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DMX Pyle PDJLT50 Moving Head Light


jwblazek

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Just bought a LED moving head light I want to integrate this year. Manual definitions are vague  as is a search on the web. Unit has 2 configs, a 9 Channel mode and a 14 channel mode, a superset of the 9 channel. It has things such as level dimming, vertical dimming, medallion etc. Anyone have any ideas what these terms mean?   Some are straight forward, level (pan), vertical (tilt), RGBW channels which I have figured out

 

BTW, appears very well built, pretty fast, about a second for a 540 degree pan

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I think I found the manual, and based on what I see there and what I know about mine I can make a stab at the meanings.

You can also run the pixel console in the Hardware Utility to control each of the 14 channels to see what they do and to determine what values work best for for your requirements. If you have a link to the manual, post it for me to see.

Chan 01 is usually Pan from 0 to 540 deg.

Chan 02 is Pan Fine, for fine pointing, Dont use it very often.

 

Chan 03 and 04 are Tilt and tilt fine respectively.

That may get you started. I'll post more later, right now gotta go do Mom's day stuff

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Thanks Phil. Figure out the easy stuff, looking trying to see what Channel 6, 11 and 13 are. The fine tuning I missed, thanks, like you said, don't believe that will get used much though !

 

Light is pretty bright, think net go around I'll shoot for more of a spot and possibly one with BOGO's

 

How are you controlling yours? I am using the DMX output of an Alpha Pix device, sure wish HU in LOR would work with AlphaPix, make this whole thing a lot simpler. Guess I could take a CTB16 and run it in DMX mode, but most of my hardware is RS485

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Question for the programmers I guess....

Still playing with the 14 channels on this DMX RGBW moving head. Using the DMX intensity key, especially with ramping the intensity up or down is cumbersome. I tried using the ramp and sparkle keys in LOR and they seem to work. Is the data being sent across the DMX lines the same as what the DMX fill commands do? Just don't want to damage this thing. In similar fashion, used the ramp keys for panning and tilting, also works quite well

Edited by jwblazek
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Programming IS fairly painful in LOR, but doable. The fill command is your friend.

Put an intensity or dmx intensity at the start and end times of your effect and fill between for a smooth ramp.

0 to 100 Intensity values work for light levels. I prefer not to use LOR shimmer, in case the lamp doesn't like it and use the strobe effect in your case Ch 6 , dmx value 136 to 239. 

I use dmx levels for everything else but intensities will work.

As to your earlier effects question.

My best guess would be

Ch 6 dimming, master dim of all colors.

Ch 6 strobe, strobe or shimmer all colors.

Ch 6 medallion, no idea, some sort of color effect?

Ch 11 sounds like variable color changes or steps, the speed of which will vary with the dmx levels applied 

Ch 13 is  probably programmed effects, at variable speeds, and sound will be some sort of sound activated mode.

Auto and sound modes aren't much use on mine.

Ch 14 will reset all the positions to home. You will need a short seq with just a few secs of ch 14 at 255 occasionally when they get out of position.

I suggest hooking them up to a lor dongle with a crossover cable while you test. You can use the HU pixel console to find out what does what and what different values do.

I made a large spreadsheet for reference.

If you want to call me sometime let me know

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Thanks again, Phil

Agreed, painful in LOR but I discovered using ramps and twinkle / sparkle instead of DMX accelerates the programming, being careful not to use the twinkle or sparkle on the motors

CH 6 is elusive, without specific definitions, all hit and miss. I have an inquiry onto the vendor. Medallion is a color effect, but again elusive. Some places advertise the 7 LED's as being individually controllable, which would be slick, but have not figured that out yet. Hoping for the ability to program patterns, but beam is very diffuse, but bright. CH13 is a variable, not much use if one is programming instead of listening or random effects. Have not seen a need for Reset, yet. 

Curious how you set up to use LOR HU, through a LOR controller using DMX? Tried various cable configs, ended up using a AlphaPix 16 DMX output, but they don't talk to LOR HU

You have the same DMX moving head?

My next challenge is figuring out the values to draw a circle on the ground when the rotating head is at the top of my Mega tree pointing down, some geometry and Excel will help!

 

Thanks again

 

John

 

 

 

 

 

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These are the ones I use. 60 W White LED with color filter GOBO and shape GOBO.

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-shipping-HOT-1pcs-lot-Eyourlife-LED-Inno-Pocket-Spot-Mini-Moving-Head-Light-60W-DMX/32704311539.html?spm=2114.search0104.3.278.4a39478cosbYIt&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_5_10065_10130_10068_10890_10547_319_10546_317_10548_10545_10696_453_10084_454_10083_10618_10307_537_536_10059_10884_10887_321_322_10103,searchweb201603_52,ppcSwitch_0&algo_expid=6aafddbc-1e77-4426-bc95-22afbeae3ff6-44&algo_pvid=6aafddbc-1e77-4426-bc95-22afbeae3ff6

I don't understand why you are using twinkle to program your intensities. Ramps are fine but work just as well with DMX or regular intensities.

I have to run a reset every couple of hours on average, because of occasional position drift. Slightly more frequent  are GOBO positioning errors.I have one 30 second intro sequence where I leave them unprogrammed,except for a 3 second reset command.Plays about every 2 hours.

The setup from lor is as follows.

PC ------------USB Adaptor ----------XO Cable-------------------- Moving Head DMX IN

The XO cable is RJ45 pins 4,5 and 6 To DMX pins 3, 2 and 1  respectively.

Do NOT assign a com port in Network Prrfs LOR tab. leave it blank, then in the DMX tab create a universe for the heads and select the USB adaptor name from the drop down. It will be something similar to A8008eEG. Protocol is raw DMX.

Then assign the channels is SE using the universe no.

How are you going to weatherproof the light. The enclosures cost more than the lights do.

Agree on the geometry thing. Just have to figure out what works for your "Stage"

I did have to do some emergency reprogramming when I took them outside, as they were shining directly on the neighbours house across the street. Had to change all 50 sequences limit their excursions.

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Thanks again Phil

Using shimmer, not twinkle, sorry, for added effect as required. Simpler than using DMX commands on channel 6, at least at the moment until I figure out all the definitions. Appears from the "manual", strobing is on channel 6 between 135 and 239. Even as I played with that, the strobing was relatively slow compared to shimmer. Can't imagine any detriment this may cause to the head hardware. Played with "medallion", I don't see anything yet, but so many variables. Channel 6 has 4 separate functions amongst the 255 DMX parameters

Using LOR Ramps instead of DMX is far easier for PAN and TILT commands, and an inquiry into LOR support indicated "I am on the right track"

Tried the cable direct again, switched that particular Comm port in LOR to NONE, went to DMX page, selected the universe I have in the sequences (50), connected my hardware yet no adaptor name came up, only NONE. Went to computer HW pages, it sees the HW as I connect and disconnect it, so at a loss. Was hoping to use HU to fine tune and define the 14 channels. Suggestions? Verified RJ45 4,5,6 to DMX+,DMX- and Gnd, pins 3,2 1nd 1 respectively. Works fine going thru a AlphaPix

As for weatherproofing, pretty mild winters here, just rain, occasional rain storm. Device will be hung upside down so will be fabricating a simple sheet metal "umbrella" of sorts. Are you doing a clear dome?

Wish there was a simple way within SE to do a "Mass" change in case I need to aim the device differently. 

 

 

 

 

 

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The only issue with intensity ramps is that you have coarser control because you only have 100 steps to cover 540 degrees of motion whereas with dmx you have 255 steps which is a finer control. Depends which you prefer is the bottom line.

My lights are under the eaves so that's all the protection they had. Going the same way again this year. Remember the picture.

It will be easier if only one adaptor is connected while experimenting.

Make sure Control panel is running.

Check comport # in device manager.

That Com Port # should NOT appear in the LOR tab, set nothing, Your other comports may be there but not the one you want to use for the heads.

In dmx tab should see adaptor in drop down. Select it

In HU Use Com Port  # you found in Device manager. Say No to the warning.

Select Pixel Console and select DMX E1.31 Pixel  at lower Left. Choose universe 50, 

Should have control with the sliders

As soon as you are configured correctly, the head will probably go from parked vertically, to full down.

As far as mass changes, I can edit the HTML directly with a text editor such as Notepad ++ ( not windows Notepad), and with search and replace it can be done.

it is risky until you know what you are doing, as an errant character will render a sequence unusable. I can talk you through the basics when you get sorted if you like.

By the way, we have almost the same birthday.

Good Luck

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Very close on the birthdays!

Very good point on the coarse nature of ramps for motors

Still not seeing the adapter. Have done all that, PC recognizes a USB device, in my case Comm 5. Went to control panel, launched networks, selected Comm 5 on LOR tab, set to none. Launched HU, went to console page, selected use adapter, no adapter appears in pull down, so something is amiss somewhere. It is the standard USB-RS485 adapters from LOR/Wowlights etc. PC sees it, console does not

 

Forgot you had mounted them under the eaves. House is too far from "stage" so will mount either on mega tree, a large pole I have shooting stars coming from or a new prop this year, 4 - 10' diameter pixel rings stacked on top of each other in a diamond pattern

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Anyone have ideas why I don't see a device adapter for DMX in NP?

Edited by jwblazek
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Sure it is Com 5? If you unplug the adaptor from the PC  does Com 5 go away in Device Mgr. Just one adaptor attached? Should not see any entry in NP LOR tab that says Com 5 if that is the right port. Make sure HU is closed till you  get the network prefs sorted.

Could the Alphapix be getting in the way. I don't know the first thing about it. Could it be conflicting with Com 5. Try disconnecting it? 

Might want to think about talking on the phone. Sooo 20th century though.

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