Showtech LED Pixel Track / DMX USB Pro

[scrow]

Hi People,

 

I am using the Showtech LED Pixel Track as a LED Fixture and I want to control it via DMX USB Pro by Enttec. But somehow I can't figure out, which channels are the RGB and how to make the settings at the fixture for recieving the DMX messages.

In the manual it says something like:

 

Select the DMX starting address for the Pixel Drive 8 using the

UP and DOWN buttons.

 

The DMX Channel functions are:

Channel 1: Rainbow

Channel 2: Red (0-255)

Channel 3: Green (0-255)

Channel 4: Blue (0-255)

Channel 5: Strobe (1-20HZ)

Channel 6: Sound-active/ Audio sensitivity

 

But if I adress the 2,3,4 for RGB it does nothing?

 

Someone?

[niclights]

If you address the unit to 001 then it should respond to channels 2,3 & 4 in your control software (assuming that channel list is correct).

[scrow]

Yes I do that. And as soon I adress all channels it works, but seperatly it doesn't. Might the problem be also that I am using a microphone 3 pin cable? Instead a DMX Kabel?

[niclights]

as soon I adress all channels it works, but seperatly it doesn't.

I don't quite understand. Can you please explain in more detail?

[scrow]

I am using Max/MSP for sending the comands to Enttec DMX USB Pro. from the it goes through a 3 Pin Microphone cabel to the Showtech LED Pixel Track Fixture (no DMX Terminator attached at the output)

 

In the dmxusbpro Patch by O.Matthes you can adress all channels when entering 0 as channel-number (see screenshot)

http://www.bilder-hochladen.net/files/thumbs/81n1-2.jpg

 

When doing so, I cann set the RGB value of all LEDs between 0-255, but what I want to do is adress only Red or Green or Blue, which then does not work when e.g. trying to adress channel 2,3,4,5,6 etc. non responses. So I thought that maybe the cabel does not transport the full information?

 

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

 

Sorry, bigger picture:

http://www.bilder-hochladen.net/files/big/81n1-2.jpg

[Beachhouse13]

Ok, I’m still confused. When you say you address channels 2, 3, 4, ect. that tells me that you are changing the address on the light. If so that is your problem. Leave the address at 1 and use your software to control the RGB by changing the values of channels 2, 3, and 4.

If you are doing this then I don’t know what to tell you. I use mic cables all the time (I know I shouldn’t, but don’t have the budget to buy new cables) and have never had a problem.

[scrow]

Damn, I am doing so, I mean, I am setting A001 as DMX Adress on the Fixture, and from the software I want to send messages on channel 2,3,4,5,6

But I get this wierd results, mostly the fixture stays 50% blue and green. SOmetimes it changes when I am changing some numbers, but just randomly, because if I repeat the same chanhes it stays. the only thing which is to controll are all RGB LEDs at the same time.

That really sucks, I just can't find some clear behaviours.

 

Is there any Mac Software tool, which works easyly to see which channels are on? I was trying Chameleon and Present-Desk, but thy don't recognize the DMX USB PRO Interface

[MrBoomal]

What lighting program are you using the Enttec dongle with?

[scrow]

Hi, as said before I use Max/MSP http://www.nullmedium.de/dev/dmxusbpro/

to send messeges via the enttec to the led-fixture

[tom_the_LD]

So the fixture is set to DMX address 1. This will consequently take up channels 1,2,3,4,5,6.

 

Have you then patched the DMX software so that channel 1 is DMX 1, channel 2 is DMX 2 etc. As most of the time you can swap around - have channel 2 controlling DMX 5 for example.

 

 

 

Tom

[scrow]

@tom the LD

I dont really understand?

 

I know accomblished to seperatly light RGB but sadly without any value to dimm etc.

It goes like this:

I set all (512) to 0

the I send a message to channel 2 = Red

I set all (512) to 0

the I send a message to channel 3 = Green

I set all (512) to 0

the I send a message to channel 4 = Blue

 

I don't know how to proberly make it work, that I can display all colors, mix the RGB

 

Is there noone using the Showtech LED Pixel Track? Or the dmxusbpro patch in Max/MSP?

 

Best!

[niclights]

Is there noone using the Showtech LED Pixel Track? Or the dmxusbpro patch in Max/MSP?

Probably not!

 

I still really don't understand and don't have any experience with any of these, but the principles should be the same for any software/fixture.

 

If you have any sort of control then you know that the interface and the cable are working fine.

 

Just patch six dimmers in the software, channels 1-6. Address unit to DMX 001. Increase levels of each of the six channels and see what affect it has. If your attribute list is correct then 1, ,5 & 6 should be at zero and then 2,3 & 4 will give you the colour mixing but it might be worth trying the other channels if you get no result in case the list is wrong.

[scrow]

The Problem is, that it behaves very strangly compared to what it should be.

In the Manual it says:

Channel 1: Rainbow

Channel 2: Red (0-255)

Channel 3: Green (0-255)

Channel 4: Blue (0-255)

Channel 5: Strobe (1-20HZ)

Channel 6: Sound-active/ Audio sensitivity

 

But I when I adress Channel 2 I can only turn it on (like 50%) or off and not dimm it e.g.

that sucks

[Tomo]

Are you sending a minimum of 24 DMX channels?

 

Very few receivers can cope with anything under 24 DMX channels on the wire.

 

Also, you must send enough DMX channels to cover all the attributes - even the ones you aren't actively using.

Most receivers give up and take their toys home if they don't have enough data for all their attributes.

 

More specifically to your exact fixture:

DMX Channels 1, 5 and 6 are probably extremely important for this device - they'll need to be sending levels in the correct range (which may not be zero) for the RGB channels to work as RGB intensities.

 

I've never used these fixtures so I can't give many more details. Try calling the dealer you bought them from and see if they have any more details about the ranges used in the units.

 

I've just had a look at another Showtec fixture in the Congo fixture library:

Strobe probably needs to be somewhere in the range from 0 to 189 (out of 255) to get continuous light.

190 to 250 for strobing (1 to 20 Hz)

255 is probably sound-to-light mode.

 

I'm not sure if this is also a virtual dimmer or not, so try somewhere in the higher end of the continuous light range.

 

- This is from a different Showtec fixture though, and Showtec have a reputation for doing things differently even within the same product.

 

I've also seen several Showtec fixtures where there was actually no dimmer - just a flash rate for the LEDs.

[scrow]

Thanks Tomo, can you make that with the 24dmx channels a bit clearer, I think that is new to me.

 

Does it mean I have to send 24 different values from the Software via the enttect to the fixture?

 

There is the possibility of choosing between several Modi, which are Mod 1: 48 Channels, Mod2:24ch., Mod3: 12ch.,, Mod4: 6ch.

 

I am a bit confused because somehow the each channel needs to be resettet (send 0 for all) before I can send the next channel?