Jump to content
Vari-Lite Controls Support Forum

RigSync


JamesBH

Recommended Posts

Hello Folks, I'm not sure if this is a software fault or an operator fault, but I was hoping for a quick setup of the new FLX s 24 for a client but it turned into a long days work! For some reason,  some of the LED fixtures were flickering (strobing in white) when connected to DMX. I thought at first this may have been a cable or fixture issue but having tried numerous combinations there was still an issue.

So, I went into the menu to check settings and I disabled RigSync, miraculously it solved the issue straight away! As this was a quick setup I didn't have time to look into if there may have been any other configurations that could have caused it, but I thought I would check here to see if it was a software fault or that of myself.

Thanks in advance. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some ‘cheap’ fixtures aren’t compatible with RDM because they aren’t truly DMX compliant. This usually manifests itself as a flicker in the fixture because the fixture incorrectly interprets the RDM data as DMX. You need to put the fixture onto a separately DMX universe or turn off RDM/RigSync on that universe and patch/configure manually. With FLX S24 there is only one universe so you can either turn off RigSync and patch the whole rig manually or remove the fixture. As it sounds like a fixed install then once it’s all configured you’re done anyway.

It's also worth checking you added DMX terminators at the appropriate places.

I recently bought (new) such an intolerant fixture too which is annoying...

So in summary, it’s not the FLX S, it’s the fixture.

Just to check - do your other fixtures support RDM? If some don’t then you’ll have to do manual patch and configure on those anyway. As you’re suggesting you’re a supplier/installer I’m going to assume you understand what RDM and DMX are and what they can/can't do for you and what the requirements on the fixtures are!

Hope that helps.

Kevin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Definitely sounds like a DMX compliance issue on the fixtures.

8 hours ago, kgallen said:

You need to put the fixture onto a separately DMX universe or turn off RDM/RigSync on that universe and patch/configure manually. With FLX S24 there is only one universe so you can either turn off RigSync and patch the whole rig manually or remove the fixture.

FLX S has two outputs - a 3pin and a 5pin. If you have a 1 Universe FLX S, by default both ports will output the same DMX data, but the 5pin will include RDM and the 3pin won't include RDM. This behavior can be changed in SETUP > Inputs & Outputs.

Another useful trick is addressing the fixture into the higher numbers. Usually above address 32 helps, but if not above address 257 should definitely help.

Jon Hole
Global Product Manager, Systems and Control

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmmm....

25 minutes ago, Jon Hole said:

Another useful trick is addressing the fixture into the higher numbers. Usually above address 32 helps, but if not above address 257 should definitely help.

Interesting. My "problem" fixture stopped flickering recently. Initially when I was playing with it out of the box I had it (probably) at address 0. More recently I moved it up to 220 to fit into the rig DMX map and it hasn't flickered since, so there is wisdom in that suggestion! I think I'll have a play with some addressing and maybe check out some of my other fixtures!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It was very strange, initially I had more with a very faint 1% intensity flicker but once I had addressed all fixtures manually it switched to 3 full intensity flicker. They were all quite early on in DMX addressing, 5, 11 and 29 especially with the bright flicker but initially as above and 47, 53 and 59 with the faint flicker. Strange!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's a bit disappointing for Chauvet - they're not the cheapest of fixtures. I think the problem can come about from as simple an issue as not decoding the start code byte for 0x00 which denotes a normal DMX packet. An RDM packet has 0xCC in this position. When the fixture doesn't enforce the 0x00 decode it interprets any RDM packet as a normal DMX packet. I guess the reason the higher addressing works as Jon suggests it that the RDM packets are shorter than a full 512-channel DMX packet and thus the fixture, which is counting channels up to its own, finds the inter-packet BREAK first and thus the RDM packet gets ignored by that means.

Flicker is listed on the Wikipedia RDM page ("Compatibility with existing DMX hardware") as a symptom of fixtures not decoding the start code as they should.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, kgallen said:

That's a bit disappointing for Chauvet - they're not the cheapest of fixtures.

Not really - a lot of their kit, whilst designed in the USA is still farmed out to China for engineering design and manufacture so it's still a bit random about which DMX transceiver they use and whether or not that transceiver understands/ignores RDM.

The price "premium" happens because the hardware is imported in to the UK, unpacked & checked, then run for 24 hours (certainly the Pro kit used to be) before being repacked ready for distribution. Many of the other companies importing rely on this testing to be done in China and so literally ship from container to final distirbutor/end user.

Ian Knight aka The Service Guy - www.serviceguy.co.uk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/25/2017 at 10:01 AM, kgallen said:

I don't think that's any excuse. They get what they put (or don't put) in the spec, so they should spec the requirements better. As a company they are wanting to elevate themselves from DJ gear to the pro world so they should get a grip on their specs!

You would think so... but it would seem not :(

Ian Knight aka The Service Guy - www.serviceguy.co.uk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Hello,

I had the same problem here with A7 from jb-lighting (and CAMEO Flatpro7).

Problem solved by switching off  the RigSync Option for the DMX 5-Pin Output. Measurements with a Swisson DMX-Analyzer showed, that the refresh rate dropped from 48-50Hz to about 28hz when RigSync is disabled.

The weird thing about it: Sending RDM from an ETC-Congo or a MA2-Fullsize didn´t disturb DMX-Signal for this specific Moving head. I know, the comparison isn´t quite fair, but I just wanted to mention.

Believe me: I really love my FLX24s, because it does so many things very right.

Good bye, Gerhard

Sorry, for my bad english. I'm from Germany and my "school english" is a little rusted...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

Hello,

6 hours ago, DALX said:

I found RigSync disable under Setup>Universes>Remote Device management (RDM)>RigSync>Disable.

Has it shifted since this original post ?

Yes it has. RigSync options used to be in Setup under “Inputs & Outputs”. Setup was redesigned in ZerOS 7.9.5 to remove Inputs & Outputs, and create a new “Universes” area, where the RigSync options now live.

If you have any questions let us know. 

Edward

Edward Smith
Product Specialist
Email Support

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.