DMX Strobe Controller

[jamieprank]

I need a controller to drive up to 4 or 8 strobes from a DMX desk. Preferably should be able to single flash each strobe individually, and maybe have some chases or effects which can be triggered by DMX..

 

Any ideas guys???

[peter]

Take a look at this recent topic, which should give you some ideas.

[jamieprank]

Unfortunately the only multi channel device mentioned there was the 16 ch anytronics, which does not have the functions ie strobe speed and chases etc that I need..

[Ian]

Unfortunately the only multi channel device mentioned there was the 16 ch anytronics, which does not have the functions ie strobe speed and chases etc that I need..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

We use a Pulsar DMX strobe control; this can control 16 different strobes.

The effects and speeds are set up on the desk, one channel per strobe.

[Flyingwysiwyg]

The Anytronics works the same way as the Pulsar.

 

As far as I know most Strobe De - Mux's work the same way. One desk channel = One Strobe trigger channel on the De - Mux.

 

Fader above 50% = Trigger.

 

You need to program the chases yourself.

 

Step 1 = "relevant DMX channel @ FF"

Step 2 = "relevant DMX channel @ 0%"

 

Alter chase speed accordingly.

 

F - Wyg

[vinny baby]

Hmm I used to have quite a few strobes that needed 0-10v pulses to run them, In the end I got naffed of having to run jack leads everywhere, and then run the dmux to the console.

 

In the end I just flogged the lot and bought a handfull of DMX strobes!!

 

Its make life so much more easy and flexible.

 

You can get DMX strobes for under £90 these day.

 

I paid about £500 for a non DMX one!! at one time.

[Bottle]

Another option would be to purchase a DMX module, listed on the Milford Instruments site:

 

Milford Instruments

 

Can be used as a DMX Transmitter or Receiver (but not both at the same time) - supports RS232 in/out + servos + analogue in/out.

 

These may be able to help, with a bit of additional circuitry for interfacing to the strobes......

 

HTH

 

Ian S

[jamieprank]

Yeah the problem with the above mentioned controllers is that in order to acheive an actual fast strobing effect you have to program really fast chases, which means that it makes it very awkward to use with other lights without using layered chases/cues..

Is there not something out there that will allow say 2 channels- one for single flash, and one for rate of continuous strobing?

[onecell]

When I used to do a lot more "rave" lighting than I do now (me poor ole' back!) we used 1 of 2 solutions to this:

 

1) A multitude of strobe chases were programmed into a Pulsar Masterpiece (I know, I know - NOT the most popular desk - but cheap & fast!), this in turn was connected to the strobes via DMX and a (in this case) Pulsar strobe interface.

This desk had it's "Environments" (Pulsar's name for a combination of scenes & chases) selected by the Main desk.

 

2) For a while we had a modified Pulsar "Rainbow Strobe" controller up in the rig. It was modified to receive "Speed" via a 0-10v signal and "Pattern" & "Enable" via further 0-10v signals. These days a strobe controller could easily (?!) be modified using Milford Instruments PCBs, I'd have thought.

 

Not the simplest solutions to implement, I grant you, but highly effective!

 

Danny

[lonfire]

In the end I just flogged the lot and bought a handfull of DMX strobes!!

 

Its make life so much more easy and flexible.

 

You can get DMX strobes for under £90 these day.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I've got a few 75w (ish) strobes I was gonna use with my strobe controler.. but just did a quick search (google is your friend!) and found these

or this

 

not bad for 40 quid or 96 quid!

 

rgds

chris