Jesso Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 (edited) I'm a DMX novice, but trying to upgrade the band's lighting system. Pretty simple stuff so far, just a footswitch controlling a few led fixtures. I've a rough idea of how it all works, but I could have the wrong end of the stick. So..... to save me explaining it all here, I've made a short video of me trying, (and failing) to set up some Dmx stuff. It's about 5 minutes long, so if anybody has the patience to watch it, and might be able to show me what I'm doing wrong, that would be way past amazing. Many thanks. Oh, here's the link, the video is on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnAOJU4x9QE Edited September 16, 2014 by icastle Linked Fixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 [quote name='Jesso' timestamp='1410906432' post='2554670']...if anybody has the patience to watch it, and might be able to show me what I'm doing wrong, that would be way past amazing... [/quote] Good evening, Jesso... Patience, yes, but no telepathy. I can't hear any sound track on the video, and you've not explained your objectives, nor your issues. Could you fill in these gaps, please..? I'm sure we can help, but no idea as to what you want right now. Any more info..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesso Posted September 16, 2014 Author Share Posted September 16, 2014 Thanks for the reply dad2235. That's strange.... I can hear audio when I click on the link. I explain my lack of DMX knowledge during the video, and probably sound like a tool while I do! Are you sure it's not your browser or sound turned down somewhere on your side? Thanks again I appreciate any help! Jesse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 Jesso... I thought of that, and checked with other Youtubes; they sound fine. Try posting another link, but use the 'correct' technique..? Don't use the url. Use the link given by the 'Share' button instead. Your link has an 's' in it (https = secure...). I'll wait here... Edit: I've downloaded the vid,and have sound now on that. I'll view, and return... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 Jesso... The video is working now; well done. Can you give the exact reference of the LED bar, please..? Do you have the User Manual for the LED bar and (more importantly...) the foot controller..? I couldn't find it on t'web; if you have a pdf of it, could you post it here so that we may read it..? I think the problem is in the set-up of the controller, but can't be sure until I see how the LED bar is set up. Over to you... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 The link was malformed, I've fixed it now. EDIT: I think you're setting the DMX channel wrong. All of the DMX lights we use have 'd' showing when we change DMX channel numbers and 'p' when we're selecting an inbuilt program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 [sharedmedia=core:attachments:167485] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesso Posted September 17, 2014 Author Share Posted September 17, 2014 Thanks guys for replying to this less than exciting problem that I'm having. The controller is a stairville LED foot 8. It might be a pretty new product, as there's almost no info about it on the net. I got it on Thomann, and it did come with a manual, although I can't find a copy of the manual online at all. But, here are some snaps of the pages which should be relevant to getting set up initially.... https://flic.kr/p/pdV7hU https://flic.kr/p/oYsPAV https://flic.kr/p/oYsQ4E Sorry I can't figure out how to host the images here.... these are links to flickr images. The Main LED multi lamp fixture in the video is a Stairville Stage TRI LED. The brochure is online here... http://images.thomann.de/pics/prod/238663_manual.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesso Posted September 17, 2014 Author Share Posted September 17, 2014 (edited) [quote name='icastle' timestamp='1410911259' post='2554701'] The link was malformed, I've fixed it now. EDIT: I think you're setting the DMX channel wrong. All of the DMX lights we use have 'd' showing when we change DMX channel numbers and 'p' when we're selecting an inbuilt program. [/quote] Thanks for the reply. I know, it feels like "P" should be for program....but I'm not sure that it is. It seems like "PR" is the program mode. I accessed the "P" in a different way than I would the "PR" mode... I accessed it from within DMX mode. Here's what it says about DMX in the manual (below in red).... Thanks again everyone by the way. Gosh this is so tedious. No doubt it'll all seem really obvious once I know what the issue is. [color=#ff0000][size=4][b][font=Arial]You can control the devices individually via your DMX-controller. Press “MODE” button until it shows , this means DMX address is 001, you can set the DMX address by “UP” and “DOWN” buttons. If press “SETUP” button, it will show d-p1, it means the device is in which DMX mode 1. You can switch these DMX modes by “UP” and “DOWN” buttons. There are 7 DMX modes.[/font][/b][/size][/color] Edited September 17, 2014 by Jesso Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesso Posted September 17, 2014 Author Share Posted September 17, 2014 [quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1410909306' post='2554697'] Jesso... I thought of that, and checked with other Youtubes; they sound fine. Try posting another link, but use the 'correct' technique..? Don't use the url. Use the link given by the 'Share' button instead. Your link has an 's' in it (https = secure...). I'll wait here... Edit: I've downloaded the vid,and have sound now on that. I'll view, and return... [/quote] Ah ok, thanks for that, I don't make too many youtube vids! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 [quote name='Jesso' timestamp='1410938895' post='2554761']... [color=#ff0000][size=4][b][font=Arial]You can control the devices individually via your DMX-controller. Press “MODE” button until it shows , this means DMX address is 001, you can set the DMX address by “UP” and “DOWN” buttons. If press “SETUP” button, it will show d-p1, it means the device is in which DMX mode 1. You can switch these DMX modes by “UP” and “DOWN” buttons. There are 7 DMX modes.[/font][/b][/size][/color] [/quote] This is what we see in your video, and is correct. Set 'Mode' to d001 (very poor manual, of course...), but use Setup to get Mode 1 (d-p1...). This is the simplest dmx mode, where only 3 channels are used, 1 each for RGB, which can vary from 0-255 each. Any controller putting out at least something on any of those channels would have an effect. This would at least be a start, proving communication occurs. It's a starting point. I'll look at the controller pages to see if there's more; back soon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 Jesso... The pics from the controller manual are OK, but we can't see much with only those pages. Question: on the controller, what channels/values do the rotative knobs use..? Can they be assigned..? Can you configure the controller to only use 3 channels (corresponding to the d-p1 setting of the LED bar...)..? Is there a 'reset' function to get the controller quickly back to factory configuration..? Damned shame there's not a pdf of the controller. Could Thomann supply one, if asked..? On the Thomann site, there's a more complete manual for the LED bar, which gives a few more details... I must say that, with the info so far, it doesn't look promising for controlling the fixtures from this controller. It may turn out to be possible (I hope so..!), but it's not the simplest, at first glance. I doesn't look very 'open-ended', with those pre-determined functions on the knobs. a programmable multi-slider controller seems (to me...) to be far more flexible. I hope I'm wrong there. I presume it's the footswitch functionality which attracted you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesso Posted September 17, 2014 Author Share Posted September 17, 2014 [quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1410941711' post='2554787'] Jesso... The pics from the controller manual are OK, but we can't see much with only those pages. Question: on the controller, what channels/values do the rotative knobs use..? Can they be assigned..? Can you configure the controller to only use 3 channels (corresponding to the d-p1 setting of the LED bar...)..? Is there a 'reset' function to get the controller quickly back to factory configuration..? Damned shame there's not a pdf of the controller. Could Thomann supply one, if asked..? On the Thomann site, there's a more complete manual for the LED bar, which gives a few more details... I must say that, with the info so far, it doesn't look promising for controlling the fixtures from this controller. It may turn out to be possible (I hope so..!), but it's not the simplest, at first glance. I doesn't look very 'open-ended', with those pre-determined functions on the knobs. a programmable multi-slider controller seems (to me...) to be far more flexible. I hope I'm wrong there. I presume it's the footswitch functionality which attracted you. [/quote] Thanks, you're right.... I have to run the lights while singing / playing bass.... so this foot controller looked like it might do the job. I'm going to email Thomann now about getting a PDF of the controller manual, they're usually pretty quick with their responses (German efficiency!) so if one exists I'll post here soon. Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesso Posted September 17, 2014 Author Share Posted September 17, 2014 Ok, so I went straight to the horses mouth.... gave the lighting dept in Thomann a call. He was very helpful, but it looks like the protocall on the footswitch isn't compatible with the LED lights I have. :-0 At least I know now, and can stop wasting time faffing about with it! Looks like I'll have to re - think my strategy. Thanks again for taking to time to look at this guys. Legends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 Jesso... Well done on going directly to the source..! There don't seem to be many all-in-one solutions for pedal-powered lights. I would suggest researching a 'classic' controller that accepts MIDI signals, plus a MIDI pedal board that can send 'Note On' signals. I now know why the band I used to tour with were so pleased to have a lighter..! [size=4] [/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesso Posted September 17, 2014 Author Share Posted September 17, 2014 [quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1410944670' post='2554824'] Jesso... Well done on going directly to the source..! There don't seem to be many all-in-one solutions for pedal-powered lights. I would suggest researching a 'classic' controller that accepts MIDI signals, plus a MIDI pedal board that can send 'Note On' signals. I now know why the band I used to tour with were so pleased to have a lighter..! [/quote] More than I want to spend, but this is probably the proper way to do this..... The box will work stand alone too, so no need to fire up the laptop every night either! http://www.thomann.de/ie/stairville_dmx_joker_512_stand_a_bundle.htm What do you reckon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 Jesso... That looks much more promising, although one would need to read the doc on the unit first. I used for several years the Sunlite dmx box, which works on similar principles. I was controlling from a dedicated laptop, but it would have been possible to connect to a MIDI foot controller. It, too, had 'stand-alone' facility, but as I was using a laptop 'live', I didn't need to go down that route. It might be wise to have a look at the software supplied; it should be available to download, I should think, for free, as it is useless without the box..? That would allow you to evaluate the suitability for your purposes. Maybe a bit more cost than you were hoping, but altogether it would appear to be the solution to your needs. You'll have all the pleasure of developing a 'show' corresponding to your act, and it should permit future evolution if further fixtures are added. There'll be a learning curve to negotiate, but that's part of the fun, isn't it..? We'd like to know how this pans out, please..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesso Posted September 17, 2014 Author Share Posted September 17, 2014 Great idea, I'll definitely download the software first. I will indeed be adding some fixtures later, moving heads and what not. For now, I'm going to stick with the footswitch that came with the Stage Tri LED. I'll slave the 2nd one to the first, so at least I can turn the lights on and off, and I should be able to make them do one or 2 different programs. Even this will be a big improvement what we have now, which is everything on sound active.... which looks terrible. I'll connect the 2 jelly lights too, maybe they'll even take cues from the simple footswitch. I'll let you know how I get on with it, and I'll post a video of the final results here too for the craic. This is why I love bass chat, there's always someone willing to show an interest in the little things, even geeky DMX stuff, so thanks a million again I really appreciate your time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 [quote name='Jesso' timestamp='1410952789' post='2554940']... your time. [/quote] [sharedmedia=core:attachments:167485] [size=4] If only you could see me. 'My time'..? Retirement, lad, retirement. Nowt like it..![/size] [size=4]I wouldn't put too much store in the 'jellies' responding to the footswitch, but it won't hurt to try, I suppose. Moving heads are a whole different ball game (and lots of fun...), but you'll need to gain a bit of experience first with a 'trad' rig first, I reckon. Good luck, anyway, and enjoy. Yes, we'd love to see a video, once you get it all working...[/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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