Tuesday, 11 June 2013

What One Should Understand About A DMX Merger

By Teri Farley


There was a time when the lights that are used on stage in theater and opera were controlled by hand. This means that if one wanted to created different effects from different sources, this was done manually. Today, things are made easier using a DMX Merger that allows a lighting technician to have greater control over the operation of lighting fixtures that are used in various productions.

Stage lighting has come a long way from the use of candles in the sixteenth century to light fixtures with digital controls. There are many different types of lighting that are used in stage production. This is how one is able to see lights change colors and change direction which enhances the experience of the audience. In order to accomplish this, however, there has to be quality equipment used which could create the scenes that are desired.

This system is known as DMX512 and involves a controller and lighting fixtures. The controller is usually a PC which is also known as a console. The PC sends the signals to the light fixtures through the use of addresses which have to be the same on both the fixtures and the controller. This is how it is able to control the fixture and it's various functions.

The number 512 shows that this is the number of channels that are involved in this network or universe. Each channel controls a specific function of the lighting fixture. There are also various values on each channel which allows a specific effect to show different results. So one channel might control the color wheel of the light.

It is important to know that each channel has a number of qualities that can be applied to a lighting fixture. Most fixtures have a head that can move in various directions, with lights that can change colors and create many other effects. A channel has various levels or values as was mentioned earlier, and each level is connected to the result of that specific effect.

The DMX Merger makes this easier for the technician by merging two or more sources together for greater control. These sources only apply to DMX512 and the merge unit requires a certain amount of power for its operation. The two devices used should only have an out signal, since the output through the merge will come out as one.

Lighting technicians make use of this system and they are responsible for all of the effects that one sees on stage. There is lots of planning involved in these productions, even for the lighting. This is why having a good network is important, as this allows the technician to have the control they need to create the effects desired.

A DMX Merger plays a huge role in the success of a stage production. It allows lighting technicians to control how many channels are used in the DMX512 universe or network. These and other factors are a big part of the experience that people enjoy when they visit various events in their neighborhood and anywhere else in the world.




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