Dmx Primer - Chauvet SCORPION User Manual

DMX Primer

Starting Address
Fixture Linking
(Daisy Chain)
Page 26 of 28
The USITT DMX512-A data transmission protocol (DMX, from now on) is based on the
EIA-485 standard and it has 512 channels (001 to 512). This system requires a
controller (DMX controller), one or more DMX compatible fixtures, and a DMX circuit
(also known as "DMX universe") to link the fixtures to the controller.
Depending on their complexity and features, DMX compatible fixtures may require from
one to more than 30 DMX channels to operate. Some DMX fixtures have multiple
operation modes (also known as "personalities"), each with its own number of channels
and controllable parameters.
In the DMX system, the controller sends DMX data to each fixture based on the fixture's
starting address. The starting address is the number of the DMX channel (001 to 512)
assigned to the fixture's first control channel (Channel 1). When assigning starting
addresses to multiple fixtures, it is critical to ensure that no starting address is already in
use by another fixture to prevent channels from overlapping. Otherwise, the affected
fixtures may operate erratically.
For instance, a user has two DMX compatible fixtures. Fixture "A" has four channels and
fixture "B" has six channels. If the user configures the starting address of fixture "A" to
"001", channels 001 through 004 on the DMX controller will control fixture "A". This
means that the user should assign the starting address of fixture "B" to "005" or higher.
For a starting address of "005", the DMX controller would use channels 005 to 010 to
control fixture "B".
It is possible to control multiple fixtures of the same type by assigning each one of them
the same starting address. In this case, all the fixtures would respond in unison
(synchronized) to the signals from the DMX controller.
DMX compatible fixtures receive the control signals
from the DMX controller through the DMX cables.
Each fixture has a DMX In and a DMX Out connector.
The figure to the right illustrates how the fixtures link to
each other using multiple segments of DMX cable in a
sequential format called "daisy chain".
The order in which the fixtures connect to the DMX
controller is irrelevant because all fixtures receive the
same DMX signals and they only respond to them
based on their individual starting addresses. However,
it is important to notice that the connections between
fixtures should always be as short and direct as
possible.
To ensure the integrity of the DMX signal, follow the
recommendations of the EIA-485 standard:
•
The maximum recommended cable length is 500 m (1,640 feet).
•
The maximum recommended number of fixtures on the same daisy chain is 32.
Connecting more than 32 fixtures on one daisy chain without the use of a DMX
optically-isolated splitter may result in deterioration of the digital DMX signal.
Scorpion™ GVC EU/RVM EU/RGY EU/BLU EU User Manual (Rev. 01d)
DMX
Controller
st
1 DMX
Fixture
nd
2 DMX
Fixture
To other
fixtures