Automated Fixtures Trouble with Highend Technobeams

[schwei22]

Hey all. Just got a new Strand Palette VL board. I like it so far especially the color picker for my scrollers, but having a little issue that may not be the board at all. I have two technobeams in the rig. The first is addressed at 301 the next at 319. I moved the lights from one space to this one so I know the voltage and everything is correct. The only thing I changed on it is the address and I have no control at all. The last unit is terminated, I swapped out my dmx to the first unit and that wasn't it. It is patched in the board as an 18 channel highend technobeam in channel 301. Anyone have any ideas what may be the issue. I have done everything I know to do and I am getting nothing. You guys are always very helpful so thanks in advance.

 

[chausman]

Are you at address 301 on the console, or channel 301 on the console, or both?

 

[schwei22]

I am at both actually, haven't put in my conventionals yet so still patched one to one.

 

[schwei22]

I'm using standard mic cable from beam 1 to beam 2. Could this be the problem?

 

[mike1023]

You will get mixed responses on using mic cable as data cable, regardless you should be seeing some response from the fixtures. Couple things off the top off my head:

- At what point did you change from 5 pin at console to 3 pin at fixture. Possible adaptor problem?
- which universe are you using on the console? Is it active? Are the fixtures patched to the correct universe? Is any output active?
- technbeams can be addressed by DMX or fixture number (not sure if you could go as high as 301 in fixture mode though) make sure they are in DMX mode.
- patching can be a little confusing on the strand? Which method did you use? Power patch?

 

[schwei22]

-I have a node in the air that is connected through eathernet. From that node I have dmx to a dmx/3 pin adaptor going into the first unit. Could be the adapter going to switch it out tomorrow.
-Using universe one. It is active. I have scrollers starting at 369 that are working just fine.
-They are in DMX mode.
-I patched the units by "patch by fixture" same as the scrollers.
Really confused here, I'm hoping it may just be a bad cable somewhere?

 

[mike1023]

Might want to also try bypassing the node and going straight from the console to the fixture. Let me know how it works out.

 

[derekleffew]

...-Using universe one. It is active. I have scrollers starting at 369 that are working just fine. ...

Scrollers in the same chain? Address one, or both, of your Technobeams to 369 and see what happens. You won't get proper control, but you'll verify DMX is getting to the fixtures, and that they respond to something. From there, work backwards with the proper fixture profile and desired address.

 

[millamber]

The Technobeams have a little green LED next to the LCD screen that should flash if it is receiving DMX. If you aren't seeing that, but are seeing the red power LED, you have a signal issue.

Also, what is the patch of the node? I have seen ethernet nodes that had custom start addresses on them, which would screw up DMX settings on the fixtures. For instance, if you have the fixture set to 301, but the node is set to output starting from address 100 then your fixture is actually patched at 401.

 

[phenry]

I can’t take credit for this one myself, but one of our guys here said to try slowing down the DMX rate from the node. If it is an older techobeam, it will like a slower DMX rate better.

 

[schwei22]

phenry the guy from strand, after being on the phone with him for two hours emailed me and told me the same thing but I dont think thats the issue. Brought my old etc 48/96 over today and plugged the tecno right into the back of it and nothing. I am receiving some dmx. The green led is on but not flashing. I spent all day on the phone with strand and highend and they both have no idea whats going on. I will try to lower the rate and see what happens. That's the only thing I haven't tried. Thanks all.

 

[phenry]

phenry the guy from strand, after being on the phone with him for two hours emailed me and told me the same thing but I dont think thats the issue. Brought my old etc 48/96 over today and plugged the tecno right into the back of it and nothing. I am receiving some dmx. The green led is on but not flashing. I spent all day on the phone with strand and highend and they both have no idea whats going on. I will try to lower the rate and see what happens. That's the only thing I haven't tried. Thanks all.

I was there for only a few minutes of the call. Matt was the one helping you. Glad you were able to test with another console, sorry it was not as fruitful as hoped. I believe you had mentioned using them with a hog before, do you still have access to that console? I am stumped as you have tested every part of the system indidually, it just does not work as a system. We are missing something here And hopefully someone in the CB community here knows the answer.
If there is anything we can do to help, let us know. Also, post again when you get it working so we can see what the problem was.

 

[schwei22]

tea Matt was great, nice guy. I'll try the dmx rate thing tomorrow. A friend of mine told me tonight she had trouble with the nodes at her school. Had to get a dmx to dmx converter. Yea that's what I said. Wish me luck tomorrow. If I can't get it to work I'm moving on though.

 

[phenry]

A friend of mine told me tonight she had trouble with the nodes at her school. Had to get a dmx to dmx converter. Yea that's what I said.

Everyone thinks a DMX to DMX converter is a silly idea up until the point that you need one. Then you thank Fleenor for making one. Depending on why you need the converter, sometimes anything that regenerates the DMX (like a good splitter) will work. You just need to find something that will output the DMX flavor the gear is looking for.

 

[derekleffew]

Everyone thinks a DMX to DMX converter is a silly idea up until the point that you need one. Then you thank Fleenor for making one. Depending on why you need the converter, sometimes anything that regenerates the DMX (like a good splitter) will work. You just need to find something that will output the DMX flavor the gear is looking for.

For more on this, see the article “Compliance with DMX512 . . . Again?” by Milton Davis of Doug Fleenor Design in this month's Protocol magazine, beginning on page 24: PLASA - Publications - Protocol, Subscribe, Advertise .

 

[TimMiller]

On the techno's the data light flashes very fast so it looks like it is almost on steady until you look closely. If it is actually on steady you have a bad piece of data cable or if you have a terminator in line try removing it if not try adding one. Also are the techno's inline with the scrollers?