FIRELINX Generation 3 User manual

(833) FIRELNX [phone]
FIRELINX MANUAL
Generation 3

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Table of Contents
64-Channel Command Module (CM64)
Section 1: Panel Diagram 6
Power Button 6
ARM Key 6
Command Module Illustration 7
Fire Button 8
Battery Charging Indicator + Battery Power Indicator 8
Navigation Buttons 8
Control Buttons 8
Timing Controls 8
Open Pyro Network (OPN) Button 8
10-Key Number Pad (Numpad) 8
Channel Selection Buttons 9
Mini USB Input 9
USB Input 9
2Wire Input/Output 9
Power Input 10
SMPTE Input 10
Operator Presence Device (OPD) Input 10
Antenna Input 10
Graphic User Interface (GUI) 10
Section 2: Basic Setup 11
1. Turn on CM 11
2. Turn on and name FMs 11
3. Join FMs to CM 11
4. Load show file 12
5. Perform Continuity Test 13
6. ARM System 14
7. Fire Show 14
a. Manual 14
b. SMPTE 15
c. Internal Clock 15
Section 3: Home Page 16
1. File icon 16
2. Link Quality icon 16
3. Battery Level icon 16
4. Connected Module Status 16
5. Messages 16
6. Find Software Version 16
Section 4: Menu 17
1. Caliber 17
2. RF (Radio Frequency) Channel 17

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3. Join 18
4. File 19
5. SMPTE 19
6. Edit 20
7. Update 20
8. Reset 20
9. Stealth Mode 20
10. Clear Guns 21
Section 5: Continuity Testing 22
Section 6: Wireless Wizard (WW) Button 23
Section 7: Module Status 23
Link Quality (LQ) 24
Section 8: Operator Presence Device (OPD) – Optional Equipment 24
Section 9: Open Pyro Network (OPN) – Optional Equipment 24
24-Channel Firing Module (FM24)
25
Section 1: Panel Diagram 25
Power Button 25
Repeater Button 25
Navigation Buttons 25
Batter Charging Indicator + Battery Full Indicator 25
Continuity Test 25
Firing Module Illustration 26
Firing Pins 27
Power Input 27
Antenna Input 27
2Wire Input/Output 28
Section 2: Basic Setup 28
1. Turn on FM(s) 28
2. Name all FM(s) 28
3. Join all FMs to CM 28
4. Wire FM(s) 29
5. Perform Continuity Test 29
6. ARM System 30
Section 3: Home Page 30
1. Clock icon 30
2. File icon 31
3. Link Quality (LQ) icon 31
4. Battery Level icon 31
5. Name ID Number 31
6. Status icon 31
7. Messages 31
8. Find Software Version 31

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Section 4: Menu & Buttons 31
1. Name 31
2. RF (Radio Frequency) Channel 31
3. Join 32
4. OPN 32
5. Repeater 32
6. Continuity 33
General Troubleshooting and Maintenance
34
How to Replace Spring Terminals 34
How to Clean Modules 34
Battery Specifications 35
Replace/Add additional battery 35
Installing/Replacing Components 35
Module Graphics 37
Installing an OPN Expansion Card 38
Simple File Format
39
Glossary
40

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IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS
The following terms are used to identify safety and highlight the level of hazard throughout
the manual.
SAFETY ALERT SYMBOL
– Alerts potential personal injury hazards. Please
obey all safety messages that follow this symbol to avoid possible injury or
death.
W
ARNING
– Indicates potentially hazardous situations, which, if not avoided, could result
in serious injury or death.
CAUTION
– Indicates potentially hazardous situations, which, if not avoided, may result in
minor/moderate injury.
NOTICE
– Important Information applicable to operation of the system and/or prevention of
property damage.
Read all instructions and warnings carefully before operating units to ensure safe and
appropriate use of this equipment.
WARNING
– This product contains a lithium polymer battery. Please read the following
cautions for proper handling and charging.
• This product may ignite under certain conditions
• Use a Lithium Polymer charger only
• Do not use Ni-Cd or Ni-MH charger – may cause fire
• Never exceed 1C (1xCapacity) charger rate
• Never leave batteries unattended while charging
• Do not short circuit
• May explode if damaged or disposed in fire
Please make sure to read this manual carefully, and thoroughly before using Firelinx to
ensure its safe and proper use.
NOTICE
- This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if
not installed and used in accordance with the instructions in this manual may cause
harmful interference to radio and television reception.

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64-Channel Command Module (CM64)
Section 1: Panel Diagram
Reference Figure 1 for the following page.
Power Button
Press and hold the power button for approximately 3 to 5 seconds to power on the
Command Module (CM). If the CM does not power on, plug the charging cord into the power
input and wait one minute before trying again. Press and release the power button to turn
off the CM.
ARM Key
CAUTION
– You cannot
ARM while in Continuity
Test (CT) Mode and you
cannot run CT while
Armed. They are mutually
exclusive for safety
reasons. Please be
advised that the FM
screen will display the
results from the last
continuity check when CT
Mode is NOT active. For
live CT results you must
have CT Mode enabled.
While CT mode is
enabled, you will be able
to view live results on the
FM or the CM. This will
ensure that you are
viewing live data.
To arm the system, insert the ARM key into the key slot and turn clockwise to the ARM
position, then press the ARM/SAFE button. The key cannot be removed when in the ARM
position. To disarm the system, turn the key counterclockwise. If the CM has its ARM key
turned prior to power on, you will need to turn the key to SAFE then back to ARM for it to
be accepted.
Figure 1

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Figure 1

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Reference Figure 1 for the following page.
Fire Button
When in manual show mode, the fire button will fire the next channel on the selected module.
When in SMPTE mode or Internal clock, the FIRE button will begin firing the uploaded script.
Battery Charging Indicator + Battery Power Indicator
Charge LEDs indicate the power status of the CM. The red LED indicates the battery is
charging. The green LED indicates the battery is fully charged.
Navigation Buttons
The navigation buttons are used to navigate between menus on the CM.
Control Buttons
The control buttons are used to select which screen the CM will display. The CM may display
the HOME, MENU, CONTINUITY TESTING (CT), WIRELESS WIZARD (WW), MODULE
STATUS (MOD), or SHOW screen. The ARM/SAFE button is used with the ARM key to
arm/disarm the system.
Timing Controls
The timing controls are used to pause and stop the internal clock show. With future updates,
these controls will control the Audio Module, to reverse, pause, play, stop, or forward the
show.
Open Pyro Network (OPN) Button
The Open Pyro Network (OPN) button opens the OPN CONFIGURATION menu. This menu
is used to configure whichever OPN module is installed, whether that be an Ethernet card
or a 32-shot expansion card.
10-Key Number Pad (Numpad)
The 10-key number pad (Numpad) is used to view, navigate, and select menus and
modules. To select a module, enter the module ID number on the Numpad. Some numbers,
like the module ID, show as “001;” these leading zeros do not need to be entered to select
that module.

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Channel Selection Buttons (figure 1)
When firing a manual show, these buttons are used to select which firing pin will fire next.
These buttons only select the channel, they do not fire the channel. The fire button must
be pushed to fire the selected channel. Once fired, the selected channel will automatically
advance to the next available shot. If a continuity test has been performed, the LEDs above
the channel buttons will illuminate blue indicating a shot is loaded. When the shot is fired,
the blue LED will turn off indicating it is now empty
When firing a scripted show, the channel selection buttons are used to activate the
caliber/disable functions (if these functions are written into the show file). The
CALIBERS/DISABLES page can be reached via the SHOW screen or the MENU >1 function.
Mini USB Input
The mini-USB port is currently not in use. In future releases, this port will allow a tablet device
to control the CM. (figure 2)
USB Input
The USB port is used to load choreography or software updates. This port cannot be used
to connect anything other than a USB storage device. Files must be stored in the root
directory of the USB storage device to be uploaded; files not stored in this directory will not
be uploaded. (figure 2)
2Wire Input/Output
The two 2Wire ports are used for 2Wire communication between the CM and all Firing
Modules (FMs). The color of each terminal is not important. The polarity of the two wires
(when plugged into the next unit) is not important. Connections from the CM are always
“out” rather than “daisy-chain” like in the FMs. Only one set of cables can be used per 2Wire
terminal on the CM. (figure 2)
Figure 2

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Power Input
The power port is used to charge the CM. (figure 3)
SMPTE Input
The SMPTE port is used to run SMPTE timecode to the CM via an RCA cable. SMPTE is
then automatically distributed to the FMs on the network. (figure 3)
Operator Presence Device (OPD) Input
The Operator Presence Device (OPD) port is used to connect the OPD cable to the CM.
(figure 3)
Antenna Input
The radio antenna is necessary for shows requiring wireless communication; however, the
antenna should always be installed as a backup communications device, even when 2Wire
communications are connected. For greater signal strength and range, raise the height of
the module so that the antenna is at least eight inches (200 millimeters) off the ground. (figure
3)
Graphical User Interface (GUI)
The Graphical User Interface (GUI) is a
128x64- pixel OLED display at the top of
both the CM and FMs (figure 1). Different
pages of the display are used to control
different functions. The HOME, MENU, CT,
WW, MOD, SHOW, and OPN buttons
direct the user to the associated function
page. Other functions and displays may be
reached from each of these function pages.
Figure 3
Figure 4

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The circled number icons on the MENU
screen shown in (figure 4) each represent
a button on the Numpad. Pressing any
number on the Numpad will bring up a
small entry box (figure 5). Fill in the number
of the desired selection and press ENTER.
Use the CLEAR button to erase all
numbers in the entry box.
The line of dots that appear at the bottom of the screen indicate that another screen is
available by pressing the DOWN (↓) arrow button. A line of dots may also appear on all four
sides of the screen (as shown in Figure 9), indicating other pages are available in all four
scroll button directions: left (←), up (↑), right (→), and down (↓).
Section 2: Basic Setup
1.
Turn on CM
– Press the CM power button and hold for approximately 3 to 5 seconds
until internal lights turn on. A logo splash screen will appear before the HOME screen.
2.
Turn on and name FMs
– To successfully join the firing modules (FM) to the command
module you’ll first need to power on the FMs and name them. Please reference 24-
Channel Firing Module (FM24) Section 2: Basic Setup to learn more.
Name your FM
: Each FM must have a unique ID number before joining a CM.
On each FM press MENU, the NAME option on the menu will be pre-selected,
press ENTER. Use the left (←), up (↑), right (→), and down (↓) arrow keys to
choose a unique ID. Press ENTER to set ID – valid ID numbers are 001 to 999.
3.
Join FMs to CM
– On the CM, press MENU > (3): JOIN, ENTER. On the FMs, press
MENU and use the arrow keys to select JOIN MODE. Press ENTER. If the screens
match, on both the CM and FMs, press YES on the FMs first – then press HOME.
Press HOME on the CM when all FMs have been joined. If the numbers do not match,
press NO on the FMs. The FM will then display the ID number of the next CM detected
in the area. Continue until both numbers are the same, then press HOME on the CM.
If no number is displayed on the FMs, then the FMs might not be on the same RF
channel. To set the RF channel manually, reference Section 4: Menu #2. RF (Radio
Frequency) CH and follow these steps.
Figure 5

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4.
Load show file
- In some cases, certain USB drives are not recognized by the Firelinx
Command Module. If you place the USB drive into the Command Module and cannot
load files from it, we suggest trying a lower storage device such as 1 or 2GB drivers.
Most stores sell SanDisk brand low storage drives which work great.
To load a show file, insert a USB storage device with the show file saved in .CSV
format in the root directory, then go to MENU > FILE by pressing key number 4 on
the Numpad and then press ENTER. A folder icon next to the name of the loaded
show file will appear in the top left of the HOME screen. If the screen displays
MANUAL and no folder icon (see figure 6), then no show file has been uploaded, and
you may only fire manually.
Once in the FILES PAGE (see figure 7), select the desired show file. If there are more
than four show files on the USB storage device, the top of the FILES PAGE will display
1/1, 1/2, 1/3, etc. The up (↑) and down (↓) arrows can be used to scroll between
pages. The CM will display the current download progress and the FM will display
the current upload progress. The CM will give a final notification (see figure 8) when
the download is complete. When the FM displays a folder icon next to the word FILE,
the FM has received the full show information.
The HOME screen will show the number of modules detected on the left and the
number of modules in the choreography on the right. The number of modules
detected may be larger or smaller than the number of modules in the choreography.
Figure 6
Figure 7
Figure 8

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5.
Perform continuity test
–
CAUTION
– You cannot ARM while in Continuity Test (CT)
Mode and you cannot run CT while Armed. They are mutually exclusive for safety
reasons. Please be advised that the FM screen will display the results from the last
continuity check when CT Mode is NOT active on the CM. For live CT results you
must have CT Mode enabled on the CM. While CT mode is enabled, you will be able
to view live results on the FM or the CM. This will ensure that you are viewing live
data.
Continuity Test Mode must be initiated from the CM. From the CM, press the CT
button to open the CONTINUITY TEST page. Press OK to enable continuity testing.
(figure 9) The FM’s backlight LEDs will turn either blue, magenta, or yellow. Blue
means there are no shots detected, magenta means one or more shots have been
detected, and yellow means there is no current flowing through the firing pins. If the
FM’s LEDs turn yellow, contact Firelinx support at www.firelinx.com. If you press the
up arrow once, it will bring you to the page that shows the icon descriptions for the
CT check results.
Once testing is complete, go to the CONTINUITY TEST page and press OK to disable
continuity testing. Continuity testing is automatically disabled when the system is
armed, however, it is wasting battery power if left on when not in use.
Symbol
Meaning
=
There is a loaded shot currently in the choreography. This shot is ready to be
fired.
?
There is a loaded shot currently NOT in the choreography. This shot can still be
fired manually.
X
There is no shot loaded, but this channel is currently in the choreography. This
should be corrected; a show will still run if it is left disconnected.
*
There is a loaded shot in the choreography with too much resistance. This shot
might
not fire
on command.
This must be corrected
.
Figure 9

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6.
Arm system – NOTICE
– You cannot Arm while in Continuity Test and you cannot
run CT while Armed. To arm the system, turn the ARM key clockwise to the ARM
position, then press the ARM/SAFE button. FMs will blink yellow and red for three
seconds as the capacitor bank charges. Once the capacitor bank is fully charged,
the FMs will turn RED and the CM will automatically transition to the SHOW page.
7.
Fire show
– Either a Manual, SMPTE, or Internal Clock show may be fired from the
SHOW page (see figure 10). Use the left (←) and right (→) arrow keys to navigate
between these pages (this may be done even while a show is running).
•
Manual –
From the MANUAL FIRING page, use the up (↑) and down (↓) arrow
keys to scroll through FMs in numerical order. Use the Numpad to select any FM.
Use the channel selection buttons to select which shot to fire. Use the FIRE button
to fire each shot. With each press of the FIRE button, the system will automatically
advance to the next shot and, when appropriate, to the next FM. (figure 11)
Figure 10
Figure 11

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•
SMPTE –
Before firing a SMPTE show, test the SMPTE timecode in the MENU >
SMPTE page. Use a four-channel portable recorder like a Roland R-4 loaded with
a SMPTE file. Once testing is complete, navigate to the SMPTE FIRING page
using the arrow keys. From the SMPTE FIRING page, select the cue list that you
would like to fire with the Numpad. After the cue has been selected, start the
external SMPTE time clock to begin time sync.
At least 30 seconds should pass
before the first show cue to ensure that the SMPTE timecode has been captured
by all FMs
. Press the FIRE button once to begin firing the show; the show will not
fire until the FIRE button has been pressed. Show cues will advance automatically.
(figure 12)
•
Internal Clock –
From the INTRL FIRING page, set all show cues (if necessary).
Once a valid show file has been uploaded, press the FIRE button to begin the
show. To advance to the next cue, press the FIRE button again. The Internal
Clock show should begin as soon as the clock on the CM begins to roll. To fire a
SMPTE show, and an Internal Clock show simultaneously, both shows must be
defined in the choreography as different scripts. Your choreography can have any
number of defined cues. To change scripts, enter the cue number on the Numpad
from the SMPTE FIRING or INTRL FIRING page. (figure 13)
Figure 12
Figure 13

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Section 3: Home Page
Reference Figure 14 for Section 3.
1.
File Icon –
The file icon and file name, shown above in Figure 11, are displayed once
a show file has been successfully uploaded to the CM. If there is no file icon and no
file name, and only the word MANUAL, then no show file has been uploaded. You
can fire manually at any time, with or without a show file. If a file has been uploaded,
but you wish to use manual-only mode, return to the FILE menu, without a USB
inserted and press YES to switch to manual-only mode. Follow the steps in 64-
Channel Command Module (CM64), Section 2: Basic Setup #4. Load Show File.
2.
Link Quality Icon
– The Link Quality icon displays the average Link Quality between
the CM and the FM(s).
3.
Battery Level Icon –
The battery level icon displays the current battery charge level
of the CM.
4.
Connected Module Status –
The first number in the connected module status
displays the number of FMs connected to the CM. The second number in the status
displays the number of defined FMs in the choreography show file. If there is no
show file loaded, the second number will always be the same as the first number.
5.
Messages –
Messages sent to the CM are displayed here, such as the names of
active and/or offline FMs.
6.
Find Software Version –
Press the DOWN (↓) arrow key to display the current
software version installed on the CM.
Figure 14

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Section 4: Menu
Navigate to different functions/pages by entering a circled number icon (as shown in Figure
15) on the Numpad.
1.
Caliber -
Calibers are used to disable one or more specific sets of shots. When
creating a show file, a caliber is assigned to the shot; the CALIBERS/DISABLES page
can be used to enable or disable these calibers. The show file can be edited in any
.csv editor to allow for any groupings desired. The available disables will be listed on
the CALIBER LIST screen (as shown in Figure 13). ENA indicates these shots are
enabled and ready to be fired. DIS indicates these shots are disabled and are not
ready to be fired. (figure 16)
2.
RF (Radio Frequency) CH -
Use the WIRELESS WIZARD (WW) function to
automatically determine the best RF channel, or manually set the RF channel by going
to MENU > RF CH:(2) > ENTER. From the RF CHANNEL screen, use the Numpad
and click on ENTER to change to the desired RF channel, or press the UP/DOWN
buttons to scroll through the available channels. The CM will automatically change
the RF channel of any connected FMs to the selected RF channel. FMs not
connected at this time will need their RF channels set manually. (figure 17)
Figure 15
Figure 16

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3.
Join -
The join process is used to protect your system from outside interference by
encrypting all communications. Every FM must be joined with a single CM. Once an
FM is joined, any other CM in the surrounding area cannot connect to that particular
FM.
To begin the join process, go to the JOIN MODE menu screen the CM. The menu
displays the CM’s unique three-digit module ID number (see Figure 18) on. Now go
to your FM and press the MENU button. Use the arrow keys to scroll down to the
JOIN MODE function; press ENTER. If the ID numbers on both the CM and FM are
identical, press YES and HOME on the FM. Press HOME on the CM when all FMs
have been joined. If the FM displays a different ID number than the CM, then another
CM is on the same RF channel. Press NO to display the next CM ID number. Continue
pressing NO until the correct CM ID number is displayed. If this happens, you may
want to change the RF channel of your system.
There are only 256 unique CM ID numbers. It is possible (although highly unlikely) that
two CMs with the same ID number can be in the same area at the same time. If this
happens, you will be able to tell your FM is joined to the wrong CM because your FM
will not appear to be “talking” to/connect to your CM. You will need to wait ten
minutes before attempting the join process again. Although there is a limited number
of unique CM IDs, each encryption ID is unique. Once joined, no other CM can
communicate with your FM, even if two CM ID numbers are the same.
Figure 17
Figure 18

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Disconnecting Units -
The FM will take approximately ten (10) seconds to disconnect
from the CM and for the CM and FM to display the disconnection.
4.
File
- Firelinx can accept Finale Generic .csv files, Firelinx LT .csv files, or Firelinx
generic show file formats. (To view a sample of what the Firelinx generic show file
looks like, see “Simple File Format” located at the end of this manual or visit
www.firelinx.com). Show files should be stored in the root directory of your USB
storage device drive before connecting said device to the CM. If there are more than
four show files on your USB, press the up and down arrow keys to scroll between
files. The CM can display a maximum number of sixteen (16) files. Use the Numpad
to select the file you wish to download. If FMs are connected to the CM during this
process, the CM will automatically upload your selected show file to each of the
connected FMs. To remove a show file from the CM, either download a new show
file or, with
no
USB storage device inserted, go to the FILE menu and switch to
manual-only mode. (figure 19)
5.
SMPTE
- The SMPTE page (see
figure 20) MENU > SMPTE (5)
ENTER; is used to monitor the
incoming SMPTE timecode and to
adjust the SMPTE frame rate. To
change the frames per second of
the incoming SMPTE timecode,
press the corresponding
number(s) on the Numpad and then press ENTER. If the SMPTE time code is
currently detected by the CM, a lock icon will appear. If there is no lock icon, the
SMPTE system is unable to read the signal being sent to it. If SMPTE Lock occurs
and signal is then lost, you'll lose the lock icon, but the CM will continue to keep
tracking time as best it can from where it last saw SMPTE until the signal returns,
Figure 19
Figure 20

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such as in the case of a semi-broken wire or just bad contacts. If the lock icon flickers
on and off, the SMPTE frame rate may be incorrect. Adjust the frame rate until the
lock icon remains steady for several seconds. If no frame rate seems steady, choose
the one that seems the most stable as the CM will interpolate the time between locks.
30 and 29.97fps are the most common frame rates, though in Europe and in certain
other locations, 25 and 24 are more common.
6.
Edit
- The EDIT function is currently not in use. In future releases, the EDIT function
will be used to create simple scripts from within the CM without the need to first
create a show file on a computer.
7.
Update
- Updates must be saved in the root directory of a USB storage device before
they can be installed to the CM. To download updates, go to
www.firelinx.com/update and save the update file(s) to your USB storage device.
Insert the USB storage device containing the updated files into the CM. Only one
update should be on the USB device at a time. The MENU screen will display whether
the update is a CM or FM update as well as the update’s version number. Make sure
to join all FMs before running the FM update so they update simultaneously. If both
a CM and FM update exists, FM updates will be installed first, followed by CM
updates. Press YES to install the update to the FM. Once the FMs update occurs the
FMs will turn off completely, leave them turned off if you have a CM update to run.
Before each update, the CM should be power cycled (powered off) wait 5 seconds
and then power the CM back on. This ensures the CM sees its updates and not
anyone else’s in the field. To update the CM, insert the USB, click on MENU > press
7 on the Numpad and press ENTER. Then follow the instructions on the screen.
8.
Reset
- Once your show is finished, press the RESET button to reset the show clock
and shot list of all modules. The system is now ready to perform the same show
again.
9.
Stealth Mode
- The stealth mode function is used to hide module LEDs in situations
where they may be too bright or distracting, such as in a stage environment where
Figure 21