Astera ART3 User manual

ART3
Wireless DMX Receiver/Transmitter
User Manual
Manual Version: V3.1.11
Release Date: June 21, 2 1
Astera LED Technology GmbH
Add.:Götzeroth 6, 54483 Kleinich/Germany Tel.:+49( )6536-355361 Email:[e-mail]

This instruction manual is part of the device and persons operating the device must have access to it at any time.
Safety precautions mentioned in the instruction manual have to be observed.
If the device is being sold, this instruction manual has to be included.
Translations
If the device is being sold, this instruction manual has to be translated into the national language of the destina-
tion country.
If discrepancies occur in the translated text, the original instruction manual has to be used to solve them tor the
manufacturer has to be contacted.
©20 0, Astera LED Technology GmbH
All rights reserved
Kleinich, Germany

Table of Contents Chapter 1
1 Table of Contents
1 Table of Contents......................................................................................3
2 Safety........................................................................................................4
3 Getting Started.........................................................................................5
3.1 Introduct on................................................................................................5
3.2 Overv ew....................................................................................................6
3.3 Mount ng/Connect on...................................................................................7
3.4 LCD D splay.................................................................................................7
3.5 Nav gat on...................................................................................................7
3.6 Rad o PIN .................................................................................................8
4 Operation Modes.......................................................................................9
4.1 DMX Transm tter.........................................................................................9
4.2 RC Transm tter ...........................................................................................9
4.3 DMX Rece ver............................................................................................10
4.4 RC Rece ver...............................................................................................11
4.5 Control Lamps...........................................................................................12
5 Setup.......................................................................................................13
6 Technical Data........................................................................................17
7 Troubleshooting......................................................................................19
8 Appendix.................................................................................................21
8.1 Append x 1: DMX tab for RC Transm tter mode............................................21
8.2 Append x 1: Custom zable Programs...........................................................23
9 Disposal...................................................................................................25
3

Safety
2 Safety
Before you operate the unit, read this manual carefully.
Make sure to keep the manual, in case you need to consult
this manual again or you give the unit to another person.
lways make sure to include this manual if you hand out the
unit to another person.
Keep in mind that this manual cannot address all possible
dangers and environments. Please use your own caution
when operating.
Do not operate the unit in areas where the usage of radio
frequency or mobile phones is prohibited, like for example
in airplanes, or when it may cause interference or danger.
Only qualified personnel may repair this product.
Don't open the case.
This device conforms to CE -or- FCC regulations, see type
label!
It radiates in the 868 MHz or 915 Mhz bands. (See page 19
for details.
lways make sure, that your national regulations allow the
use of this device!
4

Gett ng Started Chapter 3
3 Getting Started
3.1 Introduction
Astera's ART3 is a wireless DMX receiver/transmitter that can be used to control a setup of
Astera Lamps and/or third party lamps with a DMX control desk.
There are five operation modes:
1. DMX Transmitter:
Transmits one DMX universe that will be
received by all light fixtures or Wireless
DMX receivers that are set up appropri-
ately.
2. RC Transmitter:
the ART3 controls Wireless Astera lamps,
the same way an ARC2 remote control
would do but the parameters are set by an
DMX control table. The whole light setup
can be controlled in a way the ARC2 would
do but there is a DMX desk in control.
The basic advantages of this operation
mode are a higher range and that data is only sent during changes. With only 20 DMX chan-
nels you can control a whole setup of lamps.
3. DMX receiver:
one DMX universe can be received.
4. RC Receiver
This mode is useful to integrate third party
RGB lamps into a remote controlled light
setup. Up to 32 RGB fixtures can be con-
nected to the DMX output, all controllable
individually. The ART3 will replay all the programs that can be set up by the remote control.
5. Control Lamps
The ART can work as a simple remote
control to set programs and colors similar
to the ARC2 remote control. This is useful
if you forget to bring your ARC2.
5

Overv ew
3.2 Overview
Power socket Antenna
LCD D splay
Nav gate through menu
Nav gate through menu Conf rm
DMX n/out
Power on/off
6
move back(wh le nav gat ng
around menu)
Color Meaning XLR
red Ready to transmit, XLR is INPUT INPUT
red, flickering Transmitting, XLR is INPUT INPUT
green Ready to receive, XLR is OUTPUT OUTPUT
green, flickering Receiving, XLR is OUTPUT OUTPUT

Gett ng Started Chapter 3
3.3 Mounting/Connection
3.4 LCD Displa
Definition of symbols:
[ ] - Receiving
[3] - Transmitting
[4] - Settings are stored in the memory
(shown by a short blinking of this symbol)
[5] - Synchronization between units is active
[8] - Battery status
3.5 Navigation
Navigation is done over the plus and minus buttons below the LCD display. Enter confirms a
selection or moves deeper in the navigation. Back aborts a selection or moves up in the nav-
igation.
In the top level of the navigation you can choose between the 5 operation modes and the
setup menu.
7

Rad o PIN
3.6 Radio PIN
Astera offers the possibility to operate several ART3 that are in reach of each other without
interfering into each other's data. Up to 5 different radio PINs can be set for this.
To set a radio pin, choose SETUP, then RADIO PIN and choose a unique number.
This has to be performed for both ART that are communicating with each other or
aternatively for an ARC2 and ART if they are to communicate on a special radio
channel.
Although you can use up to five pairs of ART3 or ARC2 in one room it is recommended not
to place them closely together. At least m of disctance should be between the transmitting
units to avoid radio interferences. Their performance is influenced by the occupation of the
available frequency bands!
8

Operat on Modes Chapter 4
4 Operation Modes
As there are numerous settings, it is recommended to do a FACTORY RESET before setting
them up. This can be found in the SETUP menu (chapter 5)
As already explained in paragraph 3. on page 5, there are five basic operation modes:
1. DMX transmitter
2. RC transmitter
3. DMX receiver
4. RC receiver
5. Control Lamps
To select a different operation mode, press the plus and minus key until you find the
desired mode. Then press Enter to confirm.
4.1 DMX Transmitter
Simply choose DMX TR NSMITTER to start this mode. The RT3 is already set to DMX
Transmitter when you get it or after you perform a Factory Reset.
As soon as the XLR connector detects a DMX signal the ART3 starts transmitting.
This is indicated by a flickering blue power-LED.
When the DMX signal is lost, the transmission is interrupted.
The DMX data is compressed to fit the bandwidth of the wireless link. Due to this fact, the
frame rate depends on the amount of changes done in the DMX stream between each
frame.
Assuming a good RF link, the refresh rate should be at a minimum of 0 Hz; usually it will
stay at 20 Hz – 44 Hz.
4.2 RC Transmitter
To start this mode, choose RC TR NSMITTER in the top navigation and confirm with
Enter.
This operation mode offers several advantages over the Wireless DMX modes and should
be preferred over the DMX Transmitter operation mode. Setting up this operation mode
takes longer then for the DMX Transmitter mode but the advantages are:
. Much higher RF range.
2. Only 20 DMX channels are needed to control a whole light setup.
3. Easy setup of light fixtures.
4. Less programming effort needed to archive varied light shows.
9

RC Transm tter
When choosing the RC Transmitter mode you can control ART3 transmitters as well as wire-
less Astera lamps. Two values can be set in the RC Transmitter mode:
RC DMX ddress
Chooses the ART3's input DMX address from 0-5 .
DMX Tab
Three DMX tab that control the lamps can be chosen. Each one has a pre-defined set of
DMX channels and their effects on the lamps.
A table showing the DMX channels for each tab can be found in Appendix .
While the DMX Tabs NORMAL and EXTENDED offer the same possibilities as the ARC2 re-
mote control just that you input the values directly at a DMX light controller the DMX Tab
SIMPLE RGB offers an easy way to set the same color to all lamps in reach of the ART3.
4.3 DMX Receiver
To start this mode, choose DMX RECEIVER in the top navigation and confirm with
Enter.
As soon as a Wireless DMX signal is received by the antenna, the power-LED start flickering
green, and the XLR connector outputs DMX data. If the signal is lost, the transmission stops.
DMX Failure:
When in the DMX Receiver mode you can also set a value for DMX Failure in case the DMX
signal is interrupted and the ART3 does not receive any DMX data. Four values are possible:
Hold: If the DMX reception times out, the output keeps unchanged and the
last received DMX frame is displayed.
Emergency Light: If the DMX reception times out, the light turns white.
Blackout: If the DMX reception times out, all light turns black.
uto Program: If the DMX reception times out the ART3 displays any of the 20 pre-
programmed programs.
10