The Avolites Discussion Forum

Hi!
I am currently at my first venue with a new titan mobile board.
Got everything patched up, but no contact with the lamps.
DMX line 1 is set to DMX Output A Expert DMX.

Is this right?

I get no response from any of the lamps, but the visualizer shows it correctly..

Heeeelp.....

Hm, could be many things:
- something broken (probably the cable)
- the output set to 'Blind' - then it would send DMX only if in b lind mode
- the desk set to blind

Please try, starting at one end, if the entire DMX cabling is correct. E.g. hook up some other devices to the desk. Use a different cable, different output... Just in case: I wouldn't just test all 4 outputs with the same setup. You wouldn't be the first one to fry all 4 drivers id there is a fault in your system. So, if possible, take just one device to FOH, and hook it up to the mobile with a short DMX link.

Most devices have an indicator to show if they are receiving DMX. If so can you confirm if they are or not?

Icke: Desk or playback is not in blind mode.
How do i check if the output is set to blind?

Just checked all the cabling, and nothing responds no matter what i do.

Nicklights:
I am using LEDJ slimline 9Q8 fixtures, and they have no DMX indicator.

I tried to set all but the first fixture to slave, and set the first to sound active, and all lamps responded to that..

I'm starting to think my 5-3pin connector is creating this problem...

DMX blind is set in DMX settings. Click on the [i] button next the the output node and is available at the bottom-right (and in the softkey menu). This is unlikely though as the default is not blind and you would have to have deliberately set this.

Cable sounds more likely. Wiring should be pin 1- > pin 1 and either pin 2 -> pin 2 & pin 3 -> pin 3 OR pin 2-> pin 3 and pin 3 -> pin 2. The device should detail which pin is data + and data -. They should match the console. Remember that the layout of pins on a 5 pin connector is not quite the same as a 3-pin.

When testing this I recommend having just one device connected and set to DMX 001. Start a new show, patch some dimmers to cover enough channels (for example 1-10), select them all and set to full (press @ twice). This should be enough to indicate if the cable is working and the device is receiving DMX and eliminates personality issues or faults with other devices or cables in a chain.

HEY!!

THAT WORKED!!!

Can it be a personality issue????????

If it was Nic's last hint which helped:

When testing this I recommend having just one device connected and set to DMX 001. Start a new show, patch some dimmers to cover enough channels (for example 1-10), select them all and set to full (press @ twice). This should be enough to indicate if the cable is working and the device is receiving DMX and eliminates personality issues or faults with other devices or cables in a chain.

... then it's likely a personality issue. However, I had a quick cross-check with the manual, and didn't find any obvious problems.


From our conversation regarding the vis file: did you remember that the fixtures have 7 channels (as for the manual and the Avo perso)?

when i patch the slimline as 7 dimmers i have control, when i use the 9q8 personality i have no light. only thing that works is macros.... :-O

any clue??

icke:

They have 7 channels, yes..

Just a try: play with the shutter. It's not mentioned in the manual, and not included in the perso, but maybe they have a 'shutter closed' implemented...

I actually have to set the Color macro to on, then i have some form of control... I can then use the shutter, but nothing else...

icke: do you remember from our chat about the viz file that one channel always outputs value 2?? maybe that does it??????

Do you have access to e-mail? I'd re-write the personality so that shutter and macro will be raw dmx, 0...255. You then need to find the correct values.

If you don't have access to e-mail, you might use the 'patched as dimmer' solution, and tell us which values work, to control the fixtures correctly. Probably the crucial things are shutter and macro (DMX 2 and 7)

i just opened the file in notepad and corrected the ch7 setting from 0-4 to 0-0

works perfectly now!

Cool thing. If you could submit the edited file to fixturesupport@avolites.com I am sure Peter will happily update the official library.