System installation
9
System installation
Warning! Read “Safety Information” on page 4 of this manual carefully before installing a VC-Grid™
system.
Warning! Connect the VC-Grid™ only to the devices specified in this manual and only using the
Martin™ cables specified in this manual.
Warning! Do not exceed the maximum numbers of devices that can be connected and maximum
cable lengths specified in this manual and the manuals of the devices in the system.
Warning! Do not interconnect more than a total of twelve VC-Grid 8x8 25s in one linked chain or
interconnect VC-Grids in one linked chain that will exceed the maximum power rating of the PSU,
whichever limit is reached first. Do not connect more than one linked chain of VC-Grids to one
output from a Martin P3 PowerPort 1500™.
Important! The VC-Grid is not designed to allow hot-plugging. Isolate the installation from power
and data before connecting or disconnecting VC-Grids.
The VC-Grid is designed to display either Martin P3™ video or DMX-controlled lighting effects. It
automatically recognizes and responds to either a P3 or a DMX data signal. The next sections explain how
to create a VC-Grid installation to display P3 video data or DMX-controlled lighting effects.
Installing a P3 system
See Figure 5 for an overview of the elements and layout of a Martin P3™ video display system.
The P3 link requires Ethernet Cat 5e or better network cable. The cable run between any two devices on the
link can be up to 100 m (328 ft.) in length. If necessary, a cable run can be extended beyond 100 m by
inserting an unmanaged Ethernet switch or using a fiber-optic system (see the P3™ system controller user
manual for details).
To install a system that displays Martin P3™ video on VC-Grids, see the overview in Figure 5 and follow
these directions:
1. Make sure that no devices in the installation can be connected to AC mains power until all installation
work is complete.
2. Read “Safety Information” on page 4 and ”Electrostatic discharge precautions” on page 6.
3. Connect VC-Grid modules together in chains using Martin™ hybrid PCB-to-PCB cables (see ”VC-Grid
to VC-Grid link cables” on page 27). Connect each cable from the THRU connector on one VC-Grid to
the IN connector on the next VC-Grid to create the chain.
Warning!
Each chain that is connected to a Martin P3 PowerPort 1500™ may contain up to a maximum
of twelve (12) VC-Grid 8x8 25s.
4. Connect each chain of VC-Grids to one of the four 4-pin female XLR hybrid (48 VDC power + P3 data)
outputs on a P3 PowerPort 1500™ using a Martin™ hybrid 4-pin male XLR to PCB adapter cable, P/N
11840158 (see Figure 4).
Figure 4: Power and P3 video data input
4-pin male XLR
PCB connector
Hybrid-to-PCB adapter cable, P/N 11840158
Insert 4-pin XLR hybrid
extension cable here if you
need to extend the hybrid cable
run
DC power and
data from P3
PowerPort 1500
DC power and
data to VC-Grid
chain
