Setting Up Dmx Operation - Martin Alien LED Downlight User Manual

Setting up DMX operation

In DMX operation, commands from a DMX controller are sent to the driver units and then relayed
to the heads. The transformers in the heads translate the commands into dynamic lighting effects
by varying power to the LEDs in the luminaires.
A driver unit can relay commands to up to 4 different groups of heads independently. All heads
are supplied set to group 1 by default. If you want all heads to show the same lighting effects, go
straight to "Setting driver units' DMX addresses" below.
If you want to show different lighting effects on different heads connected to the same driver unit,
continue Alien LED Downlight, you must first assign the heads into groups. All heads are
supplied assigned to group 1 by default. To assign them to a different group, you must first
initialize them and then set them to the new group number:
Configuring heads
1. Connect all the heads you want to include in a particular group to the driver unit. Disconnect
all the heads you do NOT want to include in that group.
2. Power the driver unit on.
3. Set all the driver unit's DIP switch pins to OFF.
4. Move one DIP switch pin as follows:
- Move pin 2 to ON to set heads to group 2, or
- Move pin 3 to ON to set heads to group 3, or
- Move pin 4 to ON to set heads to group 4.
5. Hold the yellow Program button pressed in for 10 seconds until the luminaires blink green to
show that the heads connected to the driver unit are now assigned to the desired group.
6. If a transformer has previously been assigned to a group other than group 1, it will blink red
and refuse to accept the new group. If this happens, reset the transformer by setting all the
DIP switch pins on the driver unit to ON and holding the yellow 'Enter' button pressed in for 10
seconds. This initializes the transformer and sets it to the default group 1. You should now be
able to assign the heads to the new group.
7. Repeat this procedure until all heads are assigned to groups, then use the DIP switch pins to
set the driver unit's DMX address as described below.
Setting driver units' DMX addresses
When heads have been assigned to groups, you must set up the driver units and controller:
1. Set up the DMX controller so that 16 channels are allocated to each driver unit.
For example, if you have three driver units, allocate:
- Channels 1 - 16 to driver unit 1
- Channels 17 - 32 to driver unit 2
- Channels 33 - 48 to driver unit 3.
2. Set each driver unit to receive commands on the 16 channels reserved for it on the DMX
controller. You do this by setting the driver unit's DMX address as a binary number on the
driver unit's DIP switch. The DMX address is the first of the DMX channels used to receive
commands from the controller.
In our example, set DMX addresses as follows
- Set driver unit 1 to DMX address 1 (binary number 000000001 on the DIP switch)
- Set driver unit 2 to DMX address 17 (binary number 000010001 on the DIP switch)
- Set driver unit 3 to DMX address 33 (binary number 000100001 on the DIP switch)
3. See "DIP Switch settings table" on page 22 for a quick way of finding the binary numbers you
need to set on the DIP switch. Alternatively, use the Martin DIP Switch Calculator, available
20 Alien LED Downlight user manual