DMX device with 9 channels

[Charles Belcher]

How do I set up (4) DMX par cans RGBW+fx that each have 9 dmx channels?

With a theatrical console, you assign dmx channel #1 to the first fixture and the fixture itself distributes the sequential channels; then you assign dmx channel  #10 to the second fixture and so on.

How is this done in xLights?

Charles

[JonB256]

What are the channels listed as? I'd assume 1 2 3 4 are r g b w, that would leave 5 6 7 8 9 to control thing like pan and tilt and speed.

If you just want light, you just don't send any data (don't model) the effects channels.

[Charles Belcher]

What are the channels listed as? I'd assume 1 2 3 4 are r g b w, that would leave 5 6 7 8 9 to control thing like pan and tilt and speed.

If you just want light, you just don't send any data (don't model) the effects channels.

Jon,

I will need all 9 channels.

Charles

[JonB256]

To send data to the non-lighting channels, you will could use Color Wash effects that change the Intensity from one value to another over time. I think your problem may be sending a precise DMX value when most Nutcracker effects are based on a 0 to 100% rather than the 0 to 255 that DMX wants.

If you applied an intensity change of 10% to 75% to a channel controlling Panning, the device would move from DMX position 25 to 190.

Is that the kind of control you need?

[Charles Belcher]

To send data to the non-lighting channels, you will could use Color Wash effects that change the Intensity from one value to another over time. I think your problem may be sending a precise DMX value when most Nutcracker effects are based on a 0 to 100% rather than the 0 to 255 that DMX wants.

If you applied an intensity change of 10% to 75% to a channel controlling Panning, the device would move from DMX position 25 to 190.

Is that the kind of control you need?

I need control over all 9 channels with no overlap to other fixtures and the way the moving light fixture works is that you send it the first dmx channel and it distributes the others internally.  You can't send it multiple dmx addresses.

[Gilrock]

How are your devices physically wired?  Where would xLights be sending the data.  I can't tell if it would all be going out one cable or multiple cables.  For 9 channels you can just create 3 RGB nodes and each node would control 3 of the channels.

[Charles Belcher]

How are your devices physically wired?  Where would xLights be sending the data.  I can't tell if it would all be going out one cable or multiple cables.  For 9 channels you can just create 3 RGB nodes and each node would control 3 of the channels.

In the theatrical world of dmx, you run a cable to the first 9 channel fixture, address it to say dmx ch #1 and the fixture takes that first channel and then self distributes the other 8 ch of dmx internally.
If you have a second fixture, it would get ch #9 as the starting address.
You cannot send any one fixtures multiple dmx channels.

If for example, you overlapped channels between fixtures:  Say fixture # 1 with a starting address of 1, used channel one as the dimmer and channel 9 internally to control the pan function but if you had accidentally addressed fixture #2 to a starting address of 9, then when channel 9 on the control desk was enabled, fixture #1 would be panning while fixture #2 would be opening the dimmer.

Charles

[Gilrock]

It sounds like they work just like LOR boxes in DMX mode.  I send one universe of data to my LOR boxes.  A universe is basically 512 DMX channels.  You've been confusing me cause you keep saying you can't send more than one channel to the fixture but yet the fixture is actually working with 9 DMX channels.  I'm assuming you mean you can't send multiple DMX addresses.  That's the same as with LOR boxes.  They don't know what universe they reside they just receive 512 channels of DMX data and they pickoff whatever you've programmed them to do.

You really haven't told us what actual hardware is sending the DMX data.  What are you connecting to the PC?  What are you configuring in the xLights setup?  Is it going to a controller card or a USB dongle?  We normally send E1.31 to controller boards that have DMX outputs and then configure those boards to route a particular universe to the DMX output.  Like I may send 12 universes to a Falcon board and then I tell the Falcon board I want it to send universe 7 out it's first DMX output.  All the DMX devices on that output chain have no clue which universe they are they just know they are getting 512 channels of DMX data.  LOR box #1 knows to pull off the first 16 channels and box #2 pulls off channels 17 to 32.

You can treat your DMX fixture chain as a string of RGB nodes.  Each group of 3 nodes would control each fixture but you would need to use the ON effect to manipulate the red, green, and blue to control the 3 channels for each node.  Node #2 controls DMX channels 4,5,6 and node #3 controls DMX channels 7,8,9.

I wanted to create an effect that was specialized for DMX control but so far there doesn't seem to be consistency in how DMX channels are used in all the available fixtures for me to be able to create a nice common control.  I have a DMX controlled light and plan to play with it some day to work on a scheme.

[Charles Belcher]

Gil,

Yes, my controller is sending out dmx on one of it's "bridged dmx outputs"
and no, there is no standard on moving light dmx address assignments.

Each manufacturer has different models, all with different addressing schemes.

I will try a fixture next week and see how it goes.

Charles

[gerry]

Would what Charles is trying to do be any different to a singing face definition ?

So for example, Charles , I have two sets of singing faces . Each one uses 9 channels and they are connected to the output of a 27 ch controller connected to the dmx output of a pixlite16.

In xl, each face model definition has 9 channel eg 80 to 89 and you set the first port address of the 27 ch controler to say 80 and then each subsequent port gets the next address.

If this is not how your controller works, then in your next post, please add a diagram etc of how it is wired and addressed.

[Gilrock]

Yep if he's daisy chaining these DMX fixtures they will work just fine like any normal channels.  I was just waiting for the light bulb moment.

[Charles Belcher]

Yes, they daisy chain

[gerry]

Charles,

As you suggested , best thing is to try to connect it and if it does not work, then post what you have done and what works and what does not work. Try one first .

You can also use a utility such as DA_131 (Aus forum has link) to turn on each channel and check the addressing etc . I use it quite often.

[JonB256]

My DMX test box would be great for that. Set to channel 1 then run the output from 0 to 255. Then to channel 2 then 3 then ....   

It was from a DLA Coop. Great dmx troubleshooter.

[Charles Belcher]

Charles,

As you suggested , best thing is to try to connect it and if it does not work, then post what you have done and what works and what does not work. Try one first .

You can also use a utility such as DA_131 (Aus forum has link) to turn on each channel and check the addressing etc . I use it quite often.

It will be this weekend or next week.  Bigger fish to fry at the moment.  My network is all up and running with home router Lan to show router Wan and Pi master is seeing the clock.  I haven't run a sequence/playlist/schedule yet, but I will this weekend.

Had to send a bad controller back to exchange for a good one  Going to drag out the new P10 panels this weekend and see if I can get the BBB/octoscroller to work.

Does the BBB UI show you how to set up the panels--which way the little arrows should point?  I have decided to do 12 wide by 2 high.

Charles

Charles