Matthew's Live Audio, Recording, Lighting, and Video

DMX-512 Is  the most used protocol in the Pro Stage lighting and Effects industry the reason being is that the DMX-512 Protocol is the only Protocol that will work with all types of lighting and effects. The Computerized lighting controller I use is the American DJ My DMX. Using the My DMX software you can use DMX-512 to control Conventional lighting, LED Lighting, Automated lighting, lasers, Co2 Jets, DMX Flame Generators, Fog/Effects, Christmas/strip lights.

DMX-512 works by a controller having Multiple Channel is sending a signal to a memory in the back of a Dimmer, Moving light, or effect the memory in the light than uses the incoming signal and Converts it so it can be used with Dimmers and Stepper Motors in the unit. In DMX-512 each channel has a percentage of 255%. Without 255% a channel the farther down the Daisy chain the less signal each light would be able to receive and the less fetchers you could produce per channel. For instance  if you took a motor that had a percent of 300% and a slider on a controller could only go up to 100% that means each slider would be very picky when you moved up one Millimeter and the light would already be one third around. The Cable for running DMX-512 is XLR using 3 and/or 5 pin. Daisy chain refers to connecting one light to the next using DMX-512. If you have a controller with more than 512 DMX Channels you will need to have an Distributor In order to get more than 512 channels to a Fixture.

Each Light/Effect has one of the following switches to set DMX 512, Master/Slave, or Sound Active. Witch look like,

Pitchers of

DMX 512