Soundsculpture TX32D Preliminary Operation Manual
Contents
1. essent eren eene eene nenne trennen nre 18 Configure Connected RX LAWNII Radio esses enne trennen teen nenne 18 Additional System Parameters ics cione eene tee HE ORE RU I EU teen Shean 18 Setting the Systems ID Using a Terminal sireni EE nee eene rennen 19 Using Other Channels eno Eee ente be ee ted ite M BE RE ep ea t eter eb ne Tome 19 A General Discussion of Radio Reliability 4 eere sees reset esee teet n eene enata setas etas tensa stesse to nso 21 Soundsculpture RC4 Operation Manual Page 3 of 21 RC4 System Overview The RC4 system is a fourth generation digital radio control system for operating theatrical lighting It offers improved performance over previous Soundsculpture systems with more channels and an enhanced user interface that allows receivers to be configured remotely from the transmitter Spread spectrum RF technology ensures a secure robust and high speed wireless link between all system components and does not require special licensing for each user The TX32D rack mount transmitter is a digital DMX device compliant with the USITT DMX512 1990 4uSec standard Optional 0 10V analog inputs are also available on request Current firmware provides a maximum of 32 radio dimmer channels Future upgrades will provide 64 channels There is no limit to the number of physical receivers in an RC4 system but 128 unique receiver IDs can be configured by the system RX2. Configure Connected RX LAWNII Radio For TX32D firmware 1 000 LAWNII radio configurations must be created and stored using PC software This function will be supported within the transmitter in future firmware revisions Additional System Parameters Each LAWNII radio module must be configured for proper operation in the RC4 Each system id should have only one transmitter or master and one or more receivers or slaves To assist advanced users the LAWNII User s Manual accompanies this TX32D manual LAWNII radios manufactured by OCI have recently been upgraded to use eeprom memory rather than battery backup memory Thus all TX32D systems use only eeprom to store system settings with no batteries to be replaced or disposed of Please consult the LAWNII manual for more information about various modes and settings The radio settings used for the RC4 system create a low latency master slave network with no built in acknowledgements or retries This is because normal acknowledgement and handshaking protocols Soundsculpture RC4 Operation Manual Page 18 of 21 sacrifice timing for accuracy and can cause unexpected delays in data transmission For real time control systems different techniques must be used The microprocessors at each end of the RC4 dimmer control system use real time cyclical redundancy to ensure reasonable accuracy without introducing varying delays The coding for this technique is proprietary to the Soundsculpture RC4 syst
3. the radio modules The bottom row includes the Exit Run button to exit any previously invoked function from any row as well as generic user interface functions move left move right etc In some cases the screen will show a number of parameters on screen The Move Left and Move Right buttons move the cursor between these parameters and the blinking cursor indicates the parameter that is active for editing The value of the selected parameter is usually adjusted by turning the rotary control In most cases the new value is saved by either 1 pressing the Enter button on the keypad or 2 pressing the rotary control knob In other cases as when selecting RX receiver parameters values immediately take effect and do not requiring additional selection or confirmation If you have entered a mode by accident or you do not wish to make changes in a mode you have entered press Exit amp Run to exit RUN amp Watch DMX Channel The TX32D powers up in Run mode Using the current settings which are stored in eeprom memory the system spools the selected DMX channels to the radio link Radio dimmers store their own settings in local eeprom memory When they see data of the correct system ID and channel they respond as programmed In this mode the transmitter is also a DMX channel monitor capable of viewing any of up to 512 DMX channels The rotary control selects the DMX channel being displayed If the displayed channel is assig
4. 4 32 receivers are for use with 12VDC battery power and provide four pulse width modulated PWM outputs each capable of delivering continuous power output of 150W into any kind of low voltage load typically lamps but motors and relays can also be operated Each output can be individually assigned to any RC4 dimmer channel Outputs assigned to the same channel can be externally wired in parallel The total power handling of the RX4 is limited to 500W by the capacity of the printed circuit board traces and connector pins components are substantially over rated to ensure a long life RX4 32HO high output receivers are identical to standard receivers but have a higher power capacity Each channel of an HO receiver can deliver 250 watts with a maximum power limit for the entire receiver of 1000W Fully digital Spread Spectrum radio allows multiple users in the same RF band to operate simultaneously without interference Over 60 000 RC4 systems can be separately identified with unique system IDs Soundsculpture RC4 Operation Manual Page 4 of 21 Getting Started Setting Up the RC4 Components The RC4 radio control system consists of a rack mount transmitter transmitter transceiver and one or more receivers Before the system can be used each item must be properly setup Transmitter The receiver is a 4 inch deep 3U rack chassis Control signals are sent to a remote spread spectrum radio transceiver via a supplied DB 25 cable and this
5. Soundsculpture RC4 TX32D RC4 RX4 32 Operation Manual R8 1 Jun 2004 JDS Revised Sep 2004 ESSA A r x x gel ELES f SOUNDSCULPTURE Incorporated Soundsculpture Solid State of the Arts TM 1 866 258 4577 www theatrewireless com Disclaimers Not for Use Where Human Safety May Be At Risk The Soundsculpture RC4 radio system has not been evaluated by any safety agency for use where human safety may be at risk Soundsculpture Incorporated accepts no liability if RC4 equipment is used for such purposes Not for Control of Pyrotechnical Devices The Soundsculpture RX4 32 receiver should not be used to control pyrotechnical devices A brief output surge at the receiver during power up could trigger these devices Soundsculpture Incorporated accepts no liability if RC4 equipment is used for such purposes No 3 Party Safety Marking is Provided While every attempt has been made to ensure product and user safety no 3 party safety evaluation has been done on the Soundsculpture TX32D transmitter or RX4 32 receiver These devices are operated at the user s own risk and Soundsculpture accepts no liability either direct or consequential arising from the use of this equipment Soundsculpture RC4 Operation Manual Page 2 of 21 SOUNDSCULPTURE RC4 TX32D RC4 RX4 32 OPERATION MANUAL 1 Disclaimers scsccssssserssssrserssssrsessessrsessesensessesensenscsessesscsensessesessessesensesscsessessesensessesensessesen
6. ach other directly through an unobstructed line of sight point to point range can exceed 3000 feet A typical theatre environment with the transmitter transceiver secured to overhead piping and receivers on stage less than 100 feet away is considered ideal No user detectable errors should occur regardless of the receiver time out period and moderate amounts of electrical noise from other equipment Flying set pieces in the house area should also perform correctly via reflections off the stage floor i e the chandelier in The Phantom of the Opera Errors will generally not sustain more than 1 60th of a second the maximum amount of time before every channel has been reset by redundant data re transmissions However if errors are caused by consistent multi path interference or insufficient signal level errors may persist or repeat The RC4 software protocol has been designed to be tolerant of the kinds of interference and interruptions that are typical of RF data links Moderate interference should not cause user detectable errors Soundsculpture Solid State of the Arts Contact James Smith Soundsculpture Incorporated 1 866 258 4577 support theatrewireless com www theatrewireless com Soundsculpture RC4 Operation Manual Page 21 of 21
7. all RC4 LAWNII transceivers are setup on radio channel 2 CHA 2 The LAWNII radio supports three channels 1 2 and 3 and any of these may be used with the RC4 system If another channel is used this setting must be changed at every LAWNII in the system the transmitter and each receiver Note If you are using multiple RC3 systems and experience reduced refresh rates as they try to share radio bandwidth try changing the channel of one system Soundsculpture RC4 Operation Manual Page 19 of 21 Complete LAWNII Configurations for the RC4 System For a single Transmitter TX LAWNII AUTOLF ON ABAUD 38400 MYC RC4TX DFCN RCATX SYS number for your system CHA 2 other channels can be used PACTIME A 1 BE E 0 UNPROTO RCARX LAWNGRAM ON TRANSGRA ON CALLS RCATX EN 0 EOUT 0 SAVE allow at last 500ms for save to complete TRANS go D Q For any number of Receiver RX LAWNIIs AUTOLF ON ABAUD 38400 MYC RC4RX DFCN RC4RX SYS lt use number for your system gt CHA 2 lt other channels can be used gt PACTIME A 1 BE E 0 UNPROTO RC4TX LAWNGRAM ON TRANSGRA ON CALLS RCARX PACLEN 0 TIMEOUT 0 SAVE lt allow at last 500ms for save to complete gt TRANS Tf you are not already connected at 38400 baud you will have to reconnect to the LAWNII radio at this speed after setting ABAUD 38400 New LAWNII radios are configured a
8. alue Put the fuse in the positive side of the load circuit and return the circuit back to the positive side of the supply battery RX4 dimming is done on the negative side This is the most effective option and is recommended A small fuse should still be installed on the RX4 board to drive the indicator LEDs For either case here are some typical fuse values 75 watt halogen lamp draws 6 25A at 12VDC Use an 8A fuse 1 4HP 12VDC motor typically draws 20A when operated smoothly but could surge to 40A on a fast startup Use a 25A fastblow fuse and avoid rapid startup ramp up the power level slowly It is not recommended to fuse the receiver above 25A Bench tests have been successful with 40A automotive fuses supplying large banks of incandescent lamps for brief periods Do not use slow blow fuses They do not protect semiconductors in a fault condition Soundsculpture RC4 Operation Manual Page 14 of 21 Receiver Power Connection Diagram The RX4 32 is remarkably versatile and powerful for its small size Four outputs deliver pulse width modulated power capable of driving high current motors lamps and other inductive or resistive loads Each output is rated for 200W equivalent to approximately 16 amps at 12 volts Output channels can be configured in parallel to deliver higher output currents to large loads Total receiver power handling is limited by circuit board traces and connector pins and should not exceed 600W in total M
9. ame data channel and have the same low level cut off and time out settings Failure to ensure this could cause one or more channels to disengage while other channels are still operating causing damage to those channels Damage caused by not setting parallel channels identically is not covered under warranty Before using any RX4 receiver at high power levels please re read this page and double check your choices of battery wire fuses and connectors Bigger is better as long as connections are solid and secure Observe caution Be careful power loads are operated at your own risk and Soundsculpture cannot be held responsible in any way whatsoever Soundsculpture RC4 Operation Manual Page 17 of 21 LAWNII Radio Settings For TX32D firmware 1 xxx system settings which reside in the radio modules must be set using a terminal or terminal emulator software These functions will be supported within the transmitter in future firmware revisions Set System ID The System ID is a number from 0 to 65535 Values below 1000 are reserved for older 16 channel RC4 systems New TX32D systems are assigned System IDs of 1000 or higher Set System Baud Rate The default 32 channel baud rate is 38 4kbps kilobits per second Configure Connected TX LAWNII Radio For TX32D firmware 1 000 LAWNII radio configurations must be created and stored using PC software This function will be supported within the transmitter in future firmware revisions
10. ating Free Hanging Connector AMP 1 480285 0 Use pin 60619 0 10 required pin 1 Battery Positive RED pin 2 Battery Negative BLK pin 3 Out 1 Positive ORNG pin 4 Out 1 Negative BRN pin 5 Out 2 Positive ORNG pin 6 Out 2 Negative GRY pin 7 Out 3 Positive CORNG pin 8 OUT3 Negative BLU pin 9 Out 4 Positive ORNG pin 10 Out 4 Negative PUR OUTPUTS ARE COMMON POSITIVE SWITCHING OCCURS ON NEGATIVE SIDE INTERNAL LOAD FUSE IS ON POSITIVE SIDE The recommended AMP pinning tool for these pins is 90124 2 The shells pins and pinning tool are available from most electronic component suppliers including Electrosonic Inc Channels connected in parallel must have their channel select and low level limit switches set identically to avoid one channel taking a heavy load on it s own Damage resulting from inappropriate configurations will not be covered under warranty Soundsculpture RC4 Operation Manual Page 15 of 21 The RX4 32 includes a 6 pin auxiliary power input connector Pins 1 3 and 5 are wired in parallel with pin 1 on the 10 pin connector This is V in Pins 2 4 and 6 are wired in parallel with pin 2 on the 10 pin connector This is GND in In some cases the 6 pin connector can be used for high power battery input while the 10 pin connector can be used just for outputs If all pins of both connectors are used eight wires are available for both power in and dimmer out equaliz
11. ctions in parallel to bring power in and another four to carry power out to the load Thus each wire and connection can carry a more reasonable 20A at 12V The fuse on RX4 receiver boards cannot carry 80 Amps neither can the circuit board traces leading to this fuse When wiring large loads the positive side of the circuit should be completely external to the RX4 receiver and it should be carefully and safely fused A small gauge wire can be used to bring the positive supply to the RX4 internal control electronics and the fuse on the RX4 can be 1A or even smaller The RX4 dimmer introduces pulse width modulation on the negative side of the circuit acting as a dimmer on the negative line to the load This is where you need heavy wire and you should utilize all 4 input and output connections available across both power connectors If you are using the RX4 as one large dimmer on a single channel you can wire the outputs of each channel in parallel For this to work effectively circuit impedance and resistance for each channel must be closely controlled More current will flow through shorter circuits thicker wires and tighter connections and this can cause more than a fair share of the total load to be flowing through a particular dimmer channel This kind of overloading causes oveheating and damage that is not covered under warranty There are programming issues as well When ganging output channels together they must be set to the s
12. el currently being monitored in Run mode is displayed but may be changed before being selected If the first channel is set higher than 481 assignments will wrap around to channel 0 NOTE This action overwrites any previously set DMX channel assignments in active use It does not affect saved set ups Edit Individual DMX Channel Assignments Not available in firmware 1 xxx Save DMX Set up Four DMX channel assignments can be saved in eeprom Each set of assignments is called a DMX Set up Set up zero is the active set up which is immediately used on power up and accessed directly from the front panel controls The others set ups are DMX Set Up 1 DMX Set Up 2 and DMX Set Up 3 To save the active set up press Save DMX Setup Use the rotary control to select the destination memory location 1 3 Press the Enter key or the rotary knob to execute the save NOTE Upon execution any previously stored settings in the selected memory location are overwritten Soundsculpture RC4 Operation Manual Page 8 of 21 Recall DMX Set up To recall a set up from memory and use it as the active set up press Recall DMX Setup Use the rotary control to select the source memory location 1 3 Press the Enter key or the rotary knob to execute the save NOTE Upon execution the previously active settings are overwritten with the settings from memory RX4 32 Receiver Dimmer Settings Made at Transmitter Each RX4 32 radio dimmer watches f
13. em LAWNII settings for the RC4 system are on the following page Settings can be made using an RS232 terminal or a computer running a terminal emulation program It is important that the terminal emulator be able to send control characters i e Ctrl C The Microsoft Windows Operating system comes bundled with the HyperTerminal terminal emulation program It can be used to configure LAWNII radios Be sure to use the following settings e Direct connect to any available COM port e VTIOO emulation e Control keys act as Terminal keys very important e Standard ASCII character set Additional information about connecting to the LAWNII radio with HyperTerminal is included in the LAWNII radio Setting the Systems ID Using a Terminal The System ID of each LAWNII radio must be the same for the transmitter and all receivers used in a given system If you own and use more than one RC4 radio system you may wish to move receivers between systems This can be done by changing only one parameter in the LAWNII radio All other settings can be left unchanged and to not have to be re entered connect at 38400 baud lt Ctrl C three times to enter command mode SYS use number for your system SAVE allow at last 500ms for save to complete TRANS To avoid conflicts Soundsculpture RC4 dimmer systems use System IDs of 1000 or higher Please do not use lower system IDs with 32 channel RC4 systems Using Other Channels At the factory
14. h receiver must be setup with a battery and lamps or other loads Please review the Receiver Operation section of this manual before attemping to operate receivers Output channels must be configured from the transmitter Soundsculpture RC4 Operation Manual Page 5 of 21 TX32D Transmitter Operation TX32D Keypad Map Set DMX Edit Save Recall Contiguous Individual DMX Set up DMX Set up Block DMX Channel Start Channel Assignments Select Set RX Set Other RX Send RX Receiver RX Channel Parameters Config Number Assignments Set Set Configure Configure System ID System Connected Connected Baud Rate TX LAWNII RX LAWNII Radio Radio Exit Move Left Move Right Select Run Decrement Increment Enter Watch DMX No Yes Channel not implemented in firmware 1 xxx Right Incr Yes Soundsculpture RC4 Operation Manual Page 6 of 21 The TX32D User Interface The TX32D radio transmitter user interface consists of a 16 key keypad a 20 character x 2 line LCD display and a rotary control The rotary knob can also be pressed as a button usually the equivalent of the Select Enter key Thirteen of the keypad keys are used to select a function or function group The top row of buttons invokes transmitter DMX channel assignment settings The next row of buttons invokes receiver settings The next row is for system settings primarily those affecting the operation of
15. icators As noted in the previous sections the RX4 32 radio dimmer is set up and controlled remotely from the RC4 TX32D transmitter using the transmitter s user interface This is the only way to configure each output selecting the dimmer channel switch or dim mode and low level limit The RX4 32 does have a simple user interface of its own however intended to help with wiring and load testing and restoring internal settings to default values Inside the plastic receiver enclosure are two circuit boards the LAWNII radio board and the Soundsculpture RX 4 dimmer board For more information about the rf board please review the LAWNII User s Manual On the dimmer board there are five recessed push buttons four nearby function LEDs and four additional LEDs directly connected to the four dimmer outputs From left to right the switches and LEDs have these functions rn 1 Button Output 4 Test Button Output 3 Test Button Output 2 Test Power Up Load Default Settings Button Output 1 Test Assume RX Number of Incoming Setup Packet Yellow LED Setup Data Receive Indicator Yellow LED Dimmer Level Receive Indicator Yellow LED Processor Operating Properly Blinking Indicator Red LED Data Error Indicator Reset Button Hardware Reset System Restart ecc ooooenQ Soundsculpture RC4 Operation Manual Page 12 of 21 Default Settings To load receiver default se
16. ing current handling on each end of the circuit Some models of the RX4 32 include an optional 2 pin backup battery connection Pin is positive pin 2 is negative This connector can be used as a 12V unregulated power output to external electronics or be used for a 12V lead acid battery or large storage capacitor This allows the logic and RF circuitry in the RC4 receiver to continue functioning even if the load bearing batteries run down Soundsculpture RC4 Operation Manual Page 16 of 21 Receiver Auxiliary Data and Control Connection Some RX4 receivers are supplied with an additional 14 pin dual inline auxiliary data connector This port provides control lines to external hardware for custom applications In most cases custom hardware is provided by Soundsculpture along with additional documentation RX4 32 HO High Output Receivers The high output HO version of the RX4 receiver features upgraded MOSFET power components and the addition of a cooling fan Even with these enhancements high current power handling is a dangerous game and should not be sustained indefinitely At 12VDC a 1000W load demands over 80 Amps of power The batteries wires connections and fuses required to handle this kind of load are very very large To accommodate large loads both the RX4 32 and the RX4 32 HO feature a 6 pin auxiliary power input connection Used together with the 10 pin power input output connector there are four separate conne
17. ned to the radio system its radio dimmer channel assignment is also displayed To change the displayed channel more quickly the Inc Dec buttons change the current channel in increments of 64 channels up and down Soundsculpture RC4 Operation Manual Page 7 of 21 Optional analog 0 10V control voltage inputs may also be provided If so these inputs are activated by setting dipswitch 8 inside the transmitter to the ON position In this mode the first eight radio channels are directly assigned to the analog inputs These channels are indicated on the LCD as channels AN1 through AN 8 and the analog levels are displayed for these channels For diagnostics purposes data spooling can be suspended by pressing the Select key and resumed by pressing the Run key Normally there is no need to suspend or resume this function NOTE In the event of a power failure while accessing set up functions the unit will come back on in Run mode using whatever parameters were most recently Set Set DMX Contiguous Channel The quickest and easiest way to assign DMX channels to radio dimmer channels is to use a contiguous block of channels In this case only the first channel need be specified Press Set DMX Start then select the first DMX channel with the rotary control then push the rotary control button or Enter key to set it Thirty two contiguous DMX channels will now be assigned to radio channels When first entering this mode the DMX chann
18. o the transmitter This light show is displayed if a setup message comes in on the RX number previously programmed or if a setup message comes in while the Assume RX Number button is down In the latter case the new RX number becomes the currently programmed setting Note TX32D firmware 1 xxx does not allow current settings in a receiver to be retrieved and displayed To reprogram a receiver you must select the desired settings at the transmitter before sending them NOTE Some receivers contain customized firmware for special applications A specific RXnum is required to activate these custom processes For example friction drive dual motor control is activated by using Rxnum 128 These receivers usually default to the special functions if defaults are loaded at the receiver Internal Fuses and Tips About Power Wiring Beside the main power connector on the RX4 32 is a large load fuse Standard AGC fuses are easily installed in the clips A 15A fast blow fuse is provided by the factory For effective fusing to protect the load and electronics and reduce safety hazards one of the following techniques should be used 1 Reduce the size of the internal fuse to accurately reflect the load size In this case the peak total for all four output channels must be considered Soundsculpture RC4 Operation Manual Page 13 of 21 2 Use external fuses for each individual output channel ensuring that the peak total does not exceed the internal fuse v
19. on drive dual motor control is activated by using Rxnum 128 These receivers usually default to the special functions if defaults are loaded at the receiver Set RX Channel Assignments Each RX4 32 radio dimmer has four dimmer outputs These outputs can be assigned to any of the 32 dimmer channels of the radio system To assign the dimmers of the selected RX number to specific dimmer channels press Assign RX Chans The screen will indicate the selected RX number the currently assigned rf dimmer channels for the four outputs top line of the LCD and the corresponding DMX channels If the rf channel number displayed is preceeded by a qa the channel will be configured as a dimmer If the channel number is preceeded by an s the dimmer will be configured as a switch See Switch Mode below for additional information Soundsculpture RC4 Operation Manual Page 9 of 21 Note The corresponding DMX channels will change if the DMX set up is changed Set Other RX Parameters In addition to a channel assignment dimmer outputs have other parameters as outlined below These parameters can be edited by pressing Set RX Params and moving the cursor with the Move Left and Move Right keys Low Level Limit Each dimmer output has a range of 255 dimmer levels implemented as a PWM pulse width modulation signal at a base frequency of 75Hz In some cases large loads draw excessive currents for brief periods when driven with very low powe
20. or two different kinds of data packets a dimmer levels and b set up information In either case the correct system ID must be used to send the packet or the data will not reach the receiver All channel assignments and other settings for each radio dimmer and dimmer output are made at the transmitter then uploaded to the corresponding receiver by radio A radio dimmer should be powered on and working when settings for that unit are being made If this is not the case the transmitter will report Receiver Not Found on the LCD display when settings are transmitted Select Receiver RX Number Receivers are identified by their RX number In addition radio receivers and transmitters must share a System ID number that is programmed into the radio itself To select a radio dimmer for set up programming press Select RX Use the rotary control to set the RX number It is not necessary to press Enter the displayed value is immediately the current RX number This is also true for all other receiver parameters BUT these values do not take effect until they are sent to a connected dimmer unit NOTE It does no harm to press Enter or the rotary control knob but it is NOT required to select the RX number or other receiver parameter Press Exit amp Run to exit the receiver set up screens NOTE Some receivers contain customized firmware for special applications A specific RXnum is required to activate these custom processes For example fricti
21. ote The 32 channel TX32D running firmware 1 xxx transmits all channel levels a minimum of 60 times per second DMX data loss will turn off all dimmers after 1 second Radio interference or other data loss within the Soundsculpture RC4 system will turn off dimmers if no valid data has been received for one second Although the time period is the same these events are not related Send RX Config When the Send RX Config key is pressed on screen settings for the selected RX number dimmer channel assignments low level limits and switch mode settings are uploaded to the corresponding RC4 32 radio dimmer by radio If a corresponding receiver is not found the transmitter LCD will report Receiver Not Found Otherwise the LCD will report Setup Confirmed A radio dimmer will assume a new RX number if it receives a control packet while its ProgRX button is being held down In this case the RX value of that packet will become the new RX number for that receiver Subsequent control packets for this RX number will be accepted and acknowledged NOTE The correct System ID must be programmed in the receiver or no data will be accepted regardless of the state of the ProgRX button NOTE Only one radio dimmer should be programmed to any given RX number If more than one device sends an acknowledgement at the same time messages may be garbled Soundsculpture RC4 Operation Manual Page 11 of 21 RX4 32 Receiver Operation Buttons and Ind
22. r ecce teet nere Ee tera ene e HERR Toe E ia eoe nece PR Ferte epe eee eee eves 9 Set RX Channel Assignments eena e EERE IERT EAE IN KS VEEE ETENE etre enn eerte tenete 9 Set Other RX Parameters eee pert e E EE E addons E AE ETA A RE 10 Send RX CONTIS enne oti ite na eue RT e e a en sede e ES 11 RX4 32 Receiver Operation eere ee eese esee eese neenon stone ta seta setas eta sete sete sete sss s sees esas taa ease ta seta sea sea 12 Buttons and Indicators ueteri ra EP e PORE rte ER sveesoponiavessestay E e PERSE 12 Default Settings inten CRPIDPER TE EE iet pte de eso Pp pepe 13 Changing the RX Number ene eee tipi ipee PIDE chi p ERR pcne 13 Internal Fuses and Tips About Power Wiring esee enne neret trennen nee 13 Receiver Power Connection Diagram siess isre rietse si es epo Ee E ET EE E E aser EE EEE EES Ee trennen rennes 15 Receiver Auxiliary Data and Control Connection eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeennee nennen nennen rennes 17 RX4 32 HO High Output Receivers speiir reri enesesse rereset E ries ep EErEE EEEE EEr kesret 17 LAWNI Radio Settings cccsccssassesssecseascessvescesocsscnssevsaseceovessoaseussvaseensocssonssessSusdsnessnessneeseassoassonssasesasoesses 18 Set System D wee ss nne ted ete eleg e aet eri enoa ea lee pe ob tei estre ke eee oce cb irt e remet 18 Set System Baud Rate eese eee RO BAS Loe tes aaa hse GG Soe 18 Configure Connected TX LAWNII Radio
23. r levels This is because PWM applies full power for a slice of time that is very short 1 256 of 75Hz for low power and longer as power levels increase up to 255 255 These short spikes can create electrical noise and interference that is undesirable for both the radio dimmer and other nearby equipment For example a large motor will remain stalled and a large lamp filament will remain unlit until a significant amount of energy is delivered In these states large transient spikes are generated on each switch on of the PWM circuit 75 times each second The Low Level Limit parameter ensures that power levels below this limit are reduced to zero For large loads a recommended Low Level Limit is 15 15 255 For smaller loads a limit of 5 or even zero can be used The available range is 0 to 31 Switch Mode In some cases dimmed power levels are not desirable When turning on a relay or powering a DC device that requires clean constant power a dimmer output can be set for switch mode In this case dimmer levels of 127 or lower will turn the output off while levels of 128 or higher will turn the output on Normally even when using an output in dimmer not switch mode a DMX level of zero will turn the channel fully off and a DMX level of 255 will turn the channel fully on But in some cases particularly where analog to digital converters are somehow involved channel levels do not always stay at zero or 255 Any amount of data flutte
24. r could cause a dimmer level to be invoked This is avoided by selecting Switch Mode Each output can be set for dimmer or switch mode NOTE The Soundsculpture TX32D transmitter and RC4 receivers are fully digital making channel flutter highly unlikely within this system Nonetheless flutter could get into DMX data before it arrives at the TX32D transmitter Soundsculpture RC4 Operation Manual Page 10 of 21 Data Timeout Period not adjustable in firmware 1 xxx For various reasons dimmer data may occasionally be interrupted When this happens dimmer outputs will be maintained for one second The DMX512 1990 specification as published by the United States Institute for Theatre Technology requires DMX devices to have a loss of data tolerance of not less than 1 second The Soundsculpture TX32D transmitter has a loss of data tolerance of just over 1 second at its DMX input Presuming there are no problems in the wired DMX system controlling the TX32D transmitter this will have no bearing on radio dimmer performance Problems on the DMX line will not invoke the Data Timeout Period in the radio dimmer in that case the DMX loss of data tolerance will take effect after one second and the transmitter will send a dimmer level of zero for all channels Radio interference problems will cause the radio dimmer timeout period to take effect The default Data Timeout Period for RC4 dimmer channels is 1 second and is not user adjustable N
25. sessesessesesseneeseeses 2 Not for Use Where Human Safety May Be At Risk nennen nennen 2 Not for Control of Pyrotechnical Devices eeesssssessesseeeeeeeneneene enne enne nennen trennen 2 No 3 Party Safety Marking is Provided aesti tete aot m a sto raise 2 RE4 System OVEEVICW P esesato 4 Getting Started Setting Up the RC4 Components cssccssssssssscscssssesssssscssscsesenecssessscesecssecssesssees 5 Transmitter nnt ec iim ERE EP ERE C TERR Gears EORR ORI Cagbeee vk hanes Fadat uae AAE PENI 5 RecetVets iu ect o DERE ROR ERREUR UFU ants duadeessen ORE BER UR A PER EDEN ERU EFE S 5 TX32D Transmitter Operation 4 eee e esee ee ette eren enses etna etas tasto seta seta sete sete stesse sone toss ease ease ease tns ena 6 TX32D Keypad Map oett E EUR RU e RE CE ROTER haves e rnc Tr t eU be edd 6 RUN amp Watch DMX Channel osse oerte piti ee ret ete ore tie ei eren eet eee ee eee ble diee ees 7 Set DMX Contguous Channel 5 5 nie petia Mr Hte pee eb e ee de ee e tede 8 Edit Individual DMX Channel Assignments esses ene enne nemen nennen nennen 8 Save DMX Set Po s eoe nie bete M ER THE e pee ee pete He eei T e i ente 8 Recall OMX Setup cess ieri t etie eee eset e I lc e dete tpe ed e yes 9 RX4 32 Receiver Dimmer Settings Made at Transmitter e eeee eee ee ee eee seen eene enne tna etn seta sno 9 Select Receiver RX Numbe
26. t the default baud rate of 9600 so initial connections must be made at this speed The RC4 dimmer system requires a baud rate of 38400 The transmitter and any associated receivers MUST have the same SYS and CHA settings Soundsculpture RC4 Operation Manual Page 20 of 21 A General Discussion of Radio Reliability The Soundsculpture RC4 system is exceptionally reliable when properly set up The most critical factor when using the system is transceiver placement since these units house the high frequency spread spectrum antenna Consider the following guidelines when installing the transmitter and all receivers The transceiver antenna surfaces transmitter and all receivers must not be obstructed by metal surfaces Remember that lead acid batteries have lead inside and count as an obstruction Internal antennas are most effective when facing other units in the system i e receivers should face towards the transmitter and vice versa Alternatively all antennas can face in the same direction up down into a wing etc reflections off ceilings and walls usually result in a solid radio link Avoid many solid obstructions between the transmitter and receivers especially as the distance between them is extended In an environment with a continuous solid reflective surface like a ceiling and a minimum of obstructions no walls RC4 spread spectrum receivers work flawlessly over an 80 000 square foot area With transceivers facing e
27. tranceiver communicates with radio dimmers on stage The DB 25 cable carries both power and data to the transceiver Connect the rack chassis to the transceiver with the cable and position the transceiver so that it s top surface is facing out on the theatre stage Ideally there should be line of sight from the transceiver to each RX4 32 receiver but this is not mandatory In ideal conditions the spread spectrum radios of the RC4 system can connect through walls and other barriers to a distance of several hundred feet This range will be reduced however by the density of obstructions other radio activity in the 900Mhz band and wide band interference generated by nearby lamps motors etc including loads connected to RC4 receivers themselves Connect a DMX source to the DMX input on the transmitter The RC4 TX32D input is not terminated A terminated cable or an in line termination connector must be used if termination is required In general a 100 ohm resistor between pins 2 and 3 of a DMX connector will provide adequate termination Optional analog 0 10V control voltage inputs may also be provided If so these inputs are activated by setting dipswitch 8 inside the transmitter to the ON position In this mode the first eight radio channels are directly assigned to the eight analog inputs These channels are indicated on the LCD as channels ANI through ANS and the analog levels are displayed for these channels Receivers Eac
28. ttings hold down Button 2 while powering up the receiver or pressing the Reset Button This will load the following settings RX Number 1 Output 1 Assigned to Channel 1 Dimmer Mode Lo Level Limit Output 2 Assigned to Channel 2 Dimmer Mode Lo Level Limit Output 3 Assigned to Channel 3 Dimmer Mode Lo Level Limit Output 4 Assigned to Channel 4 Dimmer Mode Lo Level Limit O1 0101 O1 To change these settings send a new configuration from the TX32D transmitter using RX number 1 NOTE Some receivers contain customized firmware for special applications These receivers usually default to the special functions and the standard defaults above do not apply Additional documentation for custom features is provided separately Changing the RX Number To change the RX number of this receiver send a configuration from the TX32 transmitter using the RX number you desire and hold down the Output 1 Test Assume RX Number of Incoming Setup Packet button 4 button from the left on the receiver while pressing the Send RX Config button on the TX32D transmitter The RX number of the sent data packet will be assumed by the receiver and stored in eeprom Subsequent settings sent from the transmitter will be accepted by this receiver without holding any button down When a receiver accepts new setup data it displays a short light show on its four LEDs as an acknowledgement It also sends a digital acknowledgement back t
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