Pathway LR Manual - Manual (Page 56)

DMXPathfinder LR DMXPathfinder Operations
55
P ATCHING T ECHNIQUES
Proper use of the DMX Distribution System involves the electronic routing,
or patching, of one or more source DMX signal lines to one or more output
(receiving) stations, via the Input and Output Modules in the distribution rack
(DMXPathfinder).
This technique eliminates the possibility of accidentally creating an illegal
"star" wiring configuration in the DMX Distribution System. With a dedicated
signal repeater at the start of each run of cable to a receiving station, correct
point-to-point wiring is maintained. The built-in opto-isolation stage in each
repeater protects the DMX source (usually an expensive console) and the
processor/matrix sections of the DMXPathfinder LR from damage should high
voltage find its way onto the line from a faulty receiving device. The isolation
barrier also prevents ground fault currents from flowing through the DMX cable
shields.
B ASIC P ATCH M ETHODS
All DMX signal line routing requires the use of the Personal Computer
running the DMX QConnect application software. Please refer to Chapter 3,
Getting Familiar with DMXQConnect, to learn how to use this software.
QConnect allows the user to patch any number of DMX station lines to any of up
to sixteen DMX source lines. Multiple source lines can be patched at the same
time, but only one source line may be patched to any one station line without use
of the optional Merge Processor Cards. No additional patch cabling or manual
patching is required to establish a connection between a given source line and
station line -- connections are made via solid-state crosspoint matrix devices in
the DMXPathfinder’s Output Modules.
Since a given source line can be routed to any number of station
lines, a large number of output stations may receive the same DMX data
simultaneously. This concept is called fan-out, and the system permits virtually
unlimited fan-out of DMX signals.
Note that since basic I/O patching is done electronically in the
distribution rack using a file prepared and transmitted from the personal
computer, in most cases the user never has to deal directly with the
DMXPathfinder or its internal components.