Support Forum

Hi Everyone
I'm still quite new to freestyler, so I'm expecting I have done something totally stupid in the setup of these fixtures.

I have basically created a new fixture with the channels set in the manual. These are:

Brightness - CH1
Red Brightness - CH2
Green Brightness - CH3
Blue Brightness - CH4
White Brightness - CH5
Strobe - CH6
Colour Change - CH7
Speed - CH8
White Colour - CH9

I have setup the fixture as shown in the attached picture. I guess I have done something wrong because as soon as I open freestyler, the light does some strange flickering. I have tried a different light to make sure it wasn't a hardware problem, but that one does the same.

Can someone help me please?

First and most obvious thing is the lack of a maximum intensity value (eg min=0, max=255).

On the channel description tab you will need to enter a name and default value for each channel. I suggest zero for everything as 'default', and 255 for intensity+red+green+blue+white for 'locate' - 0 for others on locate.

Otherwise if you dont fill these in they will default to 127 (50%) everything, which means as soon as your light connects to freestyler it will default to 50% strobe, 50% brightness, whatever preset colour chase is at 50%, running that chase as 50% speed. Which could possibly be the oddball flashing and behaviour you describe.

Sorry, I fogot to post the second screenshot of the channels. Does this look correct?

The problem is a bit strange as in its almost a random flickering. If I set the light to 50% red, it might start flickering 100% green for a split second, then yellow at 100%, then nothing for a few seconds then white 100%. It seems totally random.

You still have a lot of missing values on fixture file, such as minimums and maximums, values for high/med/low strobe, etc.

Although from how you just described it it sounds like it might not be the fixture file causing the issues.

If you set the light in freestyler by selecting it and using the pop up panel in the top right to all zero values does it still flicker?

If it still flickers this would indicate an issue with your hardware. Most likely a timing setting, or interference with the dmx signal.

Ok, so I have added further detail to the fixture as pictured. I have also tried using a terminator with the fixture which made things worse. I would like to think that it isn't the fixtures as they are all new.

Does anyone else have any RGBW Slim PAR Cans?

Hej

I don't know if this is the problem but it can be that the fixture are updated to fast.

Under Setup, where you select the usb - dmx inferface there are a advanced button.
In there you can set the refresh rate of the DMX signal.

I think you shall try to increase this time.

/Jan

What dmx interface are you using?

Hi Everyone
Thanks for your replies. I did try changing the refresh rate to the highest and lowest but this didn't make and difference. I also tried changing the port settings in windows but I was really clutching at straws with that.

I'm using a Enttec open controller which I now believe to be the issue. I have tried a different piece of DMX software to which the result was the same. With that in mind, I tried a different computer just in case, but the issue was still there.

I then proceeded to googled the issue to which I found the following on the Enttec website:

With the Open DMX USB the DMX signal is generated by the PC, this means that some parameters (Break length, MaB length, inter-byte time) of the DMX signal can vary from frame to frame. These variations are are perfectly legal under the DMX512 protocol. Unfortunately some DMX devices do not like these timing variations and display strange behaviour. There is no real fix for this, the only thing you can try is adjust the frame rate if the PC software has that setting. The DMX USB Pro has an on-board processor that generates the DMX signal independently of the PC.

So I think a new controller is the only way forward. Does anyone have any recommendations of a good controller? I don't want to spend mega money but I do realise that you get what you pay for.

Chris

I have the 'dmxking ultradmx micro'
It is relatively cheap, very portable and compact and the configuration utility (free download) allows you to update firmware, and change the timing settings with some good presets such as "compatibility" preset that seems to work with anything I ever tried it on. Processor and buffering is built in (no dependency on cpu), and dmxking seem to come very highly recommended on these forums (and others).