Chauvet Obey 40 with Kam Partybar

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Number19

New DJ
Dec 5, 2018
4
1
70
Please forgive me if this is a naive enquiry but I’ m new to the forum!
I want to use the chauvet controller to independently control each of the four par cans on the Kam bar using 20 channel dmx.
Can anyone walk me through how to set up both the controller and the light bar?
 
The Obey 40 is based on "fixtures" and there are 12 of them .. each using 16 DMX addresses. I'm not familiar with the KAM series, but most lights have multiple DMX modes, so you would need to set the light to one of the modes that uses 16 or less channels.

Another issue is the faders are not motorized, so if you use more than 8 channels total, you end up with the faders not in the position they were in last as you change fixtures (or bank), leading to issues.

The best way to use the Obey 40 is to limit each fixture to 8 channels .. unfortunately, that might be difficult as you would need at least 3 channels to control each light (minimally - depending on which bar it is). Not sure the Obey 40 is a good board to do what you want ..
 
Thanks Steve,

Yes having spent some time trying to get useful effects from the Obey 40 I think you are probably right.

Can you recommend a simple method of controlling lights whilst playing the music as DJ, I only have a small mobile set up to use at friends parties etc. In addition to the Kam bar I use two sets of moving heads, and may consider adding a couple of moonbeams or gobos at some time.

Rob
 
a wash chase should be the easiest thing for a controller like that...

i use the obey 70 and have done some pretty complex light scenes using multiple fixtures including moving heads at their full range of channels ... its all about programming one light at a time...per scene... then going back...selecting a new fixture...and "overdubbing" as i like to call it overtop of recorded scenes...

What i like to do is keep all my fixtures in the same one or 2 color family for each bank.... so...moving heads might be green... uplights purple... wash lights half green half purple... etc etc...then i call that bank my "HULK" bank... then i might do red and blue and call it my "COP" bank.... i create about 10 high energy banks... 10 a bit more mellow for basic r&b type sets...a couple all strobe banks....3 or 4 slow banks...and maybe a disco type bank....and thats my 30 available banks...then i create a chase with all the high energy...another with the mellow...etc...and ive got these chases i can hop to if i need "cruise control" ....lol

cc
 
Thanks Chris, there’s the rub!

I’m very new to DMX and still find it confusing when talking about fixtures, scenes, banks and channels. There seems to be a fairly steep early learnng curve to master!

The Kam bar has 4 par cans all daisy chained together to the integral controller in the bar. I can select either 3,4 or 20 mode dmx, so far have been able to get the cans to all show a spectrum of colours from the three faders of R/G/B when in mode 4 but thats about all.
 
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Thanks Chris, there’s the rub!

I’m very new to DMX and still find it confusing when talking about fixtures, scenes, banks and channels. There seems to be a fairly steep early learnng curve to master!

The Kam bar has 4 par cans all daisy chained together to the integral controller in the bar. I can select either 3,4 or 20 mode dmx, so far have been able to get the cans to all show a spectrum of colours from the three faders of R/G/B when in mode 4 but thats about all.

i basically put my manual by the toilet and read the programming section about 5 times...lol....then just followed it step by step...once it clicked in my brain it became super easy....

one good thing is...once its all programmed in...you wont have to worry about it again until ur fully bored with your banks.. which may never happen...

cc
 
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Depends what you want them to do.

For many events, I let my Chauvet 4Bar run in sound active .. the built in programs are pretty good.

I've outlined it in other threads .. next up is a tablet based solution .. most likely the ADJ Airstream DMX Bridge, which has a lot of programs you can work with via a tablet. I also have a couple of Sushi-DMX dongles that could also work, though they require a bit more programming than the Airstream.
 
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I’m very new to DMX and still find it confusing when talking about fixtures, scenes, banks and channels. There seems to be a fairly steep early learnng curve to master!

I used Sound Active modes on all my lights for decades!
I, too, was confused when I got into DMX.
It didn't take very long for this 50+ year old fuddy duddy to understand the learning curve.
Just read your manual(s), watch Youtube videos, be patient and keep at it.
 
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imagine a dmx controller like an audio mixer... and each pot is a different sound and needs a different level to change aspects of what you want your light to do.... ..... so lets say pot one is vertical position for a moving head... move it up and down and boom... u see the spot u want to hit vertically... pot 2 is horizontal....slide it back and forth and boom... u got the spot....3 is color... slide it til u see ur color...boom....4 is gobo....slide it...grab a gobo... etc... like that scene? click the record sequence in your manual as scene 1 in bank 1....then move your pots one and 2 and find a new position... lock it in as scene 2 bank 1...etc 8 times and youve got a moving head programmed for that bank.... want to add wash lights? go back into program mode....select scene 1 again...unselect the moving head and select the wash light... slide the pots to find the colors/settings u need....lock it in in scene 1....then click scene 2....your moving head will move to that new position but your wash light will not be on... wiggle your color pot and it will come on... put the pot back in the color position from scene 1 and lock it in as scene 2 and so on and so on... do all 8 and youve got a bank...

its tedious for a day or 2 of work...and then you are set forever...or until your bored with your scenes or want to add new fixtures

cc