Now it works, now it doesn't. DMX! ARGH! Help.

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Galager

DJ Extraordinaire
Feb 5, 2016
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I have a Chauvet Gigbar2 with an ADJ Dotz Par attached to the stand. I use it with a Sushi DS and use ESA2 on a laptop to control them. I don't know much about DMX but was able to muddle my way through setting it up until it worked fairly well. Simple and effective.

Then suddenly on one of my gigs the DMX wasn't working. I sent in the Sushi and got a new one. It worked... and then it didn't. It must not be the Sushi so it must be the light, right? I purchased a new Gigbar2 and also new DMX cables just to be safe. First gig I did went flawlessly. The second time I went to use it it didn't work! I have spent the better part of the day trying to trouble shoot the issue with no luck.

To clarify, I can't get either the Gigbar or the Par to work at all. I have the Par daisychained to the Gigbar, both for power and DMX. I have the Gigbar set to 3 channel (1 through 3) and the Par set to 9 channel (4 through 12) which corresponds to what I have programmed in ESA2. There were no changes to the values in ESA2. The Gigbar does work fine in sound mode. My laptop has 3 USB ports and it doesn't work in any of the ports.

The only thing that hasn't been replaced is the ADJ Dotz Par and the actual laptop. I don't want to replace the laptop unless I absolutely have to.

Has anyone had anything like this happen? I'm looking for some guidance. I don't even know which thing to troubleshoot because I may be screwing up something that wasn't the problem.

ARGH!
 
Do you have a terminator on the last DMX port? Some fixtures are VERY intolerant of the signals without one. Same with some cables. Make sure you are using rated DMX cable (different specs than a mic cable).
 
I do have actual DMX cords. I don't have a terminator because I understand that is only needed on longer runs. I have a 15' DMX cord to from the Sushi to the Gigbar and another 1' to the Par.
 
I do have actual DMX cords. I don't have a terminator because I understand that is only needed on longer runs. I have a 15' DMX cord to from the Sushi to the Gigbar and another 1' to the Par.

GALAGER???[emoji1] Where have you been? I thought you dropped off the face of the earth![emoji1] Saw you posted in another forum today.[emoji4]


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i had a similar issue..updated the firmware in the sushi and problem fixed.

I also once had a par go dead... seems it no longer liked addr 16...change the addr and it's been working fine since. Hmm.

last gig part way thru the night some of the 'button' (aka programs) in my software stopped working as they once did. Hmm..have yet to sort that out, been too busy.

I have a terminator..have tried it and made no difference...but maybe that was/is the issue. I know when I have the acrobat in the system things don't work as nicely as when it's not. Is it where it's plugged in (physical order), length of cables getting to it, total fixture running..it's just an older fixture..no clue.

Ahh, computers...so much fun!
 
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I know nothing about Sushi or ESA2. Is there a forum for ESA2?

It could be that the gigbar is resetting to a mode that isn't DMX. Also try using a different USB cable. DMX is like vehicles. Great when running - terrible when not!
 
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Hiya Bobcat. I went on a spiritual journey searching for the meaning of life with some old guy on a mountain top in the Himalayas... that's my story and I'm sticking to it because it couldn't be I just got lazy and didn't get on the forums for a while.

This whole Sushi thing frustrated the hell out of me so I finally said 'screw it' and purchased a Chauvet Obey 10 controller. Now I just need to figure out how this thing works. ARGH! I am going to be paying some guy at a local lighting store to tutor me because I am baffled. I think Chauvet paid by the word for the guy that wrote the Obey 10 manual because I am pretty sure they left out every other word.
 
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Hiya Bobcat. I went on a spiritual journey searching for the meaning of life with some old guy on a mountain top in the Himalayas... that's my story and I'm sticking to it because it couldn't be I just got lazy and didn't get on the forums for a while.

This whole Sushi thing frustrated the hell out of me so I finally said 'screw it' and purchased a Chauvet Obey 10 controller. Now I just need to figure out how this thing works. ARGH! I am going to be paying some guy at a local lighting store to tutor me because I am baffled. I think Chauvet paid by the word for the guy that wrote the Obey 10 manual because I am pretty sure they left out every other word.

Glad you're OK, Galager. I was starting to think you might still be mad at me over that whole high heels thing.[emoji1]

I understand your frustration over the light controllers. That's why I bought the MyDMX 2.0 and went the computer software route. You still have to set the addresses up on the lights correctly, but the software seems to make everything else a little easier.[emoji4]


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I know I was getting frustrated with our DMX stuff. Would hook up all the lights (4 LED PAR and Swarm Wash on a truss, 2 LED PAR for speaker scrims and 2 for uplighting behind the booth) and program to the event colors and set programs before events. Get to the events and dice shoot as to whether they would work. Come to find out, the DMX rated cables that can with the ADJ lights and the cheap ones from Amazon were the problem. Bought better quality cables and haven't had any issue since.
 
I'm thinking it's good to have a plan B for lighting in case of DMX problems. Putting on the lighting technician hat takes away from performing as a DJ. I had a DMX problem about 7 years ago and ended up with two lights flickering the rest of the night. That really sucked!
 
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