.

[TomHoward]

Thought I'd document this as it seems to come up alot.

 

This is the dimmer I'm talking about, currently connected to a standard (or as standard as you can get for three-pin) DMX source. The DMX light blinks, but it will not process anything.

 

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/8206/dscf0330o.th.jpg

 

Inside, the XLR is connected by a jumper to the board;

 

http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/9796/dscf0333.th.jpg

 

Noticably there are two pin headers on this one - I assume they may have originally though of doing the parallel out on the board rather than on the back of the XLR sockets. I probed it out and it appears to be completely parallel to the input header.

 

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/884/dscf0331a.th.jpg

 

This is useful if you're going to cut it like I did, as you still have a good header to go back to.

I pulled the thing off and just cut the pin header down so it would fit on the other way - this one is installed so it didn't worry me but if you're carrying them around you might want to either turn the header round on the board or apply some hot melt glue at this point.

 

http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/8972/dscf0334w.th.jpg

 

And it's done! The eagle eyed will note that the red wire is now on the left hand side of the header as opposed to the right hand side. Green is ground, so luckily with it being centre there's no re-arrangement of the sleeves needed.

 

http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/1333/dscf0335.th.jpg

 

The unit now responds to DMX.

 

http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/6563/dscf0336b.th.jpg

 

One thing to note is that the DMX pinout is properly marked on the side - as we all know, the DMX standard (for 5 pin) is Pin 1 Ground, Pin 2 Cold (Data-), Pin 3 Hot (Data+). The non-standard pinout of this dimmer is properly marked on the side. Luckily the trusty DYMO made short work of that.

 

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/1492/dscf0341e.th.jpg http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/4742/dscf0342tf.th.jpg

 

My guess is that with Soundlab being a primarily audio company they initially followed the audio XLR pinout (which is Ground, Hot, Cold) without realising that DMX is inverted.

 

Edit: Got my right and left hand sides mixed up.

 

A concurrent post has been automatically merged from this point on.

 

Just to answer the other part of your question;

 

The analogue inputs are mounted directly to the PCB. I wouldn't want to have to try to change this pinout around unless I really had to.

 

http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/8949/dscf0343.th.jpg

[bruce]

That's different from the one I have - which is identical externally. On mine, both of the XLR sockets are directly mounted on the PCB, and paralleled. There are 2 resistors connecting the tracks from pins 2 & 3 to the rest of the circuitry - the screen printing shows them as sitting parallel, but in practice they were crossed over.

[TomHoward]

Yeah, I've come across that one too - which is still possible but requires you to take the board out to get to the solder side. I reckon you could swap the ones with the jumpers in about two minutes start to finish, whereas the ones with the resistors might take at least half an hour.

 

Could you put a date of manufactuer on your one with the resistors? I'll have a look and see if I can find one on this one and see which way they're going.

[bruce]

Date - ages ago... probably at least 5 years old

Edit: just checked - it's more than that - I bought it in Jan 2004, and it wasn't new then....

 

 

Not that I'd ever bodge anything of course - I took the PCB out and moved the resistors "properly" - but if I were doing a lot of these, there would be a temptation just to snip and resolder one of the resistor legs on top of the PCB, rather than unbolt the thing....

[RoyJ]

Hello all,

 

I went to set up my new Soundlab Dimmer earlier today, seems to be working fine in stand-alone mode, so no problems with outputting current, then when I addressed it, the signal light was flashing to say it was reveiving DMX, but no matter what I tried, I could not get it to respond to the DMX signal.

 

The signal was clearly coming in fine, as lights after the unit were working fine.

 

I tried re-addressing it to 1 to make sure it wasn't mathmatical error on my part (as if ;) ) and still nothing, I tried inverting the dip switched in case the 'on' position was labelled wrong, I tried changing the cable, I tried shouting at it then gave up.

 

Any siggestions please anyone? The manual's a joke, and the company I bought it from (who I assume I can't name and shame on here!) have a technical support department that is beyond a joke!

 

Thinking it's probably broke.

 

Thanks for any advice,

 

Ali :-)

 

Hi, I had exactly the same problem, and it turned out to be wrong phase on the DMX.Some boards have a switch to reverse the polarity, the board I was using needed needed a 5 pin to 3 pin DMX lead which supposidly came DMX polarity reversed ( needless to say, it wasn't) and so a quick soldering job was called for.I dont wish to worry you but I bought 5 of the sound lab dimmer packs and within approx 18 months I have 2 left still working, these were bought brand new.So view with caution, there are better units out there for not much more money.I think its a case of buyer beware! Keep it illuminated. Roy

[TomHoward]

What's the issue with your dimmers Roy - do the lamps flicker?

[RoyJ]

What's the issue with your dimmers Roy - do the lamps flicker?

 

Hi Tom,various problems really, from not working at all to one channel being on constantly.As I said previously I bought them brand new and feel very disapointed

with them,in contrast I bought two transcention perfrormer series, absolutely fantastic dimmers for just a little more money.Keep it illuminated Roy