Control/Dimming AMX dimmer control?

C

Chamisa

Member
I have been given a dimmer rack of Strand CD-80s. Some are DMX but some are AMX and two have only "analog" control which is a smaller connector than AMX.

I can use the DMX dimmers but I don't know where to find an AMX or analog control board.

YES, I know there are AMX to DMX converters but all of them are way beyond my budget and are not worth considering.

My Questions:
1. Where can I find an AMX control board?
2. Any other way to use them without a converter?
3. What is the "analog" connector and how can I use it?

4. what are my chances of selling the AMX dimmers? Where could I try to sell them? I have photos of all of these units.

I also have a 12K CD-80 that has only analog control and I'd like to use that also.
 
Looks like you are dealing with 3 different languages here. AMX (Analog Multiplex), DMX (Digital Multiplex) and just Analog (probably something like 0-10v DC).

As far as I know, the only way to control your AMX dimmers is with either a DMX board using a signal converter or a true AMX board. Where do you find an AMX board? Maybe Ebay, but that's a BIG maybe. Even then it will be old and probably less than reliable.

The analog dimmer you speak of is just that. An analog dimmer. Again, you can get either a signal converter or an old analog board to control it, but you will encounter the same problems I mention with AMX.

The way I see it and maybe (hopefully for your sake) I'll be corrected, but the only way to control all these dimmers is with some converters between the board and the dimmers.

Your chances of selling them are probably pretty good though, being these are CD-80's which are practically legendary. In the right hands they can still have many years of life left in them.

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than myself will step in here.
 
I feel your pain with the CD-80's. Until the flood (yeah, the Iowa floods) killed them, we had 1982 CD racks. We originally ran these off of a Strand board (can't recall the model, but we still have it) but had to bite the bullet when we bought an E3. Until the flood we ran the racks via a Gray interface opto-isolater / converter, DMX-AMX. As far as I know this is the easiest way to deal with the racks, as you can output DMX, AMX, and maybe even pure analog all from one box. IIRC Pathway Connectivity bought Gray, but devices such as that may be the answer.
 
CD-80 racks can be easily converted to DMX from AMX (seen a few theatres do this) as the CD80 module itself is controlled by a controller in the rack. For portable CD80s I am not sure however, but it would seem reasonable that buying a new controller would be another way to go.

CD80s are great indeed. Still used quite a bit at a lot of theatres.
You can CERTAINLY find a buyer out there.
 
Chamisa said:
...Some are DMX but some are AMX and two have only "analog" control which is a smaller connector than AMX. ...
Click to expand...
I'm confused by "which is a smaller connector than AMX."
The first AMX192 connector was the Switchcraft TA4:
later superseded by the 4-pin XLR.

I believe the packs used a DB-25:
for analog input, and single 6K or 12K dimmers used 3-pin XLR for analog.

If using a DMX-AMX converter is undesirable, the packs can be upgraded (at a not-insignificant cost) to DMX, see PT-PACK Retrofit from CB member DimmerDotCom.

See also the thread http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/lighting/14596-dmx-cd-80-control.html.
 
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Were these packs given to you personaly or were they given to your venue?

If you have the power to run these extra packs I wouldn't sell them.
As mentioned you can get convertors to change the packs to DMX.

You can also use the other packs as spares.

You mightn't be able to afford the conversion AMX - DMX at the moment but they will always be cheaper then buying new packs.
Provided they are all in working order.

Chamisa said:
I have been given a dimmer rack of Strand CD-80s. Some are DMX but some are AMX and two have only "analog" control which is a smaller connector than AMX.

I can use the DMX dimmers but I don't know where to find an AMX or analog control board.

YES, I know there are AMX to DMX converters but all of them are way beyond my budget and are not worth considering.

My Questions:
1. Where can I find an AMX control board?
2. Any other way to use them without a converter?
3. What is the "analog" connector and how can I use it?

4. what are my chances of selling the AMX dimmers? Where could I try to sell them? I have photos of all of these units.

I also have a 12K CD-80 that has only analog control and I'd like to use that also.
Click to expand...
 
I could be wrong about this, but certainly someone can straighten me out if I am, but most of the PDF operator's manuals I read on MOST older (10+ yrs) boards that are DMX also support AMX. Sometimes they have thier own port, or sometimes share the DMX port, with the language being chosen with a setting in/on the board.

I may be shopping for a very different type of console as you are though, Chamisa, for a different applications.

I believe some of the Leprecon 1500 and 1600 series (or maybe it's just the 1600) consoles offer both analog and DMX output simultaniously. I think it also offers an AMX option, but read the manuals available at thier website, to verify.

Most of the other consoles I have looked at make you choose which output you are going to use, which would cause you to still need the converter to operate all your dimmers together from the same console, as they all speak different languages.

Those boards aren't exactly "theatre" style consoles, but depending on your needs, it may suffice. The biggest drawbacks, IMHO, is that they only offer a data wheel, as opposed to a 10 key pad.
 
From DimmerDotCom's "About Me" page here on CB:
...Then started my own company (Emlight) when I needed to run my own hours when my son came down with leukemia. Never looked back.
**I will be limiting my time here as my son's ALL has returned for the 3rd and final time. As much as I like lighting and helping you all, my time with my ailing 10 year old is more precious so please understand.** 10/12/09
Click to expand...
Thanks for bringing this to our attention, Tim. I had wondered where Maurice had gone. Let's keep him and his family in our thoughts during this difficult time.
 
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Thank you all for your kind thoughts and prayers. My son has had a refractory relapse and the leukemia is now spreading throughout his body, though his bone marrow remains clear as his new bone marrow (created from donated stem cells) is putting up a good fight.

He just celebrated his 11th birthday but the doctors from Kaiser and City of Hope say it is very unlikely he will see his 12th.

As for the AMX CD-80's- I suggest you shop around for a Strand MX. Their pretty tough and can do AMX. A used GSX can also work though you have to contend with the chaneel count it is loaded with and they are just not as repairable. I regulary pick up MX's for under 200, refurb them, and send them out to have a happy life in a church or underfunded theater (well, that would be 98% of them).

As for analog, there actually was a CD80 pack that was analog only. It had a monster of a cable protruding from its controller that termianted into a round multi pin connector (AMP? CANNON? I don't recall). It's wires were mated directly to the circuit board (after the decode/demux circuit). They were ugly in the day. I would rather use AMX with TA4's.

Now, if you have a cd80 pack with a mini ramp card cage - that's rare.

Maurice
 
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If the dimmers are a mix of DMX and AMX, it's best to run everything via DMX. Boards like the MX can output one or the other but not both. The Pathway (or Gray Interface) Ultimate Converter has been extrememly popular for this application (thousands sold since 1998) because it can handle just about any oddity including offset addressing for 6K's and 12K's. Cheap used ones can usually be found on eBay.
 
Re: Off topic

DimmerDotCom said:
Thank you all for your kind thoughts and prayers. My son has had a refractory relapse and the leukemia is now spreading throughout his body, though his bone marrow remains clear as his new bone marrow (created from donated stem cells) is putting up a good fight.

He just celebrated his 11th birthday but the doctors from Kaiser and City of Hope say it is very unlikely he will see his 12th.
Click to expand...

**My son is in the PICU since last night 3.20.2010. He was intubated early this morning and this appears to be the end of a 6 year fight against Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia. My wife and I are devasted and the sheer horror that we experience from 1AM to 5AM this morning is something that will stay with us for the rest of our lives. 3.21.2010**
 
Re: Off topic

DimmerDotCom said:
**My son is in the PICU since last night 3.20.2010. He was intubated early this morning and this appears to be the end of a 6 year fight against Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia. My wife and I are devasted and the sheer horror that we experience from 1AM to 5AM this morning is something that will stay with us for the rest of our lives. 3.21.2010**
Click to expand...

I trust that I speak for all the CBMods and the Senior Team in expressing our sincere, heartfelt condolences.
 
Re: Off topic

DimmerDotCom, you have my deepest and most sincere condolences...

As for the CD80's, would retrofitting be an option for you?

Johnson Systems Inc.

These guys specialize in retrofitting older dimmers to work with DMX, and they actually have a specific package just for the CD80 rack...which I am trying to convince my boss to invest in...:grin:
 
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