Martin EvenLED RGB LED Panel, User Manual

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12 EvenLED user manual
Cable and link layout details
EvenLED panels are controlled via the lighting industry standard DMX512 serial data protocol. Installations
must follow the standard recommended practices for DMX512. The key points to respect are:
• Use DMX512-compliant cable. Such cables have one or more twisted pairs with nominal characteristic
impedance 120 ohms and low capacitance. Single-pair DMX512 cable is suitable for EvenLED panels
because they do not use pins 4 and 5 of the DMX connection. The minimum recommended wire size is
0.25 mm
2
(24 AWG) for runs up to 300 meters (1000 ft.) and 0.32 mm
2
(22 AWG) for runs up 500 meters
(1640 ft).
• Do not use microphone cable. It does not have the correct characteristics and may cause erratic behavior
of the system.
• Shielded (STP) or unshielded (UTP) CAT 5 network cable can be used in fixed installations. For further
information see: http://www.esta.org/tsp/working_groups/CP/DMXoverCat5.htm
• Panels must be ‘daisy-chained’ (i.e. the control data cable must be connected in one single chain of
panels). It is possible to split a link into two branches by using the DMX THROUGH and DMX OUT
outputs from one panel at the same time, but note that these outputs relay the DMX signal differently (see
“Grouped and independent panel control” on page 11 and see examples in Figure 8).
• Do not connect more than 32 devices in one chain on a DMX512 link without using a splitter-amplifier.
• Do not split a DMX link with a passive “Y” connector. Branching the link with a “Y” will create multiple data
reflections that can block or degrade signal transmission.
• Use a dedicated DMX512 splitter-amplifier such as the Martin RS-485 Opto-Splitter™ (P/N 90758060) to
extend the chain beyond 32 devices or split it into two or more branches.
• Terminate each chain on the link with a 120 ohm resistor (available from Martin, P/N 04150308) across
the data hot (+) and cold (-) conductors (pins 2 and 3 on a 5-pin XLR connector) at the output of the last
panel on the chain.
• Avoid long parallel runs of AC power and control data cables, as these may cause interference on the
data link.
Mixing EvenLED panels and other types of fixture on a DMX link
Mixing EvenLED panels and other types of lighting fixture on one DMX link is possible but if you add the
lighting fixture in the middle of the link, address-setting is complex and is therefore not covered in detail in
this manual.
If you need to add a different type of lighting fixture to a link with EvenLED panels, it is easiest to add it at
the end of the link using the last EvenLED panel’s DMX OUT connector. The fixture must be set to DMX
address 001, and the controller must send commands to the fixture at the next available address after the
DMX channels used by the last panel on the link.