Operating Instructions Installation Guide

Intelligent Power System®

Operating Instructions&Installation GuideDimmersDistribution AmplifiersStatus MonitorAuxiliary Control (AC-100)

Before attempting to connect or operate this equipment, please read these instructions completely.

C O N T E N T S

2

Safety Information................................................................................................................................................................3

I. Installation Guide..............................................................................................................................................................5

Connector Strip Dimmer Systems ........................................................................................................5

Plugging Box Dimmer Systems ..........................................................................................................10

Status Monitor .....................................................................................................................................13

Portable Distribution Amplifiers.........................................................................................................15

Wall Box Distribution Amplifiers ........................................................................................................16

Auxiliary Control Unit .........................................................................................................................17

Control Signal Cabling for DMX512...................................................................................................19

Control Signal Cabling for AMX192 ...................................................................................................23

Control Signal Cabling for 0 - 10VDC Analog ...................................................................................24

II. IPS Dimmer User's Guide..........................................................................................................................................25

Dimmer System Fundamentals...........................................................................................................25

Head-End Processor Operation & Programming ...............................................................................26

Dimmer Operation...............................................................................................................................30

III. Status Monitor User's Guide.................................................................................................................................33

Status Monitor Fundamentals ............................................................................................................33

Status Monitor Functions....................................................................................................................34

Using a Status Monitor to Troubleshoot Your System......................................................................37

IV. Auxiliary Control Unit User's Guide .................................................................................................................41

Auxiliary Control Unit Fundamentals ................................................................................................41

Auxiliary Control Unit Features..........................................................................................................42

Auxiliary Control Unit Programming .................................................................................................43

V. Troubleshooting............................................................................................................................................................47

Checklist ..............................................................................................................................................47

Symptoms & Causes............................................................................................................................48

Appendices.............................................................................................................................................................................49

A. Cables, Connectors, & Pinouts.......................................................................................................49

B. Dimmer System Enclosures ............................................................................................................52

C. Other References ............................................................................................................................54

D. Glossary...........................................................................................................................................55

S a f e t y I n f o r m a t i o n

3

The lightning flash symbol within an equilateral triangle is intendedto alert the user to the presence of uninsulated "dangerous voltage"within the product's enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitudeto constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.

!The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended toalert the user of the presence of important operating andmaintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanyingthe appliance.

W A R N I N GTO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR SHOCK HAZARD, DO NOT

EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.

The IPS dimmer electronics operate at line voltage potential! They areelectrically isolated by optically coupling the input and output datastreams. DO NOT connect non-isolated test equipment to the circuitcommon point in the dimmers. Destruction of the dimmer and test

equipment and possible injury to personnel will result. Measurementsof input and output voltages must be referenced to Power Line

Neutral only.

W A R N I N Gt o S e r v i c e P e r s o n n e l !

The IPS dimmer electronics operate at line voltage potential! They areelectrically isolated by optically coupling the input and output datastreams. DO NOT connect non-isolated test equipment to the circuitcommon point in the dimmers. Destruction of the dimmer and test

equipment and possible injury to personnel will result. Measurementsof input and output voltages must be referenced to Power Line

Neutral only.

S a f e t y I n f o r m a t i o n

5

Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent acommitment on the part of Entertainment Technology, Inc.

Written by Jon R. Farley and Steven B. CarlsonCompiled and Edited By Jon R. Farley.

Copyright 1993 by Entertainment Technology, Inc.All rights reserved.

Preliminary Edition, February 1993.Second Preliminary Edition, May 1993.First Printing, October 1993.

Current Edition November 1, 2001

This document contains information for the following IPS products:

IPS-AC-100IPS-DB-1206, IPS-DB-2403, IPS-DB-6003IPS-DS-1206, IPS-DS-2403IPS-SA-104, IPS-SA-104-WB, IPS-SA-108, IPS-SA-108-WBIPS-SM-101

"WARNING: This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and if not installedand used in accordance with this instruction manual may cause interference to radio communications. Ithas been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A computing device pursuant toSubpart J of Part 15 of FCC Rules, which are designed to provide reasonable protection against suchinterference when operated in a commercial environment. Operation of this equipment in a residentialarea is likely to cause interference in which case the user, at his own expense, will be required to takewhatever measures may be required to correct the interference."

If you need help, consult your dealer. You may also find the following booklet helpful: How to Identifyand Resolve Radio-TV Interference Problems. This booklet is available from the U.S. Government PrintingOffice, Washington, DC 20402, stock no. 004-000-00345-4.

C o n n e c t o r S t r i pD i m m e r S y s t e m s

7

This section applies to Connector Strip Dimmer SystemsIPS-DS-1206, and IPS-DS-2403.

Cont ro ls and Components

➊ Field Wiring Compartment.

➋ Head-End Processor.

➌ Dimmer (Typical of 6 or 3).

Field Wiring Compartment

➊ 3/4" Knock-out for power wiring

➋ Grounding Lug

➌ Phase terminals

➍ Neutral terminals.

➎ Neutral bus jumpers

The inside of the Field Wiring Compartment cover has a wiring diagram.

IInstallationGuide


8

Head-End Processor

➊ Blank knockout for analog input option.

➋ DMX512 Input Connector.

➌ DMX512 Pass-Through Connector.

➍ Red LED Error Indicators.

➎ DMX512 Termination Switch.

➏ Four-digit LED Display.

➐ Function Select Push Buttons.

Dimmers

➊ Heat Sink.

➋ Load Receptacle (Theatrical PinConnector, NEMA L5-20R "Twist-Lock", orNEMA 5-20R duplex Straight Blade.)

➌ Focus Button.

➍ Green LED.

➎ Red LED.

Power Requirements

IPS 1200 and 2400 Watt dimmer systemsare designed to operate on a 50 or 60Hertz, 20 Amp, 120/208 VAC, three phase"WYE" power service. However, they willtolerate a wide variety of input voltages.For these systems to function normally thePhase to Neutral voltage must be in therange of 90 to 140 VAC.

If a system is miswired to voltages greaterthan 180 VAC, the dimmers will shut downand flash the 'Mis-Wire' warning. It will notattempt to bring up loads when in over-voltage shutdown. IPS is designed to safelytolerate a 230 VAC line indefinitely, and a280 VAC line for 15 minutes. Line voltagesgreater than 280 VAC may destroy the overvoltage protection components in thedimmers and the Head-End Processor.

Connect ing Power

! W A R N I N G

Wiring must comply with all applicablebuilding codes. If the information in this

section is not consistent with theelectrical code in your area, you mustdisregard this section and follow the

dictates of your code!

Field wiring of the IPS DS series dimmingsystem is a straight forward matter. A totalof 5 wires need to be brought to the unit:The three "phase" wires, a Neutral, and aGround. The "phase" wires carry up to 20amps each, and the Neutral carries the"unbalanced" current.

If the unit is being set up for portable use,10/5 SO cable should be used to make thepower connections. In permanentinstallations, 20 amp rated conductors,such as 12 gage THHN, should be used forthe "phase" conductors and Ground, and


9

the next size larger conductor, i.e. 10gage THHN, for the Neutral.

All connections are made in the FieldWiring Terminal Compartment at the leftend of the enclosure. The terminals arerevealed by removing the Field WiringCompartment Cover.

The connections are made as follows: TheGround (Green) wire connects to thegrounding lug at the left of the terminalblock; The Neutral (White) wire connects toany one of the three Neutral terminals,retaining the jumpers which bus theseterminals together; and the three "phase"wires (Black, Red, and Blue or Orange)connect one to each of the three "phase"terminals. Since each dimmer is a separatesingle phase load, there is no requirementthat the phases be connected in anyparticular order.

The IPS System Status Monitor includes afunction which can report the total load oneach phase of your power service. For thisfunction to work, you must ensure that thewires feeding all dimmers and dimmeroutlets are wired in the same order. Thefollowing scheme is suggested:

Connector Wire Conductor IPS"X" Black Phase A "A""Y" Red Phase B "B""Z" Blue or

OrangePhase C "C"

"W" White Neutral "N""G" Green Ground Lug

Securely tighten all terminals, and replacethe Field Wiring Compartment Cover whendone.

M ount ing

The innovative design of the IPS connectorstrip enclosure allows a wide range ofinstallation options. This section discussesthe basic ground rules of installation, butcannot cover every conceivable variation.

Cross section of DS system enclosure.

➊ Track to capture 1/2" hex head bolt.

➋ Track to capture 5/16" carriage bolt.

➌ Unistrut compatible track.

➍ Dimmer protection fin.

➎ Dimmer heat sinks.

In situations in which the dimmer systemis to be mounted below a pipe, possiblywith fixtures hung from it, the mostconvenient mounting means is two "C"clamps bolted into the top extruded track.

The heads of the 1/2" bolts are slid intothe track from the end, and then the "C"clamp stud is screwed down onto thecaptured bolt. It is important when doingthis to securely tighten the stud againstthe top of the dimmer enclosure so it doesnot rotate. Set the angle of the "C" clampby loosening the smaller set screw on theside of the clamp. Do not use a clampwhose set screw is missing or has beensheared off.

The 5/16" carriage bolt track is useful forattaching the dimmer system to verticalsurfaces, or to clamp it to a set ofvertically running pipes. Again the headsof the bolts are slid into the track, and themounting means are securely tightenedagainst the system enclosure.


10

NOTE: If fixtures are to be hung from thedimmer enclosure when it is mounted fromthe back extruded track, a minimum of sixcarriage bolts must be used in mountingthe unit. These bolts should be evenlyspaced along the length of the track.

The most versatile of the DS enclosure'sextruded mounting tracks is the"Unistrut" compatible track on the unit'sbottom surface. This track accepts a widevariety of standard hardware which may beused for mounting the dimmer systemitself, or for the attachment of lightingfixtures. A particularly useful configurationmounts the dimmer system above a pipebatten with "Unistrut" pipe clamps, andthen hangs lighting fixtures from thebatten with conventional "C" clamps.

! W A R N I N G

In all cases where an IPS dimmer systemis hung above personnel, it must be

equipped with safety cables or chains toprevent it from falling should the

mounting means fail!

Thermal EnvironmentSince IPS connector strip dimmers areconvection cooled, it is imperative thatthey be mounted with their heat-sink finsrunning vertically. It is not acceptable tomount the dimmer system lying on its faceor back, or to hang it so that its longdimension runs vertically. DS seriesdimming systems are designed primarilyfor pipe, beam, and truss mounting, theyare not as well suited for boom ortormentor lighting positions. Use IPSPlugging Box Dimming System in theseapplications.

Connect ing to theDM X512 Network

Basic DMX512 installation consists ofconnecting IPS units together in "daisy-chain" fashion. A cable runs from thecontrol console to the "DMX IN" connectoron the first IPS unit. Another cable runsfrom the "DMX OUT" connector on the firstunit to the "DMX IN" connector on thesecond unit. All units are connectedtogether in this fashion.

Setting the TerminationSwitch

In addition to connecting the cables, thetermination switches must be set correctlyon each IPS unit. The rules for settingthese switches are as follows:

• If a unit has cable plugged into its "DMXOUT" connector which runs to another IPSunit, the switch should be in the left hand(unterminated) position.

• If a unit does not have a cable pluggedinto its "DMX OUT" connector, the switchshould be set to the right hand(terminated) position.

• No more than 1 termination switch maybe set to the right hand position on anyone cable run.

See the "Control Signal Cabling" section fora full discussion of DMX512 issues.


11

Setting the Dimmer AddressEach IPS dimmer package must have anunique starting address within theDMX512 network. IPS system addresses areset electronically in the Head-EndProcessor and retained indefinitely in non-volatile memory.

IPS addresses represent the DMX IDnumber of the first dimmer in the IPSpackage. For instance, if the address is setto 007, then the first dimmer in the unitwill be dimmer 7, the second will bedimmer 8, etc. For talkback to workproperly, each IPS package must decode aunique range of addresses and must notoverlap with other IPS units. If the unitmentioned above at address 007 containssix dimmers, the next unit must be set toaddress 013 to avoid overlapping addressranges.

IPS addresses are set with the buttons anddisplay on the Head-End Processor.Buttons are identified as 'L', 'C', and 'R'(short for Left, Center, and Right).

Set the IPS starting address as follows:

1. Press the 'L' button once. This placesthe display in the "Display/Set Address"mode (indicated by "A" in left most digit).

2. Press the 'C' button to increase theaddress by three. Press the 'R' button todecrease the address by three.

3. When the display shows the correctaddress, press the 'L' button again. (Thedisplay will blank after about one minute)

To verify the address, or make a change,press the 'L' button several more timesuntil the "Display/Set Address" modeshows again. For full information aboutHead-End Processor menus, see theDimmer System User's Guide.

P l u g g i n g B o xD i m m e r S y s t e m s

12

This section applies to Plugging BoxDimmer Systems IPS-DB-1206, IPS-DB-2403, and IPS-DB-6003.

Controls and Components

➊ Carry Handle.

➋ Head-End Processor & DMX512 connectors.

➌ Fan. (Air Inlet)

➍ Power inlet connector.

➎ Dimmer heat sink. (Typical of 6 or 3)

➏ Dimmer focus button and indicatorLEDs. (Typical of 6 or 3)

➐ Load Receptacle. (Typical of 6 or 3)

Head-End Processor

➊ Blank knockout for analog input option.

➋ DMX512 Pass-Through Connector.

➌ DMX512 Input Connector.

➍ Red LED Error Indicators.

➎ DMX512 Termination Switch.

➏ Four-digit LED Display.

➐ Function Select Push Buttons.

Dimmers

➊ Load Receptacle (Theatrical PinConnector, NEMA L5-20R "Twist-Lock", orNEMA 5-20R duplex Straight Blade.)

➋ Heat Sink. (Air Exhaust)

➌ Green LED.

➍ Red LED.

➎ Focus Button.

Power Requirements

IPS 1200 and 2400 Watt dimmer systemsare designed to operate on a 50 or 60Hertz, 20 Amp, 120/208 VAC, three phase"WYE" power service. IPS 6000 Watt dimmersystems are designed to operate on a 50or 60 Hertz, 50 Amp, 120/208 VAC, threephase "WYE" power service.These systems,however, will tolerate a wide variety ofinput voltages. For them to functionnormally the Phase to Neutral voltage mustbe in the range of 90 to 140 VAC.

If a system is miswired to voltages greaterthan 180 VAC, the dimmers will shut downand flash the 'Mis-Wire' warning. Dimmers


13

will not attempt to bring up loads when inover-voltage shutdown. IPS is designed tosafely tolerate a 230 VAC line indefinitely,and a 280 VAC line for 15 minutes. Linevoltages greater than 280 VAC maydestroy the over voltage protectioncomponents in the dimmers and the Head-End Processor.

Connect ing Power

Field wiring of the IPS DB series dimmingsystem is a straight forward matter. A totalof 5 wires need to be brought to the unit:The three "phase" wires, a Neutral, and aGround. The "phase" wires carry up to 20(or 50) amps each, and the Neutral carriesthe "unbalanced" current.

All IPS-DB series dimmer systems useflanged inlets for power connections. 1200and 2400 Watt systems use a NEMA typeL21-20P connector. 6000 Watt systems usea VEAM CIR065GRH Connector.Recommended cable is 10/5 type SO for1200 and 2400 Watt systems and 6/5 typeSO for 6000 Watt systems.

The IPS System Status Monitor includes afunction which can report the total load oneach phase of your power service. For thisfunction to work, you must ensure that thewires feeding all dimmers and dimmeroutlets are wired in the same order. Thefollowing scheme is suggested:

Connector Wire Conductor"X" or "A" Black Phase A"Y" or "B" Red Phase B"Z" or "C" Blue or

OrangePhase C

"W" or "N" White Neutral"G" Green Ground

M ount ing

IPS DB series dimmer systems may bemounted in any orientation, provided thatthe front and back panels are kept open toallow air flow. The handle of the DBenclosure is drilled to accept two standard"C" clamps to allow the unit to be hungfrom a pipe.

! W A R N I N G

In all cases where an IPS dimmer systemis hung above personnel, it must be

equipped with safety cables or chains toprevent it from falling should the

mounting means fail!

Thermal EnvironmentIPS DB series dimming systems are fancooled. Air inlet and exhaust ports mustbe kept open and free of obstruction at alltimes. Fan operates in one of two modesset in the Head-End Processor, and runsonly when needed.

See the Dimmer System User's Guide forfull information on fan operation.


Basic DMX512 installation consists ofconnecting IPS units together in "daisy-chain" fashion. A cable runs from thecontrol console to the "DMX IN" connector


14

on the first IPS unit. Another cable runsfrom the "DMX OUT" connector on the firstunit to the "DMX IN" connector on thesecond unit. All units are connectedtogether in this fashion.

Setting the TerminationSwitch

In addition to connecting the cables, thetermination switches must be set correctlyon each IPS unit. The rules for settingthese switches are as follows:

• If a unit has cable plugged into its "DMXOUT" connector which runs to another IPSunit, the switch should be in the left hand(unterminated) position.

• If a unit does not have a cable pluggedinto its "DMX OUT" connector, the switchshould be set to the right hand(terminated) position.

• No more than 1 termination switch maybe set to the right hand position on anyone cable run.

See the "Control Signal Cabling" section fora full discussion of DMX512 issues.

Setting the Dimmer AddressEach IPS dimmer package must have anunique starting address within theDMX512 network. IPS system addresses areset electronically in the Head-EndProcessor and retained indefinitely in non-volatile memory.

IPS addresses represent the DMX IDnumber of the first dimmer in the IPSpackage. For instance, if the address is setto 007, then the first dimmer in the unitwill be dimmer 7, the second will bedimmer 8, etc. For talkback to workproperly, each IPS package must decode aunique range of addresses and must notoverlap with other IPS units. If the unitmentioned above at address 007 containssix dimmers, the next unit must be set toaddress 013 to avoid overlapping addressranges.

IPS addresses are set with the buttons anddisplay on the Head-End Processor.Buttons are identified as 'L', 'C', and 'R'(short for Left, Center, and Right).

Set the IPS starting address as follows:

1. Press the 'L' button once. This placesthe display in the "Display/Set Address"mode (indicated by "A" in left most digit).

2. Press the 'C' button to increase theaddress by three. Press the 'R' button todecrease the address by three.

3. When the display shows the correctaddress, press the 'L' button again. (Thedisplay will blank after about one minute)

To verify the address, or make a change,press the 'L' button several more timesuntil the "Display/Set Address" modeshows again. For full information aboutHead-End Processor menus, see theDimmer System User's Guide.

S t a t u s M o n i t o r

15

The IPS Status Monitor is a data displayand analysis system which reports theoperational status of IPS dimming systems.It collects status information from IPSdimmers over the DMX512 data network.

This section applies to Status Monitormodel IPS-SM-101.

Cont ro ls andComponents

➊ Video Display.

➋ Status Monitor Enclosure.

➌ Number Keypad.

➍ Function Keys.

➎ Cursor Keys.

Rear Panel

➊ Power Inlet Jack.

➋ Power Indicator.

➌ Video Output Connector.

➍ DMX from Console Connector.

➎ DMX to Dimmers Connector.

➏ Talkback Termination Switch.

Connect ing the PowerSupply

Plug the external wall-mount power supplyinto a convenient AC wall outlet.

Plug the 1/8" mini-phone plug into thePower Inlet Jack on the rear of the StatusMonitor.

Power Supply Rating:12 Volts DC Output800 mAOutput on 1/8" mini-phone plug,center terminal positive.

For replacement order EntertainmentTechnology inventory number Y05-5210.

Connect ing the V ideoM oni t or

Plug the video monitor into a convenientAC wall outlet.

Connect the 9 pin video cable from thevideo monitor to the video outputconnector on the rear of the StatusMonitor.

Switch on the video monitor.

Monitor TypeThe Status Monitor requires an IBM MDAcompatible TTL monochrome display with9 pin "D" connector.

For replacement, call EntertainmentTechnology at 972-840-1640.


Install the Status Monitor between thelighting control console and the IPSdimmers.

S t a t u s M o n i t o r

16

Plug the DMX512 cable from the lightingconsole into the "DMX from Console"connector.

Plug the DMX512 cable from the dimmersinto the "DMX to Dimmers" connector.

If a Distribution Amplifier is part of thesystem, install the Status Monitor betweenthe lighting console and the DistributionAmplifier.

If an Auxiliary Control Unit is part of thesystem, install the Status Monitor betweenthe Auxiliary Control Unit and theDimmers.

If both an Auxiliary Control Unit and aDistribution Amplifier are included in thesystem, install the Status Monitor betweenthe Auxiliary Control Unit and theDistribution Amplifier.

Refer to the "Control Signal Cabling forDMX512" section for a full discussion ofDMX system layouts.

Position of TalkbackTermination Switch

If the lighting console in the system is IPScompatible (for example ACCESS orACCESS-Pro) or if an Auxiliary Control Unitis installed, set the Talkback Terminationswitch in the pass-thru position.

If the lighting console is not IPScompatible, or if you are not sure, set theTalkback Termination switch in theterminate position. This setting correctlyterminates the talkback pair from thedimmers, and disconnects it from thecontrol console.

Using Multiple StatusMonitors on one DMX LinkOn occasion it may be useful to installmore than one IPS Status Monitor on asingle DMX512 data link. The rules forsuch an installation are only a slightextension of those for a singe monitor.

When deciding where to connect the StatusMonitors in the DMX network, treat thegroup of Status Monitors as though theywere one unit. Connect this groupaccording to the rules in the previoussections.

Set the Talkback Termination switch onthe unit closest to the console accordingto the rules in the previous section.

Set the Talkback Termination switch on allother Status Monitors to the Pass-Thruposition.

P o r t a b l eD i s t r i b u t i o n A m p l i f i e r s

17

IPS Portable Distribution Amplifiersfacilitate the connection of large numbersof IPS dimmer units to one control console,and help simplify cabling when dimmersare being installed in widely separatedparts of a building.

This section applies to DistributionAmplifiers IPS-SA-104, and IPS-SA-108.


➊ "From Console" connector.

➋ "To Dimmers" connector. Typical ofeight (four).

➌ Channel status indicators. Typical ofnine (five).

➍ Power inlet connector and fuse holder.

Channel Status Indicators

➊ Red power indicator LED.

➋ Green DMX512 data indicator LED.

➌ Yellow Talkback data indicator LED.

Connect ing Power

Attach the standard IEC power cord(provided) to the power inlet connector onthe Distribution Amplifier rear panel. Plugthe cord into a convenient AC wall outlet.

Selecting Input VoltageIPS portable distribution amplifiers may bemodified to operate on 240 VAC bychanging an internal plug connection. Tomake this change, follow these steps:

1. Turn the unit over and remove the fourscrews which retain the enclosure bottom.Lift the bottom away from the top.

2. Note that the cable from the power inletconnector to the printed circuit board hastwo connectors on it, one marked 120Vand the other marked 240V. Unplug the120V connector from the printed circuitboard and plug the 240V connector in itsplace.

3. Replace the enclosure bottom and itsscrews.

4. Change the fuse to the appropriate sizefor 240 volt operation.

5. Mark the outside of the enclosure toindicate that the unit is set for 240 voltoperation.

Fuse RatingsSlo-Blow Type0.5 Amp for 120 Volt operation0.25 Amp for 240 Volt operation.


See the "Control Signal Cabling forDMX512" section for a full discussion ofthe use of IPS distribution amplifiers.

W a l l B o xD i s t r i b u t i o n A m p l i f i e r s

18

IPS Wall Box Distribution Amplifiersfacilitate the connection of large numbersof IPS dimmer units to one control console,and help simplify cabling when dimmersare being installed in widely separatedparts of a building.

This section applies to DistributionAmplifiers IPS-SA-104-WB, and IPS-SA-108-WB.


➊ Main printed circuit board.

➋ Field wiring compartment.

➌ "DMX from Console" terminal strip.

➍ "DMX to Dimmers" terminal strip.Typical of eight (four).

Phy sica l Inst a l la t ion

IPS Wall Box Distribution Amplifiers arebuilt into standard utility enclosures anddesigned primarily for surface mounting.

Securely anchor the box to a wall in aconvenient dry location. Do not blockaccess to the cover of the box.

Power is admitted to the field wiringcompartment. DMX cabling is brought intothe main section of the enclosure. All

wiring to the Amplifier should be run inconduit.

Connect ing Power

Connect line and neutral respectively tothe black and white wires provided in theField Wiring Compartment. Connectground to the green chassis screw in theField Wiring Compartment. Power may befed from any convenient utility circuit.


All DMX512 connections to IPS Wall BoxDistribution Amplifiers are made throughterminal strips. Route the DMX512 cablethrough a knock-out to its appropriateconnection point. Strip back only aboutone inch of cable jacketing and shieldwhen making the connection.

Make the connections according to thefollowing table:

Terminal Signal Name WireGND Common Shield (drain)TALK- Talkback - White w/ OrangeTALK+ Talkback + Orange w/ WhiteDMX- Dimmer Drive - White w/ BlueDMX+ Dimmer Drive + Blue w/ White

IMPORTANT: Note that the numberingscheme on the terminal strip is not thesame as that for XLR connectors!

See the "Control Signal Cabling forDMX512" section for a full discussion ofthe use of IPS distribution amplifiers.

A u x i l i a r y C o n t r o l U n i t

19

This section applies to Auxiliary ControlUnit IPS-AC-100.


➊ Controls and Indicators.

➋ Field wiring compartment.

➌ Processor board power cable.

➍ I/O Board.

➎ Processor board.

I/O Board

➊ Panic, Work Light and Take-Control stationbutton terminals.

➋ Panic, Work Light and Take-Control stationLED terminals.

➌ Preset station button terminals.

➍ Preset station LED terminals.

➎ Slider station terminals.

➏ DMX from Console terminals.

➐ DMX to Dimmers terminals.

➑ Connections to Processor Board.

Field Wiring Compartment

➊ Line & Neutral for Processor Board.

➋ Grounding Terminal.

Controls and Indicators

➊ Four digit LED display.

➋ Special indicator LEDs.

➌ Control buttons.

Phy sica l Inst a l la t ion

The IPS-AC-100 is housed in a 10" x 12" x4" surface mount junction box withstandard knock-outs for conduitconnections. Securely mount the enclosureto a wall or equipment panel with screwsor bolts through its four mounting holes.

Install the AC power conduit into one ofthe three knock-outs in the lower leftcorner of the enclosure which open intothe field wiring compartment. Installcontrol wiring conduit into any of theknock-outs which open into the main bodyof the enclosure.

If loose wiring is brought directly into theenclosure, make sure appropriate bushingsand strain reliefs are used.

A u x i l i a r y C o n t r o l U n i t

20

Connect ing Power

Connect line and neutral respectively tothe black and white wires provided in theField Wiring Compartment. Connectground to the green chassis screw in theField Wiring Compartment. Power may befed from any convenient utility circuit.Make sure the Processor Board PowerCable is plugged into its correspondingconnector on the Processor Board.

Connect ing Cont ro lS t a t ions

Connecting Slider Stations+5V and COMM provide power to all sliderstations. The output signal of each slideris connected to one of the fader inputs.The function of the input terminalschanges depending on which Analog Inputmode has been selected. In the followingtable, each column represents one AnalogInput mode. The numbers in parenthesisindicate which Take-Control buttonenables each input.

Term. Mode 1 Mode 2 Mode 3P1-1 Fader 1 Fader 1 (1) Fader 1 (1)

P1-2 Fader 2 Fader 2 (1) Fader 2 (1)







P1-9 +5V +5V +5V









P2-9 COMM COMM COMM

Connecting Button StationsConnect the signal wire from each buttonto one of the switch inputs. Connect thesignal wire from each LED to one of theLED outputs. Keep Button Common andLED Common separate from each other.

Term. Button Term. LEDP10-1 Panic P7-1 PanicP10-2 Switch 1 P7-2 Switch 1P10-3 Switch 2 P7-3 Switch 2P10-4 Switch 3 P7-4 Switch 3P10-5 Take-Con 1 P7-5 Take-Con 1P10-6 Take-Con 2 P7-6 Take-Con 2P10-7 Take-Con 3 P7-7 Take-Con 3P10-8 Take-Con 4 P7-8 Take-Con 4P10-9 Common P7-9 Common

P11-1 Preset Off P8-1 Preset OffP11-2 Preset A P8-2 Preset AP11-3 Preset B P8-3 Preset BP11-4 Preset C P8-4 Preset CP11-5 Preset D P8-5 Preset DP11-6 Preset E P8-6 Preset EP11-7 Preset F P8-7 Preset FP11-8 Preset G P8-8 Preset GP11-9 Common P8-9 Common


All DMX512 connections to IPS AuxiliaryControl Units are made through terminalstrips. Remove only about one inch ofcable jacketing and shield when makingthe connection.

TerminalFrom

Console TerminalTo

DimmersP3-1 Common P4-1 CommonP3-2 P4-2 Talkback -P3-3 P4-3 Talkback+P3-4 DMX In - P4-4 DMX Out -P3-5 DMX In + P4-5 DMX Out+

See the "Control Signal Cabling forDMX512" section for a full discussion ofDMX512 cabling issues.

C o n t r o l S i g n a l C a b l i n gf o r D M X 5 1 2

21

DM X512 Fundamenta ls

DMX512 is a digital data transmission protocolfor lighting consoles and dimmers published byUSITT. Since its introduction in 1986, it hasseen wide acceptance in the theatrical andentertainment lighting industries, and has beenapplied and extended in ways hardly foreseenby its originators. As a distributed dimmingsystem with full status reporting back to theconsole, IPS has itself stretched the boundariesof DMX while still remaining absolutelyconsistent with the original specification.

All IPS system elements are designed to be partof an extensive, bi-directional, DMX512 datanetwork. Output levels are transmitted todimmers and other devices on the Primary DMXdata channel, and dimmer status is transmittedback to the console or Status Monitor on thesecondary channel. The physical networkinterface for IPS units consists of "DMX-IN" and"DMX-OUT" connectors, and possibly atermination switch. The basic network isconstructed by "daisy chaining" units together.

The DMX512 issue which is least understood isthat of cable layout and termination. For aDMX512 network to function reliably it must be

constructed as a simple daisy chain, with nobranching runs and with both ends of the cableterminated in its characteristic impedance. Ifbranching runs are required, each must bedriven from a distribution amplifier and must beconstructed as a simple daisy chain with propertermination. Any other layout invites unreliableoperation. These rules are doubly importantwith IPS, because dimmer talkback will notfunction if they are violated.

The Network Architecture diagram on this pagerepresents the layout which all IPS systemsmust follow. Subsequent paragraphs refer tothis diagram in discussing each systemelement.

Basic IPS Sy stem

The most basic IPS system consists of an IPScompatible console (such as ACCESS) and asingle IPS dimmer system. The console, item ➀in the architecture drawing, produces DMX512data, and the dimmer system, item ➇ ,consumes it. Talkback data is returned to theconsole over the second DMX512 wire pair, andthe console and dimmer system respectivelyterminate each end of the cable.

DMX512 Network Architecture

➊ Control Console (DMX512 Source) ➎ Distribution Amplifier➋ Auxiliary Control Unit ➏ Additional Distribution Amplifiers➌ Status Monitor ➐ Dimmer System, Daisy Chain connection➍ Additional Status Monitors ➑ Dimmer System, Terminated connection


22

The idea of DMX consumers and producerslogically divides a system into two halves whichcan be discussed separately. The producing halfconsists of the control console and itsassociated accessories. The consuming halfconsists of dimmers and other devices whichrespond to DMX data, as well as distributionamplifiers and the bulk of the DMX wiring. Drawa line, if you will, dividing items ➃ and ➄ .Consider everything to the left of the line a DMXproducer, and every thing to the right a DMXconsumer.

"DM X Consumer" Ha l f o fSy stem

The consumer half contains most of thecomplexity (and equipment) of a DMX system.The first addition to the basic IPS system islikely to be more dimmers ➆ . As stated before,additional dimmers are connected to the DMXnetwork in Daisy Chain fashion: the data cableruns from the console to DMX-IN of the firstunit, from DMX-OUT of the first to DMX-IN of thesecond, and so on until the last unit. Alltermination switches are set for Pass-Thruexcept the one on the last unit on the cable. Upto 32 units may be connected in this fashion.

Distribution AmplifiersIf more than 32 dimmer systems are to be usedin an installation, or if Daisy Chain cabling isinconvenient, a distribution amplifier ➄ needsto be added to the system. In fact, most IPSinstallations should include a distributionamplifier to simplify cable runs.

The most efficient use of distribution amplifiercapacity is obtained by providing separatelyamplified DMX data lines to each distinctmounting position in a venue and then usingDaisy Chain connections within each position. Itis easy to Daisy Chain units within onemounting position as they are typically alltogether in a row.

If more than eight runs are required to servicethe various mounting positions, additionaldistribution amplifiers ➅ may be added. Goodpractice dictates that all additional distributionamplifiers should be fed directly from the firstdistribution amplifier ➄ .This minimizes the

possibility that subtleties like propagation delayand wave form distortion will affect the system.

The only real restrictions on the use of IPSdistribution amplifiers is their placement in theDMX network. Because these amplifiers collecttalkback data from each of their output cablesand actively drive it back to the console, theymust be placed electrically nearest the consolein the DMX Consumer half of the system. Ifdimmers are placed between the distributionamplifier and the console, a talkback conflictwill occur.

Adding Non-IPS EquipmentThe next level of complexity in a DMX system isthe one which is required to fully benefit fromDMX512's promise, namely the free mixing ofequipment from different manufacturers.Unfortunately the reality of DMX is somewhatmore chilling than its promise, and there aresubstantial differences in implementation andmany possible conflicts.

Outside of signal timing, which the end usercan't control anyway, DMX conflicts usually haveto do with the following:

Integrity (and presence) of pins 4 and 5.Conflicting uses of pins 4 and 5.Line termination issues, especially: Re-amplified DMX-OUT connectors. Incorrect termination resistor value. No termination/permanent termination

Mixing IPS and non-IPS equipment in a DaisyChain configuration may range in difficulty from"Plug and go" to "Nightmare". If the foreignunit's DMX receiver is RS-485 compliant andpins 4 and 5 are passed through, then noproblems should be encountered. Howevermany popular products avoid the issue of linetermination and unit loading by re-amplifyingthe signal in every unit. This makes each daisychain cable a separate RS-485 link starting atone unit and ending at the next. Many unitswhich re-amplify also terminate their input withvalues other than 120 ohms (Typically 100 to2000 ohms) and fail to support pins 4 and 5. Itis nearly impossible to use equipment withthese failings in a daisy chained IPS system.

In a system with a distribution amplifier thesituation is eased somewhat by the use of aseparate DMX link for each different equipment


23

type. By putting all the moving lights, say, on aseparate cable driven directly from adistribution amplifier issues of electricalcompatibility are limited to the connection tothe first device on the cable where they may beeasily solved. This first link then serves as agateway to the foreign system.

"DM X Producer" Ha l f o fSy stem

The producer half of a DMX system is somewhatless complicated, often consisting simply of thecontrol console. Virtually any DMX512 controlconsole may be used with IPS provided that itdoes not use pins 4 and 5 for anything otherthan IPS Talkback, or that if it does, pins 4 and5 are not connected. The Talkback Terminationswitch on the IPS-SM-101 Status Monitorautomatically isolates pins 4 and 5 from theconsole when set to the terminate position.

The addition of a status monitor ➂ gives theuser access to a wealth of information aboutsystem performance. The status monitor goesin line after the console and before the firstdimmer system or distribution amplifier. Ifadditional status monitors ➃ are required, theyshould be installed after the first status monitorand before the first dimmer system ordistribution amplifier. If a status monitor needsto terminate the talkback line, it must be theone closest to the console.

If an Auxiliary Control Unit ➁ is part of thesystem it must be located electrically closest tothe control console, ahead of any statusmonitors. Because of its special function, theAuxiliary Control Unit does not pass Talkbackdata thru to the console. If status monitoring isrequired in a system with auxiliary control, itmust be accomplished with an IPS-SM-101.

DM X Cabl ing andTerminat ion

As you can see, the DMX network is as distinct asystem entity as the dimmers and console. Forit to function well, it must be planned ascarefully as the power distribution. This sectionsummarizes some of the technical detailsnecessary for planning a DMX512 data network.

Recommended Cable

Mfg. Type Color CodeAlpha 3492 BeldenBelden 8132 Western ElectricBelden 9842 Western ElectricTMB

AssociatesPro-Plex ICEA

For plenum applications use Belden 88102.

Wiring Color Codes

ICEA Belden WE

FirstBlack Black

White w/ BlueStripe

PairWhite Red

Blue w/ WhiteStripe

SecondRed Black

White w/Orange Stripe

PairGreen White

Orange w/White Stripe

ICEA = Insulated Cable Engineers Assn.WE = Western Electric.

ConnectorsType: XLR-5Transmitter: Female Receiver: Male

Pin Signal Name1 Common (Shield)2 Dimmer Drive -3 Dimmer Drive +4 Talkback -5 Talkback +

Type: IPS terminal stripsUsed in wall box distribution amplifiers andconnector plates.

Terminal Signal NameGND Common (Shield)TALK- Talkback -TALK+ Talkback +DMX- Dimmer Drive -DMX+ Dimmer Drive +


24

Terminating NetworkIn cases where an IPS peripheral is not the lastnode on a DMX512 data cable, it may benecessary to hand terminate the cable to obtainproper operation.

DM X P i t f a l ls

While there are many ways to construct areliable DMX512 network, there are probablymore ways to construct one which is non-functional, or worse, partially functional orintermittent.

This section presents some examples of BADPRACTICE in constructing a DMX512 network.These configurations should be AVOIDED!!

Other things to avoid when planning an IPSinstallation include the following:

Multiple terminations/No terminations

Each DMX data link should be terminated onceat each end of the cable run. The controlconsole should automatically take care of itsend. On the dimmer end, the termination switchmust be set in the last unit on the cable only!All others must be set for Pass-Thru.

Talkback interrupted by non-IPS device.

Many supposedly DMX compatible products donot support pins 4 and 5 of the data connector.When units of this type are used with IPS, down-stream IPS units are cut off from the Talkbackwire pair and that pair is left unterminatedwhich will likely prevent Talkback from workingat all.

Non-standard signals on Pins 4 & 5.

The inverse problem of that mentioned above iscompeting uses of the second DMX datachannel. Different manufacturers have used thiswire pair for a variety of functions, including:Dimmer Talkback (like IPS), Levels for additionaldimmers, Multiplexed analog levels for AMX192converters, Dimmer over-temp contact closures,Power for dimmer fans, and Power for thecontrol console. Not all of these uses areconsistent with the DMX512 specification andsome might even destroy the talkback linedrivers in IPS dimmers. Be very cautious whenmixing IPS and non-IPS equipment!

Bad grounding practice.

It is unlikely that you will have a groundingproblem in an all IPS system due to its extensiveuse of optical isolation. When adding otherequipment, look for and eliminate the following:

Shorts between ground and neutral.

Connections of DMX shield to XLR connectorcase, conduit, or faceplate metal. (Groundingshould occur within equipment only!)

Common-mode voltage between units in excessof 5V RMS. (Solve w/ optical isolation)

Ungrounded metal panels.

C o n t r o l S i g n a l C a b l i n gf o r A M X 1 9 2

25

Fundamenta ls

Any IPS dimmer system may be suppliedfrom the factory fitted to receive USITT'sAMX192 multiplexed analog dimmercontrol protocol instead of DMX512. Whenso fitted, 4 pin XLR connectors replace thenormal DMX connectors. Like DMX512,AMX192 is designed to be daisy chainedfrom unit to unit. Unlike DMX, however,AMX192 signals are not digital in nature.They consist of one signal line carryingtime-multiplexed analog levels, and asignal pair carrying a differential clockwhich synchronizes the whole system tothe analog data.

There is no provision for secondary datachannels in AMX192, so Talkback data isnot available when this protocol is used.

Basic Connect ions

To a large extent, connecting AMX192 is a"Plug and Go" process. The standard allowsdata for up to 192 dimmers on one cable,and connections for up to 16 receivingunits. Distribution amplifiers are generallynot available, so cabling is limited to abasic daisy chain.

Since AMX is a multiplexed protocol (likeDMX), each receiver needs to have anaddress so it knows which portion of thetransmitted data to use. The AMX addressfor an IPS dimming system is set exactlythe same as the DMX address. The largestvalid AMX address is 190.

One of the limitations of AMX192 is itslack of optical isolation between differentsystem elements. This leaves the systemmore vulnerable to common mode voltageproblems than a well laid out DMX system.All of the problems normally associatedwith AMX192 distribution may occur withIPS.

IPS dimmers are factory adjusted tooperate on AMX control signals rangingfrom 0 to +5 VDC. Since the output ofanalog consoles can drift with age, the IPSHead-End can be re-trimmed by the user tomatch the actual console output. See the"Analog Input Trim" function in theDimmer System User's Guide.

Cables and Connectors

Recommended CableAMX192 cable has two twisted pairs andno shield. Typical choices are:

Mfg. TypeAlpha 1132Belden 9156Belden 8723

ConnectorsThe AMX192 specification allows either oftwo connectors to be used. Nearly allcurrent equipment which supports thisprotocol uses the full size 4 pin XLRconnector. However, older equipment maybe encountered which still uses the mini-XLR connector.

Connector: XLR-4Transmitter: Male Receiver: Female

Pin Signal Name1 Analog Common2 Clock +3 Analog Level4 Clock -

Connector: Mini-XLREquipment: Female Cables: Male

Pin Signal Name1 Clock-2 Analog Common3 Clock +4 Analog Level

C o n t r o l S i g n a l C a b l i n gf o r 0 - 1 0 V D C A n a l o g

26

Fundamenta ls

Any IPS dimmer system may be suppliedfrom the factory fitted to receive 6 discrete0-10 VDC analog control inputs in additionto either DMX512 or AMX192. When sofitted, a female 9 pin 'D' sub-miniatureconnector is installed in the blank openingon the Head-End Processor.

Analog control inputs interact with eitherof the other two protocols in a "Highestlevel takes precedence" fashion.

Basic Connect ions

Though extremely simple in principle,analog control systems can be verycomplex in execution. The idea, simplyput, is that a dedicated wire carries thecontrol signal for each dimmer in thesystem. For small numbers of dimmers thisis extremely easy to set-up, howevercomplexity increases proportionally as thenumber of dimmers increases. In addition,there are many opportunities for hand-wired custom connections which may behard to decipher after they are in place.

If the output of your controller is aterminal strip, it should be relatively easyto connect the cable running to the IPS. Ifthe output of your controller uses somekind of multi-pin connector an adapter will

need to be built. Since it is unlikely thatthe control signals from your console arebundled in groups of six, it may be usefulto build a junction box with terminal stripsin which the control signals may be re-routed. By providing a terminal for eachcontrol signal and a common bus for all ofthe return connections it becomes asimple matter to group the signals foreach cable run.

IPS dimmers are factory adjusted tooperate on analog control signals rangingfrom 0 to +10 VDC. Since the output ofanalog consoles can drift with age, the IPSHead-End can be re-trimmed by the user tomatch the actual console output. See the"Analog Input Trim" function in theDimmer System User's Guide.

Cables and Connectors

Recommended CableThe cable to each IPS unit with analogcontrol should be seven wire, 20 gage,stranded multi-conductor, with no shield.Typical choices are:

Mfg. TypeAlpha 1896/7Belden 9439

ConnectorsConnector: DB-9Source: Male Receiver: Female

Pin Signal Name1 Control 12 Control 23 Control 34 Control 45 Control 56 Control 6

7,8,9 Signal Common

D i m m e r S y s t e mF u n d a m e n t a l s

27

This chapter applies to all IPS Dimmer Systems.

The Intelligent Power System dimmer represents the most significant advancein dimming technology since the introduction of electronic dimming over 40years ago. By applying microprocessors, the latest in power handlingsemiconductors, and a systems engineering design approach, IPS redefinesthe state of the art. Your lighting system will never be the same again!

The IPS dimmer is a multi-mode unit which automatically analyzes itsconnected load and picks the most appropriate dimming technique.Depending on the load, the dimmer will use either Reverse Phase Control (RPC)or Forward Phase Control (FPC). Whenever possible, the dimmer will chooseRPC because of the advantages it offers in terms of reduced lamp noise andincreased regulation accuracy. Both techniques control the average powerapplied to the load by limiting current flow to only certain portions of eachpower line half cycle.

Forward Phase Control is the technique used by all previous electronicdimmers, although earlier implementations have been far less sophisticatedthan IPS. This scheme only allows current to flow during the latter portion ofeach half cycle. As the relative duration of the conducting portion is increased,so is the average power applied to the load, and hence its brightness.

Reverse Phase Control, on the other hand, limits current flow to the earlyportions of each half cycle. The dimmer monitors the power applied to theload in real time during the half cycle and adjusts its switch-off point asneeded to regulate the light output.

When switching-off the output in each half cycle, it is important to control theslope of the falling wave form so as to minimize the acoustic noise made bythe lamp filament, and the radio frequency noise radiated by the dimmer.Previous dimming technologies accomplished this by placing a large coil ofwire in series with the output of the dimmer. The unique power stage in IPSdimmers allows this function to be performed directly in the dimmer. Bystretching this fall time out to 450 or even 800 µS, IPS dimmers achieveexceptionally quiet operation without high insertion losses, and without theline distortion caused by inductors.

As you can see, IPS is a unique and highly sophisticated dimmer which freesyou from many of the limitations of previous systems.

IIIPSDimmerUser'sGuide

H e a d - E n d P r o c e s s o rO p e r a t i o n a n d P r o g r a m m i n g

28

Basic Concepts

The Head-End Processor is thecommunications manager for the IPSdimmer system. It receives the DMX512data stream, determines which portion ofthe data is applicable and then instructsthe dimmers to go to output levelsaccordingly. It queries the dimmers foroperating status, and makes this dataavailable both on the local 4 digit displayand over the DMX512 network. It acceptscontrol input from its three push buttonsto allow operating modes to be selectedand data to be displayed.

The 4 digit display is the primary indicatorof the Head-End operating state. In normaloperation it displays a dash "-" characterwhich repeatedly marches across the digitpositions. Head-End menus are selectedwith the 'L' button and are indicated byletter or number codes on the display. Nomatter what menu is selected, after acouple of minutes the Head-Endautomatically returns to the "Normal"state.

The two individual LEDs (1 and 2) are usedto indicate special conditions. LED 1indicates that a DMX512 or AMX192 datastream is not present, and LED 2 indicatesthat the dimmer system is in PresetPlayback mode.

All parameters which may be set in theHead-End menus may also be set by acommand data stream on the DMX512network. Refer to the controller's usersguide for information on the remotesetting of dimmer parameters.

Head-E nd ProcessorM enus

Normal

Display reads: [- - - -]Dashes march through digits.

Operation:L Button: Change to "Display/Set

Address" menu.C Button: No action.R button: No action.

This is the state the dimmer system willmaintain during normal remote controloperation.

"Display/Set Address" menu

Display reads: [A x x x]A = Menu indicator.x x x = Address in decimal.

Operation:L Button: Change to "Playback Preset"

menu.C Button: Increase Address by 3.R Button: Decrease Address by 3.

This menu allows the DMX512 or AMX192network address of the first dimmer in theunit to be examined and set. To set theaddress, change the number in the displaywith the 'C' and 'R' buttons, and then exitthe menu by pressing the 'L' button.

"Playback Preset" menu

Display reads: [P L A x]P L A = Menu indicator.x = Preset number. (1 - 6 or "-")

Operation:L Button: Change to "Local Dimmer

Control" menu.C Button: No Action.R Button: Select next Preset.

This menu allows one of the six internalpresets to be selected for playback. Tochoose a preset, change the number in thedisplay with the 'R' button, and then exit


29

the menu by pressing the 'L' button. Apreset selected in this manner willautomatically come on any time thedimmer system is powered. To disablepreset playback, press the 'R' button untilthe display shows a dash "-" and then exitthe menu as above.

"Local Dimmer Control"menu

Display reads: [L x y y]L = Menu indicator.x = Dimmer number. (1 - 6)y y = Locally set level in Decimal.

(00 - 99, FL)

Operation:L Button: Change to "Record Preset"

menu.C Button: Select next dimmer.R Button: Increase level of selected

dimmer.

This menu allows individual dimmer levelsto be set from the Head-End keyboard.Select the dimmer to set with the 'C'button. Set the dimmer's level with the 'R'button. Exit the menu with the 'L' button. Ifno DMX512 or AMX192 data stream ispresent, and the discrete analog inputs areat zero, these locally set levels will remainon indefinitely. If console data is present,the levels will be terminated as soon as themenu is exited.

"Record Preset" menu

Display reads: [r E C x]r E C = Menu indicator.x = Preset number. (1 - 6 or "-")


Dimmer Preheat" menu.C Button: No Action.R Button: Next Preset.

This menu allows levels which have beenset from the console, by the "Local DimmerControl" menu, or by the individualdimmer Focus Buttons to be saved into

internal presets for later playback. Torecord a preset, first set the desired levels,then enter this menu. Select the presetnumber to record with the 'R' button andthen exit the menu with the 'L' button. Ifthe dash "-" is displayed when the menu isexited, no preset record will take place.

"Display/Set DimmerPreheat" menu

Display reads: [P = x x]P = = Menu indicator.x x = Preheat mode. ("- -" or "On")


Dimmer Response Speed"menu.

C Button: No Action.R Button: Toggle Preheat Setting.

This menu allows dimmer preheatoperation to be enabled or disabled for alldimmers in the unit . Change the settingwith the 'R' button, then exit the menuwith the 'L' button.

When preheat is set to "On", the dimmerswill automatically apply a small voltage tolamps which are off to keep them fromgetting "cold". This is useful when it isnecessary to get large wattage lamps tocome on as quickly as possible.

It is not a good idea to enable preheat inall of the dimmers in a venue as this willcause tremendous amounts of current tobe drawn from the power service eventhough no lights are on. Use the preheatfunction judiciously on the lamps whichreally need it, but otherwise leave it off.


30

"Display/Set DimmerResponse Speed" menu

Display reads: [S P x x]S P = Menu indicator.x x = Speed Indicator. (20 - 55 or "FA")

Operation:L Button: Change to "Display/Set Fan

Mode" or "Display ConsoleData" menu.

C Button: Next Response Selection.R Button: Enable Controlled Response.

This menu allows the dimmer responsetime for all dimmers in the package to beset to one of 9 values. Enable controlledresponse with the 'R' button. Select theresponse time with the 'C' button, thenexit the menu with the 'L' button.

The Speed indicator is decoded as follows:

FA = As fast as possible20 = 200mS25 = 250mS30 = 300mS35 = 350mS40 = 400mS45 = 450mS50 = 500mS55 = 550mS.

Controlled response time is used tonormalize the amount of time differentsized lamps take to come on. The factorydefault setting is 350mS. When set to "FA",low wattage lamps will come on noticeablyfaster than high wattage lamps.

"Display/Set Fan Mode"menu

Display reads: [F = x x]F = = Menu indicator.x x = Mode indicator. ("°C" or "On")

Operation:L Button: Change to "Display Console

Data" menu.C Button: No Action.R Button: Toggle Fan Mode.

This menu only appears on IPS-DB seriesdimmer systems. It allows the fanoperation mode in these units to be set.Select the mode with the 'R' button, thenexit the menu with the 'L' button. Whenthe mode indicator reads "°C" the fan willcome on if any dimmer in the box exceeds45°C and will go off again when alldimmers are below 35°C. When it reads"On", the fan will come on any time aDMX512 or AMX192 signal is present, andwill go off again when the signal isremoved and all dimmers are below 35°C.

"Display Console Data"menu

Display reads: [d x y y]d = Menu indicator.x = Dimmer number. (1 - 6)y y = Console level in Hexadecimal.

(00 - FF)

Operation:L Button: Change to "Display/Set Non-

Dims" menu.C Button: Select next dimmer.R Button: No action.

This menu displays the actual DMX512,AMX192 or Analog level which has beenset for each dimmer.

"Display/Set Non-Dims"menu

Display reads: [n x y y]n = Menu indicator.x = Dimmer number. (1 - 6)y y = Non-Dim threshold level in decimal

("--", 01 - 98)

Operation:L Button: Change to "Analog Input

Trim" menu, "Display/SetDemo Unit Input Mode"menu, or "Display/SetAddress" menu.

C Button: Select next dimmer.R Button: Increase threshold level.


31

This menu allows individual dimmers to beconfigured for "Non-Dim" operation. Selectthe dimmer to configure with the 'C'button, set the "Non-Dim" threshold levelwith the 'R' button, then exit the menuwith the 'L' button. The "Non-Dim"threshold is the input level at which thedimmer will switch from full off to full on.Select a threshold of "- -" to convert adimmer back to normal operation. Whenselected as a "Non-Dim", a dimmer will notattempt to regulate its output.

"Analog Input Trim" menu

Display reads: [A n x x]A n = Menu indicator.x x = Trim operation to perform.

("--", "FL", "00")

Operation:L Button: Change to "Display/Set Demo

Unit Input Mode" menu, or"Display/Set Address" menu.

C Button: Select trim operation.R Button: Execute trim operation.

This menu only appears on IPS dimmersystems which have an AMX192 or Analoginput option Installed. It allows the analoginput section to be calibrated to the actualcontrol voltage used by the controlconsole.

For AMX, set the first dimmer on the datalink to FULL. For Discrete Analog set allcontrol inputs to FULL. Select the "FL" trimfunction with the 'C' button, then executethe function with the 'R' button. Return allcontrol levels to Zero. Select the "00" trimfunction with the 'C' button, then executethe function and the 'R' button. Exit themenu with the 'L' button.

"Display/Set Demo UnitInput Mode" menu

Display reads: [- x x -]- - = Menu indicator.x x = Input mode indicator.

("CO", or "PC")


Address" menu.C Button: No action.R Button: Toggle input mode.

This menu only appears on IPSdemonstrator units. It allows the DMX512input to be configured for either normalconsole operation (-CO-), or for connectionto the IPS demonstration program runningon a personal computer (-PC-). Press the 'R'button to toggle the mode selection, thenpress the 'L' button to exit the menu.

Diagnostic Error Report

Display reads: [E r r x]E r r = Menu indicator.x = Error Code. (1 - 7)


Address" menu.C Button: No action.R Button: No action.

This display will only be seen if the dimmersystem detects an internal error uponpower-up. Error codes are:

Code Definition1 Head-End ROM Checksum error.2 E2PROM was blank, or invalid and

has been re-initialized.3 One or more dimmers are absent

or not responding.4 Reserved.5 Head-End and dimmers are not all

configured for the same voltage.6 One or more dimmers have

reported a fatal error.7 Unit is miswired to high voltage.

D i m m e r O p e r a t i o n

32

Cont ro ls and Ind ica tors

Each dimmer in an IPS system is a self containedmicro-computer system having a power supply,a micro-processor, memory, and acommunication channel as well as powercontrol and sensing electronics. Each dimmer iscapable of determining both the line and loadvoltage, the load current, and its own operatingtemperature, and adjusts its operationaccordingly.

Focus ButtonIPS dimmers normally operate under the controlof the Head-End processor. When conditionsrequire an operator to locally turn on a circuit,the "Focus" button is used. The action of thisbutton is a function of the current state of thedimmer.

If the dimmer is set to a level of zero by thecontrol console ( or the Head-End processor)then the Focus button behaves as follows: If thedimmer is presently off, a tap on the button willtake it to full on. If the dimmer is presently on,a tap will turn it off. Whether on or off, pressingand holding the button will cause the dimmer toramp up in intensity. Releasing the button willthen cause the dimmer to hold an intermediatelevel.

Lights turned on in this fashion will remain onindefinitely. However, when the control console(or Head-End) subsequently sets a non-zerolevel for a dimmer, the focus level will becanceled, and the dimmer will once again followthe higher priority control.

If the dimmer is already set to a non-zero levelby the control console (or Head-End) the Focusbutton becomes a "Flash-to-Full" control ,overriding the set level only while the button ispressed.

LEDsThe two LEDs associated with each dimmerreport various operating conditions. Theindications are as follows:

Red LED Green LED ConditionOff Off Normal OperationOff Flashing No LoadOff On Focus Mode

FlashingQuickly

Off Over-sized Load orOverload

FlashingSlowly

Off Over Temperature

On Off Other error (QueryStatus Monitor)

Flashing Flashing Mis-Wire to LineVoltage

Load Ty pes

IPS dimmers are designed to operate a widevariety of lighting loads of up to their ratedcapacity. The range of load types which may beconnected includes incandescent lamps, and anumber of "well-behaved" inductive loads suchas low-voltage (step-down transformer)incandescent lamps, fluorescent lamps, andmost types of small motors.

IPS dimmers are NOT designed to drive largemotor loads (3 Amps or greater), or motors withstart-up capacitors. Attempting to drive suchloads may damage the dimming electronics.

When operating low-voltage type fixtures,observe the following precautions: If the fixturehas a conventional magnetic transformer, besure it has internal fusing and is approved fordimming by its manufacturer. Load the IPSdimmer to only 80% of its capacity (960VA for a1.2KW dimmer) to compensate for losses in thetransformers. If the fixture has an "electronictransformer", make sure it is approved fordimming by its manufacturer.

Neon signs can be particularly difficult to dimas they tend to reflect back nearly all of theenergy which is applied to them. For bestresults with neon, an IPS dimmer should beloaded to no more than 50% of its capacity(600VA for a 1.2KW dimmer), should beconfigured for Forward Phase Control operation,and should have an incandescent load of 100 to


33

200 watts added to help absorb the reflectedenergy. Failure to take these precautions mayresult in damage to the dimming electronics.

Also, for best results, increase the neontransformer voltage 50% over the normalrequirements for the selected length anddiameter of the tube. Use only Low Power Factor(without power factor compensation), currentlimiting, high-voltage transformers. Mount thetransformer with the lamp it operates. This willincrease lamp stability and dimming range.Neon tubes must be pumped for a hard vacuumto minimize impurities in the lamp to insureflicker-free operation at low light levels.

To place a dimmer into Forced Forward PhaseControl mode, follow this procedure:

On the Head-End Processor, press the 'L' buttonuntil you are in the "Playback Preset" menu.Press and hold the 'C' button until the left handdigit changes to 'H'. Press the 'L' button threemore times until the left hand digit changes to'C'. Press the 'C' button until the second digitshows the number of the dimmer you wish tomodify (1 - 6). Press the 'R' button until thethird digit shows '2'. Press the 'L' button threemore times until the left hand digit changes to'A'.

To return a dimmer to normal dimmingoperation, follow the same procedure asoutlined above, except when pressing the 'R'button change the third digit to '0', instead of'2'.

Dimming M odes

The IPS dimmer is capable of several operationalmodes, and automatically selects the one whichis best suited to the particular load and powerservice to which it is connected. As the dimmerbrings a load up from zero it performs ananalysis of its output voltage and current todetermine which mode to use. The operator willnever be aware that this has occurred, exceptby noting the reported dimming mode on theStatus Monitor.

The four modes in which the dimmer mayoperate are Trial, Warm-up, Normal FPC, andNormal RPC. In each mode the dimmer analyzesits operating parameters to determine if it ispermissible to move to the next mode.

When coming up from a level of zero, thedimmer is in the Trial mode and makes aninitial determination of the character of theload. If it appears to be a normal incandescentlamp which is already warm, the dimmer willmove immediately to the Normal RPC dimmingmode. Otherwise it moves to the Warm-upmode.

In Warm-up mode the dimmer applies power tothe load in a current limited fashion bringing itto the point of incandescence as rapidly aspossible. When the voltage and current on theload indicate that it is thoroughly heated, thedimmer moves to the Normal RPC dimmingmode.

In normal RPC mode the dimmer handles theload with a reverse phase control wave formwhich is optimal for normal incandescent lamps.Unless the load exhibits some aberrantbehavior, the dimmer will stay in this modeuntil the level is returned to zero. If the load orthe service shows a significant inductivecharacteristic, the dimmer will switch to NormalFPC mode as this is the best way to handle aninductive load.

In Normal FPC mode, the dimmer behaves muchlike a conventional SCR based dimmer, handlingthe load with a forward phase control waveform.

Non-Dim OperationWhen set for Non-dim operation, the IPS dimmerbypasses the dimming modes mentioned above,and simply switches into full conduction.Normal overload protection is still active, butthe dimmer does not attempt to regulate itsoutput voltage. Non-dim mode is intended tocontrol small motors and fans such as thosefound in color scrollers and scenic projectors. Itis NOT designed to run large loads or flashpots!

Thermal Pro tec t ion

The portion of the IPS output wave form whichgenerates the most heat is the transition fromon to off (off to on for FPC). This portion isknown as the transition time, and its durationdirectly affects the amount of heat generated.Unlike any other dimmer, the IPS dimmer cancontrol the duration of this portion of its output


34

wave form and thus, to a certain degree, itsoperating temperature.

If the dimmer is in its normal operatingtemperature range, it will use the longesttransition time available (800 µS for 2.4KW and6.0KW dimmers, 450 µS for 1.2KW dimmers).Should its operating temperature reach 85°C(likely only if the ambient temperature is veryhigh), it will automatically select a shortertransition time to reduce the amount of heatgenerated. In many cases this will be sufficientto stabilize the temperature. Should thetemperature continue to rise, and reach 95°C,the dimmer will completely shut down toprevent an over temperature failure. After anover temperature shut-down the temperaturemust drop to 50°C and the level must be resetto zero to resume normal operation.

Over load Pro tec t ion

The IPS dimmer can detect an overload in one oftwo ways, either by calculating the load sizefrom the measured voltage and current, or bythe hardware current limiter tripping andshutting down the output. The former protectsthe dimmer from mis-sized loads, such as 2000watts connected to a 1.2KW dimmer. The latterprotects the dimmer from catastrophic faultslike short circuits. The Over-sized loadthreshold is about 35% above the nominaldimmer capacity, roughly 1600 Watts for a 1.2K,3200 Watts for a 2.4K, and 8000 Watts for a6.0K. This gives enough latitude for lampmanufacturing tolerances and load shift withtemperature, yet still protects the dimmer fromgross loading errors.

Once an overload has been detected, thedimmer spends about 5 seconds monitoring theload before deciding to shut down. If thehardware current limit caused the fault, the loadis monitored at extremely low voltages. If thefault has not cleared at the end of this time, thedimmer shuts down and reports the error.Depending on the cause, the Status Monitor willshow either "Over-sized Load", or "Overload".

The load must be reduced to the correct sizeand the level must be reset to zero before thedimmer will resume normal operation.

Lamp Response cont ro ls

In almost all cases it is desirable to have lampsof different wattages and types respond to levelchanges at the same rate. Yet the intrinsicphysical properties of different lamp typescause each one to respond differently. The IPSsystem contains two features which help blendacross these differences, Controlled ResponseTime, and Lamp Preheat. While these aretechnically Head-End functions, theysignificantly affect the perceived performance ofthe dimmer and so warrant discussion here.

Controlled Response Time sets the maximumrate at which changes in level can occur. Thishas the effect of "slowing down" small lamps sothey behave more like larger ones. Studies in anactual production environment showed that aresponse time of 350 mS adequately blends alltypical theatrical lamps without addingsignificant "lag" to the system. IPS units may beset to any of nine values from "as fast aspossible" up to 550 mS. An example whichwould use a setting of "as fast as possible" isthe traditional "marquee" chase in which smallwattage lamps are switched on and off in rapidsuccession. A long response time will tend toblur the individual steps of this kind of effect.

As somewhat the inverse of controlledresponse, Lamp Preheat is used to "speed up"large wattage lamps so they behave more likesmaller ones. This function applies a very smallvoltage to a lamp when it is set to a level ofzero to warm its filament and hence shorten thetime it takes to come on. This would be used tomake a few 6K loads in a rig respond more likethe 1K and 2K loads.

Please Note: It is a bad idea to preheat everylamp in a venue because a tremendous amountof current will be consumed even though nolight is being produced. If you have a few smalllamps in a rig composed mostly of 6Ks, set along response time on the small lamps ratherthan preheating all the big ones.

S t a t u s M o n i t o rF u n d a m e n t a l s

35

This chapter applies to Status Monitor model IPS-SM-101.

The IPS-SM-101 Status Monitor is a data display and analysis unit for reportingthe operational status of an IPS dimmer system. It passively monitors both theconsole's DMX512 data and the IPS talkback data to build a complete record ofsystem activity. This collected information is then processed into a number ofstatus displays which allow the operator to check any operational aspect at aglance. In addition, the unit is sensitive to changes in reported status andalerts the operator when such changes occur.

Keypad

➊ Function Keys: Select status display modes and initiate special functions .Current definition shown at bottom of video screen.

➋ Number Keys: Allow selection of specific dimmers for study in DimmerDetail display.

➌ Cursor Keys: Move dimmer pointer through Status Overview display,selecting dimmer for study in Dimmer Detail display.

➍ Additional Cursor Keys: Left key = Home. Right key = End.

Status Display

➊ System Message area. Data link status and operator alerts.

➋ Dimmer Status Overview area.

➌ Status Detail area.

➍ Function key definitions.

IIIStatusMonitorUser'sGuide

S t a t u s M o n i t o r F u n c t i o n s

36

S ta tus Overv iew

When the unit powers up, it is in the StatusOverview display in which the bottom halfof the display contains a key to StatusOverview symbols and the function keysmay be used to select each display mode.

The normal 'Status OK' indicator is a solidblock so that a group of good dimmerssimply appears as a solid band. Thiscauses any dimmer with a special conditionto call attention to itself.

Dimmer Deta i l

Status Detail area contains complete statusinformation for one dimmer. Dimmer isselected with cursor keys or number pad.Information is divided into threecategories, Dimmer Configuration,Operating Status, and Alerts.

Dimmer Configuration shows the actualnumber of the dimmer displayed, the DMXaddress of the package which contains it,It's offset within the package, and itsrating in Kilowatts.

The Toggle Detail function (F5) changesthe display to additionally show The totalnumber of dimmers in the package, thepackage firmware revision, the full outputvoltage, the fall/rise time mode, and theload/source mode (Review the DimmerSystem User's Guide for an explanation ofthese modes).

The Operating Status display shows thedimmer's present heatsink temperature indegrees C, its present output level, itsconnected load in Kilowatts and the loadtype, and the present power line voltage.

The load size report is accurate toapproximately +/- 20%. The load type is anindication of whether the dimmer isoperating in reverse or forward phasecontrol mode. Sometimes an incandescentload will be reported as inductive due to

high inductance in the building wiring orservice transformer.

The Alerts display shows any exceptionalconditions which have been reported bythe dimmer. These reports include suchconditions as No Load, Focus Mode, OverTemperature, and Overload.

Sy stem Load

Status Detail area contains a connectedload analysis display showing utilization ofavailable mains power and load balanceamong phases. Information is divided intothree categories, On Line, Connected Load,and On Line Capacity

The On Line area shows the total numberof IPS dimmer packages connected to thesystem along with the total number ofdimmers.

The Connected Load area shows totals ofthe actual connected load wattage on thesystem. Totals are shown for the entiresystem and also for each power line phase.The percentage of the connected load oneach phase is shown in tabular and graphicform.

The On Line Capacity area shows the sumof the capacities of all dimmers in thesystem. This sum is also broken out bypower line phase. This area also shows thepercentage of the system capacity which ispresently in use. These percentages arepresented in both tabular and graphicform.

Note: For the values presented in thisdisplay to be accurate, all dimmers in thesystem must be connected to the powerline in the same fashion, and have beenbrought up to a non-zero level for at least30 seconds. Refer to the Installation Guidefor recommended wiring practice.

Also Note: Wattage numbers in thisdisplay are rounded to the nearest 1000watts. Sometimes the total of the three


37

phases appears to be off by 1000 wattsdue to this rounding.

Phase ActualValue

RoundedValue

A 1200 1000B 1200 1000C 1200 1000

Total 3600 4000

Conf igura t ion Snapshot

Status Detail area contains a comparisondisplay revealing discrepancies betweenthe present system configuration andconnected load, and the values previouslystored. This display is divided into threeareas, one for checking individualdimmers, one for system wide totals, andone for comparison analysis.

The dimmer area shows all the presentinformation and all the stored informationabout any single dimmer in the system.Dimmers are selected for examination withthe cursor keys and number pad as in theDimmer Detail display. The F2 NextChange and F3 Next Dimmer functionsmay also be used to select dimmers.

The totals area shows the present numberof IPS packages and dimmers connected tothe system compared to stored counts.

The comparison area reports the totalnumber of discrepancies found, and thenature of each.

Recording a SnapshotThe Status Monitor will record up to three"Snapshots" of the system configurationand connected load for later use. Torecord one of these Snapshots, press thefollowing keys while in the SnapshotConfig menu:

F4 Record Snapshot

to start the process, and then one of thefour following to complete the process:

F2 Record Snap 1F3 Record Snap 2F4 Record Snap 3F5 Cancel Record.

Selecting a Snapshot forComparisonTo select one of the previously recordedSnapshots for comparison to the presentsystem configuration, press the followingkeys while in the Snapshot Config menu:

F5 Select Snapshot

to start the process, and then one of thefour following to complete the process:

F2 Select Snap 1F3 Select Snap 2F4 Select Snap 3F5 Select None.

Any time a Snapshot is selected forcomparison, the Status Monitor willautomatically alert the operator to changesin system configuration or connected load.

DM X512 Ana ly zer

Status Detail area contains a DMX512traffic analysis display. This display isdivided into three areas, Received DMX,Console Data statistics, and Dimmer Datastatistics.

The Received DMX area displays the actuallevels transmitted by the console for threeor six dimmers and a traveling bar graphrepresenting the talk back data for thesesame dimmers.

Compare the DMX levels to those shownon the console's screen to verify correctdata transmission. Check the smoothnessof the bar graphs' movement to verifysuccessful talkback data transmission.Jerky or uneven movement of the bargraphindicates a likely DMX address conflict.


38

The Console Statistics area presents threecharacteristics of the data transmission:Dimmers per Packet, Packets per Second,and Framing Error count.

Dimmers per Packet indicates the numberof data bytes the console is sending ineach repetition of the DMX512 datapacket. Packets per Second indicates thenumber of times a second a complete DMXpacket is transmitted. Framing Errors is arunning total of the number of DMX databytes received from the console whichgenerated framing errors.

The Dimmer Statistics area presents threecharacteristics of the dimmer talkbackdata transmission: Framing Error count,Last DMX address at which an erroroccurred, and Protocol Error count.

Framing and Protocol errors typically occurwhen two IPS units are set to the sameDMX address, or when the DMX data cableis improperly terminated. These runningcounts provide a good indication of thegeneral health of the DMX512 network.The DMX address of the last error is usefulin tracking down IPS units set tooverlapping addresses.

The "Zero Errors" function (F5) resets allrunning error counts to zero.

Opt ion Se lec t

Status Detail area shows current settingsof all operator preference parameters andscreen titles.

TitlesF2 EDIT TITLES starts the title editor.Function keys change to allow selection oftitle to edit. Press one of the following tostart editing a title:

F2 Edit MainF3 Edit Snap 1F4 Edit Snap 2F5 Edit Snap 3

The selected field will be highlighted inreverse video. Use ! and " to select acharacter in the title to modify. Use # and $ to change the value of the selectedcharacter. F2 RESET TO BLANKS clears thetitle. F3 CENTER TEXT moves the text tothe center of the title line. F4 CANCEL EDITquits the title editor with no changesmade. F5 RECORD EDIT quits the editorand saves the new title.

OptionsF4 NEXT OPTION and F5 CHANGE VALUEare used to set the values of the operatorpreference parameters.

DMX Starting Address sets the name offirst dimmer displayed. If your system hasonly one DMX link, set this value to '0001'.If you have more than one DMX link, setthis value to one higher than the lastdimmer on the previous link. Use thenumber pad to enter the value (enter allfour digits), or use F5 CHANGE VALUE toselect one of the standard values.

Dimmers to Display selects whether 256or 512 dimmers are shown in the DimmerOverview display. Choose the setting whichbest suits your system.

Auto Detail on Alert when set to ONcauses the display to automatically changeto Dimmer Detail any time an alertcondition is received from a dimmer.

Snapshot Load Size ∆∆∆∆ selects theminimum amount a load value mustchange before it generates an alert. Thepreferred setting is 200W. Some largelamps, however, may actually shift morethan 200 Watts as they warm up andgenerate false alerts. If this occurs, changethe setting to 400W

Screen Saver when set to ON causes thescreen to blank after 5 minutes of nokeyboard activity. This helps preventimage burn-in on the video screen. Anykeystroke will restore the screen.

U s i n g a S t a t u s M o n i t o r t oT r o u b l e s h o o t Y o u r S y s t e m

39

To understand the uses of the StatusMonitor, let's look at a large hypotheticaltouring system and see how the SM-101can make installation and troubleshootingmuch easier. The features of our rig are amix of those found in several real-world IPSInstallations. They include:

• One console with 512channels/dimmers, DMX output, profiles,24 Submasters, and patching

• One SM-101 Status Monitor

• One SA-108 Distribution Amplifier EachSA-108 output drives one part of thesystem.

• 50 IPS DS-1206 strips (300 1.2kWdimmers) for on-stage electrics andtowers

• 24 DMX color scrollers

• 48 2.4kW conventional DMX dimmers ina rack for front of house circuits (Thisrack belongs to the house)

• 24 motorized pattern wheels poweredfrom IPS dimmer outputs

• 2 fog machines powered from rackdimmer outputs

• 4 DMX moving lights

• Low-voltage special effects lights

• Lots of DMX cable

Each piece of equipment has been checkedout "stand-alone" and works.

The console DMX output connects to theinput of the SM-101 Status Monitor. Theoutput of the SM-101 connects to the SA-108 Distribution Amp. The SA-108 driveseight separate DMX cable runs which carryDMX512 data to all parts of the theatre. Inwringing-out the system, we will "de-bug"each element in turn.

The ConsoleStart by turning on the console andconnecting it to the SM-101. Don't connect

the SM-101 to the SA-108 just yet. PressF4, DMX ANALYZER on the Status Monitor.The CONSOLE DATA area will give you theconsole's vital statistics. It will tell you thatvalid DMX is being received, the refreshrate, and whether framing errors areoccurring. If these fields are blank, orshow numbers that jump all over the place,check that the console is set up to sendDMX, and that it has a valid patch. If youhave data errors, check the data cable.

The RECEIVED DMX area displays the actualDMX levels transmitted by the console.Verify that the console patch is correct byselecting dimmers or channels andwatching the levels. Remember, the StatusMonitor doesn't operate on or change thedata stream in any way. It is simply aviewport into your DMX data. If it says thatdimmer 263 is at 27% when you think itshould be at FULL, trust the SM-101 andcheck the console setup.

Problems in console setup (patching,Submasters, profiles, etc.) is one of themajor sources of trouble in a DMXinstallation!

We will return to this screen later when it'stime to set up the scrollers, fog machines,and moving lights.

The Distribution AmpTurn on the SA-108 with nothing pluggedin. Make sure that all the red POWER LEDSare on. Make sure the green and yellowdata LEDS are off, showing an idle (nodata) link. Connect the DMX cable from theSM-101 to the FROM CONSOLE input. Thegreen DMX LEDS should be on. A fastconsole sending all levels at zero mightshow a steady on, while a slower consolesending all levels at FULL might pulse. Geta feel for the "typical" look of the DMX LED.

IPS DimmersThese are the easiest to set up, so we'll dothem first. Power up the bar at DMX


40

address 001. Set the termination switch tothe TERMINATE position.

Connect the DMX cable from the firstoutput of the SA-108 to the dimmer's DMXinput. Plug in a test load. Tap the localfocus button on the dimmer to verify thatthe dimmer and load are OK.

When the DMX was connected to the IPSdimmer, the yellow TLK LED on the SA-108output started to pulse, showing thepresence of talkback data. The yellow LEDon the TO CONSOLE link is also pulsing,showing talkback data on the link. Thetalkback data is synchronized to the DMX,so faster consoles make the TLK LED flashmore rapidly.

On the SM-101 main screen a solid whiteblock representing the first six dimmersshould have appeared. Press F1, DIMMERDETAIL, and look at the vital signs. Raiseand lower the dimmer level at the consoleand watch the level display change.Disconnect the load, and watch the NOLOAD warnings appear. Press the focusbutton and the indicator will change.

Move the termination switch on 001 to theunterminated position and power up andconnect the dimmer at address 007.Terminate it, and verify that it is reportingback correctly.

At this point, flushed with success,unterminate 007, connect and power-upthe remaining eight bars on this link,which have been preset to the correctaddresses. Make sure the last bar on thelink is terminated. The screen shows solidwhite for the first 60 dimmers. Perfect!

This process continues uneventfullythrough the second and third SA-108 links.The fourth link is powered up and . . .disaster! ALL the talkback data has goneberserk. Whole sections of the screen arecoming and going, and every kind of weirderror is being reported . . . whathappened?

Most likely, two bars are set at the sameaddress, causing talkback collisions. PressF4, DMX ANALYZER. The DIMMER DATAdisplay shows a continuously increasingerror count. Press F5, ZERO ERRORS. Theerrors reset to zero and immediatelyincrease. The system may be reporting theaddress where the overlap has occurred. Ifso, selectively power down bars untilnormal operation is restored. Or, sincebars set at duplicate addresses will bothrespond to levels, step through thedimmers at the console until two dimmerscome up simultaneously. Correct theaddress on the offending dimmer systemand continue.

If duplicate addressing is not the problem,then improper termination is the nextmost likely suspect. If the last bar on thelink is not terminated, talkback data maynot be reliably transmitted. The DMX cableacts as an antenna for noise that cangarble all talkback transmissions, not justthose on that particular link.

The opposite case is too manyterminations. The signal is swamped outby the excessive loading. In either case,check each unit and make sure that theterminations are correct.

The next possibility is a bad cable. Iftalkback is fine on a link, up to a point,and gone after that, check the cable.

Problems with incorrect addressing andtermination are probably the single largestcause of problems in DMX installations!

In this case, the bar intended for address102 was really set to address 105, andoverlapped with the unit at address 107.The SM-101 pinpointed the collisionaddress. It's worth noting that bringingunits on-line one at a time when a rig isfirst set up can catch these sorts ofproblems very quickly. It is often faster todo this than to turn everything on andthen try to chase down why nothing seemsto work.


41

Let's assume that the rest of the IPSdimmers come on-line without incident.

Conventional DimmersAll we can do is set the starting address ofthe rack. It can't talk back, so we won'tknow about overloads, burn-outs, and thelike. The SM-101 will tell us that theconsole is patched correctly, at least.

Color ScrollersThe color scrollers have been mounted andconnected into the DMX links. A fewscrollers have been set to the wrongaddress, which takes a while to find sincethey can't talkback. Some scrollers havebeen having some problems getting to thecorrect color. The SM-101 DMX ANALYZERscreen will display the hex value theconsole is transmitting, along with thepercentage level. Here, the console usedan odd translation that caused certain hexvalues to be missed. The cues were re-written to take this into account.

One scroller killed the talkback data fromall dimmers downstream when plugged in.It was an older model that didn't pass DMXpins 4 & 5 back through. If you have manyscrollers like this, drive them from aseparate SA-108 output with no IPS unitssharing the link. This can also happen withdimmer banks, or any DMX device thatplays fast and loose with the DMXspecification.

Moving LightsMoving lights have the same issues asscrollers, only worse. Many of them don'tpass DMX pins 4 & 5 back. Some of themuse completely non-standard electricalinterfaces to the DMX link and re-transmitthe data from fixture to fixture. It isstrongly suggested, unless you knowotherwise, that moving lights be placed ontheir own separate link on the SA-108.

The SM-101 again can be helpful in makingsure that the console is sending thecorrect hex values for the various movinglight attributes.

Motorized Pattern WheelsA nice thing about IPS dimmers is theirability to control inductive loads, like smallmotors. The wheels plug into the dimmersand the speed is set by the console in thecue. Two wheels were plugged into thewrong dimmers. Since the load type forthese dimmers was reported as "inductive,"it was easy to spot the error and get themreplugged.

Low-Voltage Special EffectsLightsA number of set pieces have severalhundred 12 volt lamps driven from step-down transformers. The first time thesewere turned on, two of the six dimmerscontrolling them reported "overloadshutdowns." The problem was traced to ashort-circuit in the wiring in the set. Thecombination of an overload-protecteddimmer and status reporting made thispotentially dangerous problem easy to findand fix.

Fog MachinesThe fog machine motors were poweredfrom the house dimmer bank.Unfortunately, these dimmers cannotcontrol a motor load. The operation waserratic, and after a short time the motorsburned out and the dimmers weredamaged. Since these dimmers don't talkback, the fault wasn't noticed until thedimmer circuit breaker tripped. The fogmachines were repaired and moved to IPSdimmers and now work fine.


42

MaintenanceDuring the load-in, the SM-101 SYSTEMLOAD function was used to make sure thatthe connected load was evenly balancedacross the power line phases, and did notexceed the service rating. The SM-101detects how many IPS dimmers areconnected and their power capacity, andshows this information in the ONLINECAPACITY display. As the load is increased,it's easy to see not only the phase balance,but also the percentage of total capacity inuse. In the early stages of set-up, SYSTEMLOAD was used to verify that the feederswere correctly connected to thedistribution system. Several IPS bars hadpower input cables that had beenmiswired, placing loads on the wrongphases. This error was easily found andcorrected.

During dress rehearsals, a number ofspecials were added, and some dimmerswere repatched to overcome DMXaddressing problems in the console.Again, SYSTEM LOAD made it easy toredistribute the loads and keep the phasesbalanced.

Once the show was in, the SM-101SNAPSHOT function was used to reducelamp check time to a minimum. Here's howit was done. First, the overhead electricswere brought to a level of 30% for aboutthirty seconds. This gave the lamps time towarm-up and provided an accurate loadreport. SNAPSHOT 1 was then stored andtitled "Stage Electrics" using the snapshottitle function. Snapshots store everythingabout the state of the system at theinstant they are recorded. Dimmeraddresses, dimmer type, dimmer capacity,load type, load size, dimmer operatingmode. . . it's all recorded. Then two othersnapshots, "Tower Left" and "Tower Right"were recorded in the same manner. Sincethe front of house circuits are onconventional dimmers, they cannot be

recorded in a snapshot and will have to bechecked manually.

To perform the lamp check (system check,really), the three check cues andcorresponding snapshots are loaded inturn. The SM-101 will flag any differencesbetween the live rig and the snapshot. Thecomplete rig, except for FOH, is checked inabout three minutes. Why did we use threecues and snapshots? Because the powerservice in our venue isn't up to havingeverything in the rig turned on at once.Most aren't, in fact. Remember that lampin-rush currents are fifteen to twenty timesgreater than the rated current.

During the show, a master snapshot canbe used to monitor the show in real-time.Thresholds for alarms, either 200 W or 400W of load change can be used. This cancatch a burn-out the instant it happens,but you still have to send somebody up tochange the lamp. Watch out for smallloads, such as practicals and smallinductive loads. These may report as NOLOAD all the time (because they are sosmall), or they may only report as a loadwhen set to FULL. This can cause falseLOAD CHANGE alarms in the snapshots asa dimmer is faded in or out.

As you can see, the SM-101 is a powerfuldiagnostic tool designed to save you timeand money, and keep your system in topoperating condition. You will undoubtedlyfind many new and useful ways to utilize itin your work.

A u x i l i a r y C o n t r o l U n i tF u n d a m e n t a l s

43

This chapter applies to Auxiliary Control Unit IPS-AC-100.

The IPS-AC-100 Auxiliary Control Unit adds secondary manual controlinto a DMX512 based lighting system. It is installed between the mainlighting control console and the dimmers and merges levels from avariety of manual control stations into the primary DMX data stream.This greatly simplifies the implementation of house and work lightcontrols in a variety of venues.

The IPS-AC-100 supports a wide range of control options. It mergeslevels from 16 pots, 4 switch closures, and an incoming DMX512 datastream to create an output DMX512 data stream. In this way HouseLight, Work Light, and Stage dimmers are all serviced from one DMXdata cable, and all of the various control points have equal access tothe entire lighting system. In addition, the IPS-AC-100 supports thestoring and playing back of presets in IPS dimmers.

The relationships between the system inputs and the dimmers theycontrol are all programmable by the system user. Each DMX address inthe output stream may be programmed to follow any pot or switchinput, the panic input, and the DMX512 input. The output level will bethe highest of the three. In addition, up to seven presets may bestored in IPS dimmers for playback from AC-100 inputs. Again, outputlevels are the higher of the DMX512 and the preset levels.

For further versatility, the pot inputs may be partitioned in one ofthree ways: as sixteen separate inputs, as eight inputs with twocontrol points, or as four inputs with four control points.

IVAuxiliaryControlUnitUser'sGuide

A u x i l i a r y C o n t r o l U n i t F e a t u r e s

44

From the end-user's standpoint, an AC-100system may include any combination of thefollowing control features. The details ofeach are discussed in turn.

S l ider S t a t ions

Slider stations are used to manually fadelighting levels up and down and toindividually balance lighting levels in aparticular room. A slider station containsfrom 1 to 16 linear potentiometers (pots)for setting levels, and optionally a "Master"slider and/or a "Take-Control" pushbutton.

Each slider may have any number of DMXoutput addresses assigned to it. Theoutput level of a DMX address so assignedwill follow the setting of the slider.

Take ControlThe AC-100 may be configured to have onestation of up to 16 sliders, two stations ofup to 8 sliders each, or four stations of upto 4 sliders each. When configured formultiple stations, the AC-100 activates its"Take-Control" push button inputs. One"Take-Control" button is associated witheach slider station. Control of the lights isgranted to the station whose "Take-Control" button was most recently pressed.When control passes from one station toanother, the AC-100 fades the lightinglevels from the old to the new levels. AnLED indicates the active station.

Swit ch S t a t ions

General Purpose SwitchesGeneral Purpose Switches are latchingpush button controls to which any DMXaddress may be assigned. When soassigned, the level of the DMX address willgo to full anytime the switch is activated.These controls might be used for general

room illumination or work lighting. A DMXaddress cannot simultaneously beassigned to a slider and a General PurposeSwitch.

Panic SwitchThe Panic Switch is a latching push buttoncontrol which takes assigned DMXaddresses to full regardless of othercontrol assignments and settings. Thiscontrol might be used to bring house andaisle lights to full brightness in the case ofan emergency.

Prese t Se lec t S t a t ions

If the AC-100 is connected to IPS dimmers,it can be used to record and play back upto seven complete presets. An eighthpreset called "Off" is also available whichhas all levels permanently set to zero. APreset Select stations has from 2 to 8buttons. Presets are selected simply bypressing one of these buttons. Anilluminated LED indicates the currentlyselected preset. Lights fade from the oldto the new preset levels.

Presets are normally recorded from the AC-100 front panel as described in theprogramming section, however it is alsopossible to record a preset by pressingand holding one of the preset selectbuttons for 5 seconds.

DM X512 Input

A theatrical style lighting control consolemay be connected to the DMX512 input onthe AC-100. Addresses on the incomingDMX line are automatically connected tothe corresponding addresses on theoutgoing DMX line. If desired, the consolemay be blocked from controlling certainDMX addresses. See the "Console Enable"option in the programming section.

A u x i l i a r y C o n t r o l U n i tP r o g r a m m i n g

45

Overv iew o fProgramming

➊ Four digit LED display.

➋ Special Indicator LEDs.LED 1 = No DMX data.LED 2 = Undefined.

➌ Up/Down arrow buttons.

➍ "OK" Select button.

Programming the AC-100 is accomplishedthru the 4 digit LED display and three pushbuttons. In general, the up and downarrows are used to enter a value for aparameter, and "OK" is used to accept thevalue and move on to the next parameter.Sixty seconds after a programmingoperation the unit returns to the idle state.

DM X512 Cont ro l Opt ions

Each DMX512 address in the output datastream has several control options whichmay be set through the AC-100 frontpanel. These options are "ControlAssignment", "Panic Enable", and "ConsoleEnable".

The "Control Assignment" option selectswhich of the 16 faders and 3 GeneralPurpose switches will have control of theaddress. The "Panic Enable" option selectswhether the Panic switch will also havecontrol of the address. The "ConsoleEnable" option selects whether aconnected DMX512 control console willalso have control of the address.

ProgrammingThis section describes how to program thecontrol options for each DMX address inthe output data stream. Select each outputaddress in turn, then step through thethree option menus to review or set thecontrol options for that address.

Idle

Display reads: [= = = =]'=' marches thru digits.

Operation:OK: Change to "DMX Select"

Press "OK" to change to the first menu.

"DMX Select" Menu

Display reads: [d x x x]d = Menu Indicator.xxx = DMX address in decimal

Operation:#,$: Select DMX AddressOK: Accept Selection and Change

to "Assign Control"

With the Up and Down arrow keys, selectthe DMX512 output address to beprogrammed. Press "OK" to accept theselection and change to the next menu.

"Assign Control" Option Menu

Display reads: [A x x x]A = Menu Indicator.xxx = Control Selection

("S-1" - "S-3", "P-1" - "P16", "- no")

Operation:#,$: Select Control Assignment.OK: Accept Selection and Change

to "Panic Enable".

With the Up and Down arrow keys, selectthe Fader (P1 - 16) or Switch (S1 - 3) inputwhich will control the selected DMXaddress. "-no" = not assigned. Press "OK"to make the control assignment andchange to the next menu.


46

"Panic Enable" Option Menu

Display reads: [P x x x]P = Menu Indicator.xxx = Enable Choice

("yES", "no")Operation:

#,$: Select Enable Choice.OK: Accept Selection and Change

to "Console Enable".

With the Up and Down arrow keys, selectwhether or not the Panic Switch will controlthe selected DMX address. Press "OK" toaccept the selection and change to thenext menu.

"Console Enable" Option Menu

Display reads: [C x x x]C = Menu Indicator.xxx = Enable Choice

("yES", "no")Operation:

#,$: Select Enable Choice.OK: Accept Selection and return

to "DMX Select".

With the Up and Down arrow keys, selectwhether or not the corresponding addresson the DMX input data stream will controlthe selected DMX output address. Press"OK" to accept the selection and return tothe "DMX Select" menu.

Record ing Prese t s

This section describes the process ofsaving levels into each of the sevenpresets. Before starting, set the desiredlighting levels on the DMX control consoleor on the fader stations.

NOTE: Presets only function with IPSdimmers. If you have a mix of IPS and non-IPS dimmers, only the IPS dimmers willrespond to preset commands.

Idle



Press "OK" to change to the next menu.

"DMX Select" Menu

Display reads: [d x x x]d = Menu Indicator.xxx = DMX address in decimal.

Operation:Press and Hold OK: Change to

"Learn Preset".

Press and hold "OK" to change to the"Learn Preset" menu.

"Learn Preset" Menu

Display reads: [L r P x]L r P = Menu Indicator.x = Preset number (1 - 7, "-").

Operation:#,$: Select Preset Number.OK: Accept the selection and

change to "Fade Time"

With the Up and Down arrow keys, selectthe Preset number to record. Press "OK" toaccept the selection and change to thenext menu. If Preset number is "-", thefunction is canceled with no changesmade.

"Fade Time" Menu

Display reads: [F x x x]F = Menu Indicator.xxx = Fade time in seconds

("-00" - "240", "- - -")

Operation:#,$: Select fade time.OK: Record preset and fade time

and return to "Learn Preset"

With the Up and Down arrow keys, selectthe fade time for the previously selectedpreset. Fade times may be set to 00, 01,02, 05, 10, 15, 30, 60, 120, or 240seconds. Press "OK" to store the fade time


47

and all current levels into the preset andreturn to the "DMX Select" menu. If fadetime is "- - -", the function is canceled withno changes made.

Recording from a PresetSelect StationPresets may also be recorded from a PresetSelect button station. As before, thelighting levels should be set beforestarting. Press and hold the Preset Selectbutton for the preset that is to berecorded. After about 5 seconds, the LEDfor that preset will illuminate indicatingthat new levels have been recorded.Presets recorded from a Preset Selectstation always have a fade time of 2seconds. It is not possible to record levelsfor the "Off" preset.

Changing Ana log InputConf igura t ion

This section describes how to change theconfiguration of the Analog pot and Take-Control inputs.

Idle



Press "OK" to change to the next menu.

"DMX Select" Menu

Display reads: [d x x x]d = Menu Indicator.xxx = DMX address in decimal.


"Learn Preset".

Press and hold "OK" to change to the"Learn Preset" menu.

"Learn Preset" Menu

Display reads: [L r P x]L r P = Menu Indicator.x = Preset number (1 - 7, "-")


"Set-Up".

Press and hold "OK" to change to the"Set-Up" menu.

"Set-Up" Menu

Display reads: [S U x x][A n A ]

S U = Menu Indicator.xx = Set-Up option ("-1" - "-3").A n A = Analog Trim function.

Operation:#,$: Select Set-Up option or

Analog Trim function.OK: Accept selection and change

to "DMX Select", or execute Analog Trim function.

With the Up and Down arrow keys, selectthe Set-Up option to use. Press "OK" toaccept the selection and return to the"DMX Select" menu. See the followingsection for a list of set-up options. If menureads "AnA" when "OK" is pressed, theAnalog Trim function is executed.

Set-Up OptionsThere are three valid configuration set-upsfor the pots and Take-Control inputs. Theyare:

Mode 1: 16 Faders, No Take-Control.

In this configuration any DMX address maybe assigned to any one of the 16 potinputs. Take-Control inputs are not active.

Mode 2: 8 Faders, 2 Take-Controls.

In this configuration any DMX address maybe assigned to any one of the first 8faders. Pot inputs 9 thru 16 provide asecond set of levels for faders 1 thru 8.Take-Control button 1 selects inputs 1thru 8. Take-Control 2 selects inputs 9


48

thru 16. Take-Control inputs 3 and 4 arenot active.

Mode 3: 4 Faders, 4 Take-Controls.

In this configuration any DMX address maybe assigned to any one of the first 4faders. Pot inputs 5 thru 8, 9 thru 12, and13 thru 16 provide three additional sets oflevels for faders 1 thru 4. Take-Controlbutton 1 selects inputs 1 thru 4. Take-Control button 2 selects inputs 5 thru 8.Take-Control button 3 selects inputs 9thru 12. Take-Control button 4 selectsinputs 13 thru 16.

Analog TrimThis function is initiated from the "Set-Up"menu. It is used to calibrate the AC-100 tothe actual voltages supplied from thesystem faders. The Analog Trim functionshould be executed at the time a system isfirst installed. It should only need to berepeated if there is a change in systemconfiguration.

"Analog Trim for Zero" Function

Display reads: [A n 0 0]A n 0 0 = Menu Indicator.

Operation:#,$: No Action.OK: Set Low end calibration for

analog inputs and change to "Analog Trim for Full".

Set all individual channel pots connectedto the AC-100 to their minimum position.Set all master pots to their maximumposition. Press "OK" to store the Zerocalibration values and change to the"Analog Trim for Full" function. For thesystem to trim properly, the Zero levelsmust be less than 0.78 volts DC.

"Analog Trim for Full" Function

Display reads: [A n F L]A n F L = Menu Indicator.

Operation:#,$: No Action.OK: Set High end calibration for

analog inputs and change to "DMX Select".

Set all individual channel pots and masterpots connected to the AC-100 to theirmaximum position. Press "OK" to store theFull calibration values and return to the"DMX Select" menu. For the system to trimproperly the Full levels must be between2.8 volts DC and 5.0 volts DC.

C h e c k l i s t

49

Many apparent faults in complex systems such as a lighting controlinstallation are due to operator error or to conditions which haveoccurred outside of the equipment itself. In cases where operatingproblems have been encountered, run through the following checklistbefore searching for defective equipment.

• Check the power at the outlet. Is it present and of correctvoltage?

• Are the console, status monitor, and distribution amplifiersplugged in and turned on?

• Is the console configured and patched correctly? Is the grandmaster up?

• Are all the DMX512 cables in good condition and installedcorrectly?

• Are the DMX512 termination switches set to the left handposition in all units except the last one on each cable?

• Are non-IPS peripherals on the network properly terminatedaccording to their position in the network?

• Do all non-IPS peripherals support the IPS talkback protocolon the second data link? Do they pass the wiring for thesecond link through?

• Are there more than 32 DMX512 receivers on the network?(Note: An accessory such as a color scroller counts as onereceiver.)

• Is the DMX512 common line (Pin 1) connected to earthground at more than one point? IPS does not ground thiswire, but other equipment might!

• Has an IPS-AC-100 been programmed to lock out consolecontrol of certain dimmers?

• If analog or AMX192 controls are in use, has the Analog Trimfunction been executed to calibrate the inputs? (This appliesto both the Head-End Processor and the Auxiliary ControlUnit.)

VTrouble-shooting

S y m p t o m s a n d C a u s e s

50

The following list of possible symptoms may help you isolate certain system problems:

The dimmers don't seemto respond correctly tothe console.

Is the console patched? Are all the data cables connected? Arethe termination switches set correctly? Is there power to thedimmers and to the distribution amplifier? Is a Head-EndProcessor in the Playback Preset or Local Dimmer Control state?Is an IPS-AC-100 setting the dimmer level or locking out theconsle? Have the dimmers been correctly configured for Normalor "Non-Dim" operation? Has a dimmer shut down due tooverload? Has a dimmer shut down due to over temperature?

The Status Monitor data isgarbled.

Are the termination switches set correctly? Have two IPS dimmersystems been set to the same DMX512 network address? Has anon-IPS distribution amplifier been used? (IPS distributionamplifiers incorporate special circuitry to combine the multipletalkback data streams.) Is a non-IPS peripheral using a differenttalk-back protocol on the second DMX512 channel? Is DMX512data being correctly transmitted from the control console?

The dimmer forgot aconfiguration change.

Configuration changes are saved when the Head-End menus areexited. If power is removed from the dimmer system before amenu is exited, any changes which have been made will be lost.

The no-load report iswrong.

The IPS dimmer detects load size by measuring the currentdrawn by the load circuit. For very small loads set to low outputlevels this current may be of a very small value. Sometimes an IPSdimmer will see this small current as being below its No-Loaddetection threshold and make an erroneous report. It will,however, continue to control the load correctly.

The load size report iswrong.

Most incandescent lamps are manufactured to a +/-20%tollerence. A lamp marked as 1000 watts may actually rangefrom 800 to 1200 watts. The value reported by the StatusMonitor is the actual value of the lamp rounded to the nearest100 watts. For low-voltage lamps with transformer ballasts, thereported load may be slightly low due to the phase shiftintroduced by the transformer.

Sometimes talkbackresponse is slow.

Talkback is timed to the console update rate. If a console slowsits update rate sometimes (like during a disk transfer), talkbackresponse will slow down also.

Analog or AMX192controls don't workcorrectly.

Is the analog Common wire grounded at more than one place? Isthe analog Common wire missing, damaged or shorted toanother conductor? Are any of the analog conductors shorted tothe conduit or to a connector shell? Is there excessive common-mode voltage between the control point and the dimmers?(Analog inputs do not have optical isolation!) Has the AnalogTrim function been executed? Any time analog controls areconnected to an IPS product, the Analog Trim function should beexecuted to calibrate the inputs to the actual control signals. Seesections on the Head-End Processor and the Auxiliary ControlUnit for details on the Analog Trim function.

A . C a b l e s , C o n n e c t o r s , a n d P i n o u t s

51

Power Cables

IPS DS Series Power Cable

NEMA L21-20PConnector

10/5 SO Cable IPS DS seriesTerminal Block

"X" Black "A""Y" Red "B""Z" Blue or Orange "C""W" White "N""G" Green Lug

IPS DB 12/24 Series Power Cable

NEMA L21-20PConnector

10/5 SO Cable NEMA L21-20RConnector

"X" Black "X""Y" Red "Y""Z" Blue or Orange "Z""W" White "W""G" Green "G"

IPS DB 60 Series Power Cable

Terminated byUser

6/5 SO Cable VEAM CIR065GRHConnector

Black "A"Red "B"

Blue or Orange "C"White "N"Green "G"

Data Cables

DMX512 Cable

5 Pin XLR MaleFrom Console

2 Pair + ShieldRS-485 Cable

5 Pin XLR FemaleTo Dimmer System

1 Common (Shield) 12 Dimmer Drive - 23 Dimmer Drive + 34 Talkback - 45 Talkback + 5

AAppendices

A . C a b l e s , C o n n e c t o r s ,a n d P i n o u t s

52

AMX192 Cable

4 Pin XLR FemaleFrom Console

2 Pair UnshieldedCable

4 Pin XLR MaleTo Dimmer System

1 Analog Common 12 Clock + 23 Analog Level 34 Clock - 4

Analog Cable

Console Connector 9 Wire Multi-ConductorCable

9 Pin 'D' MaleTo Dimmer System

Control 1 1Control 2 2Control 3 3Control 4 4Control 5 5Control 6 6

Signal Common 7,8,9

Connector P inouts

DMX512Connector: XLR-5 DMX Source: Female DMX Receiver: Male

Pin Signal1 Common (Shield)2 Dimmer Drive -3 Dimmer Drive +4 Talkback -5 Talkback +

AMX192Connector: XLR-4 AMX Source: Male AMX Receiver: Female

Pin Signal1 Analog Common2 Clock +3 Analog Level4 Clock -

A . C a b l e s , C o n n e c t o r s , a n d P i n o u t s

53

IPS Analog InputConnector: DB-9 Analog Source: Male Analog Receiver: Female

Pin Signal1 Control 12 Control 23 Control 34 Control 45 Control 56 Control 6

7,8,9 Signal Common

NEMA L21-20 4 Pole, 5 Wire Twistlock

Pole Signal"X" Phase A"Y" Phase B"Z" Phase C"W" Neutral"G" Ground

VEAM CIR065GRH-32A-5S

Pole Signal"A" Phase A"B" Phase B"C" Phase C"N" Neutral"G" Ground

IPS-SA-104/108-WB DMX512 Terminal Strip

Terminal SignalGND Common (Shield)TALK- Talkback -TALK+ Talkback +DMX- Dimmer Drive -DMX+ Dimmer Drive +

IPS-SW-101/102/103 Connector Plate Terminal Strips

Terminal SignalGND Common (Shield)TALK- Talkback -TALK+ Talkback +DMX- Dimmer Drive -DMX+ Dimmer Drive +

B . D i m m e r S y s t e m E n c l o s u r e s

54

Connector S t r ip

The DS Series enclosure is constructedfrom a number of extruded aluminumpieces and stamped face plates. Theprimary structural member of theenclosure is the extruded channel to whichall other pieces are screwed. If all of theheat sinks and face plates are removed,this channel carries nothing but two wiringharnesses and a terminal block. Tomaintain the integrity of the dimmersystem during servicing or repair, onlyremove the items being serviced from thedimmer enclosure.

Important: Many of the enclosure screwsrequire lock-washers and/or flat washers.Note the location of these washers as youdisassemble the unit so they may correctlyreinstalled during reassembly.

W A R N I N G

The IPS dimmer system contains HighVoltage! Disconnect power from the unit

before opening any panels.

Removing a Dimmer:The electronics for each dimmer areconstructed on a single printed wiringboard which is attached to back of thedimmer heat sink. To remove theelectronics, take the following steps:

1. Disconnect power from the dimmersystem. High voltage is present inside theenclosure when the system is powered.

2. Remove the four cap screws which retainthe dimmer heat sink. These screwsrequire a 9/64" hex screwdriver.

3. Slowly rock the right side of the heatsink away from the system enclosuretaking particular care not to damage the

Focus Button which is captured below thedimmer outlet face plate.

4. Reach behind the dimmer when you areable, and unplug the Mate-N-Lok orAnderson power connector and the MTA-156 control input connector.

5. Remove the dimmer from the enclosure.

Reverse the preceding steps to re-installthe dimmer.

Removing the Head-EndProcessor:The Head-End Processor is constructed in amanner similar to the dimmers. To removethis assembly, take the following steps:

1. Disconnect power from the dimmersystem and unplug any DMX cables.

2. Remove the four Phillips head screwswhich retain the Head-End face plate.

3. Slowly pull the Head-End assembly awayfrom the enclosure.

4. Reach behind the face plate when youare able, and unplug the Mate-N-Lok powerconnector and the MTA-156 control signalconnector.

5. Remove the Head-End assembly fromthe enclosure.

Reverse the preceding steps to re-installthe assembly.

B . D i m m e r S y s t e m E n c l o s u r e s

55

P lugging Box

The IPS DB series enclosure is constructedfrom four pieces of sheet aluminum: 1.Bottom/Sides, 2. Front Panel, 3. RearPanel, 4. Top/Handle. Access to theinterior of the enclosure is gained byremoving the Top/Handle panel.

Important: Many of the enclosure screwsrequire lock-washers and/or flat washers.Note the location of these washers as youdisassemble the unit so they may correctlyreinstalled during reassembly.

W A R N I N G

The IPS dimmer system contains HighVoltage! Disconnect power from the unit

before opening any panels.

Opening the Enclosure:1. Disconnect power from the unit.

2. Remove the eight flat-head screws whichhold the top to the side panels.

3. Remove the four pan-head screws andlock-washers which hold the handle to theleft side panel. Notice that the screwclosest to the front is longer than theother three.

4. Lift the Top/Handle away from theenclosure.

Removing a Dimmer:1. Open the Enclosure.

2. Remove the dimmer hold-down bracketwhich is retaining the dimmer you wish toremove.

3. Remove the two pan head screws in therear panel which are anchoring thedimmer's heat sink.

4. Unplug the dimmer's power connector.

5. Slide the dimmer away from the backpanel and unplug the MTA-156 dataconnector.

6. Lift the dimmer out of the enclosure.

Reverse the preceding steps to re-installthe dimmer.

Removing the Head-EndProcessor:The Head-End Processor is attached to thefront panel of the unit. To remove theHead-End Processor, you must first removethis panel.

1. Open the Enclosure.

2. Remove the three pan-head screws andtwo flat head screws which retain the frontpanel.

3. Carefully lift the front panel away fromthe enclosure.

4. Unplug the Mate-N-Lok powerconnector.

5. Unplug the MTA-156 data connector.

6. Unplug the two MTA-100 DMX512connectors.

7. Unplug the fan connector on the flylead.

8. Unplug any leads connected to anyoptional input boards.

9. Remove the five pan-head screws whichhold the Head-End Processor to the frontpanel.

10. Lift the Head-End Processor away fromthe front panel.

Reverse the preceding steps to re-installthe assembly.

C . O t h e r R e f e r e n c e s

56

U SITT S t andards

The following standards documents maybe obtained from United States Institutefor Theatre Technology, 6443 RidingsRoad, Syracuse, NY 13206-1111. Theydescribe electrical and communicationprotocol standards for communicationsbetween lighting control consoles anddimmer systems.

DMX512/1990Digital Data Transmission Standard forDimmers and Controllers.

AMX192Analog Multiplex Data TransmissionStandard for Dimmers and Controllers.

Other

National Electric CodeA publication of the National FireProtection Association which is the basisfor most electrical building codes in theUnited States.

D . G l o s s a r y

57

AMX: Short for AMX192.

AMX192: Multiplexedanalog dimmer controlprotocol standard publishedby USITT.

Analog: In the context ofdimmer control, this usuallyrefers to a scheme in whicha low voltage circuit is usedto control the output levelof a dimmer.

DMX: Short for DMX512.

DMX512: Serial datatransmission protocolstandard published byUSITT.

Fader: A lighting controldevice which graduallyraises or lowers the levels ofa number of dimmers.

Fall Time: The duration ofthe portion of an RPC waveform in which the controldevice is switching off.Longer fall times producequieter lamps and generateless electronic noise.

Forward Phase Control: Atechnique for dimminglights in which the powerline wave form is choppedby delaying some amount oftime into each half cycle,and then switching on acontrol device. Thistechnique is used in all SCRbased dimmers.

FPC: Short for ForwardPhase Control.

Half Cycle: The portion of asinusoidal wave form inwhich the signal is of onepolarity only. Every full cycleis composed of two Half

Cycles. Electronic dimmerscontrol the amount ofcurrent conducted in eachHalf Cycle of the power line.

µµµµS: Abbreviation formicrosecond.

mS: Abbreviation formillisecond.

Microsecond: One millionthof a second.

Millisecond: Onethousandth of a second.

Non-Dim: A power circuitwhich switches instantlyfrom off to on.

Pot: Short forPotentiometer. An electricaldevice for manually settinga voltage level.

Reverse Phase Control: Atechnique for dimminglights in which the powerline wave form is choppedby delaying some amount oftime into each half cycle,and then switching off acontrol device. Thistechnique is used in IPSdimmers.

Rise Time: The duration ofthe portion of an FPC waveform in which the controldevice is switching on.Longer rise times producequieter lamps and generateless electronic noise. In SCRbased dimmers, the risetime is controlled by aninductor (choke).

RPC: Short for ReversePhase Control.

RS-485: The underlyingcommunications protocolstandard on which DMX512is based.

Take-Control: A lightingcontrol function in whichturning-on one controlstation, turns-off all othercontrol stations.

Talk-Back: A datatransmission from acontrolled device (like adimmer) to its controller.

Termination: Circuit addedat the end of a data cable toprevent signal reflections.For DMX512, this is a 120ohm resistor.

USITT: United StatesInstitute for TheatreTechnology. A professionalorganization serving thelive theatre andentertainment industries.

2413 S Shiloh Rd.Garland, Texas 75041972-840-1640 Phone972-278-9152 Faxwww.etdimming.com

Printed in the United States of AmericaP/N 85-1160

Operating Instructions Installation Guide

Documents

Transcript of Operating Instructions Installation Guide