DMX is how a lighting console talks to the lights. The console sends a stream of numbers down a cable, and each light listens for its own numbers.
Every control on a light is a channel, and each channel holds one number from 0 to 255. Zero means off and 255 means full. Intensity at 50 percent sends about 128.
Every light is given an address, which is the first channel it listens to. A simple light needs one channel. A moving light needs many in a row: intensity, red, green, blue, pan, tilt and zoom.
The lights are linked one after another on a single cable. Every light hears every number but only reacts to the ones at its own address. One cable carries up to 512 channels, which is called a universe.
A cue is a saved snapshot of all the numbers. When you press Go, the console fades from the numbers on stage now to the numbers stored in the next cue, over the fade time.
Tap a light on the magic sheet and slide Intensity up. Watch its numbers change in the table. Then press Record to save them as a cue.
| Light | Int | R | G | B | Pan | Tilt | Zoom |
|---|
Rows in blue are the lights you have selected. A dot means that light has no such control.
Only the Spots can pan (left, right) and tilt (back, forward).
Small beams make a spotlight. Big beams wash the stage.