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DMX control mode
DMX is a control system which allows 512 lighting control channels to be sent down one piece of wire. The DMX signal
'flows' in one direction starting at the controller, through each unit, to the last in line.
Note: The DMX signal is 'buffered' in each unit and can only flow one way through the unit, into the plug, and out of the
socket. Connecting the DMX cables to the wrong connectors will block DMX signal.
Setting the 'base channel'
When using DMX, all units will receive all channels. The user must tell each unit which channel to respond to (its 'base
channel'). There are two ways to do this:
•
Set the dip switches to the binary equivalent of the channel unit is to respond to (see page for help).
•
Use the Auto Channel Set feature, which will configure the system automatically.
The unit actually responds to two DMX channels, one each for beam rotation and for color/gobo. If dip switches are set
to DMX channel 1 (switch 1 'on', all others off), then channel 1 will control beam rotation and channel 2 will be color/gobo.
The next free channel is therefore in more detail how to work out the channel numbers.
Note: If the user wants two units to behave exactly the same, set both units to the same channel.
The user may change the dip switches while the units are running. The new settings will take effect immediately. There
is no need to reset them.
Auto Channel Setting
The 'Auto Channel Set' feature of the units takes away all the fuss and confusion of fiddling with dip switches and work-
ing out binary numbers. Simply switch all the dip switches to 'off', connect up the DMX cables, turn on the power and the
units will automatically number themselves; the first unit will operate on channels 1-2, the second on 3-4, and so on.
Make sure that the DMX cabling is all connected and that the first unit in the DMX line is turned on last. If it does not
work, turn the first unit in the DMX line off and on again, or change its dip switches.
If the user does not want the numbering to start at channel 1, set the dip switches on the first unit to the channel you want
to start at. All the other units will then set themselves to the correct channels following that one.
Note: If any unit cannot determined what channel it should set itself to, it will choose channel 1. You can force the 'Auto
Channel Set' to be repeated by changing the switches on the first unit in the DMX line or by turning it off and on again.
Once running, if the dip switches are changed on the first unit, the 'Auto Set' is repeated. All units further down the
DMX line which are in 'Auto Set' mode will be reconfigured. If any unit in the DMX line is not in 'Auto Set' mode, the num-
bering will restart at that unit.
If dip switches are changed on a unit which was in auto set mode (switches were all 'off'), the unit will immediately take
on the new channel set. If you go back to the 'Auto Set' mode, the unit will remain at the channel it was previously set to
until it receives an 'Auto Set' command from further up the DMX line.
Hooking the unit up
When powering up the unit, it will go through an initialization routine where it moves all the motors to their zero positions.
The unit may make some quite alarming noises but this is normal. The initialization routine takes about 15 seconds, after
© American DJ® Los Angeles, CA 90058 - Startec™ Arcbeam 150 User Manual page 4
User
®
Instructions
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