Instruction Manual Abstract Universal Instruction Manual Introduction The Abstract range of lighting products offers an incredible number of features in a variety of different effects, which can all work together in harmony to produce an amazing light show. This booklet contains instructions for the following products: · · · · · · · · · ClubScan ClubRevolution ClubColour ClubJive Futurescan 1 Gladiator Revolution Twister 4 Galactic Star DuoColour All the information in this booklet applies to all the above products, unless it has lines beside it. Information like this only applies to certain products. The text will tell you to which products it is relevant. The Abstract lighting effects are all complex intelligent lighting effects with the following features: · · · · · · · · · · · · Smoothly microstepped movements with automatic speed sensing Vivid dichroic colours Microstepped colour wheel with both smooth colour crossfading and fast colour snapping Microstepped gobo wheel (where fitted) for precise and fast gobo changing Variable speed strobe effect Controlled by standard DMX512, any channel 1-508 Automatic switch to `stand-alone' mode when DMX disconnected Synchronising stand alone 2-channel light show (compatible across whole Abstract range) DMX channel can be changed while unit is running DMX switch-through relay in case of unit failure DMX/Audio beat indication LED Units can be remotely reset (using Abstract controller) Page 2 Abstract Universal Instruction Manual Connections and controls All the units have the same connections and indications, though they are in different positions on the different units. The main connections and controls are as follows. 1. DMX output socket (pin 3 cold, pin 2 hot, pin 1 grounded). Other DMX devices can be linked in to the system through this socket. In stand alone mode the unit outputs its own DMX through this socket. If you're not sure which is the input and the output, the input is the one where you can touch the pins, the output is the one where you can't. DMX input plug (pin 3 cold, pin 2 hot, pin 1 screen). A dedicated controller such as the Abstract CE controller, or other DMX lighting desk can be connected to this plug. The unit buffers the DMX signal, so you must make sure you get the connectors the right way round. If you are using a controller with a 5-pin DMX output, you will need to use a 5 to 3 pin adaptor with pins 2 and 3 swapped. Power on LED (red). This LED is lit whenever the unit is powered up. If this light does not come on there is either no power to the unit, or some internal problem with the unit. 2. 3. 4. DMX present / Audio beat LED (green). This LED is on constantly when DMX is being received (it may flicker in time with the DMX frames), and goes out when DMX is not received. When the LED is not lit the unit is in stand alone mode and the LED will flash when an audio beat is detected. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Page 3 Abstract Universal Instruction Manual 5. Dip switches. Dip switches 1-9 set the DMX channel that the unit will respond to (in binary code). Channel 1 is the first valid DMX channel. If all switches 1-9 are off, the unit will automatically set its own DMX channel. Switch 10 sets the stand alone `group' of the unit, either 1 (off) or 2 (on). See the last page of this booklet for help on setting the switches. Microphone. The unit can sense the beat of the music through this built-in microphone. Mains power (not shown in picture). Power is supplied to the unit through an IEC connector on the back face of the unit. There is a power supply fuse built into this connector. If this fuse fails you should take the unit to an Abstract dealer for service. Futurescan 1, Gladiator Revolution and DuoColour have captive power leads. 6. 7. 8. Lamp alignment (not shown in picture). "Club" effects only. On the bottom of the unit (the opposite end from the mirror) there are 3 screws marked "Lamp align". These allow you to adjust the position of the lamp within the reflector to optimise the evenness of the light beam. The alignment is set at the factory and you should not need to change it unless you renew the lamp. 9. Focus (not shown in picture). You can focus the light beam for sharp gobo projection by turning the lens. If you turn the lens anticlockwise several turns, the lens will come out of the unit allowing it to be cleaned. On the Twister 4 and Galactic Star, there is a slider knob on the top of the case. Turn the knob anticlockwise to loosen it, focus by sliding backwards and forwards, then turn the knob clockwise to lock the focus position. 10. Remote control socket (Futurescan 1, Gladiator Revolution and DuoColour). The "remote control" (3 buttons) can be connected to this socket using a stereo jack cable. Do not connect any other equipment to this socket or damage may result. Note: when power is not connected to the unit, the DMX input and output connectors are bridged through by a relay to maintain the DMX circuit. Page 4 Abstract Universal Instruction Manual Setting the unit up Ensure that fixings are sufficient to carry the weight of the unit. The unit is fan cooled and you must make sure that free airflow is maintained around it. Ensure there is at least 1 metre between the lens of the unit and any surface which the light beam can shine on. For Club range units, the unit should be installed with the mirror at the top to ensure best light output. You can operate the unit in two ways: · "Stand alone" mode, where the unit listens to the music and generates its own complex lightshow. This mode is good when you want a quick and impressive show, or if you don't have time to program or operate the light show. DMX controlled mode, where you connect a controller such as the CE controller, the Clubshow or a standard lighting desk to the unit and control its movements yourself. This mode is best for live performance, or if you want to have full control over the light show. · Setup for Stand Alone mode All Abstract products have a sophisticated built-in lightshow, which is compatible across the whole range of products - you can connect any mix of units together and a fascinating synchronised lightshow will be produced. If you have more than one Abstract unit, you can link the units using DMX cables (balanced microphone cables should work). Connect the DMX out (the socket) on the first unit to the DMX in (plug) on the second unit. Then continue linking as many other units as you want. The first unit will then control the other units to give an automatic synchronised light show. You can tell which unit is controlling the light show because its green light will be flashing. The green light will be permanently lit on all the other units. Remote control for Futurescan 1, Gladiator Revolution and DuoColour: Connect the remote control to the first unit in the DMX line using a stereo jack cable. Not all units are fitted with the remote control socket, so ensure a "master" unit fitted with the socket is first in the DMX line. The remote will then control all the other lights in the DMX line. Page 5 Abstract Universal Instruction Manual 2-channel stand alone light show To add further interest to the light show you can set each unit to either follow the first unit or to do something in contrast to the first unit. For example, if you have four units, two on the right and two on the left, you might want to set the outside two units to do one thing, and the middle two to do a variation on the same theme. Set dip switch 10 `off' to make the scan work the same and `on' to select the variation. Even if you only have two units you will probably find that you get a better light show if you set dip switch 10 `on' on the second unit. On non-Club range units, dip switch 10 has no effect on the first unit in the line. It is always assumed to be "off" for the first unit. If you are using Abstract CE-range products with Club products, make sure one of the Club products is first in the DMX line, because the Club products have "Supersound" stand alone mode which produces a better light show. The Twister 4 and Galactic Star also have "Supersound" but the other products do not. Special options in stand alone mode In stand alone mode, you can also set three options which affect the way the unit produces its light show, by setting the other 9 dip switches (1-9): · · All dip switches on: Display mode - unit ignores audio and scans slowly through various patterns (including strobes) 1 off, 2-9 on: Slow mode - unit responds to audio but always moves slowly and gently. No strobing is used. 1 on, 2 off, 3-9 on: Strobe disable mode - unit behaves as for normal stand-alone mode but will not use strobing. · These options only need to be set on the first unit in the DMX line if several units are connected together. You can set the switches before or after the unit is turned on. If you connect a DMX source while these special options are set, the unit will have a start channel of 1. Page 6 Abstract Universal Instruction Manual Setup for DMX controlled mode When using DMX, all the units receive all the channels. You need to tell each unit which channel to respond to (its `base channel'). You do this by setting dip switches 1-9 to the binary code of the channel you want. See the back page of this manual if you need help with this, or the most common settings are printed on the top of the unit. Note: if you want two units to behave exactly the same, you can set the dip switches for both units to the same channel. You can change the dipswitches while the units are running, and the new settings will take effect immediately. You don't need to turn the unit off and on. Connect your controller to the DMX in socket on the first unit, using a 3pin XLR cable. If you are using a controller with a 5-pin DMX output, you will need to use a 5 to 3 pin adaptor with pins 2 and 3 swapped (pin 2 is `hot'). Connect the next unit, if you have one, to the DMX output plug. This unit buffers the DMX signal as it passes through the unit, which means that you can connect as many units together as you want. You don't need to connect a line terminator in the last unit. If you are using the Abstract CE controller, you should set up the controller to match the heads you have connected. Refer to the controller manual for help on this. If the controller does not have a setting for the ClubScan or ClubRevolution, use the Futurescan 3CED setting. If no Twister 4 setting is provided use Galactic Moon. If no DuoColour setting is provided use two Colour Changer heads to control each side of the DuoColour separately. The left hand side will be at the DMX channel you set on the dip switches. The right hand side will be two channels further up, i.e. if you set the dip switches to channel 1, one side of the unit will be on channel 1 and the other side is on channel 3. Page 7 Abstract Universal Instruction Manual Operating the unit When you turn the unit on, it will go through an initialisation routine where it moves all the motors to their zero positions. You may hear some bumping noises as the unit checks the limits of movement on the motors. The initialisation routine takes about 20 seconds, after which the unit will begin to respond to DMX input, or to sound if no DMX is connected. Note: Units with halogen lamps do not turn the lamps on until initialisation is complete. Operation in stand alone mode If the unit is in stand alone mode (no DMX connected), it will automatically produce a light show in response to the music, and will control any other units connected to it. If you have several units, you can tell which one is generating the light show by looking at the green LEDs. The first unit in line will automatically generate the light show and will flash its LED in time with the music. The other units will have their LED's on continuously. You can set several special options on the dip switches which affect how the unit behaves in stand alone mode; see page 6. Note: If you connect other manufacturers' products to the DMX output while the unit is in stand alone mode, they will probably not respond. Remote control for Futurescan 1, Gladiator Revolution and DuoColour: You can black out the unit (and any others connected to it by DMX) by pressing the Blackout button. You can make the unit strobe by pressing the Strobe button. You can make the unit move more slowly by pressing the Slow button. If the unit is receiving DMX, the remote control will have no effect. On the DuoColour you can lock the colour by holding down the slow button for a few seconds (the Slow light flashes). You can then step through the colours by pressing the Slow button briefly. Page 8 Abstract Universal Instruction Manual Operation in DMX controlled mode To control the unit we recommend Abstract's CE controller, Compact controller or ClubShow system, which are designed specifically for Abstract lighting units. However, you can use any DMX ...