Control/Dimming - DMX to CD-80 control?

[DimmerDotCom]

Originally Posted by ptero

The story we got was the engineers grudgingly included an amx port by spec with pressure from sales to not abandon the protocol. But they didn't bother to test it with their own legacy equipment. Dunno know how much of a story that is.

Actually true. The Strand digital pack controllers have the same problems with Strand LBM's. The first dip switch on the controller is an AMX re-sampling enabler - its labelled reserved. There is also a potentiometer on the main board near the CPU that lets you tweak the timing of the AMX receive circuit. AMX equals bad in my book. Spec was so wide you could have two pieces of equipment within spec but not talk to each other.

As for C21 retrofits, how long is Strand gonna provide support on that like they did with SLD and SV, hmm? I'd wait for the new Phillips Strand products as they don't consider the old stuff their problem. Ask any hotel casino show venue in Vegas whether Strand will be allowed back in soon.

[pathsupport]

The rack conversion kits are definitely the way to go if you have a large number of existing dimmers. The CD 80s do have a reputation for longevity and the Johnson conversion has proven itself as well. I'm not familiar with the Strand conversion kit, but see no reason why it shouldn't last a long time too.

But if you're only trying to extend the life of a couple of racks that aren't going to be heavily used, as seems to be the case here, protocol converters are probably a better choice. For $1500 or less, the Fleenor DMX2AMX or our own Ultimate Converter will give you up to 384 channels of DMX to AMX control, and should last the remaining life of those dimmers.

Robert Armstrong
Technical Sales
Pathway Connectivity

[ptero]

Originally Posted by pathsupport

For $1500 or less, the Fleenor DMX2AMX or our own Ultimate Converter will give you up to 384 channels of DMX to AMX control, and should last the remaining life of those dimmers.

Robert Armstrong
Technical Sales
Pathway Connectivity

Agreed. We have been heavily using our AMX CD-80 paks for 20 years with an ETC DMX>AMX convertor. The dang setup keeps working. As does the mid-60's vintage Model 300 Century Rack of 6K's by way of that same convertor - to a Strand AMX>Analog convertor - to the rack.

[Lotos]

Originally Posted by ptero

Agreed. We have been heavily using our AMX CD-80 paks for 20 years with an ETC DMX>AMX convertor. The dang setup keeps working.

You can ditto that...
We've got two DMX>AMX convertors... A 'Protocol Converter Gray Box Interface' that we used to use, and an ETC Response Converter that we currently use. The AMX is nessecary because 3 of our 6 Strand CD80 Packs are AMX.
(We had to switch out and purchase the ETC... As the Marquee ILC we were using for a year or two didn't like the Gray Box we had... Near as I can tell... Gray Interfaces became, was bought by, is part of Pathway Systems these days...)
Trust me, the irony of an ETC product sitting in line between our Strand Control Board and our Strand Dimming System is not lost on me...

Occasionally the AMX will kick out... Usually a result of a nasty power fluctuation... (Last occured when there were Tornados in the area) at which point the boxes need to be manually power cycled... But that's about it...

Vintage CD80 Packs are INDESTRUCTABLE!