2 Questions, Regarding LED lights

Hi! I have now had (really my school has had) a Smartfade 1248 for just over a year and I'm really enjoying it. While I know that the smartfade 1248 can't do Movers, can it control LED lights. My assumption is yes, but it isn't optimal since each LED unit would take up many channels and the smartfade really doesn't have enough ( I.E. the selador takes 8 channels, so you would take up every channel on the board by using 6 of them) or at least that is my assumption, correct me if I am wrong.

 

My second question is a little less relevant: I have access to some LED Pars and we'd be using them with the smartfade. I think I am able to get another controller specifically for them, but is it possible to use 5 pin DMX through my whole conventional system (3 dimmer packs) and then somehow convert 5-pin to 3-pin and use the 3-pin to control the LED units (they're not optimal, but you use what you have) and still have the whole system work?

 

Any advice is appreciated

Adam Joseph

  • Hi Adam,

     

    Your assumptions are indeed correct. To use LED's on a Smartfade 1248 you will have to treat each LED colour as it's own intensity channel, which as you point out takes out a lot of your channel real estate. The same goes for movers, your Smartfade will control them, but it won't be a fun experience!

     

    On your second point, yes, that's absolutely possible. You just need to make yourself a 5 pin Male XLR to 3 Pin female XLR adaptor. The pinout is the same:

    Pin 1 - Screen

    Pin 2- Data -

    Pin 3 - Data +

     

    Pins 4 & 5 on the 5 pin XLR are not required.

     

    Graham

     

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