Would anyone here be willing to correspond with a very green Community Theatre volunteer to help me get on track with getting the optimal performance for our theatres somewhat outdated equipment? We use all conventional lighting with an ETCExpress board. I am in the process now of repairing the many lighting fixtures which have been left in pieces. Any help would be appreciated.
Assuming it works, I wouldn't worry about the Express being out dated until the dimmers and fixtures have outgrown it. Any idea what make or model of fixtures you've got? I'm going to guess you've probably got 360Q or a look-a-like. They can still throw reasonable amounts of photons where you want them.
For an example of what can be done with "antiques", I'm between weekends on a community production of Young Frankenstein. Show has 23 assorted '80s vintage Altman360Q fixtures, 4 Source 4 Jrs, 2 Source 4s, 3 Altman 75Qs, 12 Altman 65Qs, 3 '50s vintage Kliegl 44N8 8" Fresnels, 4 American DJ Accuscan 250s, a pair of I-cues, a pair of DMX irises, a pair of Wybron Forerunners, 2 DMX Strobes, 5 Sensor Portable Packs (4 MPE, 1 CEM+), 1 Leprecon 6 channelshoebox, and a DMXprojectordowser. All running on an Express 48/96. The S4 Jrs are being used for gobos, and the full size units have the DMX accessories on them.
We have approximately 1 dozen source 4's two in pieces which I am trying to put back together. The older fixtures I believe are Altmans. Some have 6x16 written on them, others have a 45degree lamp housing. I cannot find tags to identify.
Thanks to the earlier post, that will help. I cannot find any DMX controllers anywhere in this theatre and really don't know how to hook them up and use them with the express. Trying to learn what I can on the fly.
Went to Altman site and was able to identify the fixtures as Altmans. Will now search for the parts that I need. Archives at Altman were great and gave me lamp numbers for the fixtures which I am trying to utilize.
I will have to measure when I go in tonight but it appears 360 and 365's. 3 are marked 6x16 which I see on their site. Most helpful was the lamp chart as none had lamps in them. But a drawer full of ege's in stock
Your DMX controller IS the express. There's likely a 5 pin port on the wall somewhere that would lead to a rack of dimmers, or if you have dimmers not in a rack then it will be on the dimmer somewhere. Connect them to the express with a 5 pin DMX cable and you'll start to get some control.
DMX is a control protocol. It sounds like all of your lights are conventional fixtures. You plug them into the circuits around your theatre. There should be a wall port for a DMX cable since you have two racks. One end of the cable is plugged into your board, one is plugged into the wall. That port should lead back to your dimmer racks. The board sends data through the cable and tells the dimmers what to do and the lights respond accordingly.
Correct we have 96 channels which are all using conventional fixtures. Lets say I want to install 2 DMX controlled lights on channels 55 and 56 to change from Red to blue to green using DMX, Where does the DMX connect from the lights to the board?
You are confusing channels with dimmers (don't worry - it's common). You have 96 dimmers, but your console can probably handle more channels. I forget how many channels the different levels of Express consoles handle, but I doubt you are limited to 96.
The intelligent lights wouldn't use "dimmer" channels (55 and 56). Instead they use "soft" channels. I would address them starting at 100 as you don't want or need to overlap channels already occupied by dimmers. The intelligent fixtures would connect to either your DMX 2 port (if applicable), or a DMX output on dimmer rack [HASHTAG]#2[/HASHTAG] (if applicable). If you have neither option, you need an opto splitter in the chain somewhere; probably between the board and the wall. Each intelligent fixture will require more than one channel. Using a simple colorchanger as an example, Channel 1 might be dimmer/shutter, Channel 2 might be red, channel 3 could be blue, etc...
I recommend searching the forum for a DMX tutorial.
As you are finding out we are here to help. The Express is older, but the most popular console ever made. You'll find most of us have experience working in a small theater with an express and a mix of S4's and Altman 360's. We've been in your shoes and are happy to help, so consider this thread your personal help line.
As was mentioned it's really helpful if you post pictures of your booth, your dimmers, your light fixtures... Anything you have questions about. We may even find things to advise you on that you don't know to ask about.
What are you trying to hook up to be controlled by DMX?
If you have a 513-1024, that's a good thing. Your DMX lights can plug directly in to that. Of course, you may require a long cable run to the fixtures, but finding a place to plug 'em in is half the battle. The first fixture would connect to the 513-1024 port, and the second fixture would plug in to the DMX output of the first fixture (known as daisy-chaining).
1-512 (universe 1) is sending signal to your dimmer racks.
Is that black box in picture [HASHTAG]#2[/HASHTAG] a DMX input or output by chance? If it's an output, you should be able to connect there as well. If it's an input, that's a no-go.
Looks like your setup should be able to follow either Figure 1 or Figure 3 in my picture above --- whichever is easiest.
Thank to all who are helping me out. How many fixtures can be daisy chained? Small theatre but would like to be able to add some different effects, such as the color changes mentioned earlier. What would the DMX input next to the dimmer racks be for?
Thank to all who are helping me out. How many fixtures can be daisy chained? Small theatre but would like to be able to add some different effects, such as the color changes mentioned earlier. What would the DMX input next to the dimmer racks be for?
I believe you can daisy-chain somewhere around 32 fixtures or devices.
If it's an input, it would probably be there as a place to connect a backup/auxiliary console or remote focus unit. If it's an output, it's probably there for times like these .
pictures.
