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Dmx moving heads / gobos


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Posted

I am using 4 gobos set to 9 channels each. I am using an enttec adapter and setup lights in preview can't get them to work. Any suggestions or step by step instructions would be great.

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  • PhilMassey

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Posted

Are you using the DMX values in  LOR to control them ?

Posted

Not giving us much to work with here.

What lights, what are you trying to do

 

Posted (edited)

dustin,

If you search the forums for moving head lights, there should be a few threads talking about them.

Here a couple that I remember being part of. Good info.

Alan...

 

Edited by default
  • 2 months later...
Posted
On 10/19/2019 at 4:06 PM, dustin hayes said:

I am using 4 gobos set to 9 channels each. I am using an enttec adapter and setup lights in preview can't get them to work. Any suggestions or step by step instructions would be great.

Dustin, how's it going with these heads?  I use two of these cheap "unbranded," Uking, Lixada, Tomshine, CE(China Export), Whatever the name of the day is..FYI-. all of these that say 30 watt is for total power consumption at full color/gobo/speed, but the White LED light is only at 8 Watts per my Kilowatt Meter. I also use a Holiday Coro Actidongle.  I put the Actidongle out of it's own usb port and setup it's own network.  Universe One.  Channels 1-9, 10-18. After you plug in the entec/dongle it will assign a com port. Make note of that number.

In Network Preferences you have to setup using the DMX tab and chose the adapter and protocol. Should be listed if plugged in. Save.

In Sequence Editor, use the DMX intensity values to make your adjustments.  i.e. DMX value 0-255 on channel 6 may be fade(dimmer) 0-100%  Yours could be different, that's why buying all the same model is helpful.

Posted

I don't think he ever came back.

Posted

I had planned on using 4 70w dmx moving heads this year but did not get around to it. I will be using them next year. I control mine from a serial port on a Falcon controller. The Falcon controller has jumpers for LOR protocol. I did a little sequencing with them earlier in the year in S5. It's not bad but really need to have the heads hooked up while sequencing to make sure you are getting the movements you want.

Posted
4 hours ago, Crimson Lane Lights Etown said:

Dustin, how's it going with these heads?  I use two of these cheap "unbranded," Uking, Lixada, Tomshine, CE(China Export), Whatever the name of the day is..FYI-. all of these that say 30 watt is for total power consumption at full color/gobo/speed, but the White LED light is only at 8 Watts per my Kilowatt Meter. I also use a Holiday Coro Actidongle.  I put the Actidongle out of it's own usb port and setup it's own network.  Universe One.  Channels 1-9, 10-18. After you plug in the entec/dongle it will assign a com port. Make note of that number.

In Network Preferences you have to setup using the DMX tab and chose the adapter and protocol. Should be listed if plugged in. Save.

In Sequence Editor, use the DMX intensity values to make your adjustments.  i.e. DMX value 0-255 on channel 6 may be fade(dimmer) 0-100%  Yours could be different, that's why buying all the same model is helpful.

I have 4 of the cheaper heads. I actually plan on having mine mounted in a plexiglass ball about 35 feet from viewing distance. These will be off of the ground by about a foot. I am hoping that at 35 feet and near the ground they will be more visible to the viewers. Where are yours mounted? Are you happy with them? Thanks,

Eric

Posted

I've tried using them with LOR S5, can get them to work but sequencing them is pain staking as you don't have a model to show the lights actually functioning, so you basically either do them blind or sit them on the floor and sequence them. With another software I can see my lights working. Perhaps I have something wrong in S5 but very difficult to sequence a moving head that is stationary in a preview.

Posted

You are correct. The preview will only be useful for showing intensity changes and timing, and if they are RGB lights, color.

You will need to define the area in which you want them to operate. For example, mine are tucked up under my eaves facing forward, so the rear 180 deg is not used. I developed a list of limiting values for pan and tilt so I know where I don't want them to go.

I have another set of no go values established to prevent them from painting the neighbors houses across the street.

I ended up with a set of values to use for programming.

You will need to have at least one set up for testing.

Remember the fade tool is your friend

Posted

Eric, mine are mounted under my garage door openings near the sides so I can get my truck in the garage. So, upside down.  Last year I only mounted them when there was no threat of rain.  This year I have left them out even in the rain.  As long as the rain is not blowing to be sucked into the fan, I have not taken them down. 

Phil, I also have developed a number sheet that is used for the points of DMX that hit my driveway and not the neighbors.  Basically DMX 100 is straight down, 42 is the middle of the driveway and 15 is the sidewalk at the driveway end.  I pan between 190 & 220 (that's it).  These lights are not powerful enough to see it spinning around when not needed.  I prefer sequencing the DMX in larger numbers because I can see them in the sequence.  I can't see 15 in DMX unless I point the pointer at it,, even in Ramps mode.

Posted

Mine are similarly out of the direct elements. I disconnected the fan in the base, so it would not draw moisture into the mainboard, but left the lamp fans. They are on a timer so they dont run 24/7.

They survived last season and are still going this year, except for the one I dropped........ The gobo stepper got messed up on that one.

Very similar dmx parameters to what I use.

If you have a consistent usage and you need to make mass changes, it is possible to edit the xml directly with a search and replace if necessary.

Posted

I have a question. I'm looking into getting some moving head DMX lights.  Do I need to hook these up to an dmx to Ethernet converter? How would I hook these up to my computer to control them through LOR.  Also Is it still difficult to use these in s5?

 

Posted

There are quite a few threads that I and others have made about how to control them in LOR  using a second rs 485 adaptor and a crossover cable.

Try a search and if that doesn't answer all your questions, post back. I'll have more time tomorrow.

Posted

What are the title of these threads? I'm not finding any from my search

Posted

Here's one I could quickly find.

Be happy to add detail, just ask if you have questions.

I have 6 running this year, not waterproofed but tucked up under my soffits out of the direct elements.

 

Posted (edited)

https://vimeo.com/305115771

I opened these up and unplugged the fan.  Thanks for the tip.  Merry 3rd day of Christmas!

Edited by Crimson Lane Lights Etown
Got ahead of myself on the 12 days of Christmas
Posted

Phil,

Thanks for the reply. I read that string but it didn't really answer my questions

First question, out of the back of the moving head is a dmx connection, the 3 pin round connection. I notice that I can get a converter that goes from DMX to rj45. There are pricey ones and cheap ones. Once I'm converted to rj45, I can just connect to the LOR red rj45 adapter correct? Or can I run it to a switch and set it up like E1.31?

 

Posted

Firstly,  a red adaptor is overkill, unless you REALLY have a lot of lights. I run 6 off of one black low speed LOR adaptor. It does need to be a dedicated network separate from your LOR stuff. configured as a DMX universe.Take an Ethernet cable, cut off one end, and attach a 3 pin DMX connector to pins 4,5,and 6 as per the last page of the linked doc.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4qplnzfwprpjlyk/dmx-doc.pdf?dl=0

Setting up the network is a little tricky but I can talk you through it when the time comes, if you like.

Posted

don't you have to solder the Ethernet  cable to the dmx? I'm not good at that.

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