It sounds to me like we're talking about a permanent, installed
dimmer rack. One must assume it was installed correctly, with proper
DMX512 termination, how ever many years ago. Especially if there have been no
dimmer issues since. A
terminator will not be readily apparent without opening the rack, which should be done ONLY by Qualified Personnel following
NFPA 70E requirements.
I would still suspect the dimmers rather than the
console, particularly since
@Plady said the
Express worked with other dimmers. But now the
Express is working again in its original location. Intermittent problems are the absolute worst to diagnose!
Some things to look at
until it happens again:
Is it an
ETC Sensor
dimmer rack? If yes, any errors displayed on the
CEM?
Is it all or some dimmers that flash/flicker/misbehave? If some, can you note the
dimmer numbers?
Are the rack filters clean?
Is the
HVAC in the
dimmer room working? Room not overheated?
If/
when it happens again:
Call ETC Tech Services at
1-800-688-4116 ASAP 24/7. After hours, leave a message and someone will
return your
call within fifteen minutes. As good as the breadth of knowledge is here on
ControlBooth, it is no substitute for
ETC's stellar service. And this type of troubleshooting is best done NOT on an internet forum.
I thought I'd read in these forums that there was some sort of safe start to try using some combination of keys when turning it on. Does anyone know about this? I can't find the original post.
It's called a "deep
clear." AFTER you've saved your show or any valuable programming (i.e., patch) to floppy (preferably several), turn the
console OFF. While pressing the 7,8,9 keys on the numeric keypad, turn the
console ON.
Release the keys once the
console fully boots to the normal
screen. Deep
Clear has been known/suspected to solve a myriad of issues, and rarely if ever causes harm, provided you've backed up prior.