Showtec Equipment

[George]

Hi,

 

I've just been told that I have to do lighting for my school shows as the guy who made the system left.

 

There is a Showtec Showmaster 24 controller and 5 Showtec Multi Dimmer packs which are all connected using DMX cables.

 

We turn all the Dimmer packs on and the controller but the controller seems to be stuck in a program and some of the lights flash but thats it.

 

Is there any way of reseting the controller and do the dimmer packs and controller need programming to put the lights on there own channel?

 

Please help!

 

Thanks

[Chris Beesley]

The manuals are available online for the Showtec products >> Clicky!

[George]

Thanks Chris,

 

Do you know of any way of reseting the controller as it is stuck in a program and we cant get it to work.

[musht]

Try this topic:

 

http://www.blue-room.org.uk/index.php?showtopic=25311

 

Make sure the Multidims are set in DMX mode,not in a self chasing program, will show an A and starting address and the DMX receive is blinking away on display.

[George]

Thanks for that 'musht', will try that to see if it works

 

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

 

Thanks for all your help so far.

 

I've been looking at the instructions for the showmaster 24 and it look quite complicated for us.

 

We are only wanting it so if you turn a light channel up then the light comes on we are not wanting to program scenes in to it or any thing else. Is there a mode that it has to be on as we cant seem to get it to do this.

 

Thanks again!

[LX-Dave]

Our school also uses a showmaster (the 48 version though). It has three operating modes:

 

- Double Preset : each fader controls one DMX channel; cou can set up one scene on section A, and one on B, and crossfade them.

- Expanded single preset : You get to use all 24 faders; but only have one preset - if you have 5 dimmers, it means 20 channels - so this may be what you want.

- Programming/Scene mode; this is probably what it was in when you got it, it allows the top bank to be a normal preset, and the lower bank to store scenes or chases (groups of lights which are controlled together or in sequence)

 

I beleive the manual has instructions on how to switch modes using the MODE SELECT button.

 

If the desk has been reset, and the dimmers are adressed correctly, I.e the first one show A001, the second A005 etc, then this should be easy enough to do, and operation can be picked up fairly quickly. [ I first saw this desk 2 weeks before the show is was using it for - picked it up quickly, and it didn't go too badly ]

 

HTH,

 

Dave

 

(if I can be of more assistance feel free to PM me)

[George]

Hi Dave,

 

Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it.

 

So the 1st dimmer needs to be set to A001, 2nd to A005 and does the 3rd need to be A009 and 4th A012 and the 5th to A016?

 

And once I've done that do I need to do any programming on the controller or will it work on the channels eg dimmer 1 = channel 1-4 . dimmer 2 = channel 5-8 etc

 

Thanks again!

[smalljoshua]

Dimmer 4 needs to be 13 and 5 needs to be 17.

 

Josh

[George]

Ok and once I've done that do I need to do any programming on the controller or will it work on the channels eg dimmer 1 = channel 1-4 . dimmer 2 = channel 5-8 etc

also to reset the controller do you have to take the back of and disconnect the battery for a few mins?

 

Thanks

[smalljoshua]

We don't know how the controller is currently setup but once you reset it and put it in the correct mode it should work as you want it to.

 

Josh

[George]

And to reset the controller do you have to take the back of the unit and disconnect the battery for a few mins?

[KevinE]

The fac reset is in the manual, there's no battery. You have to switch off, hold down certain buttons (I cant remember which) and power up at the same time.

[LX-Dave]

Depending on what you want resetting the desk to achieve, you should try the following methods.

 

The first one will erase all current programs/chases/scenes etc and the second will reset the settings to the factory defaults...

 

"" 2.2.3 Erase All Programs

1) Record enable.

2) Press and hold the Record button.

3) Tap the Flash buttons 1, 4, 2 and 3 in sequence while holding the Record button. All LEDs will flash,

indicating all programs stored in memory have been erased.

 

 

2.1.4 Return to Default Settings (Factory Settings)

1) Record Enable.

2) In record mode press Flash buttons: 10, 20, 30 and 40 after each other. [These numbers are from the 48, and will be different for the showmaster 24]

The Showmaster 48 will now return to the factory settings. ""

 

 

Once this is done then each fader will be patched 1:1 with DMX channels, I.e fader one controls A001, Fader 2 controls A002 and so on, with the dimmers patched as previously suggested, each fader will control one channel, ie, 1 or 2 lights, in consecutive order.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Dave

 

[George]

 

Thanks for all your help so far!

 

I've discovered that its a show master 48.

 

I have only 1 more problem,

 

When I want a channel to dim nothing happens and when you press the full on button underneath the dimmer slider the light comes on but the dimmer slider does nothing. Does this make sence?

 

Thanks

Moderation: Unnecessary quoting of earlier post, double post and unnecessarily large typeface removed

[LX-Dave]

When using the full on, or flash buttons, appropriate connected lights should come on, but the faders will remain in their position, the LED's above them should light up.

 

I'm unsure exactly what your problem may be, however, you could try some of the solutions below...

 

If you are running in dual preset mode - which mackes more sense if it's the 48, then each 'bank' of faders (upper and lower) works separately from eachother, so in order for the light to output, the 'master' fader to the left of the channel faders, needs to be raised. The fader for the upper band and lowere banks are separate, and the B master is inverted, to allow crossfades.

 

Another possible is that the fade time is very slow, meaning you don't notice a light output for 5 to 10 mins.

 

If you could give more details on the problem, it may may be easier to help you.

 

Dave