Hi, I have 4 Martin MX-1 scanners. They generally work fine and the movement is smooth and fluid with all of them. They are 1 year old, always treated with care and are transported in a padded case from Martin.
The problem is, at various times during my show, they are used as spotlights for logos, signs, etc. After the lights move/scan around the room, sometimes they will lose their target and need to be repositioned via software. Then after the next movement, it seems they remember where they should be, and how far they were moved to correct the error, and they are now aimed in the wrong location in the opposite direction. Also, the color/gobo/shutter wheel sometimes stops in the wrong position, leaving me with a half-open spotlight, green worms instead of a white spotlight, etc.
I can recalibrate the lights by going to the stage and unplugging the fixture with the problem and it will reset itself and go to the correct position, so the light seems to know what it's doing.
I contacted Martin's tech support and they said it sounds like the lights are receiving the wrong DMX values, but I have no way to read the DMX values currently (I don't own a DMX tester).
This problem has occurred with various brand new DMX cables that appear fine with a cable tester.
My 4 dimmer packs in the same DMX circuit work fine.
I also have a terminator at the end of the DMX line. I experience the same problem with or without the terminator.
Example of the problem.
Light is 5 degrees to the right, so I adjust it 5 degrees to the left. After the next scan, the light appears 5 degrees to the left of the target.
Thanks!
-Eric
Martin MX-1 scanners losing position
Moderators: simonB, dylan, RichterMC, florent
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Guest
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Shep2112
I forgot to add, they suggested that the dmx data coming from Sunlite might be incorrect. I compared the dmx info in the manual with the info in the SSL fixture, and it matched. I noticed though that there are 2 MX-1 SSL objects in the SSL database on the website, but there's no description of what's changed, or why there are 2 of them listed, with different dates.
Any ideas? I only have a total run of about 100 feet (30 metres) going through:
dimmer -> MX-1 -> MX-1 -> dimmer -> MX-1 -> MX-1 -> dimmer -> dimmer
I've run into the same problem with the dimmer packs removed from the system. Same problem with new cables too.
This is the Elation pro (stage?) interface. Purchased in August 2005.
Thanks
-Eric
Any ideas? I only have a total run of about 100 feet (30 metres) going through:
dimmer -> MX-1 -> MX-1 -> dimmer -> MX-1 -> MX-1 -> dimmer -> dimmer
I've run into the same problem with the dimmer packs removed from the system. Same problem with new cables too.
This is the Elation pro (stage?) interface. Purchased in August 2005.
Thanks
-Eric
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Guest
MX-1's
Hey Eric
I used to have 4 mx-1's myself, I had the same problem, I tried a different make of interface, different software, different cables, cabling them in different orders, nothing worked. I sold them on ebay, bought 4 Skytec roboscans which are half the price and have seperate colour, gobo and shutter wheels, most of the gobos are the same and they are just as bright (250 watt halogen), infact, they seem brighter because the beam is slightly narrower, the colours are stronger too. I've had the roboscans 2 years now and have never had a problem with them.
So yea, I really don't know what the problem is, I've used other Martin lighting with Sunlite and have had no problems. Maybe try changing the default DMX values in scan libary, see if that helps.
Simon
I used to have 4 mx-1's myself, I had the same problem, I tried a different make of interface, different software, different cables, cabling them in different orders, nothing worked. I sold them on ebay, bought 4 Skytec roboscans which are half the price and have seperate colour, gobo and shutter wheels, most of the gobos are the same and they are just as bright (250 watt halogen), infact, they seem brighter because the beam is slightly narrower, the colours are stronger too. I've had the roboscans 2 years now and have never had a problem with them.
So yea, I really don't know what the problem is, I've used other Martin lighting with Sunlite and have had no problems. Maybe try changing the default DMX values in scan libary, see if that helps.
Simon
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Shep2112
Bruno:
What would I use a DMX splitter for in this instance? I'm not sure what you mean? Why are there 2 MX-1 files in the SSL library online? Are they different from the 2004/2006 file?
99benns:
Thanks for the info. I'm not sure we'll have any luck selling our fixtures at this point. They're owned by the company I work for and are used 4 days a week touring around Florida. So there's no way to sell them and have new ones in stock at the same time (requires money we don't have, etc). Plus there's no guarantee we'd make enough money to pay for the new lights..
Anyone:
There must be some way to deal with this problem. Martin claims it's purely a control problem and my fixtures are fine. I don't know how to find out for sure though.
What would I use a DMX splitter for in this instance? I'm not sure what you mean? Why are there 2 MX-1 files in the SSL library online? Are they different from the 2004/2006 file?
99benns:
Thanks for the info. I'm not sure we'll have any luck selling our fixtures at this point. They're owned by the company I work for and are used 4 days a week touring around Florida. So there's no way to sell them and have new ones in stock at the same time (requires money we don't have, etc). Plus there's no guarantee we'd make enough money to pay for the new lights..
Anyone:
There must be some way to deal with this problem. Martin claims it's purely a control problem and my fixtures are fine. I don't know how to find out for sure though.
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Guest
Maybe you should visit our office in Florida and take 1 scanner with you so they can see what is going on.
Please contact [email protected]
Please contact [email protected]
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Shep2112
Shep2112:
We have been using Sunlite around 9 years here in Mexico.
Also we have been using among some others luminaries the Martin MX-1.
We have experienced the same problem but only with the Martin MX-1.
Looks like if you make them have fast movements and fast color changes, they loose their position and you have to reset them.
I think it is a design problem on the MX-1, of course Martin will not accept this, but we tried everything to fix it (terminator, splitter, etc.) with no solution. The only solution is not to move them to fast.
Looks like Sunlite is to fast for the MX-1.
On other scanners like Robe, Clay Paky, SGM, Coemar we had never find this problem.
We have been using Sunlite around 9 years here in Mexico.
Also we have been using among some others luminaries the Martin MX-1.
We have experienced the same problem but only with the Martin MX-1.
Looks like if you make them have fast movements and fast color changes, they loose their position and you have to reset them.
I think it is a design problem on the MX-1, of course Martin will not accept this, but we tried everything to fix it (terminator, splitter, etc.) with no solution. The only solution is not to move them to fast.
Looks like Sunlite is to fast for the MX-1.
On other scanners like Robe, Clay Paky, SGM, Coemar we had never find this problem.
Shep2112:
We have been using Sunlite around 9 years here in Mexico.
Also we have been using among some others luminaries the Martin MX-1.
We have experienced the same problem but only with the Martin MX-1.
Looks like if you make them have fast movements and fast color changes, they loose their position and you have to reset them.
I think it is a design problem on the MX-1, of course Martin will not accept this, but we tried everything to fix it (terminator, splitter, etc.) with no solution. The only solution is not to move them to fast.
Looks like Sunlite is to fast for the MX-1.
On other scanners like Robe, Clay Paky, SGM, Coemar we had never find this problem.
We have been using Sunlite around 9 years here in Mexico.
Also we have been using among some others luminaries the Martin MX-1.
We have experienced the same problem but only with the Martin MX-1.
Looks like if you make them have fast movements and fast color changes, they loose their position and you have to reset them.
I think it is a design problem on the MX-1, of course Martin will not accept this, but we tried everything to fix it (terminator, splitter, etc.) with no solution. The only solution is not to move them to fast.
Looks like Sunlite is to fast for the MX-1.
On other scanners like Robe, Clay Paky, SGM, Coemar we had never find this problem.
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Shep2112
That figures. It's never the fault of the actual item, right? 
I may try to work something different with the lights, like maybe incorporate a reset function into one of the scenes, or make a button to reset each light individually. I suppose I could slow down the movements. That would be a bit more elegant than resetting the lights after every scene change movement or something.
Would I have any better results with the 2 SSL's that are on the website? There's no indication of what the difference may be, but it would seem there IS a difference, if they were worth posting, no?
-Eric
I may try to work something different with the lights, like maybe incorporate a reset function into one of the scenes, or make a button to reset each light individually. I suppose I could slow down the movements. That would be a bit more elegant than resetting the lights after every scene change movement or something.
Would I have any better results with the 2 SSL's that are on the website? There's no indication of what the difference may be, but it would seem there IS a difference, if they were worth posting, no?
-Eric
Yes you are right, it is good to have a Reset button for each Fixture.
Also we have tried to create the movements with the Speed XY channel that has the fixture. This is to make steps of movement and adjust the speed of the movement with the Speed XY channel.
About using diferent .ssl file, this will not make any difference.
Also we have tried to create the movements with the Speed XY channel that has the fixture. This is to make steps of movement and adjust the speed of the movement with the Speed XY channel.
About using diferent .ssl file, this will not make any difference.