Zero88 Jester 12/24

[leejlight]

Hi guys

 

A school recently contacted me regarding their new purchase of 6 LED Par64s (Stairville). They have asked me to come and rig everything. I have only visited the venue once or twice and I believe they only have 24 channels and using a Jester 12/24.

 

I think this where I'm getting a bit confused. If these 6 LEDs were to replace the 6 generic lanterns on bar 1, this is not possible because each LED uses 4 DMX channels. According to the plans there is no DMX on the bars, only by the dimmer rack. Is this right? or am I getting channels/addresses mixed up?

 

Can the Jester handle this much?

 

 

Hope this (sort of) makes sense.

 

 

Thanks

[vinntec]

Oh dear..

1. The new LED lanterns will need a hot power supply which is NOT via a dimmer. Most likely all of them can connect from a single socket with appropriate wiring (or if thru power wiring available on them).
2. You will need to have a way of controlling when the power socket(s) are on and off (without using a ladder!).
3. You will also need a DMX feed to the lighting bar from your lighting desk. DMX devices usually have IN and OUT connections but most likely you will take the new DMX from the dimmers (or if they are analogue, from the DMX out of the DEMUX unit).
4. The LED lanterns then can have DMX daisy chained along them with the OUT of the last one fitted with a terminator plug.
5. You need to make sure you know if the lanterns are 3 pin or 5 pin DMX so you can get the right cabling - they might well be 3-pin whereas the existing DMX might be 5 pin in which case you will need a 5 to 3 pin converter as well at the appropriate point.
6. You need to assign addresses to each of the LED lanterns depending on how many channels they use (you will need to check manual for exact ones the school has). The chosen address will need to be set on each lantern and any other options needed preset (they might have more than one mode (flavour) of DMX which uses different numbers of channels).

From the sound of things, none of this has been considered... Next the lighting desk. Assuming the LEDs use 4 channels (you need to check this) then you could reuse the sliders for the 6 generic lanterns by patching the DMX addresses of the LEDs to them. However you would only be able to control them as a group as you would need all 24 sliders to be able to control these LEDs independently (which doesn't sound like the case). So, if you chose 30 40 50 60 70 80 for your LED addresses then you might have to patch:

 

n to 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

 

n+1 to 31 41 51 61 71 81 91

 

n+2 to 32 42 52 62 72 82 92

 

n+3 to 33 43 53 63 73 83 93

 

Then you will have then working at least.

 

However - you are not finished yet. If these are RGB lanterns then facelighting will be hopeless and you might find they have a narrow beam angle. If they have more than three colours, then this will be better but will use more channels.

 

Now, of course the school might already have planned this and put in the necessary wiring and replaced the lighting desk with something more suitable, but on the other hand a pig might fly one day too!

 

Good luck! Peter

 

PS. If you lookup the EXACT LED lantern they have and a link to the manual for them, then we can give a more precise answer. Also if you can at least give the area of the school, then there might be a Blue Room member nearby.

 

 

 

[leejlight]

Thanks for your response Peter. Apologies for the late reply.

 

I'm glad they didn't replace the whole rig with LEDs.

[leejlight]

Oh dear

 

So there is no hard power/DMX on all lighting bars.

 

Is there anyway of setting this up rather than a new install/upgraded system.

[vinntec]

Oh dear

 

So there is no hard power/DMX on all lighting bars.

 

Is there anyway of setting this up rather than a new install/upgraded system.

Depending on access you can provide hot power and DMX with long cables if you really have to (as a temporary one-off install). Almost certainly you could run all the LEDs off a single 13A feed so if they are all on a bar together you only need to get one 6-way feed to them to plug in to (for 13A could be 16A depending on whatever the venue uses for hot power). You might also need some 13A/16A extension cables (or the LEDs you have MIGHT allow power to daisy-chain between them in which case you need the appropriate kind of cables).

 

DMX is more difficult if no provision has been made to extend it. You need to find the last DMX device currently connected (which is probably a dimmer or a DEMUX), There should be a DMX OUT with either nothing in it or just a terminator (a plug with no cable). Is this 3 or 5 pin? Do the LEDs want 3 or 5 pin DMX? You might need a converter (but do it once then use cables to suit the LEDs).

 

If you need to reuse the Jester 12/24, then you will need to steal enough faders for the number of channels your LEDs use (you need to look this up) to run them all together as previously described. Or you can setup your own desk (Free ChamSys software + limited time DMX dongle on a suitable PC/laptop is an obvious cheap but powerful option). If your brain is hurting by this point, then tell us the area you are in and see if anyone from the Blueroom is nearby and could look in to see what can be done easily, or not so easily?

 

Peter