Does anyone know of a box that will take dimmed AC mains in, and as a result, send out a DMX data stream that can be used to run a light such that the light appears to be being dimmed by the original AC mains dimmer? I can't seem to find one of these, but I suspect they must exist.... Thanks in advance!
AC dimmed mains to DMX out converter?
- Thread starterdj41354
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BillConnerFASTC
Well-Known Member
JChenault
Well-Known Member
I think it deprnds inpart on what you mean by AC Mains dimmed.
If you mean an auto-transformer or resistance dimmer, you could probably use a step down transformer to get to 0-10 volts and use a converter as Bill suggests. Trials and scR dimmers would not work well with a transformer. Not sure about other dimmer types.
Agreed.. It was a specific request from a customer. I don't know exactly why they asked for this, but I'm guessing they don't have DMX infrastructure on his set (I think it's some kind of TV production set) and they want to install some DMX controlled lights. I spent a little time searching for a box that would do this, unsuccessfully. Thought I'd see if anyone here had run into it. It's sounding like other options need to be investigated... Thanks again for the help!
Morte615
Active Member
Yeah I think whatever you use would have to be custom built. Check out Doug Fleenor and ask him about it. Also it could be done with a micro processor to take a reading from the mains, convert to a percentage, then send that percentage to DMX. Convoluted but may be an interesting experiment.
The box would have to be preset to output to specific DMX channel(s) - just like an instrument receiving DMX needs to be addressed.
BillConnerFASTC
Well-Known Member
Here's one http://www.pathwayconnect.com/content/view/103/29/ and the Fleenor http://www.dfd.com/anl2dmx.html
If there is a console I'd still look to see if it had an analog input - which could then be patched to any dmx address I think.
A small transformer and rectifier would probably work suffice - some dimmed mains might require a ghost load.
People ask a how to question here and I try to respond to that issue, as opposed to tossing what they want to do and trying to do something else - however in this case a little more about the specific application would at least be interesting, like why do you want a mains dimmer to DMX output? (I imagined a play, set backstage with an old piano board, and wanting the actor to actually control dimmers with the piano board.)
If there is a console I'd still look to see if it had an analog input - which could then be patched to any dmx address I think.
A small transformer and rectifier would probably work suffice - some dimmed mains might require a ghost load.
People ask a how to question here and I try to respond to that issue, as opposed to tossing what they want to do and trying to do something else - however in this case a little more about the specific application would at least be interesting, like why do you want a mains dimmer to DMX output? (I imagined a play, set backstage with an old piano board, and wanting the actor to actually control dimmers with the piano board.)
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