A DMX Dimmer with 4 channels, outputs are via IEC female sockets and the dimmer has a max load of 3 Amps per channel.

These dimmers are normally in high demands once they hit the second hand market but they are fairly cheap first hand as well.

This DMX dimmer pack is very basic and easy to use for a beginner, and it takes less than a paragraph of DMX knowledge to set them up. The pack even has numbers representing the values of the dips switches making it easy to set the address and as an added bonus the packs have built in programmes that will play at random if there is no DMX signal coming to the pack.

The pack has both an XLR DMX input and also a 0-10v input via a 5-pin DIN socket.

Overall I rate these highly if you have only one par per channel and you do not want to take the bulb over about 700 watts, otherwise I would recommend you get a dimmer pack with a higher rating per channel. This will, of course, come at a higher cost.

These units are great as they are highly portable and can be used with a small rig for example use by a mini productions company.

These dimmers can be bought from CPC for about £55 but these units then would be sold under the SoundLab brand name.

Showtec make a dimmer pack which can take a much higher load (if you have a 16amp power source up to 4k). Again DMX controlled however has built in chases and DMX addressing is done via a LCD menu system rather than the dated Dipswitch method. I use these quite regularly and dont have any problems.

Approx cost £70-80ea.