The ash symbol is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated "dangerous voltage" within the product's enclosure, that may be of sucient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons. The exclamation point is intended to alert the user of the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance.

WARNING This equipment generates, uses and can radiate frequency energy and if not installed and used in accordance with this instruction manual may cause interference to radio communications. It has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A computing device pursuant to Subpart J of Part 15 of FCC Rules, which are designed to provide reasonable protection against such interference when operated in a commercial environment. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause interference, in which case the user, at his own expense, will be required to take whatever measures may be required to correct the interference. If you need help, consult your dealer. You may also nd the following booklet helpful: How To Identify and Resolve Radio-TV Interference Problems. This booklet is available from the U.S. Government Printing Oce, Washington, DC 20402, stock no. 004-000-00345-4.

This manual is for informational use only and is subject to change without notice. Philips Lighting Electronics N.A. assumes no responsibility or liability for any claims resultingc from errors or innaccuracies that may appear in this manual.

Philips Lighting Electronics N.A. 2828 Trade Center Dr, Ste 130B Carrollton, Texas 75007

DMX512 Up and Running Guide Document part number: 85-1162 Version as of: 12-10-03

©2012 Philips Lighting Electronics N.A. All Rights Reserved. How to Install DMX512 What is DMX512

So you've been given the job of installing a DMX512-based in DMX512 (often shortened to simply "DMX") is a standardized digital a theatre, studio or other facility. You probably have a lot of questions right now. communication signal used to interconnect different kinds of microprocessor based What is DMX512? What does it do? How do I hook it up? lighting control equipment. It uses special cable to transmit Well, don't worry, DMX512 isn't that complicated once you get to know it. However, information to the various pieces of lighting equipment (, Color Changers, it does have some very important rules which must be followed in order to construct a Remote Controlled Spotlights, etc.) which may be installed in a theatre or studio. working, reliable system. This booklet will fill you in on everything you need to "DMX" stands for Digital MultipleX, a technique by which infor mation for many know, and make it easy for you to successfully install a DMX512 system. devices may be transmitted digitally over one cable. The messages transmitted in a DMX512 system tell the lighting equipment what to do. For example, messages might set a lamp to 80% intensity, tell a color IMPORTANT changer to go to a blue color, or direct a moving spotlight to shine on the lead singer This booklet briefly mentions several specific Intelligent Power in a band. These messages are sent by the lighting control desk, which is the master System® (IPS) products. It is not, however, a comprehensive users controller in a theatrical lighting system. The lighting control desk coordinates all of guide for these products. For a full description of their functions the lighting changes throughout the entire theatre. and applications, refer to the "Intelligent Power System Operating Instructions & Installation Guide", which has been included with To construct a DMX512 control system, a specialized cable must be run from the your system lighting controller to every controlled device in the facility. In most cases this cable will connect in a daisy-chain fashion from one device to the next until it reaches the last device in the system. (More about the actual routing of cables later.) When properly connected, all devices in the theatre will instantly respond to commands sent For more information regarding the DMX512 control protocol, refer to the from the lighting control desk. "DMX512/1990 & AMX 192 Standards" and "Recommended Practice for DMX512" The Intelligent Power System lighting control products are designed to use a publications available from United States Institute for Theatre Technology, Inc. DMX512 control network. (USITT). USITT 6443 Ridings Road Syracuse, NY 13206-1111 USA 1-800-93USITT (938-7488) 315-463-6463 Control Desk www.usitt.org

Device Device Device Device

* Example system diagram.

1 2 What Electrical Signals are Used with DMX512? As you can see, it is very important that all of the signals be correctly hooked up in the DMX512 system. If DMX512 - and DMX512 + get swapped, the DMX512 DMX512 is based on an electronic signaling standard called EIA-485. Under this messages will be transmitted upside down, so to speak, and the receiving equipment standard, signals are sent down a pair of wires, while an additional single wire will not know what to do with them! provides a common voltage reference for the system. So, in order to create one This is a place where a little extra attention during system installation will pay off in a message channel, you need three wires: The two wires in the , and the reliable system which works perfectly right off. It can be extremely time consuming common reference wire. If a second message channel is required, you only need to to track down one wrong connection after all of your boxes have been closed up. add a second twisted pair. The common reference wire can serve both pairs. DMX512 requires two message channels, so it uses cable which contains two twisted What Kind of Cables are Used in a DMX512 System? pairs of wire, and one common wire. The common wire also serves as an electrical shield for the cable. So there are a total of five wires in a complete DMX512 cable. For a variety of reasons which are too technical to discuss here, DMX512 is very sensitive to the kind of cable which is used. Not all computer cable is the same, and using the wrong kind may cause the DMX512 system to be unreliable. The key is to Twisted Pair find a cable which is rated by its manufacturer for use in an EIA-485 application. The DMX512 Cable following table lists some commonly available cables which are suitable for Twisted Pair DMX512. You may also find others, but DON'T USE GENERIC SUBSTITUTIONS; Drain (Common Reference) they will cause you nothing but trouble. In order to achieve a high degree of reliability, signals in a DMX512 cable are transmitted in a "differential" fashion. This simply means that when a signal is being Manufacturer Type sent down one wire of the twisted pair, its exact opposite is being sent down the other Alpha 3492C wire of the pair. So, when one wire of the pair swings up to +5 volts, the other wire swings down to 0 volts. The circuitry which receives DMX512 messages always Belden 8132 looks at the difference between the voltages on these two wires, rather than at their Belden 9842 actual voltages, and so is far less sensitive to electrical noise which might be picked Carol/General C0500 up from the outside world. Olflex 2318 As you might have guessed, the five signals in a DMX512 system have specific TMB Proplex names to help you keep them sorted out. These names are descriptive of their function Most of these cables have an uninsulated, stranded wire laid in directly underneath in the DMX512 system. the shield. This wire is called the Drain wire, and it simplifies connections to the shield. When stripping the jacketing off the cable, the shield can be clipped back as Signal Name Symbol Function well. The Drain wire is then the same length as the insulated conductors, and can be easily terminated. Common COM The common reference for the DMX512 system. Also the shield for the cable. DMX512 - D1 - The inverted copy of the signal on the first twisted pair. DMX512 + D1 + The non-inverted copy of the signal on the first twisted pair. TALK - * D2 - The inverted copy of the signal on the second twisted pair. TALK + D2 + The non-inverted copy of the signal on the second twisted pair. Drain Wire (Common Reference) * Intelligent Power System uses the second twisted pair for a function called "Talk Back", and so names the wires TALK - and TALK +. There are no standard names for these wires, so other products may use them for other purposes. Note: Plenum rated wire MUST strictly meet the EIA-485 requirements.

3 4 There are several wiring color codes in common use. The following table summarizes What Connections are Used in DMX512 Systems? those which you may find: There are a number of ways in which different pieces of DMX512 cabling may be DMX512 Western Electric ICEA Belden Standard connected to one another. Portable cables always use a plug-in connector, while Symbol Signal Name Color Code Color Code Color Code junction boxes and racks usually have terminal strips.

Common COM Drain Drain Drain The connector used on portable DMX512 cables is specified by the DMX512 DMX512 - D1 - White w/ Blue Stripe Black Black standard. It is a 5-Pin "XLR" type connector. This type of connector is also commonly called a "Cannon" plug, and you are probably familiar with the 3-Pin version which is DMX512 + D1 + Blue w/ White Stripe White Red found on professional and audio equipment. TALK - D2 - White w/ Orange Stripe Red Black TALK + D2 + Orange w/ White Stripe Green White For DMX512, signals are transmitted from the control desk via a female connector, and received by the dimmers or other devices via a male connector. Portable cables therefore have one male and one female connector just like an AC extension cord. There are a couple of mistakes which are often made in the field when connecting this type of wire. They are listed here so you can avoid them on your job site. DMX512 Wire Name XLR Pin Number IPS Terminal Name • Some cables which use the Western Electric color code have stripes which are Common (Drain) 1 GND almost the same width as the base color. If you are using one of these, you may DMX512 - 2 DMX - find it difficult to distinguish which color is the stripe. If you can't tell in any DMX512 + 3 DMX + other way, look at the actual color values. The base color is usually a little duller TALK- 4 TALK - than the stripe because it is dyed into the plastic insulation. The stripe is usually shiny and more vivid because it is a paint applied to the finished wire. TALK+ 5 TALK + • If you are using a cable which has a Black & Red pair and a Black & White pair, DMX512 signals inside IPS junction boxes or racks are connected via a terminal you must be extremely careful to distinguish between the two black wires! They strip. Rather than having numbers, the terminals on this strip are labeled with the CANNOT be interchanged! NAMES of the DMX512 wires. Be sure to follow the names of the terminals, and not just their order. Also, you should only strip back about one inch of jacketing and shield when making the connections. DO NOT LET THE DRAIN WIRE TOUCH THE ENCLOSURE OR OTHER CONNECTIONS! It is good practice to put a piece of 1/16 inch heat-shrink tubing over the drain wire to prevent it from accidentally contacting other conductors. 1" (25.4mm) Long Minimum A Heat Shrink Tube

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Drain Wire w/ Control Cable w/ ID Label Heat Shrink Tube (DMX512 Type Shown) Shield (Braid) B

Maximum for Maximum for Dim. Name Minimum Terminal XLR (In-Line) A Remove Cable Jacket 1" (25.4mm) 2-1/4" (60mm) 1-1/4" (31.8mm) B Drain Wire Heat Shrink Dim ’A’ - 1/8" (3.2mm) - - Note: Splices in wiring runs are notoriously unreliable and MUST NOT be used. 5 6 What Kind of Tools are Needed? How are Cable Runs Laid Out?

The wires and terminals used for DMX512 are much smaller than those which are All devices in a DMX512 system must be connected in a daisy chain fashion. This used for 120 volt AC wiring, and require different tools than may be found in the means that one cable runs from the control desk to the first device in the system, typical electrician's tool pouch. It is important that the correct size tools be used when another cable runs from the first device to the second device, and so on until the last terminating DMX512 wiring. The strands of wire in a DMX512 cable are extremely device in the system is reached. small and fragile. Using the wrong tools will very likely damage the conductors and lead to a future system failure. Correct With that said, the following tools are recommended: • Stripping tool for wire as small as 28 gauge Device Device Device Device Ideal Industries T-Stripper model 45-121 is effective and inexpensive. It is not permissible to have branching runs, stub runs, or "WYE" cable splitters. • Small screw drivers A set of 5 jeweler's type screw drivers will provide you with sizes suitable for XLR connectors and terminal strips. Incorrect! • Small diagonal cutters These are made by Xcelite, Klien, and many others. Device Device Device Device • Low wattage "electronic" soldering iron Use a 25 to 60 watt Weller, Ungar or similar make. Device Device • Ohm meter A unit with a beeping continuity tester will be helpful. Device Device

The reasons for this rule are highly technical, but if you ignore it, your system will have mysterious glitches and unreliable operation. In addition, all DMX512 systems must be terminated at the far end of the cable run. Terminations are simply resistors connected across each wire pair which absorb all the energy in the DMX512 signal and prevent it from reflecting back into the cable. Many IPS dimmer products have terminating resistors built in, along with a switch which may be used to connect them when needed (refer to specific product guides to verify whether termination is built-in or must be provided). Occasionally, termination will be permanently installed on a wiring run. This will be discussed a little later. When a lighting system is completely hooked up with portable cable, the daisy chain configuration is immediately obvious. You can see the first cable run from the control desk to the first device, and the second cable run from the first device to the second device, etc. The last device on the cable is the one which terminates the wiring run. However, when most of the cable is inside conduit the daisy chain is much harder to see. In this case, short jumper cables run from each DMX512 device (including the control desk) to convenient wall plates with DMX512 receptacles. Wire inside the conduit runs from plate to plate making the necessary connections. The end result is that all of the devices are simply connected to the nearest receptacle plate and the actual layout of the cable is invisible.

7 8 The first task in setting up a permanently wired DMX512 system is to get the DMX512 signal into the conduit based wiring. This is done by locating appropriate From Control Desk To Next DMX512 Device DMX512 receptacle plates near all locations in which a control desk might be used. or Previous Wall Plate In a theatre, these would typically be in the control booth, in the auditorium, and Terminate in Last Device backstage. In a studio they would be in the control booth, and on the studio floor. All of the console connections need to be electrically at the beginning of the cable, and need to maintain the same single strand daisy-chain layout as depicted on the previous page. Jumper Dimmer or Other Device As you can see, a daisy chain layout inside conduit may not be obvious to an outside To DMX512 observer, but for the installer is no more difficult to deal with than any other Devices configuration. When completed, a conduit based DMX512 system is electrically identical to one built entirely out of portable cable. It is, however, much more convenient for the end user to work with.

Control Desk

Dimmers and other DMX512 devices which are connected in the middle of a run WARNING must use two jumper cables, one to bring DMX512 into the device, and one to pass it Do not install DMX512 wiring in the same conduits or boxes as on to the next device. The wall plate which facilitates this connection has two 120 VAC wiring! If boxes must be shared, they must have solid receptacles, a female receptacle labeled "DMX512 Out", and a male receptacle compartment barriers which are approved by the local authority. labeled "DMX512 In". One jumper goes from the "DMX512 Out" receptacle on the wall plate to the "DMX512 In" receptacle on the device. The other jumper goes from the "DMX512 Out" receptacle on the device to the "DMX512 In" receptacle on the wall plate.

From Control Desk To Next Wall Plate or Previous Wall Plate

Jumpers Dimmer or Other Device When pulling wire into the conduit, make sure that the wire which comes from the control desk or from the previous wall plate is connected to the terminals on the "DMX512 Out" receptacle, and that the wire which is going to the next wall plate is connected to the terminals on the "DMX512 In" receptacle. This keeps all of the receptacles "facing in the right direction". When you get to the last wall plate on the conduit based wiring run, there are two ways you can finish the run. The simplest is to install a single "DMX512 Out" receptacle and let the connected device terminate the line. This is appropriate where a single outlet serves a location which will have many DMX512 devices connected. 9 10 What is a Distribution Amplifier? How is Other IPS Equipment Connected to a DMX512 System? Now that you understand how single DMX512 cable runs are laid out, you are probably wondering how you are going to deal with the fact that you have cables In addition to Control Desks, Distribution Amplifiers, and Dimmers, the IPS family running to widely separated parts of the building. It seems unfortunate to have to of products includes an Auxiliary Control Unit and Vista Electronics Module which maintain a daisy-chain layout over thousands of feet of wire going all different may also connect to the DMX512 data network. Both units are devices which take directions. Fortunately, a piece of equipment called a Distribution Ampli er helps commands from architectural control stations and add them to the DMX512 data solve this problem. stream. This allows DMX512 devices in the system to be controlled by special wall switches, as well as, by the regular Lighting Control Desk. When installing, these A Distribution Amplifier (sometimes referred to as a "splitter") is an electronic device components must be next in line after the Lighting Control Desk. which listens to one DMX512 signal from a control desk and re-broadcasts it over several separate cable runs. Each of these runs is laid out according to the rules The following one-line diagram shows the relative location of each device in a described in the previous section. Now, though, it's possible to have one cable run complete DMX512 system: which goes only to the balcony, another which goes only to the ceiling, a third which goes only to the stage, etc. Each of these cable runs is fed by one channel of the Distribution Amplifier, but behaves as if it were fed directly by the control desk. 5 6

4

To DMX512 Devices 5 6 From Control Desk 2 3 Distribution Amplifiers are built in three basic types:

• Portable, table-top units, 5 6 1 • Permanently wired, wall-box units, and • Rack mount units with terminals. In a permanent installation, you are most likely to encounter the wall-box variety. 1 Lighting Control Desk Portable Distribution Amplifiers make all of their connections with XLR type 2 Auxiliary Control Unit / Vista Electronics Module connectors. Wall-box and Rack Mount Distribution Amplifiers have terminal strips 3 Distribution Amplifier for wire connections. Refer to “What Kind of Cables are Used in a DMX512 System?” for information a bout wires and terminals. 4 Additional Distribution Amplifier 5 Dimmer or DMX512 Device, Thru 6 Dimmer or DMX512 Device, Term

11 12 How Can a DMX512 System be Tested? Troubleshooting

Once the basic DMX512 wiring is in place, you should check all the runs and Devices which use DMX512 are extremely sensitive to the quality of the received connections with an ohm meter. Do this BEFORE you connect any equipment. signal. If the DMX512 transmission is flawed in some way, controlled devices may • Look for shorts. Check each wire against all of the others, and check each wire misbehave in wild and unpredictable ways. These erratic behaviors are often mistaken against the conduit. There should be no connection between any of these. for defects in the controlled devices even though they are, in fact, directly caused by faulty DMX512. • Check for continuity. In turn, connect each insulated wire to the drain wire and Dimmers flash in a somewhat random manner, but go out when all controls are look for continuity at the other end of the run. Don't simply connect the two wires of a pair together to make this check, because this won't detect an inverted taken to zero. pair. Also, you must perform this check on each segment of a long run which has Look for an inverted wire pair. Inverted data sometimes looks OK and causes the several wall plates. If you only check at the far end, you won't detect a run with lights to flash momentarily. If only one group of dimmers in the middle of a cable run an even number of inverted connections. has this problem, look for two inversions. (The second one sets everything right again!) After you are satisfied with the basic wiring, connect all equipment except the dimmers. Turn on the Lighting Control Desk and set it up so that the first dimmer is at The Talk-Back LED is active on the Distribution Amplifier, but no Talk-Back a level of 50%. Get some help from the lighting equipment supplier if you don't know data is received at the status display. how to do this. Take a portable dimmer unit which is set to respond as dimmer 1, plug Look for an inverted wire pair on the second pair of wires. The LED on the a small lamp into its first dimmer, and carry it around the facility to each DMX512 Distribution Amplifier only shows that the voltage levels are changing, not whether receptacle. When you plug it in to the receptacle, the lamp should come on at half the data makes sense. intensity. If it does, your connection is good. If anything else happens, there is a problem in the wiring to this receptacle. A dimmer unit works fine when hooked up with two jumpers, but will not respond when only hooked up with one. Once you have worked you way through the facility, you should have a complete system that is ready to run. The DMX512 In and Out receptacles have been hooked up in the wrong order. Since the DMX512 wires pass straight thru the dimmer unit, it will work even if the signal is received on its DMX512 Out receptacle. A controlled device occasionally fails to respond, or occasionally does the wrong CAUTION thing. Projects with an Engineering Check-Out (startup) require a factory Look for sloppy terminations. This kind of problem is usually caused by wires authorized technician to perform this step. shorting together, touching the enclosure, or only making intermittent contact in a terminal. Look for too much exposed wire or for a screw tightened into insulation instead of wire. Also look for too much cable crammed into a small junction box. This can put extra stress on wire terminals.

If you follow these simple rules, it's a breeze to install a reliable DMX512 system.

13 14 Conclusion Notes

DMX512 isn't that difficult to install, but you must do the job right if you want the system to work correctly and reliably. The following points are most important: • Use the correct wire type. (page 4) • Pay careful attention to wiring color codes. (page 5) • Use the proper size tools. (page 7) • Don't strip back more insulation than is needed to make connections. One inch should be enough. (page 6) • Maintain strict daisy chain layout in all wiring runs. (page 8) • Make sure all "DMX512 In" and "DMX512 Out" receptacles are hooked up in the correct order. (page 9) • Terminate the end of each wiring run. (page 10) • Double check your wiring with an ohm meter before you hook up any equipment. (page 13)

15 16 Notes

© 2012 Philips Lighting Electronics N.A. Philips Lighting Electronics N.A. A Division of Philips Electronics North America Corporation. 10275 West Higgins Road All rights reserved. Rosemont, IL 60018 Published and printed in USA 10/11 Contact Customer Care: Form No. 85-1162 Phone: 1-800-372-3331 www.philips.com/lightingcontrolsna

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