Control Data Link; Connectors - Martin Professional Stagebar 54 User Manual

Control data link

Stagebar 54 fixtures must be connected via a control data link for DMX controller operation.The following
considerations must be taken into account when planning the data link:
• CAT 5 cable of a suitable type and RJ-45 connectors must be used. Installation-type cable is acceptable
for fixed installations, but flexible patch-type cable with good bend and torsion recovery is required for
touring installations. Martin patch cables are recommended.
• The maximum permitted control data cable length before a control signal amplifier is required is 500
meters (1640 ft.).
• Luminaires must be 'daisy-chained', i.e. the data cable must be connected in one single chain of
luminaires.
• Each chain may connect a maximum of 32 fixtures.
• An optically isolated amplifier-splitter such as the Martin RS-485 Opto-Splitter (P/N 90758060) must be
used to:
- extend a link beyond 500 meters (1640 ft.)
- extend the link to include a further maximum 32 luminaires, or
- branch the link into further single chains, each containing 32 luminaires. The Martin Opto-Splitter allows
a link to be branched into four new chains.
• Each chain on the link must be terminated by inserting an RJ-45 termination plug (P/N 91613028) into the
data output of the last Stagebar 54 on the chain. The termination plug places a resistance across data hot
(+) and cold (-).
• Long parallel runs of AC power and control data cables may cause interference on the data link and must
be avoided.
• One DMX universe has 512 DMX control channels available. If individual control of the Stagebar 54
fixtures in an installation is required, each fixture must be given its own channels until the limit of 512 is
reached. At this point, a new DMX universe must be created before more fixtures can be added.
• The number of Stagebar 54 fixtures that can be individually controlled in one DMX universe depends on
the number of DMX channels they use, which in turn depends on which mode they are set to. For
example, if fixtures are set to individual pixel control in HSI mode, they will each require 18 DMX channels
(one channel for hue, one for saturation and one for intensity on each of six pixels). The total number of
fixtures that can be linked in one DMX universe will therefore be 512/18 = 28. See Table 2 on page 14 for
an overview of the number of DMX channels required by Stagebar 54 fixtures in different modes.

Connectors

The Stagebar 54 has two RJ-45 connectors on the connections panel: one for data input and one for data
output. These connectors are for connection to a DMX data link only. Although connecting to an Ethernet
network will not normally cause any damage, it is still not recommended.
A male RJ-45 to male 5-pin XLR adapter cable is supplied with the fixture, allowing you to connect a fixture
to a DMX device or cable with 5-pin XLR connectors. The male RJ-45 connector is protected in a Neutrik
NE8MC housing.
Note that auto-addressing (see "Automatically setting different DMX addresses" on page 15) will only work
with fixtures that are connected to each other via their RJ-45 connectors and CAT 5 cable. RJ-45 to XLR
converters cannot carry auto-addressing signals.
RJ-45 connector pinout
RJ-45 cable connector pins are numbered from the left, looking at the
face of the connector with the locking clip on top (see Figure 3).
Connectors must be wired according to the 568-B system:
• Pin 1 (White/orange): DMX data hot (+)
• Pin 2 (Orange): DMX data cold (-)
• Pin 7 (White/brown): Token (required for auto addressing)
• Pin 8 (Brown): Common
The following pins are not used, but can be wired as follows:
• Pin 3 (White/green)
Control data link
Pin 1 Pin 8
Figure 3: RJ-45 cable
connector pins
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