Overview; Rear Panel Connections; Front Panel; Menu - Robe DMX Control 512 User Manual

3.OVERVIEW

The DMX CONTROL 512 is a lighting controller.16 lighting fixtures of up to 32 channels each can be controlled
from a DMX 512 output. Control of up to 512 lighting channels is possible. Support of ROBE as well as other
popular brands is included in the setup menu.
The operating system uses flash memory so that the software can be updated from a computer
Software updates will be made available on the ROBE web site at ww.robe.cz.

3.1.REAR PANEL CONNECTIONS

• Power input for an external 9V power supply. This requires a transformer with a 9VDC output at
500ma. The plug polarity is + center with an inside diameter of 2.1 mm.
• DMX 512 output using a 3 pin XLR connector. There is a polarity switch which swaps pins 2 and 3.
Some lighting fixtures receive data minus on pin 2 and some on pin 3. The more commonly used
polarity is data minus on pin 2 (switch is to the right as you're looking at the back of the unit).
• MIDI in and out - used for calling scenes in an automated installation.
• 9 pin RS-232 connector - used for connection to a PC to update the
software or backup the memory. It can also be used to connect to a mouse or trackball.
• Audio input - used for syncing chases to an external audio source. This is a line level input for
connection to the line output of a mixing console. Do not connect speaker level signals to this.

3.2.FRONT PANEL

Front panel features include assorted switches for programming, eight 60mm faders for direct control of
lighting fixture channels, a data entry wheel, a joystick for pan and tilt control and a backlit display for
programming.

4.MENU

The menu switch is used to configure the DMX CONTROL 512 for your particular lighting setup. The left and
right cursor switches, the + and - switches, and the data input wheel allow you to select settings for the
various menus that appear on the display. Pressing the menu switch displays the message "Press enter
to" on the top line of the display. You will be given a choice of menu items on the bottom line of the
display. You can cycle through the choices using the + and - switches or the data wheel. Press "enter" to
select the desired menu item. After selecting from the menu, the cursor switches will allow you to select a
field on the display to edit and the + and - switches or the data wheel will allow you to change the value in
that field. An underline cursor shows the selected field. The "enter" switch must always be pressed
following any change to make it permanent. This allows you to look at all of the possible choices first.
Several of the menu items are hidden to prevent unauthorized or accidental changes to the memory. The
"memory lock/unlock" function is hidden as well as the "erase all memory" function. These choices can
only be selected by pressing and holding down the "add" switch while selecting these last items from the
menu list. This is a safety feature for the benefit of installers who wish to protect the memory from
unauthorized tampering.
The various menu items are explained in the following paragraphs.

4.1.CHOOSE FIXTURES

To select from a list of lighting fixtures in the fixture library, use the + or - switch or the data wheel to first
select the fixture number (from 1 to 16). Next, select the type of fixture by moving the cursor to the fixture
type by pressing the right arrow switch and then using the + or – switch or the data wheel to make a
selection. You must press, "enter" to record the choice. You can also press, "erase" to select "No
Fixture" which is one of the fixture choices. If auto patch is enabled, a warning will appear telling you that
some DMX start addresses may be changed. Press "yes" to confirm or "no" to exit. After pressing
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