Martin Atomic Colors User Manual page 7

Control data
Any device that outputs the DMX512 (1990) data protocol (including the one that may already be
controlling your Atomic 3000 DMX strobe) can be used to control the Atomic Colors. 'DMX' is
an industry standard data protocol, which allows up to 512 channels to be controlled through one
serial data link. These 512 channels may be used by up to a maximum of 32 devices on only one
cable run by 'daisy-chaining' the devices together.
To work on the DMX system, each device is assigned a control address, also known as the start
channel, which is the first channel used by that device, to receive instructions from the controller.
The Atomic Colors uses 1, or 2 DMX channels depending on which control mode it is set for.
The first DMX channel (start channel) controls the movement of the gel string, and the second
channel, if selected, allows for remote control of the cooling fan speed. Details of the address
setting procedure are given in Section 6 of this manual.
Cables
The power supply combines the control data and low voltage power into one XLR-4 cable that is
then distributed to the fixture(s). One 5M (16.4 ft) XLR 4-pin cable is supplied with each fixture.
The power supply connects to the DMX data link with 3 or 5-pin XLR cables.
The type of cable used in this system has specific design requirements. Failure to use the correct
type of cable can lead to malfunctions and/or damage to the system. Further details about cable
construction are shown later in this section.
Atomic Colors User Manual Preparation for use 7