Chauvet GrafXpress User manual

Snapshot
OK on Dimmer
Outdoor OK
Sound Activated
DMX512
Master/Slave
115V/230V Switch
Replaceable Fuse
User Serviceable
Duty Cycle
GrafXpress™
USER MANUAL
GrafXpress Basic Rackmount 1 1/11/2008 3:18 PM

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. BEFORE YOU BEGIN....................................................................................................................................................... 3
WHAT IS INCLUDED......................................................................................................................................... 3
UNPACKING INSTRUCTIONS ............................................................................................................................. 3
AC POWER ................................................................................................................................................... 3
CONTACT US................................................................................................................................................. 3
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS................................................................................................................................... 4
2. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................... 5
FEATURES..................................................................................................................................................... 5
DMX CHANNEL SUMMARY.............................................................................................................................. 5
PRODUCT OVERVIEW ..................................................................................................................................... 6
4. SETUP............................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Quick Start .................................................................................................................................................................... 7
5. OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS.......................................................................................................................................... 8
USB CONTROL.............................................................................................................................................. 8
OPERATION................................................................................................................................................... 9
Sound-Active Mode....................................................................................................................................................... 9
DMX Mode .................................................................................................................................................................... 9
DMX CHANNEL VALUES ................................................................................................................................10
GENERAL TROUBLESHOOTING........................................................................................................................12
TECHNICAL SUPPORT ....................................................................................................................................13
6. APPENDIX....................................................................................................................................................................... 13
DMX PRIMER...............................................................................................................................................13
GENERAL MAINTENANCE ...............................................................................................................................14
RETURNS PROCEDURE..................................................................................................................................14
CLAIMS ........................................................................................................................................................14
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS ..........................................................................................................................15
GrafXpress Basic Rackmount 2 1/11/2008 3:18 PM

1. BEFORE YOU BEGIN
What is included
¾1 x GrafXpress™
¾Power Cord
¾Warranty Card
¾User Manual
Unpacking Instructions
Immediately upon receiving a fixture, carefully unpack the carton, check the contents to ensure that
all parts are present, and have been received in good condition. Notify the shipper immediately and
retain packing material for inspection if any parts appear damaged from shipping or the carton itself
shows signs of mishandling. Save the carton and all packing materials. In the event that a fixture
must be returned to the factory, it is important that the fixture be returned in the original factory box
and packing.
AC Power
This fixture has an auto-switching power supply that can accommodate a wide range of input
voltages. The only thing necessary to do before powering on the unit is to make sure the line voltage
you are applying is within the range of accepted voltages. This fixture will accommodate between
100V and 240V AC 50-60 Hz. All fixtures must be powered directly off a switched circuit and cannot
be run off a rheostat (variable resistor) or dimmer circuit, even if the rheostat or dimmer channel is
used solely for a 0% to 100% switch.
Warning! Damage to your fixture may result if the line voltage applied does not match the
voltage indicated on the voltage selector switch. All fixtures must be connected to
circuits with a suitable Earth Ground.
Contact Us
World Wide
General Information CHAUVET
3000 North 29th Court
Hollywood, FL 33020
voice: 954.929.1115
fax: [phone]
toll free: 800.762.1084
Technical Support CHAUVET
3000 North 29th Court
Hollywood, FL 33020
voice: 954.929.1115 (Press 4)
fax: [phone] (Attention: Service)
World Wide Web www.chauvetlighting.com
GrafXpress Basic Rackmount 3 1/11/2008 3:18 PM

Safety Instructions
Please read these instructions carefully, which includes important
information about the installation, usage and maintenance of this
product.
•Please keep this User Guide for future consultation. If you sell the unit to another user, be sure that
they also receive this instruction booklet.
•Always make sure that you are connecting to the proper voltage, and that the line voltage you are
connecting to is not higher than that stated on the decal or rear panel of the fixture.
•This product is intended for indoor use only!
•To prevent risk of fire or shock, do not expose fixture to rain or moisture. Make sure there are no
flammable materials close to the unit while operating.
•The unit must be installed in a location with adequate ventilation, at least 20in (50cm) from adjacent
surfaces. Be sure that no ventilation slots are blocked.
•Always disconnect from power source before connecting to computer.
•Secure fixture to fastening device using a safety chain. Never carry the fixture solely by its head. Use
its carrying handles.
•Maximum ambient temperature (Ta) is 104°F (40°C). Do not operate fixture at temperatures higher
than this.
•In the event of a serious operating problem, stop using the unit immediately. Never try to repair the
unit by yourself. Repairs carried out by unskilled people can lead to damage or malfunction. Please
contact the nearest authorized technical assistance center. Always use the same type spare parts.
•Never connect the device to a dimmer pack.
•Make sure the power cord is never crimped or damaged.
•Never disconnect the power cord by pulling or tugging on the cord.
Caution! There are no user serviceable parts inside the unit. Do not open the housing or
attempt any repairs yourself. In the unlikely event your unit may require service,
please contact CHAUVET at: 954-929-1115.
GrafXpress Basic Rackmount 4 1/11/2008 3:18 PM

2. INTRODUCTION
Features
•15-channel DMX-512 Scorpion™ GrafX controller
•2-space (2U) rack mount
•Live control of laser via USB
•Controls audio, speed, size of pattern, rotation, page, cue
•Download user-created animations (cues) to controller
•Stores 9 pages of 48 cues (432 cues total) onboard without computer
•X/Y gain and offset wheels
•Animation speed channel
Additional Features
•Powered by Pangolin®
•Includes Windows®-based user interface and software to create custom animations and/or
text
•Pull in bitmaps behind the tracing window
•Creates custom text and graphics cues
•Access to quick animations
•Change geometry and laser settings
•RCA audio input and ILDA DB-25 (quad output) female connections
•Easy animations in minutes
DMX Channel Summary
CHANNEL FUNCTION
1 Mode
2 Page
3 Scene
4 Speed
5 Fade
6 Zoom
7 X Size
8 Y Size
9 Z Angle
10 X Position
11 Y Position
12 Visible Points
13 Scan Rate
14 Chase Rate
15 Reserved
GrafXpress Basic Rackmount 5 1/11/2008 3:18 PM

Emergency
Stop
Sound
Sensitivity
Ad
j
ustment
X,Y Position
Knobs Microphone
Laser Read
y
Indicato
r
Product Overview Power Indicator
DMX Channel
Setting
Sound Indicator
Key Switch DMX Signal
Indicato
r
Power
Switch
X,Y Gain
Knobs
Rear Panel
Status
Indicator
Lights
USB Jack
DMX Out
ILDA Output 1&2
DB9 Interlock
Connection
ILDA Output 1&2
Invert Y Axis
DMX In
Invert X Axis
Memory
card slot
Power Input
RCA/Sound Switch
(switch between audio
input and internal
microphone for sound
activation)
Audio Input
GrafXpress Basic Rackmount 6 1/11/2008 3:18 PM

3. SETUP
Quick Start
1) Unpack the GrafXpress unit from the box.
2) Insert memory card into slot provided. Memory card should be inserted with pins facing down.
3) Connect the DB25 to the ILDA DB25 output of the controller to the input of your LG-80 (fixture
should be powered off).
4) Connect the power supply to the power jack and a wall outlet.
5) Turn Power switch to the “On” position. (User interface will read “GrafXpress”)
6) Verify that the Laser Ready indicator is lit. (If not lit, press interlock button to sync)
7) Insert the DB-9 connector into the DB-9 interlock connection (applies to lasers with greater
than a 5mW output and DB-9 interlock input)
8) Clear area in front of laser
9) Turn laser projector power to the “On” position
10) Turn key switch to the “On” position (key will be horizontal)
11) Press play on the user interface.
Note: Please see video tutorial on CD
GrafXpress Basic Rackmount 7 1/11/2008 3:18 PM

4. OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
USB Control
Chauvet GrafXpress uses a high-speed USB connection to the PC in conjunction with GrafXpress
software.
Working with the GrafXpress software, the USB software controls the functionality of the embedded
control system and utilizes the memory stored on the memory card. Additionally, GrafXpress is a
memory management tool and programming software for laser animations and effects. The functions
require very little bandwidth.
It is recommended that you start using this system with the GrafXpress software. You should find
video training courses to assist you on the CD provided. If the CD is not included, please contact
Chauvet for a replacement.
Operating under USB for the first time:
1) Load the GrafXpress USB CD-ROM into your PC
2) Create a new folder under program files on your computer’s root directory and name it
“GrafXpress”. Copy the program files from the CD-ROM into that folder.
3) Connect the USB cable from your PC to the GrafXpress Basic Remote.
4) Power on the controller
5) A pop-up window will appear, requesting drivers.
6) Select “Install from a specific location”
7) In the next screen, click the “Browse” button and locate the folder titled “USB Driver”,
select that folder and click “OK”
Once you click “OK”, Windows will finish the plug-n-play installation and inform you if your
device is ready to use.
If you receive a “device is not recognized” error, verify that the memory card is inserted
properly, with the pins facing “down” and away from the USB connector.
Note: The software has been tested to work on Windows 98, 2000, and XP. If you continue
to have problems, check for errors in the Device manager menu of your operating system.
Open the GrafXpress program. In the lower left corner of the software you should see the
word “Edit” in yellow. If you see the text, congratulations you are correctly connected.
Open the GrafXpress User Manual for instructions on using the product.
Note: When under USB control, DMX does not work, and the user interface will be locked
to USB mode.
GrafXpress Basic Rackmount 8 1/11/2008 3:18 PM

Operation
Sound-Active Mode
The GrafXpress remote comes with an RCA audio jack to connect to your audio source. To place the
unit into sound active mode, press – or + on the DMX setting panel, setting the address to 511.
You can adjust the audio sensitivity as desired.
This sound activation mode works by sending pulses to the embedded control system. These pulses
relate to the memory stored on the memory card. It relates to the memory stored on your
memory card in different ways, depending upon how the software was set up. From the factory,
the workspace is preset for sound-active; however this function may not meet your needs. You
can customize your workspace in the GrafXpress software (see software manual).
Note: Sound activation will not work with this unit without an audio connection through the
audio jack, unless the RCA/Sound switch is in the “Sound” position.
Note: When no sound is present, playback will end, and the current playing cue will fade out
until a new trigger is sent via the audio input and the sound source.
DMX Mode
The GrafXpress’ functions can be accessed through multiple DMX modes. All functions except
emergency stop and sound activation can be controlled via DMX-512. In DMX mode, the memory
card page and cues are accessible in the same manner that gobos and colors can be selected on a
standard lighting controller.
To set the address of the unit:
1) Use the - & + buttons on the DMX addressing panel to set a value from 0-497.
2) Once the address is set, you have 15 channels of DMX control available, depending upon the
value of channel 1.
3) The four DMX modes allow varying degrees of control over the unit.
Basic Mode: Channels 1-4 (See DMX table below from value range)
Standard Mode: Channels 1-8
Extended Mode: Channels 1-12
Full Mode: Channels 1-15
Note: See DMX table below to determine the correct value range for particular modes
Note: Connecting the USB will automatically place the unit into USB mode.
GrafXpress Basic Rackmount 9 1/11/2008 3:18 PM

DMX Channel Values
CHANNEL VALUE FUNCTION
1
000 Ù031
032 Ù095
096 Ù159
160 Ù223
224 Ù255
Control/Operating Mode
Blackout
Basic Range (Channels 1-4)
Standard Range (Channels 1-8)
Extended Range (Channels 1-12)
Full Range (Channels 1-15)
2
000 Ù015
016 Ù031
032 Ù047
048 Ù063
064 Ù079
080 Ù095
096 Ù111
112 Ù127
128 Ù143
144 Ù255
Page
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
All 9 pages in cue chase mode
3
000 Ù031
032 Ù035
036 Ù039
040 Ù043
044 Ù047
050 Ù053
056 Ù059
060 Ù063
064 Ù067
068 Ù071
072 Ù075
076 Ù079
080 Ù083
084 Ù087
088 Ù091
092 Ù095
096 Ù099
100 Ù103
104 Ù107
108 Ù111
112 Ù115
116 Ù119
120 Ù123
124 Ù127
128 Ù131
132 Ù135
136 Ù139
140 Ù143
144 Ù147
148 Ù151
152 Ù155
158 Ù161
164 Ù167
168 Ù171
172 Ù175
176 Ù179
180 Ù183
184 Ù187
188 Ù191
192 Ù195
196 Ù199
200 Ù203
204 Ù207
208 Ù211
212 Ù215
216 Ù219
Cue
Blackout
Cue 1
Cue 2
Cue 3
Cue 4
Cue 5
Cue 6
Cue 7
Cue 8
Cue 9
Cue 10
Cue 11
Cue 12
Cue 13
Cue 14
Cue 15
Cue 16
Cue 17
Cue 18
Cue 19
Cue 20
Cue 21
Cue 22
Cue 23
Cue 24
Cue 25
Cue 26
Cue 27
Cue 28
Cue 29
Cue 30
Cue 31
Cue 32
Cue 33
Cue 34
Cue 35
Cue 36
Cue 37
Cue 38
Cue 39
Cue 40
Cue 41
Cue 42
Cue 43
Cue 44
Cue 45
GrafXpress Basic Rackmount 10 1/11/2008 3:18 PM