Support Forum

Anyone have experience running the Venue LED Par 64 and/or Venue Thin Par 64 fixtures with FS? I'm having issues with my standard par cans flickering when I put the LED's in the chain. Here's my setup:

Windows XP
Freestyler 3.5.5
Enttec USB Pro
Elation DP-415 Dimmer (running 4 pars, dmx ch. 1-4)
Elation DP-415 Dimmer (running 4 pars, dmx ch. 5-8)
Elation DP-415 Dimmer (running 4 pars, dmx ch. 9-12)
2) Venue LED Par 64's (both set to dmx ch. 13-18 so they mirror each other)
2) Venue Thin Par 64's (both set to dmx ch. 19-25 so they mirror each other)

When I get everything in line, dimmer #1 (ch. 1-4), the pars flicker when I raise the fader. I have the chain terminated so I'm not thinking it's that. Cables are tested and known to be good.

Any ideas on the LED fixtures are greatly appreciated.

[UPDATE] Tonight I tried just one Venue LED Par 64 in line and everything works fine (even with no terminator). Plug in the 2nd LED light and Dimmer 1 (DMX ch. 1-4) flickers again. Same situation with 1) Venue ThinPar 64, everything fine. Hook up the 2nd one and the problem is back

Also, I should mention that this exact same setup works flawlessly when i run it with a standard DMX console (Lightronics TL-5024). Issue only appears when i try to run from laptop using Freestyler.

[Solution] After trying several different configurations of wiring, switching cables, and termination methods, I decided to try the only thing i hadn't thus far. I ran straight from the Enttec Pro into the LED lights FIRST, then looped out to the dimmers so they were last in the chain. This worked successfully and all lights are now behaving as expected with no flickers. I can only assume that having the LED's at the end of the chain where sucking up the DMX signal and not letting it cycle back to the first dimmer in line.

Also, for anyone else using the Venue Thinpar 64, i selected the ADJ MegaPar profile (also 7 ch. dmx) and it worked perfectly for this fixture.