JulianW Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 I've just got my hands on a second hand Strand S72 and a Pro USB - DMX converter from SPLABS http://www.splabs.it...b-DMX-converter that I'm driving from an old laptop using Stage Console http://www.chromakin...ageConsole.html. I've made all of the wiring myself and yes I've set the output of the S72 to be -ve output and 10v. I'm only using the first bank of 24 outputs and only wired to the first 18 of those and they're connected to 3 x Strand Tempus 15/10A 's. The dimmers work fine from the old desk but when I've connected in all of the new bits channel 2 seems to be a problem and won't switch on with the slider from the software but all of the other channels seem to dim correctly 1 at a time if I try to use a few channels at 100% then all is OK but as soon as I lower 1 channel then the whole lot starts to flash. What's really odd is that if I put it in chase mode then channel 2 starts to work! Oh, and I forgot to say, yes there is a DMX terminator plugged into the S72's DMX Out (I haven't got any other DMX lights yet!) As to the wiring there's a standard USB cable to the SPLABS converter, then a 2m DMX cable (XLR 3pin male - XLR 5pin female) from the SPLABS box to the S72 and then a 25 way D-Type to 3 x Bleecons Bleecon 1 - DTypePin 1 - 1Pin 2 - 2Pin 3 - 3Pin 4 - 4Pin 5 - 5Pin 6 - 6Pin 7 - N/CPin 8 - 25Bleecon2 - DType Pin 1 - 7Pin 2 - 8Pin 3 - 9Pin 4 - 10Pin 5 - 11Pin 6 - 12Pin 7 - N/CPin 8 - 25 Bleecon3 - DType Pin 1 - 13Pin 2 - 14Pin 3 - 15Pin 4 - 16Pin 5 - 17Pin 6 - 18Pin 7 - N/CPin 8 - 25 Has anyone any idea what either I've done wrong or where I should be looking to fix this flickering? Thanks in advance. Julian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianknight Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 I would try and find another DMX source you could borrow to see if the flicker is from the DMX side of the Demux (it could be a timing issue) or from the S72 analogue side. The only issues I've ever had with the S72 was incorrect wiring (it leaps back and forth across the D connector and not in a straight line down each side) and yes - I made the same mistake twice :P or the output IC's have been stressed. The outputs drive direct from the LM324's and if the dimmer sinks too much current it knackers the LM324 (Mini 2's are a bugger for it). It might also be worth checking that pin 8 on at least one of your Bleecons is connected to the shield/case of the plug - some Tempus racks expect to see 0v or TE there as well which can also cause them to be unpredictable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulDF Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 If it is like the other generic 72 channel demux units such as Botex / Showtec / Elation the pinout is very odd:Ch1 = Pin 13 Ch2 = Pin 25Ch3 = Pin 12Ch4 = Pin 24Ch5 = Pin 11Ch6 = Pin 23Ch7 = Pin 10Ch8 = Pin 22Ch9 = Pin 9Ch10 = Pin 21Ch11 = Pin 8Ch12 = Pin 20Ch13 = Pin 7Ch14 = Pin 19Ch15 = Pin 6Ch16 = Pin 18Ch17 = Pin 5Ch18 = Pin 17Ch19 = Pin 4Ch20 = Pin 16Ch21 = Pin 3Ch22 = Pin 15Ch23 = Pin 2Ch24 = Pin 14Earth = Pin 1 Hence if the pinout is the same your bleecons will connect: Bleecon1 - D typePin 1 - 13Pin 2 - 25Pin 3 - 12Pin 4 - 24Pin 5 - 11Pin 6 - 23Pin 7 - N/CPin 8 - 1 Bleecon2Pin 1 - 10Pin 2 - 22Pin 3 - 9Pin 4 - 21Pin 5 - 7Pin 6 - 20Pin 7 - N/CPin 8 - 1 Bleecon3Pin 1 - 7Pin 2 - 19Pin 3 - 6Pin 4 - 18Pin 5 - 5Pin 6 - 17Pin 7 - N/CPin 8 - 1 Bleecon4Pin 1 - 4Pin 2 - 16Pin 3 - 3Pin 4 - 15Pin 5 - 2Pin 6 - 14Pin 7 - N/CPin 8 - 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ojc123 Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 The symptoms reminded me of this problem I had a while ago. It did turn out to be the smoothing capacitors and a couple of quid and half an hour with a soldering iron solved the problem. The old analogue desk didn't have a problem. Any DMX desk caused an odd set of effects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulianW Posted October 14, 2013 Author Share Posted October 14, 2013 IanKnight - I haven't connected the shells to ground so that will be my next port of call should my answer to ojc123 not solve the issue.PaulDF - The wiring is correct as per Strands web site for the Tempus dimmers and the back panel of the S72 and most channels are dimming correctly except for the flickering. ojc123 - I've removed the cover on the S72 and 2 of the 1000uF 35V capacitors are bulging on top so I'll get on with replacing them as this could be the source of the problems. Thanks all for the help and hopefully the solutions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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