CAD DMX controller

[Engineering entertainment]

Hello Blue Room and thank you!!

 

With over a decade sound experience I now have a regular weekend gig but have a small lighting rig and other responsibilities. The hazer stopped working and info from here helped me fix it, I think! I unclogged the heating element and think that the small tank fed by pump needs to fill up to get back into proper use. Because it worked at first then the haze was gone or very weak (gradually), as it filled it got better but I didn't use it this weekend during a carnival after party, management agreed, better for security. I digress, but thanks again!!

 

I use a touch screen controller for lighting and it uses CAD, if I'm not mistaken. Very new to me but I am confident I can get my head round it. Any pointers please let me know, for now it is setup BUT I replaced a light but can't address it to right channel and manuals and videos either confusing or different light and couldn't figure out.

 

Do I just need to copy what the other lights have? With the master slave is it possible to set the light to receive a signal address when linked? I would also like to reconnect the hazer to the controller. Been doing it manually for too long and need to learn more.

 

Or do I need to find what channel the data is being sent from the controller side? We have a splitter or interface next to the computer for the CAD, as a sound engineer I see it like an interface and think maybe I need to know the routing from this point to set the new light fitting to receive.

 

I hope this makes sense. I will do some more research on this, but definitely wanted to say thank you because you really helped!!

 

Glad to have found your community!

 

Nani

Engineering Entertainment

[pritch]

When you say CAD, do you mean ShowCAD?

 

If you replaced a light, as in a like-for-like replacement, you shouldn't need to do anything with your controller but there's one (or potentially more) things that you'll need to do on light itself.

 

At the very least, you'll need to set the DMX start address to be the same as the light that you've removed.

 

If you've got the DMX start address correct but it seems that the light is doing weird stuff or that you don't have full control, it might be that your light has different modes - often these are referred to in terms of the number of channels the light uses - for instance, a non-moving LED fixture might have 5, 7 or 9 channel modes - get the wrong one and your the data your controller is sending will have different results to what you're expecting.

 

If you're using a moving light and it seems like it's going the wrong way (going left when you want to go right, up when you want to go down) then there are often options for swapping the pan and tilt directions somewhere in the menus on the light.

 

When you say 'splitter' and 'routing', in a simple DMX network a splitter doesn't do anything clever - it just sends the same data out to each leg. I could have the same fixture and plug it into any leg of the splitter. If, however, you're using something fancy like a DMX-over-ethernet solution then it can get a bit more complicated as each output won't necessarily do the same thing.

 

If you can give us the details of your controller, the light that you're using and other gear such as this splitter then it might help clear a few things up.

[Engineering entertainment]

Hello Pritch, thanks for replying.

 

I think it is ShowCAD, I am guessing a bit like Max MSP (used it in Uni), there is processing behind and then you create an interface? For now I don't think I need to go in there, maybe to get the hazer hooked back up or find out what address it is sending for it.

 

The splitter is a Showtec, 4 DMX output, three of which are used. Your explanation makes sense, the splitter is to give you better access to different areas instead of one very long chain. That correct?

 

The light I replaced is an ADJ mega tripar profile. The others when on have 291P on the LED, looked like d162 to me but they were obviously upside down. But right way reads 291P with a flashing dot in one corner, I was probably expecting d for DMX.

 

I can't find a setting on the light to give me a xxxP selection. I press setup on others and they are channel 6, I did this for the new one and no signal to it. No reaction from it.

 

I will be honest, I am a little hesitant to dig into the others modes and setup incase I mess them up. Do I need to select a mode to get to the xxxP setting? Because they don't appear on the new one when I cycle through them.

 

Do I need to copy the modes like the others and then the channel 6 setup button selection will make it work. If I understood what you wrote so it will operate like the others.

 

I popped in there this evening to get some of these details. Will be working there tomorrow evening, to try and get it going.

 

I can get more details if necessary, will be there on Saturday too. Thank you for taking the time to help me with this, much appreciated!

 

Nani

[pritch]

 

The splitter is a Showtec, 4 DMX output, three of which are used. Your explanation makes sense, the splitter is to give you better access to different areas instead of one very long chain. That correct?

 

 

Got it. That's exactly what you've got there.

 

 

The light I replaced is an ADJ mega tripar profile. The others when on have 291P on the LED, looked like d162 to me but they were obviously upside down. But right way reads 291P with a flashing dot in one corner, I was probably expecting d for DMX.

 

I can't find a setting on the light to give me a xxxP selection. I press setup on others and they are channel 6, I did this for the new one and no signal to it. No reaction from it.

 

 

I'm not familiar with the light in question,but I did find the manual in case you don't already have it.

 

The manual doesn't really help with your d / P conundrum - I've only skimmed through but couldn't see reference to either, perhaps I didn't read it properly though. I too would expect dnnn where d means DMX - note that there's not always a right way up with these things, many fixtures give you the option to flip the LED display so you can read it no matter which way up you've got the light installed.

 

Taking a wild stab in the dark, I'd say that what you've got there is some existing lights on DMX 162, in the 6 channel mode.

[alistermorton]

According to the manual, the DMX selection mode starts with A. e.g. address 162 would be A.162

 

The displays starting with d seem to be special set up modes.

 

Once it's in DMX mode you need to make sure it's running in the correct number of channels, too - displays starting with Ch.. How are the other ones patched?

[Engineering entertainment]

Thank you Pritch and Alistermorton,I tried the manual months back when I replaced it and I thought I didn't understand the procedures. Checked the manual again last night but couldn't find the d or p settings. YouTube make it look easy with the controller they use and because I am using ShowCAD I had a feeling I might need to tweak there.

 

I will try a162 and maybe others with the manual tonight. Special setup mode again makes me think ShowCAD is doing something but I guess you would of said, that side is very new to me.

 

I checked the others Ch setting, all Ch 6. By patch, they are linked, DMX cable, patch makes me think patch bay routing, does this get done with the controller?

 

I might have misunderstood what you meant by patch, so I apologise in advance.

 

We have 4 of these in front of stage, 2 at the back, they all follow the same setting when controlled. The one replaced is actually at the end of the chain at front of stage. If that helps. I will report back any progress or extra info, on the hazer too and I can keep an eye on it.

 

Felt silly thinking it might be upside down, but hey, at least I didn't look stupid later ha!

 

Hope you have a lovely weekend.

 

Nani

[Engineering entertainment]

In mode selection there is no d, but A works on 162. This is what threw me off last time, the manual is for the plus version but all the ones I have, have no plus on the logo. But no d selection in mode menu, just a and other settings.

 

If I follow the manual and hit mode after doing the next step channel select it runs through the modes, I thought pressing modes after the channel setup is like an enter button, when I read the manual properly, but not in practice. Also the A and no d.

 

I could press mode on the others and see if they have an A but what if I lose the d... Haha!

 

In theory if I keep pressing mode I should get to where I was.

 

Hazer pipe feeding heating element and the reservoir stopper popped out last night. I think I will try the water and vinegar and clear the heating element with guitar strings.

 

Nani

[timsabre]

I believe they show "d" when they are running in DMX controlled mode. "A" is for setting up the address.

[alistermorton]

Aha ...

[Engineering entertainment]

A for address!! Having checked the manual again I can see that it needs to be plugged to DMX after setting.

 

This did occur to me, but I was expecting an enter button, especially after it started following just on the address setting.

 

Thank you, very much appreciated!!

 

I have worked on big rigs as stage hands, but can't remember doing settings. If you set, power down, strike and then setup as it was, when you power up, does it go to the old setting? Obviously does?!... because the system I use does it, but do the lights have to be in the same order? Maybe not...

 

Maybe it is what you power up first? Sorry, is there any rule to follow here, when setting up in different locations?

 

Hope you're all well!

Nani

[timsabre]

There's no enter button on them, they just remember it once set. I have to say these tripars are very confusing to set the address on, after I posted the above some turned up on a show I'm doing this week.

 

Doesn't matter what order they're wired up in or powered up in. That's the same for all DMX fixtures.