Ben Nigel Potts

I am trying to control a Kam par56 V2 lighting fixture with DMaX (

http://www.theimpersonalstereo.com/software/dmax/).

 I am using an Enttec USB PRO to connect them up.

Nothing is coming from the light and I've been having difficulty determining what the problem is.

I can see DMaX flashing greys, whites and black as described on the webpage instructions, so I know that is working. I've tested the light and the interface using PRO-Manager (Enttec software), so I know that is working. However, I did notice that I have to raise the 7th channel fader on the test software for the other channels to affect the light. I think this maybe the issue. It also says in the Kam par56 manual 'to operate DMX CH7 Dimmer must have a value'.

So my question is, how do I give channel 7 a value using DMaX? I've tried using the 'DMaX - DimmerPack12' device and raising the 7th fader on that with no results.

Is this something I need to do via the dip switches at the back of the light (setting the address), or does it need to be programmed into the DMaX patch. I'm stuck.

I am trying to control a Kam par56 V2 lighting fixture with DMaX (http://www.theimpersonalstereo.com/software/dmax/). I am using an Enttec USB PRO to connect them up. 

Nothing is coming from the light and I've been having difficulty determining what the problem is.
I can see DMaX flashing greys, whites and black as described on the webpage instructions, so I know that is working. I've tested the light and the interface using PRO-Manager (Enttec software), so I know that is working. However, I did notice that I have to raise the 7th channel fader on the test software for the other channels to affect the light. I think this maybe the issue. It also says in the Kam par56 manual 'to operate DMX CH7 Dimmer must have a value'.
So my question is, how do I give channel 7 a value using DMaX? I've tried using the 'DMaX - DimmerPack12' device and raising the 7th fader on that with no results.
Is this something I need to do via the dip switches at the back of the light (setting the address), or does it need to be programmed into the DMaX patch. I'm stuck. 

dmx-issue-max-dmxusbpro-dip-switch

I've had no look with DMaX or other patches/software I had used.

Until I tried VPT7. The DMX/DMXUSBPRO extension works really well with my set up. I can use it without using VPT7 it's self and it's fine for what I want to do.

However, I want to create my own max patch now I know my set up can work. I've searched and can't find tutorials or download of a basic DMX patch. I want to be able to control dmx with midi via Lemur. Or better still create a M4L device so I can use Live's midi learn and keep the whole project in Live. Could anyone point me in the right direction?

I've had no look with DMaX or other patches/software I had used. 

Until I tried VPT7. The DMX/DMXUSBPRO extension works really well with my set up. I can use it without using VPT7 it's self and it's fine for what I want to do. 

However, I want to create my own max patch now I know my set up can work. I've searched and can't find tutorials or download of a basic DMX patch. I want to be able to control dmx with midi via Lemur. Or better still create a M4L device so I can use Live's midi learn and keep the whole project in Live. Could anyone point me in the right direction? 

Are you referring to Olaf Matthes' [dmxusbpro] object? I find the help file associated with that object really helpful in debugging DMX issues. Amongst other things, there is a 'fadercontrol' patcher window, which is just about as straightforward as you can get, and useful for starting your own patcher.

Edit: Sorry, I just looked at VPT7 and the object is 

 Olaf Matthes object, and I'm not sure you can get access to the object from the collective. I'd still suggest the original 

Edit: Sorry, I just looked at VPT7 and the object is based on Olaf Matthes object, and I'm not sure you can get access to the object from the collective. I'd still suggest the original  object for getting started.


I've opened the help file of Olaf Matthes’ [dmxusbpro] object and located my DMXUSBPRO, but none of the faders do anything. For some reason the extension for VPT7 is the only thing that works. Slightly frustrating...

To give channel 7 a value with DMaX, use the DimmerPack12, set the address to 1 and adjust the seventh fader. You need to make sure that your fixture is set to channel 1. Note that the documentation for some cheaper DMX gear confuses channel 1 with channel 0 (DMX does not have a channel 0).

Thanks for the reply, David, but that doesn't work.

I've just a quick video showing what I'm doing: 

As the video shows I set the light to 7 (dip switches 1,2,3) for the VPT7 patch works. However, if I set DMaX to 7 and do exactly the same thing, I have no results.

Thanks for the reply, David, but that doesn't work. 

I've just a quick video showing what I'm doing: http://youtu.be/0lc0cXfRsew

As the video shows I set the light to 7 (dip switches 1,2,3) for the VPT7 patch works. However, if I set DMaX to 7 and do exactly the same thing, I have no results.


Do you have any other DMX gear which you could use to verify that DMaX is actually outputting DMX at all? Ultimately, VPT7 and DMaX are both using the dmxusbpro object so the problem is going to be either that the object isn't loading in DMaX or possibly the number of channels being transmitted (cheap gear can have issues with high channel counts, and DMaX always sends 512). You could also try right-clicking on the device header and selecting show Max Window, check if there are any errors.

The Enttec flashes when I am using DMaX in the same way it does with VPT7 so I am guessing it is outputting. I don't have any other gear, no.

I checked the Max Window and the DMXUSBPRO object is loading fine, so it must be the latter. Is that easy to fix?

The Enttec flashes when I am using DMaX in the same way it does with VPT7 so I am guessing it is outputting. I don't have any other gear, no.
I checked the Max Window and the DMXUSBPRO object is loading fine, so it must be the latter. Is that easy to fix? 

Flashing is no guarantee unfortunately. The next thing to do would be to build a simple patch (base it off the dmxusbpro help patch) and try sending increasing numbers of channels and see if the hardware stops responding.

I'm worrying about time I'm using purely on this side of the project and I'm losing the will to live.

Could you suggest a piece of simple RGB gear I could use for this setup. The project basically just needs control over colour and colour intensity.

I'm worrying about time I'm using purely on this side of the project and I'm losing the will to live. 

Could you suggest a piece of simple RGB gear I could use for this setup. The project basically just needs control over colour and colour intensity. 

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/5823865/DMX%20-Address.zip

I've got a bunch of cheap lights that need dip switch 10 turned ON to be in DMX mode (not mentioned anywhere in their documentation). So channel 7 would be 1, 2, 3 and 10.

That's the setting I've been using, KODAMAPIXE, with no success. :(

http://www.chauvetlighting.co.uk/colordash-accent.html

Would this be a better fixture to use?
http://www.chauvetlighting.co.uk/colordash-accent.html


DMX issue. Max? dmxusbpro? Dip switch?