Unbranded lights, no D-Channel config

[niclights]

As I mentioned earlier the DMX in/out will almost certainly just be a direct link.  This tends to be deliberate as it is both simple and, perhaps most importantly will pass through without power.  A fixtures polarity would not change the polarity downstream.  It is only relevant to whether a particular fixture will respond or not.  And a faulty unit would not impact whether DMX continued from the in to the out (although certainly could cause issues downstream).  I find it hard to believe they are all faulty (and only with the DMX).  I suppose it's possible high voltage down the line could have blown all the input IC's...  maybe.  As an aside it is common for the IP rated fixtures to be heavier.

[ErnD]

@YNOT - it does now.  I needed to make a drawing 🙂 but I see your point and understand

 

 

[ErnD]

ok - just again tested two bad fixtures set  (A001, SLAV) separately.  Tried polarity in both positions - no response from fixture

[James Remo]

Have you left the menu on the A.xxx display? As if you leave the menu with SLAV displaying it might be in a master/slave stand-alone mode, not the DMX receive mode. 

[ErnD]

Thanks James - Yes.  I made sure it was on the A001 menu

[sunray]

Hang on are you saying you can put it into slave mode and DMX at the same time?

Generally the last change, be it DMX or  Slave will usurp the previous setting, however I have come across some that were able to work in 'Master' mode and 'DMX' mode simultaneously and they took a lot of sorting out, one of the significant features was the 'Master' changed the 'DMX OUT' addresses. I won't go into any detail to avoid confusion. The easiest way to rule this out - do you have a multimeter? can you prove that the DMX IN and DMX OUT are directly connected to each other? In other words 'pin 1 in' to 'pin 1 out' is 0Ω   &   'pin 2 in' to 'pin 2 out' is 0Ω    &   'pin 3 in' to 'pin 3 out' is 0Ω ?

If the  in and out are wired that way the next test I'd suggest is:

Disconnect from the control desk, connect 2 lights together with one in master and the other is slave then put the master into some programmed auto mode, hopefully they will both do the same thing. This will confirm the data circuits are working.

[ErnD]

Thanks Sunray - I am saving SLAV mode, and then going to the DMX channel, and pressing enter.  I do not think SLAV mode has anything to do with it, but it was a suggestion here.
DMX in/out are directly connected.
Host/Master mode on fixture 1 does not control SLAV mode on 2nd fixture

My primitive tester (LED+resistor - it works when connect to control desk) does not show signal across any pins.  Switch roles of fixtures - same result.

Hard to believe, but I think alistermorton suggestion that the transceivers in all of these fixtures may have been damaged in a single event, might be correct.

 

Edited March 25, 2022 by ErnD

[sunray]

3 hours ago, ErnD said:

Thanks Sunray - I am saving SLAV mode, and then going to the DMX channel, and pressing enter.  I do not think SLAV mode has anything to do with it, but it was a suggestion here.
DMX in/out are directly connected.
Host/Master mode on fixture 1 does not control SLAV mode on 2nd fixture

My primitive tester (LED+resistor - it works when connect to control desk) does not show signal across any pins.  Switch roles of fixtures - same result.

Hard to believe, but I think alistermorton suggestion that the transceivers in all of these fixtures may have been damaged in a single event, might be correct.

 

Sadly is is looking that way.

Do you have the option of switching slave to 'OFF'

[Brian]

Time to open one up. On many fixtures the dmx transceiver is in a socket for just this reason. 

[ErnD]

You all have been great providing your knowledge and suggestion.  I really appreciate that you all take the time to monitor this and lend a hand.  Thank You

[Drew Fillyaw]

I understand his confusion.  I have a set of 4 par lights with no instructions on channels.  No visible brand name. I think they are 8 or 10 channel. The display on the back has a001 and d001. I have no ideal what to use which one for. Which is address and which is for channel.

[indyld]

A and D are usually different modes. 001 is address.

[DrV]

It should be easy to work out which one is the address: just increment it until it stops incrementing or rolls over to zero. If it does that around 500ish then it's the address.

[Don Allen]

Take a note pf the upper or lower case of the two letters. Sometimes A is larger channel numbers and d is smaller channel numbers. Easiest way to work out the channel functions is to use a desk with at least 12 channels so you can check if there are interactions between channels.

[Drew Fillyaw]

Thank you everyone.  That gives me some sort of direction to try. I appreciate all the responses.