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i have read up on, and understand a pure dmx lighting hookup. The universe is posted in a series of packets, and each light listens for the group of packets that is signified through its start address.

This is quite simple for me to get, but the setup i have is weird (it is a setup for stage lights). i got freestyler to work with it but just adding pars, but the problem is when i try to change light addresses. I hooked up freestyler through the data input on a black box labeled 'entec lighting panel' (or something similar) (no model or significant identification). this box is in turn connected to a huge (bigger than human) box, which is probably a transformer of some kind. the problem is that the lights are in turn powered by a 3 pin very wide plug with gaint leads. (these are just banks of what looks like pars).

when not using freestyler we make use of a 8 channel lighting board with a master (this is also hooked to the entec box). in order to use the freestyler software we have to open the black box, and move a slide switch from normal to bypass; then back to normal again to use lighting board. The entec box has a very primitive display inside it with a group of six buttons, probably intended to program it somehow.

So the question is, does anyone know what kind of setup we have, because i cannot make heads or tails of it. And would anyone potentially know how to change the channels of the banks of stage lights.

The big human size box is your dimmer, this is what varies the voltage or frequency depending on model to your group of par cans to set the intencity.
I would asume the box witht he label enttec lighting panel maybe some form of anologue to dmx or some form of show recorder, i don't know on that one.

on your dimmer pack, how many fuses or circuit breakers does it have? does it have individual sockets where your lighting plugs in? or are they hardwired? A picture or a brand may help. You may find that your dimmer pack is only 8 channels and therefore unable to split your lighting any further

i will try to get pictures later today

okay i got some picture of the relevant stuff, packaged into a zip

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/6511819/fader.zip

worth mentioning the house light system u see there is not on any dmx channel.... and its not that i necessarily want to make more (would be nice if i could), but 2 par groups just stopped listening to any dmx values or master at one point, so i think something reset.

sry about grainy images, the light was unforgiving for the camera (if i can get better ones tomorrow i will)

poland fun wrote:i have read up on, and understand a pure dmx lighting hookup. The universe is posted in a series of packets, and each light listens for the group of packets that is signified through its start address.

Correct!

This is quite simple for me to get, but the setup i have is weird (it is a setup for stage lights). i got freestyler to work with it but just adding pars, but the problem is when i try to change light addresses.

Are you changing the addresses on the dimmers or just on FS ?
If you are not changing the addresses on the dimmers and only changing the address of the pars in fs then FS will be sending data out to something thats not there!

I hooked up freestyler through the data input on a black box labeled 'entec lighting panel' (or something similar) (no model or significant identification).

This looks like its just a simple way to control the dimmers

this box is in turn connected to a huge (bigger than human) box, which is probably a transformer of some kind. the problem is that the lights are in turn powered by a 3 pin very wide plug with gaint leads. (these are just banks of what looks like pars).

when not using freestyler we make use of a 8 channel lighting board with a master (this is also hooked to the entec box). in order to use the freestyler software we have to open the black box, and move a slide switch from normal to bypass; then back to normal again to use lighting board. The entec box has a very primitive display inside it with a group of six buttons, probably intended to program it somehow.

So the question is, does anyone know what kind of setup we have, because i cannot make heads or tails of it. And would anyone potentially know how to change the channels of the banks of stage lights.

To be honest I'd try and find someone with a better understanding of what you have there. Thats a lot of dimmer control and looks to be on 3 phase, if you are not too carefull you could get a nasty suprise.
Seek the help of a local proffesional to assit you.

Play safe!