Luxium ShowCast ZMX User manual

ZIBA and ShowCast Operation www.luxiumlighting.com 1/2018
ShowCast ZMX –Wireless DMX System –User Guide
ShowCast system allows the ZMX® wireless DMX transmitter to control the lights using pre-
programmed modes as well as traditional DMX512 operation.
Luxium ZMX Transmitter
2.4 GHz DMX
communication
•Works with any Luxium light
equipped with a ZMX receiver.
•Luxium designed stand-alone
lightshow mode with pre-set
colors and sequences.
•Traditional DMX broadcast mode
with wireless DMX512 control
from wired DMX console with XLR
cable.

ZIBA and ShowCast Operation www.luxiumlighting.com 1/2018
Luxium ZMX OPERATION:
The Luxium ZMX transmitter is a lighting control device
for managing the operation of lighting groups using
wireless DMX signals. The ZMX has the ability to run
pre-programmed lighting effects and also function as a
wired DMX converter. In either the stand-alone mode
or as a DMX converter the ZMX will broadcast to all
paired lights that are equipped to receive the wireless
DMX transmission. Through a user interface screen and
control knob the ZMX can be set up to communicate
with lights equipped with ZMX receivers.
ZMX® Technical Characteristics
Frequency Range
2.4 GHz ~ 2.483 GHz (ISM band)
Number of Channels
16 - user selectable
Transmitter Range
500 meters / 1500 feet (open air)
DC power in
5V at 200mA
Dimensions (W x H x D), Weight
88 x 100 x 40mm, 150g ( 0.3 pounds)
DMX in and thru
XLR 5-pin connectors
Built in Sequences
6-Color, 2-Color, Fixed Color
CONNECTIONS:
The back of the ZMX has connections for DC power
input and wired DMX with female and male 5-PIN
XLR sockets. An external antenna is provided to
transmit signals to lights.

ZIBA and ShowCast Operation www.luxiumlighting.com 1/2018
USER INTERFACE:
The user interface is an OLED screen with menu screens that indicate various functions of the
ZMX. From the main menu a selection can be made to perform a desired function such as
pairing with lights or to run a stand-alone routine using LITE SHOW. Below is an overview of the
menu screens.
LIGHT SHOW is used to
directly control paired
lights without the use
of a connected DMX
system.
See the LIGHT SHOW
section of this guide for
details.

ZIBA and ShowCast Operation www.luxiumlighting.com 1/2018
FUNCTIONS:
Main Menu
Turn the selector knob to the desired function and press it to select it. The main menu has 8
functions.
Pair
Selecting pair causes the ZMX transmitter to send out an invite signal. Any unpaired lights that
receive the invite signal will pair themselves to the transmitter sending the signal on the
transmitter’s channel and will not respond to other transmitters. The pairing process can take
up to 10 seconds.
Un-Pair
Selecting unpair puts any lights paired to the transmitter back into the unpaired state, allowing
it to be paired to a new transmitter. Unpair will work even if the light is on a different channel
Unpair All
Unpair All works the same as Unpair, however this will unpair all lights even when they are
paired to other transmitters. Lights must be powered on for successful pairing and unpairing.
Light Show
Light show is able to send DMX data to the lights without the need for a separate DMX
controller. It can show solid colors, 2 color fades, 6 color fades, and more. See the separate
section on Light Show for more details.
Power
The power menu allows the user to control the output power of the transmitter. There are 20
levels of power ranging from 0dBm to 20dBm. Increasing the power level will increase the
range of the transmitter. This can be useful in venues where there are obstacles or large
distances between the transmitter and the lights.
CAUTION: Extended close-up bodily exposure (e.g. within 20 inches) for power levels over
15dBm should be avoided.
Channel
There are 16 different channels available. Changing the transmitter’s channel makes it use a
different frequency to transmit the DMX data. Any lights that are turned on will get notified of
the change and use the new frequency. Any lights that are off when the channel is changed will
miss the change notification and will not receive DMX data when they are turned on.
Best Freq
Best Freq tries to indicate which channels may be best to use. It displays a bar graph with 16
vertical bars, with channel 1 on the left, up to channel 16 on the right. Short bars indicate less
power on a channel which means better signal quality may be possible if you choose that
channel, rather than a channel that has a lot of traffic and a high bar indicator.

ZIBA and ShowCast Operation www.luxiumlighting.com 1/2018
Version
Selecting Version displays the transmitter version number, the transmitter version number, and
the FCC ID of the radio module.
Note: To change the DMX address use the LuxiumApp –connect with the light and use the INFO
page on the LuxiumApp to verify or set the address. Note that DMX = 1 is the first possible
address, and 5 is the second possible address, since each light needs 4 DMX channels to control
the RGBW colors. Conduct the pairing with the ZMX® wireless transmitter. Unit 1 should be set
to address 1, unit 2 to address 5, unit 3 set to address 9 and so on, if individual unique behavior
is needed under DMX control
SETTING UP THE ZMX:
Use these instructions to pair the ZMX transmitter with ZR, ZG or TR series lights that are
configured with Luxium wireless ZMX receivers.
Preparation
•Turn power on to the light and plug the power adapter on to the transmitter
•In case of a unit with DIP switch:
oSet DIP switch to desired DMX unit # (all switches off = DMX channels 1-4 =
RGBW)
•In case of unit without a DIP switch:
oUse the LuxiumApp to set the DMX address.
•Make sure that the DMX console settings match the lighting unit address
•Units are often paired at the factory, so you may be able to start using ZMX
immediately.
Pairing
Pairing the ZMX transmitter with a lamp:
●Turn on the power to an unpaired lamp that needs to be paired with the transmitter.
●Rotate the selector knob on the ZMX transmitter, one step clockwise, and the ‘>’ should
point to PAIR.
➢At this point push the knob to get a positive switch click.
➢The ZMX display will read “Pairing” and will finish the pairing operation in 10
seconds.
●The ZMX transmitter is now paired with the lamp.
➢Note: multiple lamps can be paired simultaneously.
●For situations where radio interference may interrupt the signal a channel change
feature is available.
➢See the section on “Advice for Transmitter use”
Un-Pairing

ZIBA and ShowCast Operation www.luxiumlighting.com 1/2018
Unpairing several lamps (with any ZMX transmitter)
●Turn on the power to lamps, they can be paired or unpaired together
●Rotate the selector knob on the ZMX transmitter to find the UNPAIR setting
●Click the knob and wait for the lamps to unpair
➢If it is desired to globally unpair all lamps, use the UNPAIR ALL setting
➢If it is desired to unpair only from a specific transmitter, use the UNPAIR setting
●The lamps will be unpaired within 10 to 30 seconds
Unpairing a Lamp (using DIP Switch)
●Start with power off to the lamp
●Set DIP SW to 1011 1100
●Turn power on to the light
➢Lamp will flash Lime-Green-Dark in sequence.
●Lift the rightmost switch, so that it reads 1011 1101
➢Lamp will flash red
The unit is now unpaired
Un-Pairing a Lamp (using Luxium mobile app on iphone, ipad or android phone)
●Start with lamp powered on
●Identify the lamp to be un-paired and using INFO button, navigate to DMX address page
●Touch UNPAIR button, check status LED to confirm unit is unpaired
NOTE: To avoid unpairing a unit (e.g. one that is desired to remain paired with a different
transmitter), turn off power to that unit so it will not be unpaired.
Advice for Transmitter Use
●Always use the provided power supply.
●In the event of a radio communication issue, follow the instructions for Unpairing, then
Pair the lighting units again.
●Radio frequency radiation is considered unhealthy if the power is very high. The ZMX
power output setting can be adjusted, up to +20 dBm, the limit set by FCC for
transmitters using the 2.4GHz ISM band. It is recommended to set the transmit power
lower if reliable operation is achieved.
●If units are showing unreliable or slow response, increase the transmit power setting.

ZIBA and ShowCast Operation www.luxiumlighting.com 1/2018
LIGHT SHOW:
Light Show is able to control the lights without the need for an external DMX controller. The
colors of light groups can be set by the user along with different sequences and modes. From
the ZMX user interface it is easy to reassign a light to a different group using the options menu.
Shows
The show commands work on groups of lights. Groups are collections of Light Unit numbers.
By default, Unit #1 (DMX address 1) is in Group 1, Unit #2 (DMX address 5) in is Group 2,
continuing up to Unit #6 (DMX address 21) which is in Group 6.

ZIBA and ShowCast Operation www.luxiumlighting.com 1/2018
The default colors used in the shows are:
Color 1
Color 2
Color 3
Color 4
Color 5
Color 6
Red
Yellow
Green
Cyan
Blue
Magenta
These defaults can be changed using the “options” menu function.
Solid
Displays a fixed color, initially one of the default colors. All lights in Group 1 show Color 1 which
is Red by default.
Group 2 shows color 2 (Yellow), continuing up to Group 6 which shows Color 6 (Magenta).
6-Color Fade
Each light in the six groups fades through each of the default colors. The beginning color for
the fade depends on which group the light is in. Lights in Group 1 begin their fade at Color 1
(Red) and fade through Color 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 in order (yellow, green, cyan, blue, magenta).
Group 2 begins its fade at Color 2 and fades through colors 3, 4, 5, 6 and 1 in order.
Similarly, for Groups 3, 4, 5 and 6. If six lights, set to unit 1 through 6, are placed in a row,
running the 6 Color fade show will create an effect where the colors appear to chase along the
row of lights.
2-Color Fade
Each light in a group fades between two colors shown in the following table:
Group
1
2
3
4
5
6
1st Color
1 (red)
2 (yellow)
3 (green)
4 (cyan)
5 (blue)
6 (magenta)
2nd Color
2 (yellow)
1 (red)
4 (cyan)
3 (green)
6 (magenta)
5 (blue)
Fade Strobe
Each light fades through the six colors, then does a rapid color change creating a strobe effect.
Chase
One by one, the units light up, in a series of 6 lights at a time, creating the effect of a light
traveling down a row of lights. This requires the lights to be arranged in DMX address order!
OPTIONS:
The options item in the Light Show menu allows more advanced control of the different shows.
Dwell
Dwell time in a show cause the state of the lights to stay for the dwell time. The default dwell
time is ½ second.

ZIBA and ShowCast Operation www.luxiumlighting.com 1/2018
Fade
Each show is composed of series of fade commands. A fade command causes a group of lights
to transition from its current color to a new color over a certain amount of time. The default
fade time is 1.5 seconds. To change the default fade time, Click Fade in the options menu, turn
the selector knob to the desired time, and Click again.
Groups
Groups provide a way for fade commands to control multiple units at a time. Any unit # can be
assigned to any of the groups from 1 to 6. By default, the groups have the following units:
Group
Unit #
Switch
settings
DMX
address
Additional Unit # assigned to the group
1
1
0000000
1
7,13,19,25,31,37,43,49,55,61,67,73,79,85,
91,97,103,109,115,121,127
2
2
0000001
5
8,14,20,26,32,38,44,50,56,62,68,74,80,86,
92,98,104,110,116,122,128
3
3
0000010
9
9,15,21,27,33,39,45,51,57,63,69,75,81,87,
93,99,105,111,117,123
4
4
0000011
13
10,16,22,28,34,40,46,52,58,64,70,76,82,88,
94,100,106,112,118,124
5
5
0000100
17
11,17,23,29,35,41,47,53,59,65,71,77,83,89,
95,101,107,113,119,125
6
6
0000101
21
12,18,24,30,36,42,48,54,60,66,72,78,84,90,
96, 102,108,114, 120,126
Color 1 - Color 6
Most of the shows use the variable colors Color1 through Color6.
The default values for these colors are:
●Color1 - Red
●Color2 - Yellow
●Color3 - Green
●Color4 - Cyan
●Color5 - Blue
●Color6 - Magenta
Each of these colors can be changed by modifying the color’s RGBW components. To change
any of the default colors for a show, select the color: Color1 to Color6, turn the selector knob to
change the amount of red, click to accept then repeat the adjustments for the green, blue, and
white components.

ZIBA and ShowCast Operation www.luxiumlighting.com 1/2018
FCC STATEMENT:
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital
device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This
equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy, and if not installed and
used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a
particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or
television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user
is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is
connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Q. What is the maximum distance between transmitter and receiver?
A. In free air, the receivers can reach up to 1800 feet away when set at the maximum power, 20dBm.
Inside a building there are reflections and losses which make it hard to predict the range. Usually the
lights remain connected and in communication within a theater, church or gymnasium without any
issue. If possible, locate the transmitter strategically, away from metal enclosures and other RF
obstructions.
Q. How does radio frequency RF interference affect the performance of ZMX?
A. There can be a momentary loss of communication, but because DMX is a streaming protocol that
repeats frequently, usually the loss of single packet is not noticeable.
Q. What kind of communication does ZMX use?
A. Digital spread spectrum DSSS, according to the IEEE 802.15.4 standard
Q. What is the radio frequency band of ZMX?
A. 2.4 to 2.5GHz range.
Q. What are the channels for?
A. Up to 16 different channels are available and can easily be changed on the transmitter. When the
channel is changed at the transmitter, all lighting units will automatically follow.
Q. Can I use both wireless and wired DMX with the same light fixture?
A. Yes, but not at the same time. In order to use a direct wired connection, either the lighting unit must
be unpaired, or the transmitter turned off, or the mode changed.
Q. How might ZMX interfere with other wireless equipment?
A. In some rare situations there can be interference with ham radios, but this is not expected.
Q. Is ZMX compatible with other wireless DMX systems?
A. Usually not, ZMX is a proprietary Luxium system.
Q. Can the ZMX system be used on a wi-fi system?