AR-32RM Architectural Show System DMX IN POWER USB Page 1 AR-32RM Architectural Show System Page 2 1 1=Ground 2=Data3=Data+ 2 Master UP Page 3 3 Page 4 Show 1 Show 2 Show 3 Show 4 Show 5 Show 6 Show 7 Show 8 Master DOWN User Instructions 24-004-2284-00 Rev 1.1 Software Version: 3.
Table of Contents 1. Elation Support..................................................................................................................................................3 1.1 Thank you for Purchasing AR-32RM........................................................................................................3 1.2 Customer Service........................................................................................................................................3 1.3 2-Year Limited Warranty.
1.Elation Support 1.1 Thank You for Purchasing the AR-32RM Thank you for your purchasing the Elation Professional AR-32RM Architectural Show System. Please read the instructions in this manual carefully and thoroughly before attempting to operate this unit. These instructions contain important information regarding safety during use and maintenance. Please fill out and return the enclosed warranty card to validate your purchase. 1.
1.3 2-Year Limited Warranty Elation hereby warrants, to the original purchaser, Elation Professional products to be free of manufacturing defects in material and workmanship for a period of 2 Years (730 days) on all internal parts, components, and labor. This warranty shall be valid only if the product is purchased within the United States of America, including possessions and territories.
AR-32 User Manual 2. General Information 2.1 Safety The following symbols are used throughout this manual: Indicates potential injury or death to persons. Indicates potential damage to equipment. 2 Indicates items may be recycled. The following safety information relates to the AR-32 Architectural Show System. Please read each item carefully to ensure you fully understand them. To prevent the risk of electrical shock, do not open this unit. There are no user serviceable parts inside this unit.
2.2 Compliance The CE marking (an acronym for the French "Conformite Europeenne") certifies that a product has met EU health, safety, and environmental requirements, which ensure consumer safety. A manufacturer that has gone through the conformity assessment process may affix the CE marking to the product. The AR-32 system has passed internal testing based on the EN55015:2001 standard, and is 100% CE compliant.
3. Introduction 3.1 About AR-32RM Architecture Show System The Elation Professional AR-32RM is an architecture recorder system. This system is simple to use and all system components have been tested at the factory before being shipped to you. Please simply connect the USB-cable between your Elation Professional AR-32RM and your computer to configure the unit by operating AR-32 Configuration software, then you're ready to go! 3.
3.4 Main Features 19''/1U rack mount(Keypad), Architectural Show System Providing USB port to communication with PC for linking use Allows to convert the edited flash file(.swf) into file (.scn) and record in AR-32RM, create a new scene. As a real-time recorder, allows external DMX signal to convert to flash file(.scn) and record in AR-32RM. Built-in real time clock & calendar allows to edit events and set triggering time for each SHOW.
3.6 Manual Conventions The following terms and conventions are used throughout this manual: • • • • • • Buttons and switches are presented using their exact spelling and capitalization and surrounded by brackets (i.e. press the [PAGE 1] button). Activate is used with switches/buttons that toggle between two values and means place the control in its active state. Deactivate is used with switches/buttons that toggle between two values and means place the control in its non-active state.
4. Operation 4.1 Auto/Manual mode Press and hold Auto/Manual button down for more 2 seconds to access Auto or Manual function mode. The red indicator indicates the Auto function mode is currently engaged and the blue one illuminates in the Manual function mode. In Manual mode, user enable to close the current show by pressing and holding OFF button for more 2 seconds until its indicator illuminates.
5. DMX Set up 5.1 Data Cable (DMX Cable) Requirements: The AR-32RM can be controlled via DMX-512 protocol and your DMX controller requires a standard 3-pin XLR connector for data input and data output(Figure1). Connect the AR-32RM and your fixtures together using standard 3 pin DMX cables. The AR-32RM uses DMX-512 protocol to operate your fixtures.
6. AR-32 Configuration Software Operating Guide 6.1 USB Drive Program & AR-32 Configuration Program Installation 6.1.1 USB Drive Program Installation If you first use the system, you must install the USB Driver and AR-32 Configuration Software program as the simply following these steps; 1.Before installing USB Drive program, please ensure all tension and USB cable connections are connected properly. 2.Download the main program folder, copy and save them in the pointed path of your computer which you wish.
6.2 AR-32 IR Remote Controls The AR-32 IR Remote (Figure 5) has the following controls and indicators. Each control is described in Table 4. 1 3 2 4 Figure 5 Table 4 No. 1 2 Name [OFF] [Page] 3 [Auto/manual] 4 [Show] Description [OFF] button turns the system off when in Manual mode. [Page] buttons (1-4) allow user to select from four pages (banks) of shows when in Manual mode. [Auto/manual] button toggles between Automatic and Manual operation modes.
6.3 Software Overview The AR-32 Architectural Recorder System includes computer software that is used to configure and load shows to the controller itself. The software is designed for use on Microsoft Windows computer operating systems. 6.3.1 Main Screen When the AR-32 Control System Software is launched, the Main Screen (Figure 6) is displayed.
Managing Flash Files Adobe Flash (.swf) files are popular animation graphics which can be used for playback on RGB fixtures. The AR-32 software is capable of controlling up to 170 pixels (each pixel using 3 DMX channels for Red, Green, Blue intensity (Figure 7). Pixel count is set using the drop menu labeled RGB Point. If the overall brightness of a Flash file appears dark in the preview window, use the Low Cut checkbox (on by default).
When working with Flash files, it is often useful to create a mask layer so that only the desired area is visible (Figure 9). Figure 9 6 The mask object should be the same size as the stage area, in this case 13x13 pixels. Any animation occurring under the mask will only display in the masked area. In this example, a multi-colored wheel spins behind the mask, rotating 180 degrees in 12 frames. With frames per second set to 12, this animation will last exactly one second.
The resulting animation will be a 13x13 pixel square with four colors rotating 180 degrees when played back (Figure 10). Figure 10 6 When played back on RGB fixtures, each pixel in the array will receive its DMX color values from the AR-32 controller, and should look similar to the original Flash file including any animation (Figure 11).
The twelve [FlashX:] buttons on the Main Screen may be configured to link to Flash files for quick recall. To link a file, select (right click) the desired [FlashX:] button. A window will open allowing you to browse to the desired .swf file. Highlight the file and select open file. The file is now liked to the button, and the button will display the linked file name (Figure 12). 1 Figure 12 Files may also be opened using the [Open Flash] button.
1 Figure 13 Select [OK]. Set desired save file name (.scn) and location. A progress bar shows conversion progress (Figure 14).
Recording DMX Files The AR-32 Architectural Recorder System is designed to record DMX data streams from another controller. These recordings are then saved as DMX scene (.scn) files for playback. To record a DMX scene file, prepare the source controller and connect its DMX output to the AR-32P DMX Input. Select [DMX Recorder] and set desired save file name (.scn) and location. [Record], [Stop Recorder], and record timer appear on the lower center of the screen (Figure 15).
6.3.2 Show Edit Screen The Show Edit Screen (Figure 16) allows users to configure each of the 32 shows and handles file transfers between the AR-32C and the PC.
Man aging DMX Files To load current AR-32C scene files from the controller into the software, select [Read Current AR-32 Scenes]. Scenes display in the AR-32 Scenes File List window. Scenes display in alphabetical order, and DO NOT retain any show mappings or sequencing. Any scene file may be saved to PC for storage or backup. To save, highlight the desired scene and select [Save Scene To PC]. Likewise, any scene file may be loaded from PC into the AR-32 software.
To load all scenes from a PC folder to the AR-32 software, select [Load All Scenes To AR-32]. The software will prompt you to select a save location folder from which to load (Figure 18). Up to 248 scene files may be loaded at one time. 6 Figure 18 To delete a file from the AR-32 Scenes File List, highlight the desired file and select [Delete Scene File]. The scene file is removed from the list.
To erase all AR-32 scenes from contro ller memory, select [Format Device]. The software will prompt you with a warning to confirm this action (Figure 19).
Configuring Shows Up to 16 scene files may be assigned to each of the 32 show locations (maximum of 248 scene files or 128 Mb). Select the show to configure using the drop menu in the top right corner of the screen (Figure 20). Set the base address of the AR-32 in the DMX Address field. This allows a DMX device to trigger the AR-32 remotely. Set the fade time (between scenes) in the Fade Time field. This value determines how many seconds it takes to change from scene to scene.
6.3.3 Events Edit Screen The Events Edit Screen (Figure 21) allows users to set timed triggers for each of the 32 show files and download them to the AR-32. Figure 21 From the Events Edit Screen, users may perform the following actions: x x x x x Select show to assign timed events Select Calendar or Weekly events [Save] current settings [Delete] settings [Download To AR-32] (save timed events to AR-32) The Events Edit Screen displays the current date and time in the lower left corner of the screen.
Weekly Events Assign Weekly Events to a selected show as follows: 1. Select the days (or everyday) for the show to play from the Weekly Events area (Figure 22). Figure 22 2. Set Event Start and Stop Time in the Time Select area. 3. Select the [Save] button. Saved events will display in the window on the right side of the screen. 6 4. If a saved event is incorrect, it may be removed by highlighting the event and selecting the [Delete] button. 5.
Calendar Events Assign calendar events to a selected show as follows: 1. Select a Date Start and Date Stop from the Date Select area (Figure 23). Figure 23 2. Set Event Start and Stop Time in the Time Select area. 3. Select the [Save] button. Saved events will display in the window on the right side of the screen (Figure 24).
Figure 24 4. If a saved event is incorrect, it may be removed by highlighting the event and selecting the [Delete] button. 5. Select the [Download To AR-32] button to download events to the controller.
6.4 Programming Tips Flash Files: x Only Flash (.swf) files without action script will convert. x Flash file speed should never exceed 35 frames per second. x Flash file size should never exceed 170 pixels with 255,000 total frames. x File playback automatically loops. Ensure animation has common start/stop point or fades in/out. DMX Files: 6 30 x DMX scene files are limited to 128 Mb total space in the AR-32 controller. Longer recordings occupy more memory.
7. Service 7.1 Maintenance The AR-32 Architectural Recorder System should require minimal maintenance over its operational life. To prevent the risk of electrical shock, do not open this unit. There are no user serviceable parts inside this unit. The following basic maintenance practices will help keep the system performing well and looking good: 7.1.1 General Inspection 1. Inspect the system components on a regular basis. Check each button and indicator for proper operation.
7.2 Troubleshooting The AR-32 Architectural Recorder System should perform well when properly operated and maintained, however, sometimes things just don’t work like they should. Table 5 contains symptoms, causes, and resolutions for common faults. Table 5 Symptom No Power Erratic Fixture Behavior Cause Bad power connection. No receptacle power. Bad fuse. Improper DMX addressing. Improper DMX data cable. No Control No DMX termination. Bad data connection. No power. Bad remote batteries.
