Multiple DMX signals

[EmmienLightFan]

I am doing a production of High School musical, and may be using LOR to control the dimmer packs. Can I just splice the two DMX cables (From the lighting desk and my pc) together, and be able to control the dimmers from either? The way dmx works, the lights would go to the state in the packet last received??? right???

 

The lighting desk has a dmx in, but it is 5pin XLR and I only have cat5 RJ11 and some three pin stuff, and I don't know if the desk can be used for patching.

 

I REALLY don't want to break anything. The lighting desk costs over 2000 dollars and the dimmer packs 800 each, and there are 4.  Not to mention the intelligent fixtures.

[Ken Benedict]

Don't splice it in that way, you could damage things.

 

Use a DMX merger and either set it for LTP (last dmx signal takes priority) or HTP (highest dmx value takes priority).

 

You may have to get adapters for the DMX signal, but that's the easy stuff.

 

I've done this before, but used an outboard DMX dongle that can deliver a clean signal, no matter what the computer is doing.