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DMX outputs not triggering
Posted: 28 Mar 2025, 07:22
by pspencer1983
Hi all, first post, bit of a newbie so apologies in advance if this is basics and I've missed something....
I've mastered creating new fixtures, scenes, cues etc etc.... and external control
my issue is with the output...
all fixtures are correctly addressed within the 'add fixture' and gapped by 2 or 3 so there's no human fail of overlap.
current setup :
7ch par sat on 1-7,
15ch microbar sat on 11-25,
15ch microbar sat on 33-47,
12ch moving head on 49-60.
Every time Freestyler starts the par will only activate ch 1-4 as can be seen on the output table.
ch1 - intensity (working)
ch2 - strobe (working)
ch3 - fader program (working)
ch4 - fader program speed (working)
ch5 - red (NOT working)
ch6 - green (NOT working)
ch7 - blue (NOT working)
all other fixtures are working as expected.
If I go back to the add fixture page with a scene running and remove the par, weirdly it starts to work.
But, I then re-add the par back in on the same address the par turns off, selecting a new scene / cue and everything works as expected.
Once I've completed the above, I click every 'save' button known to man to try and prevent this from returning....
If then Freestyler is shut down and restarted, the problem is back, leaving me to do the above to get it functioning correctly again....
any ideas, and thanks in advance....
Re: DMX outputs not triggering
Posted: 28 Mar 2025, 09:34
by Rod_Horning
Please post either a PDF of the user manual to your PAR or a link to the user manual.
Also please post a read sharing link (OneDrive or Drive) to a full back up of your Freestyler.
What version of Freestyler are you running?
Re: DMX outputs not triggering
Posted: 28 Mar 2025, 17:04
by pspencer1983
Ok, had a play before i start uploading...
using 4.1.7
This was from fresh boot up of laptop, checked the fixture settings (ch 3 & 4 are non assigned as not using)
Screenshot 2025-03-28 164655.png
Screenshot 2025-03-28 164701.png
Screenshot 2025-03-28 164708.png
Screenshot 2025-03-28 164714.png
closed this down lighting powered up and then opened Freestyler, selected the par and raised ch 1 & 5 (full brightness & red)
Screenshot 2025-03-28 164552.png
nothing happened, reset ch 5 and raised ch 3 and the par lit up running through a chase, then raised ch 4 and the chase sped up.
Re: DMX outputs not triggering
Posted: 28 Mar 2025, 17:05
by pspencer1983
now if i go to the setup fixtures, remove it and replace it, it will work... until i restart freestyler
Screenshot 2025-03-28 165729.png
Re: DMX outputs not triggering
Posted: 28 Mar 2025, 17:08
by pspencer1983
this is the only manual i have found as its a china special and adjusted the dmx channels to suit....
proven firstly on the desk with manual sliders
LED Par Light 18LED.pdf
partypar181.pdf
sticker on the side...
ZHONGSHAN CITY ZHUOCAI LIGHTING CO.,LTD
PRODUCT NAME: LED PROJECTOR LIGHT
Model No. : ZC-TC005
LED QTY : 18PCS
Input : AC 110-240v
Power : 24W
Dimension : 19x10x18
Made in China
Re: DMX outputs not triggering
Posted: 28 Mar 2025, 21:48
by Rod_Horning
Here are a couple of things to try (one at a time so if the problem resolves you know what was the issue).
First:
Start Freestyler do the remove / add fixture and be sure it is working.
Next do a File -> Save Location.
Then Stop and Restart Freestyler.
See if the problem is resolved.
Second:
In the fixture definition remove the shutter channel and specify the Intensity Channel.
Start Freestyler and do the remove / add (or right click and click on reload fixture).
See if the problem is resolved. (I seriously doubt this is the issue. I tried it both ways and both worked correctly.)
If neither of these fix your issue please use the backup/restore function to create a backup. If this board will accept the file as an attachment, OK. If not please copy the backup file to either Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive or some other service that will allow you to upload it and me to download it. I'll restore it to one of my computers and see if I can determine the issue.
Re: DMX outputs not triggering
Posted: 29 Mar 2025, 14:35
by pspencer1983
hi,
tried both ways,
worked on the first one once removed / added, saved location but didnt work after the restart.
changed the fixture to intensity to ch 1 and removed shutter with same as above, would only work once removed / added and failed after restart..
done the back up, never used google drive etc so cant upload, attached as a zip here
backup.zip
Re: DMX outputs not triggering
Posted: 30 Mar 2025, 02:43
by Rod_Horning
When I restored your backup and started Freestyler I found the Master Intensity was at 0. Once I set it to full the OUTPUT window showed the correct settings.
I still don't understand what is/was happening with your system. Before I found the Master Intensity issue the RGB sliders worked as they should but the dimmer channel (channel 1) remained at 0 - which is why I looked at the Master Intensity.
The Master Intensity window displays when you click the icon found just to the left of GO in the top menu.
Re: DMX outputs not triggering
Posted: 30 Mar 2025, 14:15
by pspencer1983
Hi Rod,
Thank you soooooo much for that.
daft thing is all the other fixtures worked?????
but changed the intensity on both my par cue and all on cue, saved the location, rebooted the whole laptop and hey presto!
I've been pulling my hair out over that!
Big thumbs up!
Thanks again.
Re: DMX outputs not triggering
Posted: 30 Mar 2025, 20:21
by Rod_Horning
You are very welcome. I am sure glad that worked as I was about to pull what little hair I have left out also - lol.
Being new to Freestyler make sure you understand the effects of the CUE repeat setting and the Restore Values setting. Both have caused me grief in the past.
The green curved arrows on the CUE window indicate the CUE is a repeating CUE
The black outlined pointers show location of the Restore Values setting
pspencer1983NOTE.jpg
Re: DMX outputs not triggering
Posted: 02 Apr 2025, 12:11
by pspencer1983
as there's not an extensive user manual, what exactly do the restore values do? (in english lol)
and is there a user manual other than the online wiki?
Re: DMX outputs not triggering
Posted: 02 Apr 2025, 13:00
by Rod_Horning
I am unaware of any other manual. I believe there are a few YouTube videos.
If Restore Values is active then when a Sequence ends the values of the channels used by the Sequence are restored to the values they had when the Sequence started. I do not loop most of the sequences I create so they often only run for a few seconds. When the Restore Values was added to Freestyler (it is the default) this caused, for me, the intensity to go back to 0 instead of staying at the level selected by the Sequence.