Setting DMX Value

[drlucas]

I am about to get started with the Chauvet 1800 fogger and have a question about the setup in xlights/nutcracker.

My understanding of the device is that you set the dmx channel on the fogger using the dip switches. Then from there you set the value from 0-255 to get the fog output. From the manual it says value 0-5 has no function and then from values 6-255 the fog output goes from 0 - 100%. So I'm going to assume that value of 6 = 0% and each time I go up in value of 2.5 I get an extra % output of fog flowing out of the machine. This is very strange as I thought the machine would either be an on/off type of scenario.

So that aside, it makes sense to me that if I use the test tab I can put the background/highlight intensity to 6 to stop the fog machine and then put it to 255 to crack it up. I'll test to validate that. However, when I get into a show my intentions are to drive the fog machine by a FPP. My playlist will be something like play fog sequence and a background music track, then move onto a light and sound sequence with the fog machine turned off because I don't want the fog machine really going all the time.

So, I have created a model based with a single color and single channel in xlights. However what effect would I use? Would I use color wash and put the count slider to the left for a value of 0 and all the way to the right for a value of 255?

I'm a bit lost on some of the underlying basics of xlights and controlling DMX, so if there are any thoughts on how to achieve this let me know.

[JonB256]

I'm pretty sure your first impression was correct - the fog machine is either ON or OFF.

To turn it OFF, do a Color Wash of Black

To turn it ON, do a Color Wash of pretty much anything but black.

If you use an RGB channel, the RED channel would probably control, so any color where the RED value is >6 should turn it on.

[drlucas]

I'm pretty sure your first impression was correct - the fog machine is either ON or OFF.

To turn it OFF, do a Color Wash of Black

To turn it ON, do a Color Wash of pretty much anything but black.

If you use an RGB channel, the RED channel would probably control, so any color where the RED value is >6 should turn it on.

THANK YOU!!

I'll give it a try this afternoon now that I got the FPD working with DMX properly. I'm now about 99% confident it's on/off.  I posted a snippet from the manual and the table shows a tilde sign, when I first read it on my screen I must of seen a dash and thought range...ooops.  Anyways, ~ doesn't mean range!!

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[drlucas]

...just a quick update on this one....yup. that's the trick. i use color wash red for on and black for off.