Applied Omni Series Manual

INTRODUCTION

The Omni line has been designed, built and tested with pride in the USA. Your Omni splitter comes with a 5 year warranty and has been constructed to endure years of use in the rough and tumble entertainment environment.
The ANSI E1.11-2008(R2013) standard, commonly know as DMX, is an RS-485 digital protocol for transmitting data from a controller to entertainment lighting and practical devices. While the DMX signal is very robust it is not impervious to outside interference. There are also limitations to transmitting distance and the number of receivers on a line. For these reasons a splitter is an invaluable tool in the data chain to ensure that the data transmitted reaches receivers correctly.
Common data chain issues include:

• Splitting – By the DMX standard, only 32 receiving devices may be connected on a daisy chain line. Also "Y" connections used to send signal in different directions are not permitted.
• Line loss – Due to DC voltage loss continuous DMX lines in excess of 1000ft are not recommended.
• Interference – Outside electromagnetic sources can corrupt the data on a DMX line and cause undesired operation of lighting fixtures.
• Surges – Voltage spikes from shorted cables and faulty fixtures can feed down the data chain and damage other fixtures or the console.
  The Omni splitter helps eliminate all of these issues by:
• Isolation – Each output transmits its own copy of the input signal so that that 32 fixtures may be connected to each port.
• Amplification – Because each output transmits with the same full power as the original, total line lengths of more than 1000ft may be obtained.
• Filtering – The input data signal is digitally copied in the isolation process so only clean data is fed to the outputs. As a result any (acceptable) interference received at the input is filtered out before being retransmitted.
• Isolation – The input as well as each output port are separated from each other by galvanic and optical isolation. This ensures that a damaging voltage spike on one line can't propagate to another.
• Voltage suppression – All data ports have TVS (transient voltage suppression) diodes that short voltage spikes to ground before they can damage internal components.

Power input

Power input, loop-thru & fuse connections

• Your Omni DMX splitter is equipped with a universal power supply which will allow it to operate on input voltages of85-250 VAC @ 47-66Hz.
• A1 amp 250V fuse (3AB 1/4"x1-1/4" style) is provided for protection of internal components and should not be replaced with a fuse larger than 1 amp.
• The power input connector is a NeutrikpowerCON 20A (NAC3MPA-1) and is compatible with the NAC3FCA cable mount plug.
• The loop-thrupowerCON connector is an NAC3MPB-1 and and is compatible with the NAC3FCB cable mount plug.
• The loop-thru connection is limited to 10A. Do not connect more than 10A of load current to this outlet as it may cause damage to the unit.
• Each splitter comes with a 3'powerCON to NEMA 5-15 (Edison) input power cable.
• 1'powerCON A-B jumper cables may be purchased separately to interconnect multiple units.

Data input

Input connectors, status LEDs & terminator switch

• XLR input and loop-out data connectors are provided for feeding DMX data into the Omni splitter and connecting other devices to the same DMX line.
• The loop-out connector passes all 5 pins directly and is not isolated from the input.

Termination switch

When engaged the termination switch places a 120ohm resistor between pin number 2 & 3 of the 5 pin input XLR connector. This resistor prevents data reflection back down the transmission line. The terminator should only be engaged when no other devices are connected to the loop-out data connector. If other devices are connected to the loop-out connector the last device should be appropriately terminated.
When lit the 3 LED indicators on the front of the Omni Splitter inform the user that:
✔ POWER – The universal power supply is converting input voltage to 5VDC
✔ SIGNAL – Digital data is being passed by the RS-485 receiving chip
✔ TERM – The termination switch is pushed in and the line is terminated

Data output

Output XLR connectors

• XLR output data connectors are provided for feeding DMX to up to 32 receivers each.
• The power supply for each output is galvanically isolated from the input and the other outputs.
• The data line of each output are optically isolated from the input and the other outputs.

Maintenance

No routine maintenance procedures are required as your Omni DMX splitter is a solid state device that should provide years of trouble free operation.

Cleaning

Should your unit become dirty, disconnect power and clean the outside of the chassis with mild soap and a damp cloth. Do not submerge the unit in water or use harsh or abrasive cleaners. Do not connect power until the chassis has fully dried.
Excess dust may be gently blown from the interior of the unit using a can of electronics cleaner (compressed air). Do not use high pressure, wet or oily "line air."

Troubleshooting

Your Omni DMX splitter requires no configuration or setup, however if something doesn't seem to be working correctly you can check the following items. Please feel free to call Applied Electronics for tech support at any time. (800) 883-0003
When checking data issues it is helpful to have a known working device (dimmer, LED light etc) to test with. If you suspect that your splitter is not working correctly, test a single DMX device by connecting it directly to your console and confirm that it functions normally. You can then compare this "known good" functionality to the operation when connected to a splitter output. This is method is referred to as "test with device" in the troubleshooting table below.

Repair

Shorted cables, faulty fixtures and accidents do occur, so it is possible that at some point in the life of your splitter a data port may be subjected to voltages or currents that exceed the capacity of the built in protection. In that case a receiver/transmitter or optical isolation data chip may be damaged. In order to keep down time to an absolute minimum spare data chips are included on board for immediate solder free replacement.
If after following the trouble shooting guide you believe it necessary to replace the input RS485 chip:
Input PCB

1. Unplug power from the splitter
2. Remove the top cover
3. Remove chip #U1 "INPUT SN75176" by pulling it straight up and out of its socket. (A small flat blade may be used to gently pry the chip up but be careful not to bend the leads or damage the socket)
4. Remove the "SPARE SN75176" from its socket in the same manner
5. Align the spare chip with the U1 socket, being sure that the "dimple" signifying the "pin 1" end of the chip is at the same end as the "notch" in the socket (right hand end as pictured)
6. Gently press the spare chip until it seats fully in the socket, being careful not to bend any leads
7. Replace the top cover
8. Re-test the unit for correct operation

If after following the trouble shooting guide you believe it necessary to replace the output RS-485 and/or optical isolator chip for a specific channel:
* NOTE: It is recommended that the SN75176 be replaced before the 6N37
Output PCB

1. Unplug power from the splitter
2. Remove the top cover
3. Remove the possible faulty chip (U1-U5 6N37 opto-iso or U6-U10 output SN75176) by pulling it straight up and out of its socket. (A small flat blade may be used to gently pry the chip up but be careful not to bend the leads or damage the socket)
4. Remove the SPARE 6N37 or SN75176 (as needed) from its socket in the same manner
5. Align the spare chip with the empty socket, being sure that the "dimple" signifying the "pin 1" end of the chip is at the same end as the "notch" in the socket (right hand end as pictured)
6. Gently press the spare chip until it seats fully in the socket, being careful not to bend any leads
7. Replace the top cover
8. Re-test the unit for correct operation

Technical Details

System Block Diagram

XLR connectors

5 pin signal list:

1. Signal Common – cable shield (not chassis ground) *connected to isolated ground of 5VDC power for each outlet (i.e. each signal common is independent)
2. Data - or "B"
3. Data + or "A"
4. Data - (for 2^nd data line or other manufacturer specific use)
5. Data + (for 2^nd data line or other manufacturer specific use)

* In the Omni DMX splitter pins 4 & 5 are connected between the data input and loopout connectors. This pin to pin connection is not modified by the splitter in any way.
Pins 4 & 5 on the isolated outputs are not used or connected in any way.