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Ordered idmx


Donny M. Carter

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I just ordered the idmx 1000. I'm out of town working but want to work on some sequences. I also just picked up a RGB can light. Can I set up the idmx in the hardware utility and add channels to sequence or do I need the idmx to set it up first. Help in how to do this would be great, thanks in advance.
Donny

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Donny M. Carter wrote:

I just ordered the idmx 1000. I'm out of town working but want to work on some sequences. I also just picked up a RGB can light. Can I set up the idmx in the hardware utility and add channels to sequence or do I need the idmx to set it up first. Help in how to do this would be great, thanks in advance.
Donny

To the sequencer, the iDMX is just another (or a bunch of, depending on how you have it configured) LOR contoller. So you can sequence away without worrying about hardware and later map it to whatever unit ID's you want. This is true with any LOR "row".
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Donny,

One of the first things you need to do when you get the iDMX is to re-ID it. From LOR it comes as Controller E0.

Rename it to ANYTHING that does not end in zero. Ex A1, 01 09, NOT 10, 20, A0 or E0.

What this will do is put you into the full DMX512 mode. DMX become WAY easier to follow if you stay out of LOR's convoluted DMX256 mode.

You can play with your RGB can light with the Hardware Editor, but that is only a test interface, and as Tim stated, you will need to then set up your sequence to match the new controller ID and Base Address of the can that you assign to it.

If you need info on DMX, I have a decent primer on my website in the How-To page. Any questions, just post away.

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Thank You Mark, I did read your DMX primer. It explained alot.
So when I open my channel template and insert channels for my DMX cans do I just use regular channels, one for each action, color, and effect of my DMX device. Sorry, maybe I need to read your primer again. Thanks for any help.
I really wish I could have seen your DMX presentation live...

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Donny, below is a snapshot of one of my sequences. To create a template, make your first sequence, then export it to a template. What you see is 3 of my fixture types, a RGB Wash, large Zap Strobe, and the start of a Yoke. You see that I renamed my iDMX to A1. For the RGB Wash and Yoke, I have 2 addresses, because I have them set up twice as separate fixtures. All DMX channels appear as regular channels in your sequence.

The first Controller/Channel listed for each fixture, is Channel 1 of that fixture, hence the Base Address for the fixture as well. Keep asking questions if you are not clear.

Attached files 233258=12758-DMX_Template.jpg

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zman wrote:

Donny,

One of the first things you need to do when you get the iDMX is to re-ID it. From LOR it comes as Controller E0.

Rename it to ANYTHING that does not end in zero. Ex A1, 01 09, NOT 10, 20, A0 or E0.

What this will do is put you into the full DMX512 mode. DMX become WAY easier to follow if you stay out of LOR's convoluted DMX256 mode.

Yeah, I was confused why the device not only comes defaulted to the "old" way, but the manual actually recommends keeping it there. I kind of felt like I was going against the grain in changing it, and am glad to see Mark "Mr. DMX" Z confirm it was a good choice :)
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I have failed to understand WHY LOR want users to retain the default. First it is WAY out on the end of the chain, and HE searches TAKE forever. That and you have to know to set your search OUT that far just to find the controller.

Then we can talk about the 256vs512 argument.

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zman wrote:

Donny, below is a snapshot of one of my sequences. To create a template, make your first sequence, then export it to a template. What you see is 3 of my fixture types, a RGB Wash, large Zap Strobe, and the start of a Yoke. You see that I renamed my iDMX to A1. For the RGB Wash and Yoke, I have 2 addresses, because I have them set up twice as separate fixtures. All DMX channels appear as regular channels in your sequence.

The first Controller/Channel listed for each fixture, is Channel 1 of that fixture, hence the Base Address for the fixture as well. Keep asking questions if you are not clear.



Mark what I'M confused on is the base for a fixture. I have a LED flood with 7 DMX channels. Here is the what it says in the book, Chan1-blue,chan2-red,chan3-green,chan4-color macro,chan5-color change speed,chan6-strobe,chan7-dimmer. Remark: please take channel7 to the highest before you open the other channels. Question: if I set the first channel as the base will the second channel be the blue. I think I may be making this harder then it really is.
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Donny,

Everybody complicates it in the beginning. No worries. I still have not figured out a good way to simplify this, plus everybody's light bulb gets flipped on in different ways. but when it does get flipped it all become very clear.

DMX is freely assignable. It has channels 1-512 available. You can put your fixture anywhere in that map you want. You just have to be able set the DMX Address somehow via a dip switch, or some method that the light has. The manual will tell you how you can assign this.

Base Address = DMX address = Channel 1 of your fixture

So my Yoke lights have 16 channels that I can use, but I don't need them all, so I don't even put the unused channels in my sequence, BUT I still have to account for them.

I start my Yoke Base Address at 401. So DMX addresses of 401-416 are allocated to my Yoke. 401 is my Base Address = DMX address (401) = Channel 1 of the Yoke which is a Shutter function. So when i want to open the shutter, I turn A1-401 "on" (DMX value 255).

So in your case, if you want your light to shine a color, you have to set your color channel to a value, AND your channel 7 which is a dimmer function.

Let me know if this helps. Otherwise, we could have a 15 minute conversation and that would clear things up for you.

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Another bulb goes on, thank you!

It really helps to see an example.

I am looking at some DMX, have read the primers and just soaking this all up before the plunge.

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