Neil Hampson Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 Zero88 used to sell a inverter card (Negative output card) for the Sirrius / Demux48 Etc. I don't know if they are still a standard product offering (Cue Keith) but I'll bet there is a few still knocking around some warehouses. I still have one in a Demux48 I'll have a look at for a P/N if you want IIRC the list price was around £80 for 24 Channels. Older units had terminal screws the new ones were fitted with a ribbon cable header.I was going to offer to dig out a 24 unit that I built about 10 years ago but if you don't want custom build... (ther only difference will be the fact that the Zero88 unit will be on a true PCB, and mine, and most other home built ones will be on breadboard, otherwise al of the compnents are the same.Don't forget as well that you will need +15Vdc AND -15Vdc to make the Op amps work. (I'm not sure if the commercial offerings have this built in) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik10_4 Posted April 23, 2007 Author Share Posted April 23, 2007 Slightly off topic perhaps, but still on the subject of compatibility between dimmers and control desks....I have just acquired via eBay a Zero 88 Betapack dimmer (not received it yet but the photos show it to be light blue/cyan in colour with iec output sockets. The advert pointed to specs at http://common.zero88.com/public/files/Beta_1_user.pdf and I notice that the low voltage feed provided by the unit is 20VDC and that the polarity can be set to + or -. Similarly the input signal can be set to 0 to +10V or 0 to -10V. The control desk DIN pinout appears to be identical to the Stand standard. Now, given that the pin conficuration is the same and the polarity can be set to negative, is it possible that a Strand Act 6 control desk will be compatible? I have been Googling this for some time but have been unable to find what level of low voltage feed the Act 6 desk expects and wouldnt want to damage it. Another option would to set the dimmer to positive polarity and simply adapt the pin configuation on a Pular desk which I also have (at least I know this can live with a low voltage feed of 20VDC). Difficult question for me but probably straightforward to folks here. Sorry Mods if this ever has been covered & that I've gone very slightly off the original topic heading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianknight Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 Slightly off topic perhaps, but still on the subject of compatibility between dimmers and control desks....I have just acquired via eBay a Zero 88 Betapack dimmer (not received it yet but the photos show it to be light blue/cyan in colour with iec output sockets. The advert pointed to specs at http://common.zero88.com/public/files/Beta_1_user.pdf and I notice that the low voltage feed provided by the unit is 20VDC and that the polarity can be set to + or -. Similarly the input signal can be set to 0 to +10V or 0 to -10V. The control desk DIN pinout appears to be identical to the Stand standard. Now, given that the pin conficuration is the same and the polarity can be set to negative, is it possible that a Strand Act 6 control desk will be compatible? You only need to set the supply voltage for the desk from inside the BetaPack - negative for Strand desks, positive for anyone else. The rack 'auto senses' the incoming voltage from the desk and just works - via a clever bit of design inside! We have used these dimmers with Act 6 desks and others (even Pulsar - just rewire the control cable inside via the handily provided screw terminals!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik10_4 Posted April 26, 2007 Author Share Posted April 26, 2007 We have used these dimmers with Act 6 desks and others (even Pulsar - just rewire the control cable inside via the handily provided screw terminals!). Thanks Ian. Exactly the response I was hoping for! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimWebber Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 If you did go down the re-wire route, I would add a prominent notice to the dimmer pack connector telling the world what you have done! It all gets embarrassing when someone else then plugs a Z88 desk into the dimmer pack! Just a thought! Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianknight Posted April 27, 2007 Share Posted April 27, 2007 If you did go down the re-wire route, I would add a prominent notice to the dimmer pack connector telling the world what you have done! It all gets embarrassing when someone else then plugs a Z88 desk into the dimmer pack! Just a thought! Jim Nice thought Jim, thats why you re-wire the desk (using the handily provided terminals) - then the packs comply to one standard (except for Pulsar - and so back almost to square one)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimWebber Posted April 27, 2007 Share Posted April 27, 2007 Nice thought Jim, thats why you re-wire the desk (using the handily provided terminals) - then the packs comply to one standard (except for Pulsar - and so back almost to square one)! Okay, my bad, I assumed that you were talking about re-wiring the dimmers... Yes, I know what assumptions do! I still think my point of a label is a good one though! Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik10_4 Posted April 27, 2007 Author Share Posted April 27, 2007 I still think my point of a label is a good one though! I totally agree with labelling. Dimmers and Desks are labelled with the associated device. In fact I have one Pulsar Control desk which I have 'dual wired'. Each output DIN socket is labelled with the name of the associated dimmer unit. Works a treat! Incidentally Zero 88 Dimmer pack now received, supply feed polarity changed to negative and Act 6 desk connected - Perfect ! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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