Channels used for mutliple functions?

I just purchased a Chauvet MinSpot, which is a moving-head LED fixture. It is similar to the AmericanDJ X-move. However, the MinSpot does not have a color wheel, but rather it has an RGB LED.

I am attempting to make a DDF, but am running into problems. The "dimmer" channel has multiple functions.
Note that channel 6 functions like a mechanical douser(shutter), even though it is all electronic dimming. Also, since the dimmers for channels 7,8,9 control color, they also function to control the overall brightness. I.e. if 7,8,9 are all 0 it is black, and if 7,8,9 are at 255, it is white.

Ch# | Value | Function
6 | 000-007 | Closed
6 | 008-134 | 100-0%
6 | 135-239 | Strobe (slow → fast)
6 | 240-255 | Open
7 | 000-255 | Red 0-100%
8 | 000-255 | Green 0-100%
9 | 000-255 | Blue 0-100%

In the DDF editor channel properties, I attempted to add more to the list, just repeating some of the channel numbers, but limiting the values to what they need to be for the particular item they are controlling.

I am also at a loss about how to even approach the overall dim, vs. the individual colors dimming. I don't even know how the machine deals with it, since they seem to overlap.

I am sure that the DDF editor in German is being translated into English. If it even partially done, I would love to see it.

Joe Dunfee

I have been totally unsuccessful in attempting to create any type of DDF file. I think I may have at least part of one created, but then when I save it, it only creates a ZIP file, and it will not show up in the DMX Control program.

As I read the English manuals, I see a lot of XML. I had thought that the DDF Creator would mean that I didn't have to edit XML directly. But, I am now thinking that this is not correct. Do, I need to directly edit XML to create a DDF?

Joe Dunfee

Thank you Matze. While I may have some limited success, there are complexities to this fixture that are not in the typical fixture. I doubt a beginner like me will be able to get it all working.

I couldn't PM you, since you were unregistered. I don' t mind publicly posting my E-mail, but it will have to be "munged" a bit to hide it from spammer-bots.

Take out all the spaces and //;
cad coke 5 //at// yahoo. com

Joe Dunfee

I do want to continue to try to learn to use the DDF Creator. Now that I can load DDF files, I can start to test out my efforts. But, there is one thing I am having ongoing problems over. The position control will only give me its location and size properties. Once or twice, for some reason it gave me more properties, but I can't figure out why those times it gave me more. I have tried right clicking many different locations on the image, but without results.

Joe Dunfee

Thank you Matze. However, the DDF is not working properly for me. Is it for the 13 channel setup of the machine or the 5 channel?

Joe Dunfee

[edit... see the next message, because I negated most of what I said here- Joe]

I should have been more specific. I can insert the Chauvet Min Scan into my light layout. It partially works. For example, the position controls will successfully move the light around. However, the other controls don't work the way that they should. They seem to have the incorrect channels assigned to them.

Opening the DDF in DDF Creator, I checked the Channel numbers, and they are described correctly (though I don't understand the functions of each field) Then next I looked at the properties of the controls. The controls which would show me properties did not have channels assigned to them. So, I simply assigned the channel number, and that was a partial fix.

The position controls work, but they are backwards. The only other controls that work are the RGB sliders, and the Gobo select. Nothing else worked.

In DDF Creator, to try to fix the directions of the position control I tried changing the value in the Channel List for channels 0 to 3 to give a range of 255-0 instead of 0-255, but this change seemed to have no effect after exiting and reopening DMX Control.

I could not do anything with the position control, as I mentioned in my prior message. Also, the radio buttons would not open a property box, so I could not edit them. Also, the color macro pull-down controls aren't working.

Was it all working for you? Could you have send me a version that was still in process, while you have a more current working version inside the DMX Control Devices directory?

Joe Dunfee

OK, I am learning here. It was not your DDF. Rather, it was my limited understanding of how they integrate. For, example the RGB Sliders work, only if the Color macro button is off. The color macro pull-down only work if the "macro" button is on. I have most of the controls working now.

Also, regarding position direction. I still don't know what is going on. Perhaps the fact that the head can flip upside down, and that it can spin 520 degrees has me confused.

Joe Dunfee

(PS.attached is what I have so far. Note that I have repositioned the controls, to try to make it more apparent what button overrides another. Also, I've added a better picture. It is called Chauvet Min Spot-Joe.zip)

[EDIT - I've removed the outdated DDF attachment. A better version is on the DDF download site - Joe]

Well, it seems that a large percentage of the dialog on this thread is just me. Well, some of the information has been vial private e-mail, but I want to make sure that anyone reading the thread here was up to speed.

Regarding the direction orientation, I was unaware that you could invert orientation when you configure a device when you insert it into DMX Control. That solved the problem.

I have edited my post to remove my upload, since it is not the best choice right now. The folks at dmxcontrol have their own updated version. Note that the Chauvet MiN Spot is also sold under other labels, normally referred to as a "Mini Spot LED Moving Head".

Joe Dunfee