Blizzard Lighting 5 SkyBox (Rev A) - Manual (Page 8)

Page 8
SkyBox™ 5 User Manual Rev. A © 2014 Blizzard Lighting, LLC
3. SETUP
Connecting A Bunch of SkyBox™ 5 Fixtures
You will need a serial data link to run light shows using a DMX-512 controller or
to run shows on two or more fixtures set to sync in master/slave operating mode.
The combined number of channels required by all the fixtures on a serial data link
determines the number of fixtures the data link can support.
Fixtures on a serial data link must be daisy chained in one single line. Also,
connecting more than 32 fixtures on one serial data link without the use of a DMX
optically-isolated splitter may result in deterioration of the digital DMX signal. The
maximum recommended cable-run distance is 500 meters (1640 ft). The maximum
recommended number of fixtures on a serial data link is 32 fixtures.
Data/DMX Cabling
To link fixtures together you’ll need data cables. You should use data-grade
cables that can carry a high quality signal and are less prone to electromagnetic
interference.
For instance, Belden© 9841 meets the specifications for EIA RS-485 applications.
Standard microphone cables will “probably” be OK, but note that they cannot
transmit DMX data as reliably over long distances. In any event, the cable should
have the following characteristics:
2-conductor twisted pair plus a shield
Maximum capacitance between conductors – 30 pF/ft.
Maximum capacitance between conductor & shield – 55 pF/ft.
Maximum resistance of 20 ohms / 1000 ft.
Nominal impedance 100 – 140 ohms
Using Skywire™ Wireless DMX
In addition to the unbridled thrill you already received the first time you turned on
your fixture, you’ll be delighted to know that the SkyBox 5’s wireless Skywire™
DMX system is designed to work seamlessly with all Blizzard Lighting wireless DMX
products.
The SkyBox™ 5 is equipped to release you from the crushing chains of cable-fed
DMX lighting! It features 512 auto-assigning frequencies in 7 groups allowing up to
7 systems to run simultaneously in the same space, completely free of interference!
It’s capable of reliable wireless communication for over 1000 feet, line-of-sight!
So first, you’ll either need a Blizzard wiCICLE®
transmitter, Lightcaster™ wireless transceiver, or any
Blizzard Lighting controller that has a built-in wireless
transmitter (such as the Kontrol 5 Skywire™) to act
as a transmitter for your lights. The 7 DMX receiving
frequencies in the SkyBox™ 5 are designed to match
up perfectly with the 7 frequencies of all Blizzard wireless DMX products.
If you’re using a Blizzard Lighting controller with built-in wireless DMX transmission,
please refer to the instruction manual of that controller for specific information.
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