Skip to main content

I've read here that the Chauvet ColorStrip isn't compatible with CompuLive, at least not in RGB mode where you will get flicker, believed to be due to clocking or refresh timing; unfortuneately I didn't see this until after I had bought it

but recently I noticed a problem with my Scorpion Scans LG-60(x2) and LRG-55; I accidentally set the dip switches to Master-mode instead of DMX-mode and was amazed at the effects it could do, rotating shapes, nice thick/wide lines for the "liquid-sky" effect, but I cannot make any of these happen from CompuLive

so I drug out my Chauvet TFX-24C Stage Designer and hooked one LG-60 to it and voila, I could get all of the stuff from Master-mode in DMX-mode; the LG-60 connected to CompuLive was scanning noticably slower and hence the effects looked terrible...so it would appear that the LG-60 is deriving scan timing from the DMX clock and CompuLive seems to be slower than the TFX-24C

the ColorStrip also worked without issue with the TFX-24C

is there ever hope of my lights/lasers working with CompuLive??? or am I just hoping for something that will never be...
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

We always recommend a DMX branch 4 for compu live users. it boost the signal coming out of the interface. Makes it more stable. Since the interface is USB powered it will not be at the same "Speed" as if it were a console plugged into a 120V outlet. So you can try and opto branch 4. Or buy the Dc power adapter at your local electronic show and externally power the interface.
Sincerely,
I would like to chime in here and say something about the colorstrips. I also did the same thing, I bought the strips before knowing about the issue. But what can you do? So i went ahead and hooked them up. What can it hurt? And i must say that i really haven't had many problems from the flicker. It does happen but most of them time its really not noticeable with other stuff going on on stage. Plus if they DO notice most people i believe would usually think it was supposed to be that way. I am using just 4 strips, 2 addressed the same so i control them in 2 groups of 2 strips. They have NEVER flickered all at once, at the same time(unless i strobe them)and i have been able to utilize all of the DMX traits.

So while yes the issue is there, it doesn't seem to have any adverse affect.
I suppose it's a matter of perspective

I tend to be a perfectionist, so when I've got the stage all washed in a nice, deep blue and the COLORStrip is flickering, it irritates the snot out of me

everything works on the COLORStrip except RGB mode, which normally I do not care about mixing the colors myself, but that means I cannot dim that fixture either when using the static color macros and that I do care about

it's worse with the Scorpion Scans; the nice smooth lines and shapes I know the fixture is capable of creating are not possible with CompuLive and most things just look like crap because the scan is too slow <<sigh>> Confused
quote:
everything works on the COLORStrip except RGB mode, which normally I do not care about mixing the colors myself, but that means I cannot dim that fixture either when using the static color macros and that I do care about


The colorstrips are not set up to dim UNLESS you ARE using the RGB mode. There is no separate dimming/intensity channel on them as you have found out.

I had the same issue. My fix was to set up a scene with the strip channel 1 at 210(RGB Mode)and the other channels 2,3,4 RGB respectively at full. I the added a dimming fader in the button settings. Now i can dim the RGB individually. I haven't tried to dim any RGB mixing yet though.

Also you may want to change the profile for the strips. I have noticed that there are more than one profile in the library and and some of them may be incorrect. This may also be an issue with the RGB mode

My 0.18 cents after health care taxes
Mark of the Wild
thanks for the comments, Mark

yeah, the flicker with the ColoStrip is the intermittent type

I checked with the local Guitar Center's and they said a DMX-Branch/4 would be a special-order part, so no return Frowner
Musician's Friend didn't have them, either

so for the sake of ease I got a Chauvet DataStream-4 splitter hoping that it might make the Chauvet fixtures happy, but no luck; so I suspect that the DMX-Branch/4 would have also had no effect, as I now believe that these fixtures just have a f@#ked-up interface Mad

I've pretty much given up on the ColorStrip ever working properly; is the ADJ Mega Pixel pretty much the same thing???

I give up on Scorpion Scans now, too; had a gig this last weekend and they just pissed me off; thinking seriously about ADJ Emerald Scan II and/or Galaxian Sky

James, is it safe to assume that the ADJ fixtures mentioned above are known to work with the CompuLive interface???

(the internet is littered with complaints about Chauvet's DMX interface not always being compliant and not working any controller except one from Chauvet!!! wish I'd have known to look a year ago; oh well, live and learn, I guess)
ok i just bought 2 chauvet color strips also before reading this if i get the

American DJ Mega Pixel LED


Details
The American DJ Mega Pixel LED is an ultra-brigh, 1-meter indoor chasing LED color bar. It contains red, green, and blue LED banks of color chase, strove and mix colors. The Mega Pixel LED can also be controlled via DMX controller or by the American DJ UC3 controller.

will i still have the same trouble or will this work fine with the compu live ?

Add Reply

Post
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×