We have a dual system. Running Vista 2 forever on a MAC running Catalina with an M1 console. Universe 1 runs an ETC dimmer rack for 40 incandescent Source 4 fixtures. Universe 2 runs DMX LED fixtures mostly Chauvet some Pro and some DJ. Lately, at random times the DMX fixtures start randomly flashing and are not controllable. The incandescent fixtures work without incident. I’ve tried swapping the M1 with another we have in another auditorium and the flashing continues. Swapping involves deleting one M1 and adding the other one for the same two universes. I’ve shut down Vista, shut down the MAC, and rebooted the MAC multiple times. I have to unplug the U2 DMX cable to get the flashing stopped. Last time I took a Chauvet Freedom wireless system transmitter which I connected to the Universe 2 output to check, and no flashing occurred. When I then plugged the U2 DMX cable into the wireless transmitter output, the flashing had stopped. What do I try next (not Vista3, that’s planned for the future)?
Sounds like bad cables in the system. I would say I’m 99.9% sure that the output from Vista is fine. Different DMX driver chips have different properties. It isn’t uncommon for one console to work fine but another to not if there is a bad cable or fixture.
Are your DMX runs terminated?
Thanks, Ben. First place the DMX cable goes is to a 4-way splitter from which one output handles most of the fixtures.
I agree with Ben. Every time we’ve seen this symptom, it was one of two things: 1: bad DMX cable or 2: Missing terminator on the last fixture in the chain. The only exception is that we did have an LED bar that turned out to be failing. Be sure you are using true DMX cables instead of mic cables. The shielding is much different in the two cables.
First, I can’t explain why after many years this started happening.
Second, the offending DMX Universe 2 output feeds a 20-year-old ETC Unison architectural lighting console. In our case it isn’t needed, but it goes there with the DMX output from Universe 1 in case the DMX Universe 2 controls a fixture that is mainly controlled by wall buttons in the building. Universe 1 controls an ETC Dimmer Rack that feeds architectural and stage incandescent lighting.