This looks like a good discovery in that you don't need new wire to test everything. What happened to the Obey40? Stashed away somewhere or gone? I suppose you can use a 5 to 3 pin XLR adapter to control the fixtures from a different DMX source. The wire used doesn't look that great but it is what it is at this point. The control cables between fixtures may or may not be DMX rated.
Don't even think about it for a permanent installation.My plan for now is to run DMX outside of the walls to the back of the auditorium/tech booth. It’s only 150 ft. The school will have to decide if they want to pull new lines. That’s an upgrade up to them.
I have a feeling I know the answer, but I guess I should ask for “due diligence”… what’s the opinion on wireless DMX?
Ha, I thought now, just had to check.Don't even think about it for a permanent installation.
A bucket of tie line... my world for a bucket of tie line.Ha, I thought now, just had to check.
If you want to see the "joy" I'm going to have with this, here is a pic of me with one of the light bars tonight.
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Yeah, the orange and yellow cable is likely not up to code for use in a place of public assembly, YMMV.It’s a mess. I’m going to have to strip all the wiring off the pipes and start from scratch to give it some sort of order.
hang on ... you can send line level (+/- 1.5v rms) back on an XLR return, but NEVER send speaker level - the output from your power amp -- that way. Where are your amplifiers? Or are the speakers self-ampified?So if the mics wirelessly received at the sound board but then audio would have to go through the lines to the stage to then go to the speakers at the front of the auditorium would that be a problem? In that first pic are the speaker lines under the XLR cords. I have yet to see how the sound gets from the board in the back to those speakers but I assume its through the XLR lines into some other connection unless it's the tiny white wires in the second pic.
I suggest a good dusting out with compressed air. Power EVERYTHING off - at the breaker panel. Then label where all connections went. Double check that the power is truly off. Then carefully open each NSI dimmer pack, and vacuum or brush out as much dust as you can. Use compressed air to push the remaining stuff - but not into adjoining dimmers. Be careful not to bang around percussively - some components may be brittle from age and heat.Great that you included some nice photos! Looks like you have a nice little auditorium. I believe Microplex will do up to 128 channels if I remember correctly. A couple of issues...
It would be 99% certain that the control cable in the wall is mic cable. You should be able to look at the printing on the cable jacket and get a manufacturer and type number to Google.
If the cable is in a wall you might be able to use the existing cable as a pull string to pull proper DMX cable thru. I would not try to use a mic cable for DMX in an installed system.
It will work until is doesn't at the very worst time.
The NSI IF501 comes in different flavors. Make sure you order the N0501 (first picture) flavor... DMX to Microplex.
Lastly, you will have to find a source of non-dimmed AC for your LED fixtures. NOT a dimmer set to full. Like using a standard wall outlet to supply power. It would be wise to unplug the AC feed
to the LED fixtures when not in use, as it will protect the LED fixtures' power supplies from lightning strikes or other AC disruptions which they do not like.
Remember that you will have to daisy-chain all of your LED fixtures with DMX cable from the DMX THRU out of the converter.
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