8
DMX Start Address
These units can respond to DMX addresses 1 thru 255. To place the fixture in
DMX mode, DIP Switch #10 is set ON. Next, set the start address using the
other DIP Switches located on the back of the fixture. Each switch has an
associated value. Adding the value of each switch in the ON position gives the
start address. Determining which switches to toggle ON given a specific start
address is accomplished by subtracting the largest switch value possible from
the selected start address which does not cause a negative number. Continue
this process until zero is reached, always subtracting the largest possible value
that does not cause a negative.
Example1:
DIP Switch settings for the address of 90:
Listed with each switch is its
associated binary value. The first switch has a value of 1 and each following switch doubles in
value. Do not confuse the switch with its value. Start by subtracting the largest switch value
possible that doesn’t cause a negative result: 90–64=26.
Continue by subtracting the next largest switch value possible
until zero is reached: 26–16=10, 10–8=2, 2–2=0. Set the
switches corresponding to the values 64, 16, 8 and 2 to the ON
position: switch # 7, switch # 5, switch # 4 and switch # 2
– plus
the DMX switch #10.
Addressing multiple fixtures of the same type is accomplished by simply adding the number of
channels required to the start address of the first fixture to yield the start address of the next
fixture.
Example2
Select Start Addresses for 4 fixtures each requiring 6 channels of DMX.
For this example, start with the first unit set to the first possible Start Address =
1
. This fixture
occupies DMX channels 1 thru 6. The next DMX channel available for a Start Address is found
by adding the previous fixture’s Start Address to its channel requirement: 1+6=
7
. To maximize
channel usage, we will leave no empty channels between fixtures so the second Start Address is
set to DMX channel 7 and that fixture occupies channels 7 thru 12. The third fixture will be
addressed 7+6=
13
and occupy channels 13 thru 18. The last fixture is addressed 13+6=
19
and
will occupy channels 19 thru 24. Thus, 4 fixtures using 6 channels each have Start Addresses of
1, 7, 13
and
19
and the next free channel in the system is 19+6=25.
DMX Channel Assignment
Channel
Function
1 Master
Dimmer
2 Red
3 Green
4 Blue
5 Color
Macro/Scroll
6 Strobe
DIP Switch Values
Switch
Value
1
1
2
2
3
4
4
8
5
16
6
32
7
64
8
128
9
----
10
DMX
