Can someone help me please!

[soundguy]

Hi

 

My name is Graham and I'm new to this site.

I am not a lighting person but a sound op for a seven piece functions band.

 

I have bought a new lighting system for the band and could use some help trying to make it work the way I would like it too.

 

This is a link to where I bought the system and what it is. http://www.thomann.de/gb/stairville_hl_x_h..._was_bundle.htm

you will probably get more info from the link, than what I can tell you myself.

 

All I really want to do with this system is flood the band with some nice colours, and be able to switch it into audio mode towards the end of a gig to work in time with the music, but I dont want it fast flashing.

 

I have set the lights up at home to play around with to try and get them to work properley but I cant even get them to sync together properly, the manuals for the lights and control desk are pretty much useless, well to me anyway.

 

Hope someone can help me pease.

 

Best wishes

 

Graham

[osal]

have u selected your DMX channels on the desk and got the same on the dip switches on the lights

[Paul J Need]

Call me old-fashion... perhaps worth a call to the Thomann technical support - always a good place to start when one is having trouble with kit you just bought?

[soundguy]

have u selected your DMX channels on the desk and got the same on the dip switches on the lights

 

Hi Osal

 

I had the lights working in sync and in manual mode through the desk once, but it took so much fiddling to get there I cant remember how I did it.

 

Do the DMX addresses all have to be the same for both heads and the desk?

I have no dip switches, the addresses are changed through a mode button and LED screen.

 

Is there somewhare a genaral explanation for all the different buttons onthe desk?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Graham

 

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

 

Call me old-fashion... perhaps worth a call to the Thomann technical support - always a good place to start when one is having trouble with kit you just bought?

 

Hi Paul

 

It's a good idea and I had thought about giving them a call but because I need so much information it will cost a lot of dosh in phone calls.

 

Thanks anyway.

 

Graham

[p.k.roberts]

Hi Graham, firstly, is this the same as the controller you have?

 

http://www.soundlab.co.uk/technical/498.pdf

 

Secondly, do you have any details of what the functions of the DMX channels on the lights do? The Thomann site says they are four chanel devices, so those channels might be, for example, red, green, blue and FX ....

 

With those bits of information we might have a fighting chance. The other thing that might help is completing your profile by adding your location; you never know, some kind soul might be close by and willing to give you a hand .....

[Pattern123]

At the risk of sounding unhelpful, I'd suggest you stress to whoever bought them that should they buy another system in future it might be better to go to a local supplier and buy from them, they can then demo the kit to you. Yes it will cost a few quid more, but it will actually work, and if it doesn't you can take it back to them! Thomann are a pain in the *** and are killing local business.

[dmxtothemax]

Have you had a look online for a copy of the operators manual?

Using a new DMX desk without a good operators manual will be difficult,

If you find a manual online, and still have trouble, let us know the site you got the manual from, and then we can help more effectively.

I have not used that particular desk, but I remember when I got my first DMX desk, and even with a manual it will take some time to learn how to use it well.

[gnomatron]

If you want the two lights to do the same thing, set their DMX addresses to be the same.

[soundguy]

Hi Graham, firstly, is this the same as the controller you have?

 

http://www.soundlab.co.uk/technical/498.pdf

 

Secondly, do you have any details of what the functions of the DMX channels on the lights do? The Thomann site says they are four chanel devices, so those channels might be, for example, red, green, blue and FX ....

 

With those bits of information we might have a fighting chance. The other thing that might help is completing your profile by adding your location; you never know, some kind soul might be close by and willing to give you a hand .....

 

Hi P.K.

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

Yes, it is identicle and the manual is the same SRC173.

 

The system can run from the desk in either two or five channel mode.

 

In Five channel mode the desk functions are CH1-Red brightness CH2-Green brighteness CH3-Blue brightness CH4-Global dimming CH5-Flash speed.

 

In two channel mode CH1-Colour selection CH2-Global dimming.

 

I have had visitors for the weekend and had to pack the system away to make room for them but I will set it up again tonight and have another play with it.

 

I have updated my profile but to save you looking it's Long Hanborough. Oxforshire.

 

Thanks again.

 

Graham

 

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

 

At the risk of sounding unhelpful, I'd suggest you stress to whoever bought them that should they buy another system in future it might be better to go to a local supplier and buy from them, they can then demo the kit to you. Yes it will cost a few quid more, but it will actually work, and if it doesn't you can take it back to them! Thomann are a pain in the *** and are killing local business.

 

Hi Pattern123

 

Yes, you are quite right, fingers burnt, lesson learnt.

 

The only problem is, that I couldnt find this type of system in the UK and I didnt want anything that involves a lot of setting up, as the PA system I use takes plenty long enough already.

 

Thanks anyway.

 

Graham

[p.k.roberts]

I would suggest the first thing to do is try and get the desk talking to one light in the simplest way possible. I've had a quick glance through the manual for the desk (what a horror!) and am guessing (and hoping) that it outputs on DMX channels starting at channel 1. So power up the desk and ensure that what I'm guessing is the 'manual mode' LED is on (just above and to the left of the master fader).

 

Set a lamp to receive DMX channel 1 put it in and '5 channel mode'. Connect the lamp and desk together, then push up the master fader followed by faders 1-4 (according to the info you gave, R,G,B and master). Does it light up? If yes, :)! If no, don't panic (yet). On the rear of the desk is a small slider switch marked 'Polarity Select'. Move this to the other position and try again. Is the lamp working now? If yes, set up the other lamp exactly the same as the first and connect it from the DMX through/out of the first lamp. If no, get back to us.

[soundguy]

I would suggest the first thing to do is try and get the desk talking to one light in the simplest way possible. I've had a quick glance through the manual for the desk (what a horror!) and am guessing (and hoping) that it outputs on DMX channels starting at channel 1. So power up the desk and ensure that what I'm guessing is the 'manual mode' LED is on (just above and to the left of the master fader).

 

Set a lamp to receive DMX channel 1 put it in and '5 channel mode'. Connect the lamp and desk together, then push up the master fader followed by faders 1-4 (according to the info you gave, R,G,B and master). Does it light up? If yes, :)! If no, don't panic (yet). On the rear of the desk is a small slider switch marked 'Polarity Select'. Move this to the other position and try again. Is the lamp working now? If yes, set up the other lamp exactly the same as the first and connect it from the DMX through/out of the first lamp. If no, get back to us.

 

Hi again P.K. Thanks for your input, and it is very much appreciated.

 

I had a stroke of luck, I had visitors Friday and Saturday and had to pack the lights away as I needed to use the room I had them set up in.

Anyway, Sunday I set them up again and almost straight away, got them working in manual mode and have written down the settings so I wont forget for the next time.

I was only able to manage this, with the ideas and help that you forum guys have put forward, plus juggling your info with the info in the manual, thank you so much.

 

I was very confused at first, as I thought that the mode settings on the head units were the DMX address settings but it turned out that when I put both units into RGB mode the LED screens came up with an address prompt, I put in 001 for both units and bingo, I was into manual mode on the desk.

A problem I found which I think messed my head up earlier, is the desk has a quirk, that even when all the settings are correct, the lights wont work until the channel faders on the desk are moved up to the full on position, and then like magic, they work fine, this happens every time DOH!.

 

So, at least I can use them as a manual colour flood for my next gig but I am not happy with the way the desk selects the colours in five channel mode, it's a lot of guess work if you dont know your colour mixing chart like me, it would be dodgy to say the least.

 

To explain, with the desk in manual mode, CH-1 = Red brightness. CH-2 = Green brightness. CH-3 = Blue brightness. CH-4 = dimming of all three colour channels or global. CH-5 = Flashing speed all colour channels (not interested as the stage is in blackout between flashes).

 

There is another mode I can set the heads to which is two channel mode, Ch-1 = Colour selection. CH-2 = Dimming of all three colours or global if you like. This is better than five channel mode as you can change through all the colours on just one fader, it's not smooth and the fader is very touchy but it's something I can make do with for the time being.

 

I am beggining to think, and I know my setup is toytown to what you guy's deal with, that I need to learn how to program the desk so all the colours that I want to use, can be called up as and when I need to use them and also be piped into some sort of audio mode but have no idea how to do that yet.

 

My original idea, was to use the lights in manual mode for the first set, just to give varying colour wash on the band and then for the second set which is more raunchy, put the lights into audio mode so they work with the music. I can get this to work fantastic with the heads in stand alone mode with some fade delay, but through the desk the colours just flash to the beat of the music which looks totally crap.

 

So, to cut a long story short, at least I can use the system on a live gig for the time being, and not feel too embarrassed about using them, but I am beggining to realise now, that I am not going to get off lightly, without learning to program the desk.

 

I would be very greatful for any more help with this issue and would be more than willing to scan and forward the manual for the lighting heads, if any use.

 

It is so nice to know that there are people out there, that are willing to put themself out, to help other folks that have bitten off more than they can chew, I thank you for that.

 

Best wishes

 

Graham