How in the world do you patch DMX to a board?

[Batwoman]

Hi there. Ok I'm still learning how to program my board in general and when I was at church the other day and the guys were talking about the TD wanting to start using the new LEDs, I got that dreaded feeling, the one where he was going to call me and ask how to do patch in DMX lines to our ion board. Our old TD did this and never explained how he did it, so I have no clue how it's done. We have some LEDs now and he just took a couple of the old ones out and put the new LEDs on that DMX line. But he wants to eventually add all of the new ones. As it is, we have the 10 LEDs daisy chained together on one DMX line. He tried using the manual but as I've seen with my own beatings with it, it's not the best written thing out there. You don't want to know how long it took me to figure out how to stop an effect based on the way the manual read (where exactly IS the stop effect button, etc?)

So needless to say me being the one that knows the board the best, and I think unofficial team leader, is the one on the search for how to do this. He's looking for easy instructions on doing this.

If it makes a difference, the new LEDs are pars, our old ones are bricks. We set the old ones up on three channels, these I have no clue, haven't even seen them yet.

THAAAAAANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[derekleffew]

By "patch" do you mean:
1. How is DMX512 distributed and plugged to the fixtures?, or
2. How are fixtures identified and controlled by the console?

Some searching should yield relevant information on both topics.

 

[jglodeklights]

More information will help us help you better!

Specifically:
1. Ignore. Joe missed the Ion console part.
2. The specific models of LEDs you are using, or what information you can find marked on them that may lead us to determining such.
3. How you understand, in your space, the information gets from the console to the fixtures. Any additional information about splitters/technology and the models of such will be of great importance, also.

All of this can make a HUGE difference in what you will need to do.

 

[SteveB]

Find a console channel you want to use. Are you controlling all the fixtures as a single wash ?, or do you want control of individual fixtures ?. For individual fixtures you need to set the fixture DMX address appropriately so they don't overlap addresses. Remember/write down the addresses.

Are you putting these fixtures on Universe 1 or 2 ?. Find that out.

In the Ion patch, type in the channel number or range of channels used and press Enter. Then use the Type section to find the manufacturer and fixture and select that fixture. That tells the console you are dealing with a Chauvet LED XXX, as example. Then re-type the channels or range of channel numbers and then @ and then the DMX address for the first fixture. If the first fixture is address 1 and it's using the 2nd universe, you'd type "2/1 Enter". If it's in the first Universe you'd type "@ 357 Enter" or whatever first universe DMX address you are using. If you use a range of channels, the console knows the fixture used and how many addresses the fixture uses and will off-set the addresses to patch all the channels correctly.

 

[mstaylor]

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ETC+lighting+consoles%2C+playlist&page=1

These are the ETC's tutorials that will walk you through everything on it. The short answer to your question is daisychain your other LEDs and address them. Just be careful how many you put in the chain, 32 devices to a chain.

 

[Batwoman]

ETC lighting consoles, playlist - YouTube

These are the ETC's tutorials that will walk you through everything on it. The short answer to your question is daisychain your other LEDs and address them. Just be careful how many you put in the chain, 32 devices to a chain.

Thanks guys, this was all helpful. So 32 to one chain? So that means when we start adding new LEDs we're going to have to move onto a second chain? interesting will let my TD know.

oh and I know about those tutorials, my problem is I'll watch them at home and then a half hour later by the time I'm in church, I have forgotten what was said. lol I need to get serious about going in there on a week day with my laptop and call them up and use the console at the same time so I can better learn what they're teaching.

 

[jglodeklights]

Thanks guys, this was all helpful. So 32 to one chain? So that means when we start adding new LEDs we're going to have to move onto a second chain? interesting will let my TD know.

oh and I know about those tutorials, my problem is I'll watch them at home and then a half hour later by the time I'm in church, I have forgotten what was said. lol I need to get serious about going in there on a week day with my laptop and call them up and use the console at the same time so I can better learn what they're teaching.

Yes, that is the limit on a single chain. However, using a device such as THIS (opto-splitter), you will be able to split the first chain into several more, each of which is capable of holding up to 31 units (splitter counts as one device in the chain). Additionally, this is a better way to distribute data as it lowers the overall length of each run of cable you are creating. This can help isolate a failure to one sector of the plot, and can improve overall data transmission.

 

[Batwoman]

Yes, that is the limit on a single chain. However, using a device such as THIS (opto-splitter), you will be able to split the first chain into several more, each of which is capable of holding up to 31 units (splitter counts as one device in the chain). Additionally, this is a better way to distribute data as it lowers the overall length of each run of cable you are creating. This can help isolate a failure to one sector of the plot, and can improve overall data transmission.

oooohhh shiny thanks for that info!

just a note, I have no formal training in all of this, I've just been learning as I go. And when it comes to things like this with our board, it's the same with my TD. I forgot what his field of expertise is but it's not lighting. I've looked into taking a class but the local community college doesn't have one that would be what I'd want/need. It's more of a general stage and lighting class, nothing on dynamic lighting. I could check my first college, I'm sure they'll have the right classes but I'd have to go there for a degree in order to take them, I think. I also don't have the time or money to invest in that right now.

 

[mstaylor]

Somewhere you have a DVD with all the tutorials for the Ion on it. It should have come with your board. If you can find it you can sit there and use the board as you watch.

 

[Batwoman]

Somewhere you have a DVD with all the tutorials for the Ion on it. It should have come with your board. If you can find it you can sit there and use the board as you watch.

I don't think we ever got the dvd, I know we talked about buying them but 100 bucks a pop is usually out of the budget for the church. And I typically don't have that kind of money floating around, when I do it goes to bills.

 

[soundlight]

The ION ships with the DVD. I don't know if it didn't in early releases and you got an early console that didn't come with one, but all ION consoles that I've seen have shipped with the first installment training DVD included in the box.

 

[seanandkate]

oh and I know about those tutorials, my problem is I'll watch them at home and then a half hour later by the time I'm in church, I have forgotten what was said.

If it's a YouTube video, when you are on the page that you can watch the video, go up to the URL and type the word "keep" before youtube. This will redirect you to Keeptube, a site that will allow you to save the Youtube video as a file on your computer. Then you can take it with you.

 

[DuckJordan]

If it's a YouTube video, when you are on the page that you can watch the video, go up to the URL and type the word "keep" before youtube. This will redirect you to Keeptube, a site that will allow you to save the Youtube video as a file on your computer. Then you can take it with you.

I know I said I'd never post again but you can download the videos from ETC themselves...