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Topic: How do you set up or start using DMX?

This topic is old and might contain outdated or incorrect information.

I want to get to control 4 ADJ cosmsans, 2 profile panel, a revo 3, and 2 triphases. to do this i would like to use the American DJ DMX-Operator-192 but that controls the light and does it provide power? so would i need like a co pilot for power and a power conditioner or extensions im confused about it. would someone please help me set up lights and Dmx controller and the rest that i need to make it work.
 
Posted Tue 24 Aug 10 @ 3:47 pm
DMX cables do not provide power. They are only a wire that DMX data travels down. You will need to power each light by plugging it in to a wall outlet.

Then you will need to read up on how to program each light (manuals) to a different DMX address (Using Addresses 1-512) Then read up on how to use the DMX-Operator-192 to control each light at each address.

I suggest starting with one light, one DMX cable, and your DMX-Operator-192. Program the one light to DMX Address one (1), then read up on how to turn on channel one (1) with the controller. Keep in mind that just because you assign something to address one (1) doesn't mean that address two (2) should be the second address for the second light. Most DMX lighting fixtures utilize multiple channels. I think the REVO 3 uses something like 6 channels. So if the REVO (w/ 6 channels) was the first light to be programmed the second light would need to be programmed to start at address 7.

You will just need to daisy chain each light via a DMX cable and you should be up and running in no time. Now programming the DMX-Operator-192 to do fancy stuff, could take more time. But getting control of each light shouldn't be too tough for ya, using the sliders on the DMX-Operator-192.

Hope that helps some. Spending some time playing with it is how I figured it out. Controlling lights with DMX will definitely take your lighting shows to the next level.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DMX512
http://www.thedmxwiki.com/
 
thank you im understanding all this much better, so im going to need a copilot to turn lights on and off and provide power, and the dmx to control the lights right?
 
 
Forget the Copilot!

All you need is AC power directly to each light, and a DMX cable from your controller to the first light.

Then the DMX cable links out of the first light into the second, and so on.

Job done.

The AC power to each light stays on, and you control everything from the DMX box.
 
To add to the above, each DMX light will have a setting for "off" or "black out". So all lihts can be powered on, but be blacked out.

I understand the basics, but I'm still a novice when it coms to putting it all together.

Cheers,

Roy
 
 
Those first two videos are in the top 5 most watched on my YouTube channel - lots of people find them useful.

Brian S Redd did a couple of follow-up videos to those as well, after I tutored him via Skype.
 


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