User manual DC-1216 DMX controller
Musikhaus Thomann Thomann GmbH Hans-Thomann-Straße 1 96138 Burgebrach Germany Telephone: +49 (0) 9546 9223-0 E-mail: info@thomann.de Internet: www.thomann.de 05.03.
Table of contents Table of contents 1 General information................................................................................................................................. 1.1 Further information........................................................................................................................... 1.2 Notational conventions.................................................................................................................... 1.3 Symbols and signal words.....
Table of contents 7.6 Calling chases.................................................................................................................................... 38 7.7 The MIDI functions........................................................................................................................... 39 4 DC-1216 DMX controller 8 Technical specifications.......................................................................................................................
DC-1216 DMX controller 5
General information 1 General information This user manual contains important information on the safe operation of the device. Read and follow all safety notes and all instructions. Save this manual for future reference. Make sure that it is available to all persons using this device. If you sell the device to another user, be sure that they also receive this manual. Our products and user manuals are subject to a process of continuous development.
General information 1.1 Further information On our website (www.thomann.de) you will find lots of further information and details on the following points: Download This manual is also available as PDF file for you to download. Keyword search Use the search function in the electronic version to find the topics of interest for you quickly. Online guides Our online guides provide detailed information on technical basics and terms.
General information 1.2 Notational conventions This manual uses the following notational conventions: Letterings The letterings for connectors and controls are marked by square brackets and italics. Examples: [VOLUME] control, [Mono] button. Displays Texts and values displayed on the device are marked by quotation marks and italics. Examples: ‘24ch’ , ‘OFF’ .
General information Instructions The individual steps of an instruction are numbered consecutively. The result of a step is indented and highlighted by an arrow. Example: 1. Switch on the device. 2. Press [Auto]. ð Automatic operation is started. 3. Switch off the device. 1.3 Symbols and signal words In this section you will find an overview of the meaning of symbols and signal words that are used in this manual.
General information Signal word Meaning DANGER! This combination of symbol and signal word indicates an immediate dangerous situation that will result in death or serious injury if it is not avoided. NOTICE! This combination of symbol and signal word indicates a pos‐ sible dangerous situation that can result in material and environmental damage if it is not avoided. Warning signs Type of danger Warning – danger zone.
Safety instructions 2 Safety instructions Intended use This device is used to control spotlights, dimmers, lighting effects equipment, Moving Heads or other DMX-controlled devices. The device is designed for professional use and is not suit‐ able for use in households. Use the device only as described in this user manual. Any other use or use under other operating conditions is considered to be improper and may result in per‐ sonal injury or property damage.
Safety instructions Safety DANGER! Danger for children Ensure that plastic bags, packaging, etc. are disposed of properly and are not within reach of babies and young children. Choking hazard! Ensure that children do not detach any small parts (e.g. knobs or the like) from the unit. They could swallow the pieces and choke! Never let children unattended use electrical devices.
Safety instructions NOTICE! External power supply The device is powered by an external power supply. Before connecting the external power supply, ensure that the input voltage (AC outlet) matches the voltage rating of the device and that the AC outlet is protected by a residual cur‐ rent circuit breaker. Failure to do so could result in damage to the device and pos‐ sibly the user.
Safety instructions NOTICE! Operating conditions This device has been designed for indoor use only. To prevent damage, never expose the device to any liquid or moisture. Avoid direct sunlight, heavy dirt, and strong vibrations. NOTICE! Possible staining The plasticiser contained in the rubber feet of this product may possibly react with the coating of your parquet, linoleum, laminate or PVC floor and after some time cause permanent dark stains.
Features 3 Features Special features of the device: n n n n n n n n n n 12 units with up to 16 DMX channels operable 30 banks with each 8 programmable scenes 6 Chase programmes with Loop function 8 faders for the DMX output levels Built-in microphone for sound-control Automatic programme run with tap-sync or speed control MIDI control Blackout function Chase programming Fade time control DC-1216 DMX controller 15
Installation and starting up 4 Installation and starting up Create all connections while the device is off. Use the shortest possible high-quality cables for all connections. Take care when running the cables to prevent tripping hazards. NOTICE! Possible data transmission errors For error-free operation make use of dedicated DMX cables and do not use ordi‐ nary microphone cables. Never connect the DMX input or output to audio devices such as mixers or ampli‐ fiers.
Installation and starting up Connecting the power adapter Connect the included power supply to the power supply socket on the unit and then put the power plug into the wall outlet. The device is immediately operational.
Connections and controls 5 Connections and controls Front panel 18 DC-1216 DMX controller
Connections and controls 1 [SCANNERS] 12 scanners with 16 DMX channels and fader control Press one of the scanner buttons to turn on the manual fader control. Press the scanner button again to turn it off. The LED next to the button lights up or goes out to indicate your selection. For channel assignment, see table below. 2 [SCENES] Scene buttons Press one of the Scene buttons to load or save scenes. A maximum of 240 scenes can be saved.
Connections and controls 7 [Midi/Rec] To control MIDI operations or to record programmes 8 [CHASE 1] … [CHASE 6] To call up your programmed chases 9 [BLACK OUT] Press this button to temporarily set all DMX values to 0. 10 [Auto/Del] Activates Auto mode or deletes scenes or chases 11 [Tapsync/Display] Press this button to set the beat for the program sequence or to switch the display from % to numeric (0-255) indica‐ tion.
Connections and controls 13 [FADE TIME] Time control For setting the Fade time. The Fade time is the time it takes for a scanner to move from one position to another, or for a dimmer from Fade In to Fade Out. 14 [SPEED] Speed control For setting the Chase speed. The chase speed determines how fast or slow the desired scenes are playing.
Connections and controls Device DMX channels 3 33 … 48 4 49 … 64 5 65 … 80 6 81 … 96 7 97 … 112 8 113 … 128 9 129 … 144 10 145 … 160 11 161 … 176 12 177 … 192 22 DC-1216 DMX controller
Connections and controls Rear panel 16 [MIDI] MIDI input socket 17 [DMX OUT] DMX output socket to connect a dimmer or other DMX-controlled devices 18 [USB LIGHT] USB port for attachment of e.g.
Basics 6 Basics This chapter provides basic information about the data transmission using the DMX protocol. Signal transmission DMX signals are generated by a DMX controller. The signals are transferred over a DMX cable to the connected devices. Each connection can transmit up to 512 channels. For each channel, a value between 0 and 255 is being transmitted. The 512 channels form a so-called ‘DMX uni‐ verse’.
Basics If the cable length exceeds 300 m (328 yds.) or the number of devices is greater than 32, the signal must be amplified using a DMX booster.
Basics Signal processing Each DMX devices operates on a specific number of channels to transfer the incoming control signals into movements, changing of light intensity or colour, and so on. Since all receivers that are part of a DMX daisy chain receive all signals, a start address must be assigned to each DMX device. Starting from this address (a value between 0 and 512) the incoming signals are being evaluated and transferred into the functions of the receiver (internal channel assign‐ ment).
Operating 7 Operating 7.1 Introduction With the DC-1216, you can control up to twelve devices with up to 16 DMX channels per device. 30 banks with each eight programmable scenes are available as program memory. You can programme six chases, each with up to 240 programmed scenes. 7.2 Enabling programming mode As soon as you connect the unit to the power supply, the manual mode will be automatically activated. To switch to the programming mode, press [Program] for three seconds.
Operating 7.3 Programming scenes 28 DC-1216 DMX controller 1. Enabling programming mode. 2. Press one of the [SCANNERS] buttons to turn on the Fader control for the corresponding scanner. The LED next to the selected [SCANNERS] button lights up. You can select sev‐ eral scanners at a time. 3. Use the faders to set the desired DMX values. 4. With [Page Select] you can switch from the first level [PAGE A] to the second level [PAGE B] to programme channels 9 – 16. 5.
Operating 9. Once the programming is completed, press [Program] for three seconds. The LED [PROG] goes out in the display and indicates that you have quit the programming mode. After exiting, the [BLACK OUT] function is automatically activated. 1. Enabling programming mode. 2. Use [BANK UP/DOWN] to select the bank with the scene you want to alter. 3. Use [SCENES] to select the desired scene. 4. Use the faders to make the desired changes. 5. Press [Midi/Rec] to save the settings. 6.
Operating Copying scene 1. Enabling programming mode. 2. Use [BANK UP/DOWN] to select the bank with the scene you want to copy. 3. Use [SCENES] to select the scene to be copied. 4. Press [Midi/Rec]. 5. Use [BANK UP/DOWN] to select the bank to which the scene is to be copied. 6. Press [SCENES] to save the copied scene to the desired memory location. 1. Enabling programming mode. 2. Use [BANK UP/DOWN] to select the bank with the scene you want to delete. 3.
Operating Deleting all scenes 1. Disconnect the unit from the power supply. 2. Simultaneously press [Program] and [BANK DOWN] and keep the buttons pressed. 3. Reconnect the device to the power supply while keeping [Program] and [BANK DOWN] pressed simultaneously. ð All stored scenes are being deleted. All DMX values of all scenes are set to zero. Copying bank 1. Enabling programming mode. 2. Use [BANK UP/DOWN] to select the bank to be copied. 3. Press [Midi/Rec]. 4.
Operating 7.4 Programming chase In order to programme chases, scenes must have been previously programmed. Each Chase can contain up to 240 scenes. 32 DC-1216 DMX controller 1. Enabling programming mode. 2. Use [CHASE 1 – 6] to select the chase to be programmed. Only one chase can be selected at a time. 3. Select the desired scene from a bank. 4. Press [Midi/Rec]. 5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until all desired scenes are stored in the chase.
Operating Storing an entire bank to a chase 1. Enabling programming mode. 2. Select a chase with [CHASE 1 – 6] . 3. Use [BANK UP/DOWN] to select the bank with the scenes to be copied. 4. Press [Music/Bankcopy]. 5. Press [Midi/Rec]. ð The scenes are copied to the chase in the order they are placed. All LEDs flash to confirm. If the bank selected in step 3 contains non-programmed scenes, they will be saved to the chase as empty scenes.
Operating Adding step 1. Enabling programming mode. With [Tapsync/Display] you can switch between different display masks. Press [Tapsync/Display] to display the chase and the current step. Press [Tapsync/Display] again to display the scene and the bank. 2. Select the Chase, you want to add a step to. 3. Press [Tapsync/Display]to display the chase and the current step. 4. Use [BANK UP/DOWN] to select the step to which you want to add a step. 5. Press [Midi/Rec] to add a new step.
Operating Deleting step 1. Enabling programming mode. 2. Select the step to be deleted in a chase. 3. Press [Auto/Del]. ð The selected scene is being deleted. All subsequent scenes are moved one step for‐ ward. Deleting chase 1. Enabling programming mode. 2. Select the chase you want to delete. 3. Keep [Auto/Del] pressed and then simultaneously press again the desired [CHASE] button. ð The selected chase is being deleted.
Operating Deleting all chases 1. Disconnect the unit from the power supply. 2. Simultaneously press [Auto/Del] and [BANK DOWN] and keep the buttons pressed. 3. Reconnect the device with the buttons pressed to the power supply. ð All chases are being deleted. 7.5 Calling up scenes Manual mode 36 DC-1216 DMX controller 1. As soon as you connect the device to the power supply, it is automatically in manual mode. 2.
Operating Auto mode With this function, you can run a bank of scenes in an endless loop. 1. Make sure that the device is in manual mode. Press [Auto/Del]to enable the Auto mode. The LED [Auto trigger] in the display indicates that the mode is active. 2. With [BANK UP/DOWN] to select a bank with scenes for the run. 3. Use [Tapsync/Display] or the fader [SPEED] to adjust the running speed. Use the fader [FADE TIME] to set the fade time. 4. Press [Auto/Del] again to exit the mode. 1.
Operating 7.6 Calling chases Manual mode 1. When you connect the device to the power supply, it is automatically in manual mode. 2. Press one of the six [CHASE] buttons to select the desired chase. If you press the button again, you disable this function. 3. With [BANK UP/DOWN] you can call the steps of the chase one by one. 1. Press [Auto/Del] to enable the Auto mode. The LED [Auto trigger] in the display indicates that the mode is activated. 2.
Operating Sound control 1. Press [Music/Bankcopy] to enable the sound control. The LED [Music trigger] in the dis‐ play indicates that the mode is active. 2. Press one of the six [CHASE] buttons to select the desired chase. The chase is then con‐ trolled by the rhythm of the music. You can select several chases at a time. 7.7 The MIDI functions MIDI control To enable MIDI control, connect a MIDI device, e. g. a MIDI keyboard, to the DMX controller.
Operating MIDI channel setting 40 DC-1216 DMX controller 1. Press and hold [Midi/Rec] for three seconds. The third and fourth digits in the display flash. 2. With [BANK UP/DOWN] you can select a DMX channel 01 - 16 that you assign as MIDI channel. 3. Press and hold [Midi/Rec] again to save the setting. If you do not want to save the set‐ ting, press any key (except [BANK UP/DOWN]) to exit the MIDI mode.
Operating Control This device receives ‘Note on’ signals. These signals allow calling up of 15 banks (01 - 15) with scenes and six chases with scenes. In addition, also the Blackout function can be controlled via MIDI.
Operating Bank Note number Function Chase 5 124 Chase 5 on / off Chase 6 125 Chase 6 on / off BLACKOUT 126 Blackout 42 DC-1216 DMX controller
Technical specifications 8 Technical specifications Control protocols DMX-512 Scan Number of devices to be connected 12 scanners with max. 16 DMX addresses Input connections MIDI 1 × DIN socket, 5-pin USB port USB port for attachment of e.g.
Technical specifications Further information Preset function No External storage option No DMX universes 1 Max.
Plug and connection assignment 9 Plug and connection assignment Introduction This chapter will help you select the right cables and plugs to connect your valuable equip‐ ment so that a perfect light experience is guaranteed.
Protecting the environment 10 Protecting the environment Disposal of the packaging mate‐ rial For the transport and protective packaging, environmentally friendly materials have been chosen that can be supplied to normal recycling. Ensure that plastic bags, packaging, etc. are properly disposed of. Do not just dispose of these materials with your normal household waste, but make sure that they are collected for recycling. Please follow the notes and markings on the packaging.
Musikhaus Thomann · Hans-Thomann-Straße 1 · 96138 Burgebrach · Germany · www.thomann.
