Control/Dimming - Expression 2x: no DMX output

[derekleffew]

So why would an Expression 2x, that is active 24 hours a day and has recently returned from ETC to fix a different issue, suddenly stop outputting DMX? Using this tester, neither LED lights up, in any port. Everything else on the console appears to be functioning fine.

[JD]

So why would an Expression 2x, that is active 24 hours a day and has recently returned from ETC to fix a different issue, suddenly stop outputting DMX? Using this tester, neither LED lights up, in any port. Everything else on the console appears to be functioning fine.

Someone didn't seat a connector correctly when the board was in for service. Very common in all forms of service, you take everything apart, put it all together, and a week later or so, it stops working.

Sure, it could be 100 other things, but in the 20 years I spent in electronic service, that was one of the first things we would check for and one of the most common things found. Worth checking because the fix is free.

[starksk]

... that is active 24 hours a day ....

Any storms in the area?
Are all of the ports connected to DMX outputs 24/7?

I am assuming that you have verified the patch and DMX port settings...

Does the RFU work?

[derekleffew]

Someone didn't seat a connector correctly when the board was in for service. Very common in all forms of service, you take everything apart, put it all together, and a week later or so, it stops working. ...

Maybe, but it's been 3-6 months. (BTW, it was in for repair of sliders.)

Any storms in the area?

None on the day it died, but yes in the previous week. However, no other electrical system in the hotel appears to have been affected. And there are MANY other consoles and DMX universes in this little Las Vegas resort.

Are all of the ports connected to DMX outputs 24/7?

Yes. Although ports 2&3 are not dimmers and thus no one would notice them working or not except during showtime.

I am assuming that you have verified the patch and DMX port settings...

Would altering these settings make the console stop outputting DMX and cause the DMXTSTR's lights not to light? The borrowed emergency console, an Expression3, after reading the show floppy, works flawlessly.

Does the RFU work?

To my knowledge, the console has never had an RFU attached.

[starksk]

Altering the settings (including unpatching) will not stop it from outputting 512 packets of DMX as I just confirmed here at the factory.

The reason I ask about the RFU is that all of the DMX ports lie on a card that includes the RFU and if that card were disconnected or otherwise stopped working, it would cause all of the outputs no show no DMX signal.

If you have an RFU available to test with, that would be a good confirmation. Also, you can open the console and visually inspect that the ribbon cable that connects the output board to the motherboard is still connected and undamaged.

You will likely need to send this console in for repair again if it is not as simple as a disconnected cable as the next path is board level troubleshooting with components.

[JChenault]

Of course it could just be that one of the DMX outputs died totally unrelated to the service. Have you checked the other port to see if it is outputting a signal. ( My memory is that this console has two DMX output ports which can be mapped to any address )

Oh wait - never mind - after re-reading the post I see you have checked that.


Nope - no idea.