Strand Mantrix Manual

gpag

Member
i was wondering if anyone knew where i could find a strand mantrix 2 user manual, or if anyone could possibly describe process of programming one of those. Thanks
 
Follow footers link, but as I remember from runnign one for four years in college there is no "programming" involved in the Mantrix 2. It has a keypad for doing a soft patch, and assigning percentage levels to dimmers in the patch, but no real programming. There is a hold button once a cue is set on one scene, and pressing and hold the assign button under a particular submaster while running the sub from 0 to 100 will assign what ever levels are active to that submaster, but that's really it. Oh and there is that sucky twirley timer for setting fade times.
I once ran a 45 minute show with 58 cues in it on a Mantrix2 with 64channels, most exhausting thing I've ever done.
 
There are still some of these in use. :)

I think there is a Channel / Submaster switch on the rear apron, to allow the Scene X channel faders to become submasters. To record the submaster, you push and hold the green illuminated button, run the submaster up to 100 and back to 0 then push the green button again to confirm.

There is also a scene hold feature, that allows you to have a "2.5" scene preset board. You push the green scene hold button, and it "locks" the current scene into memory, which allows you to clear that scene and preset it for another cue. As you cross fade to the other (non-locked) scene, the scene lock releases.

AFAIK, all of these boards use the AMX-192 protocol.
 
Can anyone confirm the protocol that the Strand Mantrix runs on? I'm currently working on a show in a venue I won't see until the load in date, and that's the house console. Now, of course they have no idea what it is, so I'm turning to you, the controlbooth crew, for my answer.
I plan on taking in a Pearl, but I want to convert the house dimmers to dmx to match the half rack I'm providing....thoughts?
 
any idea what the house dimmers are ? As far as I remember the Mantrix I used to run was AMX -192. And so you know it is only a 2 scene preset with hold buttons which effectivly means you can have an active cue plus 3 more ready to go. No storing cues. so if your show is on a programmed boarded you are going to need to print out good old fashioned cue sheets to run that show.
 
mmm... two scene preset from a avo... that'll be a blast for ya... you'll need this drawing... I suggest you make a few of varying sizes....

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I would give them a ring and have them unplug the board, see if there is 4 pins or 5, and then have them get a converter. If you are just trying to use their FOH stuff, ever ran two consoles at once? Otherwise you are going to need a black box of some sort. This is also why I always do that "House supplies a DMX input into house lighting system" in the rider, its ignored half the time, but eh its worth a try.
 
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any idea what the house dimmers are ? As far as I remember the Mantrix I used to run was AMX -192. And so you know it is only a 2 scene preset with hold buttons which effectivly means you can have an active cue plus 3 more ready to go. No storing cues. so if your show is on a programmed boarded you are going to need to print out good old fashioned cue sheets to run that show.

Van,
House dimmer is an older CD80 half rack. I'm pretty sure the old cd80's were AMX. As far as my research goes, 100% analog CD80's are very few and far between. I'm familiar with the Mantrix as far as operation and whatnot, but I can't remember the protocol. I plan on using the board that I've been using on the road so far, Avo Pearl 2000, so I'm curious as to what protocol I need to convert from. Thanks!
 
mmm... two scene preset from a avo... that'll be a blast for ya... you'll need this drawing... I suggest you make a few of varying sizes....
I
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I would give them a ring and have them unplug the board, see if there is 4 pins or 5, and then have them get a converter. If you are just trying to use their FOH stuff, ever ran two consoles at once? Otherwise you are going to need a black box of some sort. This is also why I always do that "House supplies a DMX input into house lighting system" in the rider, its ignored half the time, but eh its worth a try.

Footer,
It's not that I want to run 2 scene preset from the Avo, it's far from that. The house console is a Mantrix, which is a 2 scene preset. I need to use my console (and the rest of the tour rig) in place of theirs. The problem that I can see happening is that their dimmers aren't DMX. Pretty sure they're AMX, just wanted to confirm that the old Mantrix/CD80 rigs were in fact AMX.
Thanks man.
 
Footer,
It's not that I want to run 2 scene preset from the Avo, it's far from that. The house console is a Mantrix, which is a 2 scene preset. I need to use my console (and the rest of the tour rig) in place of theirs. The problem that I can see happening is that their dimmers aren't DMX. Pretty sure they're AMX, just wanted to confirm that the old Mantrix/CD80 rigs were in fact AMX.
Thanks man.

That console only outputs AMX, and I bet that their dimmers have not been updated. The worse part is that they use that stupid mini XLR jack, so keep that in mind if you are using a black box. What I have done in the past in situations such as this that I can not get a black box in and/or get my own power to where I need it in the house is to run my console for my stuff, and their console two scene (or 2.5 scene preset) for their gear. It sucks to do, but sometimes its the only option.
 
That console only outputs AMX, and I bet that their dimmers have not been updated. The worse part is that they use that stupid mini XLR jack, so keep that in mind if you are using a black box. What I have done in the past in situations such as this that I can not get a black box in and/or get my own power to where I need it in the house is to run my console for my stuff, and their console two scene (or 2.5 scene preset) for their gear. It sucks to do, but sometimes its the only option.

That "Mini XLR" jack is actually called a "T" style connector. I was searching all over trying to find one, once. Eventually called Fleenor and he hooked me up. Somebody was using one inside a board for a data connection, I can't remember what kind of board it was though..... I want to say it was a martin, can't remember. Anyway Yes they are hard to find. but it does help to know what they're called.
Am I insane or can't CD-80s be set to receive DMX ?
 
That "Mini XLR" jack is actually called a "T" style connector. I was searching all over trying to find one, once. Eventually called Fleenor and he hooked me up. Somebody was using one inside a board for a data connection, I can't remember what kind of board it was though..... I want to say it was a martin, can't remember. Anyway Yes they are hard to find. but it does help to know what they're called.
Am I insane or can't CD-80s be set to receive DMX ?

They can if they have the right control module. The modules they produced (the ones that usually came with the mantrixes) from what I can remember have a 0-10 in and an AMX. With an upgraded supervisor module they can take DMX rather painlessly, but odds are because they still have the mantrix (which was made in 1982) they do not have the DMX supervisor.

Oh, and good to know what that jack is called!
 
Thanks guys, I'll see what I can figure out, good to know with that connector though. I came through the same venue two years ago, and did run a 2 console setup. Because of my horrible memory, and being through too many venues, all I really remember of it is the headache it was.
So hopefully I can make do with something....thanks!
 
I recently installed an ETC express into a high school that was running mantrix. The protocol is special. Snice AMX was not standardized until after it was obsolete, the Mantrix has the clock+ and clock- swapped. Vaguely reminds me of Martin...

The pin out for a standards compatible 4 pin XLR (not mini) is:

1. Common
2. Clock+
3. Analog
4. Clock-

The mini connector (Switchcraft TA4) standards compatible pin out is:

1. Clock-
2. Common
3. Clock+
4. Analog

However because Mantrix is not standards compatible, here is the pin out:

1. Clock+
2. Common
3. Clock-
4. Analog

Be careful with lower end converter boxes. They tend to have a high amount of latency. The CD-80's do not like that one bit and most of the lights will pulse.

Matt McCormick
www.cablepick.com
 

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