Old Scrimmer Console

[Techy101]

Hey all, I'm new here.

I recently acquired a VERY VERY old E.D.I. Scrimmer two-scene preset console to try to fix. (old enough that when i called EDI, they said that the only schematics were on Blueprint). It has a spot for a fluorescent light inside it, it's 18 Chan, is analog control via three 8-pin Cinch-Jones connectors, and one 6-pin Cinch-Jones. I have figured out what all three 8-pin's do, but I have no clue as to what the fourth one does (6-pin.) If anybody knows, please reply. Also, I have been looking around for dimmer packs for this console, and I can't for the life of me find any that have 8-pin CJ connectors. So if anybody knows where I might be able to find dimmer packs that'll work with this console without a bunch of re-wiring it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You,
Matthew

[ship]

8-pin Chinch Jones is a standard analog control plug in controlling six channels. Had it on my old Techtronics two scene preset board to it's same brand of dimmers. And what magic I made with it. Just about any brand of analong dimmer should be Cinch Jones by nature of imput as this was the main standard. Otherwise in specifying your output you should be able to get a 24 channel analog to DMX converter without too much effort on the market in buying DMX or even microplex (NSI) dimmers and later upgrading the board to something more modern when ready. Such converters are very cost effective in making what is old modern. Some companies have cost effective pre-built units for a 24way, others and including those with the pre-made ones will also do custom to what ever language you want much less how ever many channels. A off the shelf 24way converter would be much more cost effective however.

As for the six pin Cinch Jones, it could be power into the light board and it's interior fluorescent. Hard to say. Get a copy of the blueprint in say 11x18 size and it no doubt will tell.

[Techy101]

Thanks for that Ship.
As for power into the console, i forgot to mention that it does have it's own edison plug for power, thats directly wired into the balast for the light, and a transformer for the electronics of the console. Unfortunatly when i talked to the people at EDI, they also told me that they were not able to send out schematics to anybody who was not an authorized service tech (which in this case seems kind of odd, seeing that it's such an old console). So i was hoping that maybe somebody here had experience on the Scrimmer, and happened to remember.


Matthew

[ship]

What's the model number, serial number and all other info you can give me. (E-Mail me) I might be or able to act as one in getting such info. Don't think we have an account directly with them but that has never stopped me from becoming "authorized" when I need to get such info from other companies in the past. Given time next week I will give it a shot.

Otherwise you might contact Ron Hubbard and look about for a few other old timers that frequent this site in asking what the six pin is for given the plug powers the power supply. Just a thought however would just be to open up the board - powered down and un-plugged than trace the wires to see where they go.

[bdesmond]

Hate to ask the dumb question here, but, have you asked EDI what the 6 pin does? You might explain the part about how you have a large barrel of cords and you're trying to find the right one and you're wondering what's on the other end. Perhaps I shouldn't recommend such a devious manner of doing this, though.

[Techy101]

Actually, I spent a lot of time on the phone and email with EDI today. The six pin is to daisy chain two scrimmer consoles together. As for dimmer packs, I was able to find an old ETA 6 chan dimmer, and do a little bit of re-wiring to get it to work. Currently it is up and running, but in desperate need of calibration. You can take a look at some picture of it here:
http://files.mvaras.net/scrim3.jpg THis is the inside of the console

http://files.mvaras.net/scrim4.jpg This is the top view of the console.

[Mayhem]

Well done - exactly how old is this board? I have never seen anything like it before.

[Les]

It appears to be pre-1970's. ish. I used one similar made by Strand once in a UIL competition. I believe this is a rheostst board.

[Techy101]

It is definetly a rheostat board. According to EDI it is from 1976. It is quite the fun little project, especially for somebody who is still learning about electronics (myself)