where to start with dmx

and to get me started if you could, 

Ok so how do the dip switches correspond tothe channels?

And I didn't mean to over lap re channels in my post you quoted sorry :)

nuclearbass wrote: Ok so how do the dip switches correspond tothe channels? And I didn't mean to over lap re channels in my post you quoted sorry :)

DIP Switch 1 = 1
2 = 2
3 = 4
4 = 8
5 = 16
6 = 32
7 = 64
8 = 128
9 = 256
10 = depends on the light, see user manual

So if you want to find say 19, you need to switch on 5, 2 and 1. (16 + 2 + 1)

norty303 wrote: Personally, if I have the channels free I like to patch groups of fixtures starting nn1. E.g I might patch scans starting at 101, strobes at 201, pars at 301,etc. And sometimes I might do each fixture as well, so the scans might be 101,111,121,131,141,etc. it is wasteful of channels, but can make it easier to remember the required address when settings heads after doing the desk patch, especially if the desk is at front of house and you've no-one to call them for you

Another good reason for doing this on some older desks (such as the early Compulite desks - Spark etc.) was it would only send data up to the highest patched address, for instance if you only had the first 32ch of a universe patched then it would only transmit 32ch of data before repeating, as you can imagine the refresh rate went through the roof and some fixtures could not cope with the speed of the data going to them. Most modern day desks won't have this problem but a lot of cheap controllers and fixtures (and some not so cheap ones) don't comply with USITT dmx standards.

Back on track, http://www.onstagelighting.co.uk/ has a lot of basic and more in-depth info for your reading pleasure, and for old complaining theatre tech lurvies, teenage "company owners", am-dram queens and general moaners read http://www.blue-room.org.uk/. Just be warned that it's mostly populated by humourless pedants, but there are some people on there who know their onions. Just don't expect them to laugh. Ever.

With the amount of lights you have listed I would assign the units in multiples of 10

ie

scan 1 dmx chan 1

scan 2 dmx chan 10

scan 3 dmx chan 20

And so on just makes things a little less confusing. Me saying this I have no idea how DMX controller software works I can only Patch with Avolites consoles. But I assume it will be similar?

Obviously this will only work if your fixtures use less than 10 DMX channels if not then do 20's just keep it simple.

I'm already a member of blue room, and yes I don't think I've ever read anything funny in there lol.....

Well I shall be stringing the lights up soon I think, is their a way to program lights workout actually having them set up