Stevens R. Miller
Well-Known Member
Well, someone appears to have worked on it today. At the request of an assistant principal, I sent him a detailed description of what I know, emphasizing that the PRE10A could be the culprit. When I got there Friday night, the PRE10A no longer did anything, having apparently been disconnected from the rest of the system. I observed no flickering throughout a three-hour rehearsal. We've gone long periods with no flickering before, but never three whole hours. I don't know who did what, but it does appear that the PRE10A is no longer part of the system or, at least, that it is no longer powered.
I have read repeatedly that improper termination causes lights to go wacky, mostly because DMX receivers get confused about which levels are assigned to which channels due to reflections. Since we never see the problem when all levels on all channels are at zero, but do see it when even one channel is at full, I can easily believe that we have a termination problem. If removing the PRE10A solves that, I can live without the device.
Here, by the way, is a picture of what it looks like to use a mix of DMX and Stone Age lighting gear, when you have to cobble up an independent lighting system after the school's system fails you:
That's my lighting team-leader, MC, at the command desk. She's more artist than engineer but, in case she sees this, I'd like to say she has been as much of a trouper as anyone ever could be in dealing with this nonsense, and she "plays" those boards you see in the picture like a virtuosa (when I can get them to work ).
I have read repeatedly that improper termination causes lights to go wacky, mostly because DMX receivers get confused about which levels are assigned to which channels due to reflections. Since we never see the problem when all levels on all channels are at zero, but do see it when even one channel is at full, I can easily believe that we have a termination problem. If removing the PRE10A solves that, I can live without the device.
Here, by the way, is a picture of what it looks like to use a mix of DMX and Stone Age lighting gear, when you have to cobble up an independent lighting system after the school's system fails you:
That's my lighting team-leader, MC, at the command desk. She's more artist than engineer but, in case she sees this, I'd like to say she has been as much of a trouper as anyone ever could be in dealing with this nonsense, and she "plays" those boards you see in the picture like a virtuosa (when I can get them to work ).