CEM

Control Electronics Module. A term for the ETC Sensor (and applied generically to other manufacturers') dimmer's "brain." The module on a dimmer pack or rack where various parameters are set. This will always include the pack's/rack's starting DMX512 address, and may include features such as voltage regulation, dimmer curves, implementation of secondary DMX or analog signals, etc. Prior to the Sensor's introduction in 1992, this item was often referred to as the "control card" or "control module."

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CEM "Classic". 1992-2004

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CEM+. 2004-2011.

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CEM3. 2011-current product.

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MPE. A lower-cost, no frills product used on some Sensor 12- and 24-way dimmer packs.


Strand Lighting calls the item a "plug-in processor" and as shown above, contains DMX jacks, LCD display, and dimmer "test" switches. (The CD80 dimmer line has been in existence since 1979, and thus is the longest-running "modern" dimmer. Discontinued and replaced by C21 series in 2010.)