Par can DMX problem

[dmarin]

No nothing happened, I played randomly, I played systematically and I am very disappointed. I knew the cheap quality but other than DMX the par works just fine but DMX is essential to me.

[erik10_4]

To be honest, I'm running out of ideas. I assume you are pressing the 'Enter' key to confirm settings on the PAR? (I'm sure you are). Instructions seem a bit odd to me. They seem to suggest that after confirming DMX operation (by selecting d001 and pressing 'Enter'), to then get red, you need to raise Channel 1 & 2 and to get Green you need to raise Channel 1 & 3 etc. Perhaps it's just the way I'm reading it (getting a bit tired tonight)

 

EDIT: Just noticed from your last picture that you seem to be doing exactly as I think the manual suggests to me (I.e raising Channels 1 & 2) but it doesn't work obviously. Puzzling.

[kgallen]

It makes little sense that none of the 4 work. They can't all have the same electrical problem surely... Suggests a systematic problem somewhere.

 

Options:

(1) DMX addressing issue at the PAR or desk - we believe d001 should work from experiments with a good unit.

(2) DMX map not as documented - we'd expect something to happen at some point given the structured and random playing that has been done

(3) Wiring problem/pin 2/3 swap - I think this is unlikely and pin swap 2/3 has been tried

(4) PAR setup issue/mode - OP seems knowledgeable enough that a rookie setup problem is unlikely

 

In the absence of any other ideas I think I'd explore the DMX addressing, assuming the documented DMX map is correct. Say set 4 consecutive channels to 255 and go through DMX address settings on the PAR to see if we can get any light -> correct DMX address alignment should give us steady RGB white. Confirm first we're back to using a non pin-swapped connection (1-1, 2-2, 3-3 from desk all the way to PAR).

[dmarin]

Thanks guys I appreciate your help!

I set the first 4 channels to 255 and I change DMX channels from 001 to 512 one by one! But nothing ?

 

I can t imagine that it’s an electrical problem to all the pars!

[erik10_4]

One last thought...have you gone through All the settings in the Menu? I notice that the PAR has a 'sound activation' mode and can also be set to 'master/slave'. I assume that each of these parameters are reached by a further press of the menu button and then changed with the up/down buttons. Sound activation should obviously be set to 'off' and the unit set to 'master'. When all these settings have been configured the 'Enter' button should be pressed to confirm.

 

You may have already tried going through all the options/settings in the Menu but as we all seem to agree, it seems highly unlikely that all the units have the same electrical fault; you have tried polarity reversal; the use of a different fixture verified that the console is outputting signals correctly and you have tried multiple slider settings. I feel certain therefore that the issue lies in the configuration of settings in the PAR menu. The fact that you had brief flashing of red makes me more convinced of this as I have some fixtures which briefly flash when detecting the mode of operation.

 

After that, without getting 'hands on' experience of using the fixture, I'm afraid I'm out of ideas. I feel certain though that all the units can't be defective and that eventually you will find the correct configuration of the fixture and console. Good luck and I hope you will let us know what the answer was when you find it.

[dmarin]

Erik I can’t find either from the menu or from the manual the master/slave operation.By pressing the menu button the options are:D001 for DMX (I just select a number and pressing enter nothing else)CC for colors selectionRB for colors shadePL for pulseSD for colors transitionFL for flashingSOUND without on/off optionR for redG for greenB for blue

 

[alistermorton]

Having them in master mode might not be correct - this is usually intended for use without a dedicated desk, where one fixture runs a built in programme and the slaves run the same.

 

I'd have expected it to need to be in DMX only mode.

[dmarin]

Alistermorton maybe you are right but I can’t find from menu master/slave operation

Also I found something else. When I tap and hold menu button nothing happed the same with up and down BUT when I press repeatedly the enter button flashes letter R and I can change value from 0-255 then letter G with same values and finally letter B with same values. I can’t change something else except the RGB values and no further menu is extended

 

I will try to record a video to saw you what I mean.

[Just Some Bloke]

Alistermorton maybe you are right but I can’t find from menu master/slave operation

Also I found something else. When I tap and hold menu button nothing happed the same with up and down BUT when I press repeatedly the enter button flashes letter R and I can change value from 0-255 then letter G with same values and finally letter B with same values. I can’t change something else except the RGB values and no further menu is extended

 

I will try to record a video to saw you what I mean.

 

When you get flashing R and you change the value to 255, do you get red light output? Same with G and B?

 

This would confirm that the LEDs are working.

[alistermorton]

Can you get it to show D correctly and set the address correctly?

 

May be a silly question ...

 

 

[niclights]

I think it has been confirmed that the fixture is working correctly in every way except for DMX. It also appears to be responding to DMX in some way when the address is set. So it seems to me that either the DMX is fundamentally broken in all of the fixtures or the mapping in the documentation is wrong. The latter is more likely and not unusual in my experience.

 

Have you tried my suggestion of setting all channels to full and then just reduce the value of each one individually? For example 1,2,3,4,5,6, at full and 7 at zero then 1,2,3,4,5 and 7 at full and 6 at zero etc.

 

You could also try this with all fixtures connected where they all have slightly different addresses - for example fixture 1 at 001, fixture 2 at 002, 3 at 003 and 4 at 004. Obviously a strange thing to do but the aim is just to see if you get any sort of meaningful response from any of them when adjusting values.

[ferrisio]

Hi, I inherited 8 of these with an identical manual and have very similar symptoms. Either the DMX is a broken implementation or the mapping is wrong. Am using Freestyler and a cheapo dongle but it works fine with some KAM LED pars I have lying around. The symptoms with the unbranded ones are that changing parameters results in the lights working properly and then flashing off as if a very slow strobe is set. Unfortunately changing the strobe channel values results in seeing the actual strobe effect happening within the slow strobe period that the light is flashed on if that makes any sense?

 

Any time the DMX values are updated the light comes on and behaves in line with the manual (brightness, RGB levels etc.). Haven't found any combination of the remaining 3 channels that results in a static light, always the same slow flash - 1 second on 3 or 4 seconds off.

[sunray]

Oh...

 

I got some 54W units which look the same as these, to date they have only been used with the remote control, (decor or backstage red/blue)

In our up coming show I'd planned to use them DMX. Thanks for the warning, I'll dig them out and have a play ASAP.

[dmarin]

I am saying again that all 4 pars works very well standalone without DMX connection. The problem is with DMX.

 

I uploaded a video to see the menu of this par!

 

https://vimeo.com/309552810

 

Thanks again all of you!

 

Off topic: I want in the future to invest to more quality (branded) equipment which par of the following has more output?? (full power and independedly RGBW)

 

ADJ Mega TriPar Profile Plus OR ADJ Mega HEX Par RGBAW UV

[erik10_4]

The link to the video does not seem to work I'm afraid.