Guangzhou Hengli Stage Lighting Co., Ltd.
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Contacts: Xiaoping
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Addr.: No.10，Xiqi Industrial Zone, Yagang, Baiyun District, Guangzhou
Early light control uses 0 to 10 volts of analog to represent 0% to 100% of the height, and each loop is processed with a single signal line (common common line). The more circuits there are, the more lines are represented and the farther the transmission distance is, the more severe the signal drop problem will be. The emergence of the 0 to -10V control method, with the positive voltage as the common ground, solves this problem and solves problems such as signal interference.
2. Multiplex multiplex transmission
With the development of performing arts in the 50s and 60s, the number of lighting control loops has continued to increase; from ten to dozens of loops have increased to hundreds or even hundreds of loops. The increase in the number of analog control lines used all the time also means that a more convenient and simple connection method is needed to improve the problem. In the days to come, the multiplex transmission method became the core of the professional lighting system architecture.
The multiplex transmission method is mainly divided into two categories: analog multiplexing and digital multiplexing. The main parameter data in the multiplexing mode are the transmission rate, the maximum number of controllable loops, and the type of connector used. The following lists the multiplex agreements that have existed in the past 30 years, some of which have already been eliminated, some are still existing and used on older machines, and some continue to develop and improve stage lighting in functions.
3. Difference multiplex method Different types of multiplex transmission
From the previous section, we can know the origin of multiplex protocol requirements. Let's take a look at their existence characteristics:
Protocol Name Development Company Analog/Digital Number of Circuits Band Rate
Magnus Majour
SDX R.A.Gray
C105 TTI
S20 ADB 480Ch
PMX Pulsar Numbers
D54 Strand Simulation 384Ch
AVAB (A240) AVAB Digital 252Ch 153.5K 8bit
ECMUX Strand Number 512Ch 187.5K 8bit
ETC/LMI ETC Digital 144-1000Ch 250K
K96 Kliegl bros. Digital 512Ch 83.3K 7bit
Microplex NSI Simulation 64/96Ch
Microplex Leprecon Analog 128Ch
AMX192 USITT Analog 192Ch Dim Sync pulse 8uS
CMX Colortran Digital 192/384Ch 156.25K/153.6K
SMX Strand numbers
DMX512 USITT Digital 512Ch 250K 8bit
4. DMX-512 protocol
The professionals who know the light will know this protocol, which is the most widely used light communication protocol today. Originated from the United States, the USITT Association announced that the Band rate in Colortran's CMX 192 has been increased from 153.6 Kbit/s to 250 Kbit/s and 192Ch to 512Ch (published by CMX in roughly the same way as the DMX structure). Mark after Break (MaB) was 4uS when it was originally published. In the subsequent use, it was found that there was a problem of signal refresh and MaB was extended to 8uS and was defined as DMX-512 (1990) version. Its extensive use is due to its simple structure, low cost, easy understanding, etc. Major manufacturers have added DMX-512 interfaces to their products. Another major player in the successful promotion of this agreement and everyone's willingness to use it is the rapid development of computer lighting and the large-scale use of large-scale performances in these decades. The use of people more naturally encourages everyone to deepen its understanding, the more aware of its use restrictions and the impact on the development of the entire lighting performance industry in the future.
Some of the more controversial issues are the inability to perform bi-directional transmission, slow transmission rates, and the inability to load other data content (the DMX only provides loop and brightness data). Everyone here can clearly see how we need a functional agreement tomorrow to improve the lighting control architecture. It is true that a mature Ethernet network has already been used in the computer industry. It is not difficult today to handle and maintain the entire Ethernet communication with a computerized dimming station that contains processing chips.
5. Lighting Ethernet Network Lighting Ethernet
Around the beginning of the 1990s, Strand Lighting developed the first lighting network system with "Ethernet" architecture and TCP/IP platform based on the content of its original SMX protocol (including two-way transmission, error reporting and other functions). SHOWNET was applied to the reconstruction of the San Francisco Grand Theater after the earthquake. In the past decade, the promotion of the lighting Ethernet network has been difficult, and it is not easy for lighting practitioners to accept the latest computer interface. They believe that lighting control only requires loops and changes in brightness/＆#118alues ＆#8203;＆#8203;are sufficient, and other data are affiliated; and it is not the case that the performance of the show without these data is not the same. This is a good story, but the era is moving forward. The advantages of large amounts of data provisioning, parallel platforms, full tracking backup, multiple priority access control methods, and resource sharing provide very convenient work in the production of complex programs and large-scale performances. platform. In the days to come, other manufacturers launched their network systems one after another. Most of them are based on "Ethernet" architecture and TCP/IP platforms such as ETC2NET, COMPUNET, and ARTNET.
In many companies' systems, whether the platform or the function is similar, a network decoding box is needed at the end of the system to restore the circuit change ＆#118alue in the network cable to the DMX format and output it. Since the current lighting fixtures are also suitable for dimming silicon, they only accept digital or analog multi-working protocols such as DMX-512, so the advantages of the lighting network have not yet been fully realized. In addition, the communication protocol of the Ethernet network in the system is not unified. Each manufacturer uses its own protocol code, so that different brands of lighting network products cannot be connected to each other. Everyone here is looking forward to the emergence of a standard unified network communication protocol.
6. Solution for the standard console Alternative Lighting Ethernet
From the above description of the lighted Ethernet network, we can see that professional lighting systems have evolved into the era of today's networks. In the future, they are the world of ACN standards (see below for details). However, if the design of certain console bodies does not have network support functions, What will happen to that? What other ways might you use to achieve network functionality? The answer depends on ArtNet's conversion method.
What's going on here?
After the console outputs the DMX-512 signal, the DMX to ArtNet converter developed by the British Artistic Licence Company turns the signal into a TCP/IP-based network signal. Then it is distributed to various regions through common network processing methods. Finally, the converter is used to change the signal from ArtNet back to DMX to use the luminaire or dimming silicon.
From here, we can notice that the so-called network signals are only light circuits and brightness data (converted from DMX), which can only be defined as a variant of the traditional DMX system; more cannot be directly upgraded to the CAN specification in the future (the dimming station must be replaced. And cancel all DMX-ArtNet-DMX converters). If this is a consideration for the transition plan, it is still advisable. However, if long-term system upgrades and support are to be taken into account, there is indeed room for discussion in this type of system structure.
7. Advance Control Network (ACN) protocol
In 1996, the United States Entertainment Services and Technology Association (ESTA) recognized the changes and needs of the future common agreement (the most commonly used one was DMX-512 at the time), based on Strand Lighting's SMX and ShowNet (on the market The earliest lighting network products).
The LDI exhibition held in the United States in November 2003 in the ESTA exhibition hall will display a group of lighting network systems working with the ACN. Its structure is Strand Lighting's dimming station connected to ETC's dimming silicon, Martin's scanner and Pathway connectivity's ACN/DMX-512 transcoder. The purpose of this collocation is not only to show that the ACN standard has been successfully developed (published at the end of 2003), but also to allow people to experience the day when different network devices can be connected.
8. Comparison of ACN & DMX-512A (competition between ACN and DMX-512A)
From the above, we can understand that, in any case, two-way transmission is an inevitable requirement. Controlled devices such as computer lights and dimming silicon are no longer silent. They also have a voice and they have something to say. This is the return signal. It is necessary to send useful information back to the dimmer. DMX-512 (1990) The protocol we are familiar with enters its tenth birthday (2000), based on its use restrictions and requirements for further development and updating. The protocol update plan for the temporary DMX-512 (2000) was launched (later renamed DMX-512A). The first task is to join the bidirectional transmission but it is compatible with the old system, so the transmission rate is kept at 250Kbit/S. The bidirectional transmission method is to return the 4th and 5th pins among the original 5 pins or return the signals with the original 2nd and 3rd pins. That is, the transmission and return signals are operated in the 2 and 3 pins to be switched by the StartCode. In addition, the name code of each manufacturer is added to the Start Code so that the dimming console knows what the brand of the controlled device is. Due to the requirement to be compatible with older DMX-512 systems, there is no improvement in speed. On the contrary, the experience on ACN is infinitely extendable and developable. The future ACN format will be accompanied by the DDL language. The language format will be delivered to the dimmer by the properties, characteristics, brand, model, software version, and attributes of the ACN transfer equipment such as dimming silicon or computer lights, etc., and suggest the mating method. . All devices connected to the network can be observed on the dimmer and controlled.
Control Desk Console:
1. Early lighting control system of Earlier Lighting Control system
The
In the early lighting world, the control of the lighting circuit was completely electric control. The early brine tank substations and large power variable resistors were directly changed in the dimmer. Later, the invention of the silicon control element created the feasibility of the low-voltage mark controllable high-power, and the real professional light-adjusting station appeared.
The early dimming console resembled a piano. The piano (dimmer) was divided into two rows of keys and performed in the manner of the current Submaster. The black keys of the keys were used as the color conversion of the lights. In the days that followed, the change from a key to a putter-type variable resistor has become today's form. However, the communication protocol still follows the 0-10V DC signal (see the development of the communication protocol above), and the operation interface is extremely simple. This was the case until the first time in the 1960s that the company had put the memory unit (at the time of the magnetic loop coil array) on the dimmer station, and the entire operation mode and interface of the dimmer station had undergone tremendous changes. In the early 70s, the first MMS with modern functions was officially launched. The three criteria we use today—Submaster, Cue, and Effect—are created to meet the needs of theatrical performances and these functions must be attached to the memory function.
In the late 1970s, the Galaxy Series in the Galaxy series of the European Standards of the Schindler Company began to be released to the market. The operation modes and standard formats on the entire dimmer station have new definitions such as body composition mode, function panel placement position, number of control bars, field editing mode, various elements of the effect field, and the same machine backup unit. . In the subsequent update and improvement of Type 2, Type 3, and Type 4, the Galaxy Series became the emperor of the European standard.
In the 80's, the beautiful dimmers of S.S. For example, one of the LP90s (full name Lightpalette 90) is the most alarming feature in the lighting industry in the entire Americas and has become the standard configuration of Broadway theaters. At the time, S.S.G.D. took a new concept- 1 sheet of dimmers, which were the two groups of electronic core circuits, that is, the processing core of group A and group B as the full tracking backup mode. This is the origin of the world's full track backup work model.
In 1993, Squander began replacing the old model with a 430 dimming desk (predecessor of the 500 series), and officially began the difficult and challenging mission of popularizing the lighting network.
2. The network features of the Strand 500 Series Console on Network
In the paragraphs of the control system, we talked about the development of different methods and structures of transmitting signals. Here we study the operating methods of modern networked consoles. Here we must first agree that it is a system that is divided into several parts to deal with the required work, such a light network system makes sense. Their structure includes master console, full tracking backup station (deputy station), remote control station 1-3, wireless remote control, real-time PC laptop monitoring or control operation (using Genius Pro software), field lamp control, etc. A system operates. In the meantime, the system is structurally strong, and all the performance files can be backed up to a single floppy disk under a document name. Some people like to use a computer light console application in a theater performance, which will turn into two systems and increase the difficulty of the match in the performance. In the case of the use of scanners in theater performances, we call them "static" changes, namely gradients, soft halos, slow-rotating sharp circles, slow movements (representing objects rising or falling), and so on. The movements required in these musicals are definitely the experience of the artistic conception. The scanner operating program has been added after Genius Pro software version 2.6
