What One Should Understand About A DMX Merger

By Teri Farley


A person might decide to go to the theater with a group of friends to enjoy a play or some other production. What they may not realize is that their ability to enjoy a show depends upon the lighting that is used on the stage. This is why lighting technicians play a very important role in these productions. It is also important for them to have a DMX Merger as this tool allows them to do more with their lighting equipment.

Stage lighting has come a long way from the use of candles in the sixteenth century to light fixtures with digital controls. There are many different types of lighting that are used in stage production. This is how one is able to see lights change colors and change direction which enhances the experience of the audience. In order to accomplish this, however, there has to be quality equipment used which could create the scenes that are desired.

The standard for digital communication networks is known as DMX512. The lighting and fixtures that one sees on any stage is controlled using this system. It involves a controller in the form of a PC and fixtures which emit light. The PC is used to control how the light functions and its various effects. The name DMX stands for Digital MultipleX and involves 512 different channels.

The number 512 shows that this is the number of channels that are involved in this network or universe. Each channel controls a specific function of the lighting fixture. There are also various values on each channel which allows a specific effect to show different results. So one channel might control the color wheel of the light.

It is important to know that each channel has a number of qualities that can be applied to a lighting fixture. Most fixtures have a head that can move in various directions, with lights that can change colors and create many other effects. A channel has various levels or values as was mentioned earlier, and each level is connected to the result of that specific effect.

The DMX Merger makes this easier for the technician by merging two or more sources together for greater control. These sources only apply to DMX512 and the merge unit requires a certain amount of power for its operation. The two devices used should only have an out signal, since the output through the merge will come out as one.

There is lots of work that goes into stage production where lighting is concerned. In order to create the depth that is also seen in movies and television, lighting technicians have to manipulate the lighting that is used on stage for a live performance. They are probably the most important group of workers in this field even though they mostly work behind the scenes.

A DMX Merger plays a huge role in the success of a stage production. It allows lighting technicians to control how many channels are used in the DMX512 universe or network. These and other factors are a big part of the experience that people enjoy when they visit various events in their neighborhood and anywhere else in the world.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment