Hi, I've recently bought a couple of DMX lighting effects which can be set to respond to sound, but I was talking to another DJ and he said I'm not using the lights to their full ability. So can someone briefly explain in SIMPLE terms the basics of DMX lighting. Also I now go out with 8 different effects and I'm getting fed up of switching them on and off all the time is there a budget controller that will do it for me??

That word "budget" might know this next suggestion on the head.

The new Behringer DMX controller looks really sweet. I even downloaded the manual and it looks even sweeter. Its under £200.

Gary
Sweet!
You are starting to sound like our trans atlantic cousins (no offence meant or implied 'Sweetie')

Butz Peteee Behringer is made indi Jzermany..da?

Ah beach towel brigade
vunderful
They say Italy is very nice this time of year...

I use a lite-puter CX-5 to controll my dmx lights, you get joystick controll over the direction of all or individual units , you can control all channels individually such as colour , gobo, strobe. Then build up scenes , or move them to music. Cost me £200 you`ll find quite a few similar controllers starting at about this price.

As for your other lighting effects , I`m assuming they are sound- to - light , ie , just plug them in and enjoy type effect. I would say the easiest ( and cheapest ) way to control them is a switchpack, basically a rack mounted row of switches, one for each light or stand of lights. They`re pretty cheap only about £25 .

Hope this helps

Hayd

Starmix

Hi Hayd, I've got one of those switch packs you're on about but it's remembering to alternate the different effects during the evening. When I get involved in the music I tend to forget the effects have been on for so long. I've been told you can get a light controller which you can programme to have the effects come on at different times but they don't come cheap. I just wondered how other DJs overcome this problem.

Well, I dont use a switch pack, but I get confused to which plug turns what light on, So I bought an electronic labeliser, simply type what I want on the label (eg chaos) and it print's it out. I got mine for about £20 and I simply stick them to the plug as they are on sticky labels.(sounds technical-lol )

QUOTE

When I get involved in the music I tend to forget the effects have been on for so long. I've been told you can get a light controller which you can programme to have the effects come on at different times but they don't come cheap

I use a simple timer, the same as the timer's to turn on your lights at night when your away on holiday. They keep the lights for 15mins then go off for 15mins etc..

I`m not sure what is avaiable to do that but you could easilly custom build yourself something useing a standard lighting contoller ( chase type ) by connecting the bulgin output to 4 plugs and using a slow chase you could change between effects . Just an idea anyway :-)

QUOTE (Hayd @ Jul 16 2003, 09:12 PM)

I`m not sure what is avaiable to do that but you could easilly custom build yourself something useing a standard lighting contoller ( chase type ) by connecting the bulgin output to 4 plugs and using a slow chase you could change between effects . Just an idea anyway :-)

This would work, provided that you get something that will sequence slow enough!...bulbs and motors hate to be switched frequently...ideally you need something manual or with a sequence in minutes rather than seconds .

Also, if you follow this route make sure that any controller can switch an inductive load.