Controlling DMX fixtures on ETC Express 48/96

[nick_fouts]

Hello everyone!

We are renting a few ADJ Eco Bar UV lights for our production of A Christmas Carol to be able to do some fun effects.

I have used a Chauvet Geyser with our board before, and we are using that again in this show. The way I set that up is to output DMX signal from the “universe 2” 513-1024 output and send it to the fixture via a wireless DMX system. (The 1-512 port is taken up by our dimmer racks.) This setup worked fine with the geyser because I could address it higher than 512, thus the second universe DMX control worked fine.

The issue I’m having is with these UV bars we rented...they seem like they can only be addressed up to 512, which poses an issue, as 1-512 outputs to the dimmer racks.

As far as I know, we only have about 192 dimmers in use on the board, and they are all in the first universe. I have some open channels on the board that I can use as well. I’m just trying to figure out how to control the UV bars which can only be addressed up to 512, since I’d prefer to output from universe 2.

I noticed a page in the settings for “output configuration”...could I theoretically change the second output to output dimmer numbers in the first universe? I don’t know a lot about this so I wanted to ask before I messed anything up.

Also, does anyone know anything about how to address these UV bars? The menu is super confusing and the manual doesn’t help much.

Thanks for any advice you can offer!

 

[soundman]

2. To run your fixture in DMX mode press the MODE button until
“1XXX” is displayed. “XXX” represents the current displayed ad-
dress. Use the UP or DOWN buttons to select your desired DMX
address

So to address it to 205 the display would need to display 1205.

I think you need to read up on patching. You should be able to use any address between 1-512 on universe B and be able to control it.

 

[RickR]

When output 2 is set to 513, we talk about universe 2. But DMX fixtures can only be 1-512, as that is as big as a universe can be.

So Express dimmer 513 = fixture address 1 on console universe or port 2.

 

[Amiers]

You could cheat and set the output of universe 2 to be 200 then your 1 to 1 patch would address the dmx of Uni 2 to be 200.

However like everyone else said just set the fixture to 1 and jack into output 2 and you should be fine to control channel 513-5xx whatever the DMX channel lineup is for that fixture.

Especially if you don’t know much about the I/O of your console yet. Time to bust out the Bible and start reading.

 

[nick_fouts]

I think you need to read up on patching. You should be able to use any address between 1-512 on universe B and be able to control it.

So Express dimmer 513 = fixture address 1 on console universe or port 2.

Your comments definitely helped clarify things for me! I think I knew that at one point but I guess I forgot how I really did it the first time.

Time to bust out the Bible and start reading.

Definitely! I thought I knew my console well until I started working with DMX-controlled fixtures. I guess that's what I get for confining myself to old public school lighting systems all this time

I can't wait to keep learning, thanks for your help and suggestions everyone!

 

[RickR]

Other basic but radical thoughts:

• Dimmers are "DMX lighting"
• Your rack is a complex multi-parameter device that uses many addresses. The console talks to the rack, not the lights.
• Using LEDs and movers is no more complex than using multiple dimmer racks.
• DMX in a cable is 1-512, a universe! We use that term because in is self contained and complete knowing nothing of other cables.
• DMX does not exist inside the console programming. It is made at the output port according to that programming.