Theatrelight NEBULA User manual

NEBULAQUICK OPERATION
Press theBack keytoreach thetop menu—theLCD shows“Theatrelight NZ”. Softkeys areshowninitalics eg: “setup”.
SETTING DMX STARTADDRESS AND LOCKING THE KEYS
If theNebulaissettoDMXStartmode,thecurrentStartchannelshowson thetop menu page.To changethestart
address:
1.Fromthe top menu, press Menu three times to arrive at the DMXStart Address menu.
2.Press Up5or Down6to adjust the DMXaddress. Press Left3or Right4to adjust tens and hundreds.
3.Press Back to return to the top menu: the screen shows“Changes saved to flash memory”.
4.To lock the keypad, hold3+4+5for 2seconds. To unlock the keypad, hold3+4+6for 8seconds.
SETTING DMX FAIL MODE
To set theDMXFail Modetoeither“FadetoBlack” or “HoldDMXlevels” :
1.Whileinthe DMXStart Address Menu above, press “fail”(Menu) to enter the DMXFail mode menu.
2.Use the arrowkeys 5/ 6to select the mode, then press “on” (4)to set the mode On.
3.Press “times”(Menu) to enter the DMXFade Delay/Timemenu: use the arrowkeysto editthe times.
4.Press Back to return to the top menu: the screen shows“Changes saved to flash memory”.
SETTING DIMMER PARAMETERS
To set Test, Min, Max, Non-Dim, Off levels, Curve, Proportional levels, or Softstart timefor each dimmer:
1.Fromthe top menu, press Menu twice, select “Dimmer Settings”, press “setup”(Menu).
2.Use the arrowkeysto select the parameter to adjust, then press “setup”(Menu).
3.Use the arrowkeysto select the dimmer and adjust parameters, with softkeys “flash” and “all”.
4.Press Back to return to the top menu: the screen shows“Changes saved to flash memory”.
RESETTING ALL NEBULAPARAMETERS
To reset all Nebulaparameters:
1.Fromthe top menu, press Menu twice, select “Dimmer Settings”, press “setup”(Menu).
2.Use the arrowkeysto select “Reset Commands” (line 9), press “setup”(Menu).
3.Select “Reset Dimmers +DMX”, press “select”(Menu), press “OK”(Menu).
4.The screen shows“Resetting all Dimmer and DMXparameters”, then resets to the top menu.

NEBULATABLE OF CONTENTS
NEBULAINTRODUCTION...............................................1
FRONTPANELLEGEND.................................................2
NEBULAOVERVIEW.......................................................3
LCD display3
Keys 3
LEDs3
Cooling4
Powersupply4
DMXcontrol4
Remotecontrol5
Dimmerparameters5
Dimmersettingspriority8
Levelsdisplay9
ResettingNebuladefaultparameters9
NEBULAPARAMETERS................................................10
DIMMERINSTALLATION...............................................12
Supplytransformer12
Dimmersupplycabling12
Dimmerloadcabling12
DMX-512 installation13
NEBULADIMMEROPERATION....................................14
Unlockingthekeys 14
Locking thekeys14
SettingDMXstartorpatchmode14
SettingDMXstartorpatchaddresses14
SettingDMXfail mode14
SettingDMXfail modetimes 15
SettingDMXfailscene15
Settingdimmertest/setlevels15
Settingdimmerminimumlevels15
Settingdimmermaximumlevels16
Settingnon-dimlevels16
Settingofflevels16
Settingdimmercurves16
Settingproportionallevels17
Settingsoft-start times 17
ResettingDMXand dimmerparameters 17
DisplayinginputDMXlevels17
Displayingfinaldimmer levels18
Displayingtemperaturehistory 18
Displayingvoltageand frequency18
Calibrating voltage18
Displayingfanstatus18
Testingthefan19
Displayingscenesplaybacklevels19
Displayingremotecontroldata19
NEBULASTAGESCENES OPERATION.......................20
Settinglocalsceneson/off21
Settingremotesceneson/off 21
SettingupareaID and report ID21
settingsceneslevels21
Settingsceneslabels22
settingscenesfadetimes 22
Playingbackscenes23
Copyingandpastingscenes23
NEBULASTAGESHOWSOPERATION........................24
Settinglocalshowson/off 25
Settingremoteshowson/off25
SettingupareaID and report ID25
Playingbackorpausing thecurrentshow25
Changingthecurrentshow number26
Changingthecurrentshow cue26

Editingthecurrentshow cue27
Settingshowstart andend scenes27
Settingshowtitles 28
Settingshoworchasetype28
REMOTE SCENEAND SHOWCONTROL......................30
Communication 30
RS-485 transceiver30
Powersupply30
Connectionandwiring30
Theatrelight Wallplates 31
Wallplateelectronics31
Remotecontrolledscenes31
Remotecontrolledshows32
MAINTENANCE.............................................................33
SPECIFICATIONS..........................................................34
DIMENSIONS.................................................................36
GLOSSARYOFTHEATRELIGHTINGTERMS..............37
INDEX............................................................................39

NEBULA OPERATION1
NEBULAINTRODUCTION
TheTheatrelightNebulaisageneralpurpose19 inch rack-mounting dimmerpack for useinTV Studios,Theatres,Concert
halls,or any venuerequiring an intelligentand reliabledimmerinstallation.TheNebuladesign supersedestheoriginal
TheatrelightDigitalDimmer.Thenewdesign usesthelatestmicroprocessor and componentschosenfor reliabilityand long
MTBF (Mean TimeBeforeFailure).TheisolatedDMXinputpresentsonly1/10thstandard loading,reducing thepossibilityof
DMXerrors. Additionally, zero-crossovernoisefilters ensurecorrect triggering and immunitytomains interferenceeveninthe
mostadverseenvironment. Thewideinputvoltageand frequency rangeaffordedby Theatrelight’sin-housedesignedswitch-
modepowersupplyallowstheNebulatowork on any voltagefrom90 voltsAC to265 VoltsAC,and on any frequency from45
to65 Hertz,making it suitablefor useinany country. TheNebulaisalso fittedwithan RS485 communication systemfor use
withotherNebulas,withremotekeyplatelighting controllers,or as acontrol, reporting,and monitoring gateway.TheNebulais
availableinanumberof versions: 12, 6, and 3channel models, using SCR, IGBT, or Sinewavedimming methods. Anumber
of different mains input and output terminations areavailable, and special socket versions can bemadetocustomerorder.
TheNebulasoftwareisavailableinanumberofdifferentsoftwareconfigurations according toapplication.Asimilar control
systemand softwareisalso usedinthefollowing Theatrelightproducts: Meteor- awall mounting Stageor Environmental
dimmer, and Quasar- a2u high rack-mounting Environmental dimmerpack for smallerinstallations.
NEBULAFEATURES
§ Simpleand easy tousemenu systemwithlarge4line, 20 characterautodimming LCD display
§ Each dimmerchannel may bepatchedtoany DMXaddress (including all on thesameDMXaddress)
§ Individual Minimum, Maximum, Off, Proportional, and Test level perdimmer
§ Individual Soft-start Timeand DimmerCurve(including Non-Dim)setting perdimmer.
§ All dimmerparameters heldinnon-volatileflash memory
§ Temperaturecontrolled, variablespeedcooling fan for lowacousticnoiseand long life
§ Protection by Thermal/Magneticcircuit breakers
§ High immunitytomains interferenceand lowDMXsignal
§ Isolated, floating DMXinput, 1/10thstandard RS-485 load
§ Isolated, floating RS-485 control for reporting and building control applications, 1/10thstandard RS-485 load

2NEBULA OPERATION
FRONTPANEL LEGEND
A: Thermal/MagneticCircuit Breakers (MCBs) protect each dimmerintheevent of alampfailureor load short circuit.
B: 4rowx20 characterBlueLCD display withwhiteLEDbacklight, withlargeclear characters for easy readabilty.
C: TheDMXLEDshowsthepresenceofDMXsignal, and any errors.TheTEMPLEDshowstheinternaltemperature,
whiletheRemoteLEDindicatestheremotekeypads areactive(withappropriatesoftware).
D: Simplekeyboard and easy tounderstand menu systemallowquick setup of all Nebulafunctions and parameters.
E: ABCLEDsindicatepresenceof mains poweron each phase

NEBULA OPERATION3
NEBULAOVERVIEW
Thefollowing description providesan overviewof thecapabilitiesof theNebula.
LCD DISPLAY
The4line,20 characterperlineBlueLCD display has whiteLEDbacklighting,giving excellentcontrastand readability
underall lighting conditions. Thebrightness of thedisplay goestofull at thefirst keypress, and reducesafter10 minutes
KEYS
TheNebulaisoperatedby asmall keypad of 6keys. Thekeyoperation isdesignedtobesimpleand toallowtheoperator
fastand easy access toall dimmerfunctions.TheMenu keysteps downthrough themenu tree,whiletheBack keysteps
back.Thekeys Up5,Down6,Left3, and Right4areusedfor navigation,and toadjustvalues.Inmostmenus the
function of thekeyisindicatedinthebottomlineof theLCD (“softkey”), making for easy understanding. If avalueischanged
(such as theDMXStartAddress),thenewvaluewill besavedautomaticallytoflash memory afteratimeoutperiod of10
minutes.Alternativelythenewvaluecan besavedimmediatelyby pressing theBack keytoreturn tothetop menu. Thekeys
may also belockedtoprevent unauthorisedoperation.
LEDS
FrontpanelLEDsareprovidedfor display ofDMXsignal, over-temperatureindication,remotekeyoperation,and proper
mains presenceon PhasesABand C. All LEDsareinitiallyturnedon at powerup, beforeassuming theircorrect status.
DMXLED
TheGreenDMXLEDison continuallyOnif DMXisenabledand theDMXsignalisgood.TheLEDflashesregularlyif
DMXisenabledbuttheDMXsignalisdisconnected.TheDMXLEDswitchesoff or flashesirregularlyif theDMXsignalhas
errors, or if theDMXsignaliswronglyphased.Disabling DMXsetstheDMXLED off regardless ofthestateoftheDMXsignal.
Remote LED
TheAmberRemoteLEDindicatesthattheRemotecontrolkeypads (availableinStageor Environ softwaremodels) are
activated.
Phase ABCLEDs
GreenLEDsABCindicatepresenceof mains poweron each phase.

4NEBULA OPERATION
Temperature LED
TheRedtemperatureLEDisnormallyoff. IntheeventthattheinternaltemperatureoftheNebulareaches50 degrees
Centigrade,theLEDstartsblinking.TheLEDturns on fullywhenthetemperaturereaches60 degrees.If theinternal
temperaturereaches70 degreestheNebulaforcesafadeoutover7seconds ofall dimmerlevels.Thelevelsarefadedin
againover7seconds whenthetemperaturedrops below70 degrees.
COOLING
TheNebulaiscooledby along life,lowvoltage,speedcontrolledfan.Fan speedisproportionaltotemperature—thefan
startsathalf speedat35 degreesCentigradeand increasestofull speedat45 degrees.Thefan remains on for 10 minutes
afterload current has droppedtozero toprevent heat buildup inthecase.
AirisblownintotheNebulacasefromtheleft side,and thewarmedairexhaustedthrough slotsinthefrontpanel. This
arrangementallowstheoperator toprovideacooledand filteredairsupplyunderpressureintoarack cabinetso as to
minimisethebuild-up ofdustinthedimmerelectronics.Nebuladimmers shouldbemountedinaposition whereacousticnoise
generatedby thepacks cannot interferewithaperformance.
POWER SUPPLY
TheNebulaisdesignedtobesuppliedwithpowermains of90 to265 voltsAC,1,2or 3phaseand Neutral, 45 to65 Hz.
Donot usetheNebulaon a3PhaseDeltaconnection (iewithno Neutral wire). Each Nebulamust beproperlyearthed.
DMX CONTROL
DMX-512 controliscommonlyusedinTheatreand TV for lighting control. OneDMXlineor “Universe”addressesa
maximumof 512 dimmers. Each Nebulamay beset toeitherDMXStart Modeor DMXPatch mode:
DMXStart Mode
InDMXStart mode, theDMXStart Numberfor thepack may besettoany numberbetween1and 4096.Thestartnumber
means theDMXaddress which Dimmer1responds to.DMXaddressesof thefollowing dimmers arethenset automatically:
theaddress ofDimmer2issettotheDMXStartnumberplus 1, and so on. TheDMXaddress numbermay bechosentobe
any numberbetween1and 4096 toeasethetask ofcalculating dimmernumbers inmultipleDMXuniversesystems—the
Nebulaautomaticallysubtractsmultiplesof 512 fromany number513 and up.
DMXPatch Mode
InDMXPatch mode, every dimmerinthepack may besettoitsownDMXaddress.Using thisbuilt inpatch systemallows
greatflexibilityinmatching dimmers toloads—if alargenumberofloads arerequiredtobecontrolledtogether,any numberof
dimmers (including all dimmers inthepack) can becontrolledby asingleDMXchannel. As withDMXStart Modeabove,The

NEBULA OPERATION5
DMXaddress numbermay bechosentobeany numberbetween1and 4096 toeasethetask ofcalculating dimmernumbers
inmultipleDMXuniversesystems.
DMXDisable
DMXStart or Patch modesmay beswitchedon or off. If bothareoff theNebulathenignoresall DMXcontrol levels.
DMXFail Modes
TheNebulaprovidestwooptions incasetheDMXsignalfails,or theDMXsignalisturnedoff, as for examplewhenthe
control panel isturnedoff at theend of ashow. Theoptions are
Fade to blackout-afteradelay time,thedimmerlevelsarefadedtoblackout. Boththedelay timeand thefadetimeare
programmablefromInstant to30 minutes.
Holdlast DMXlevels-thelast validDMXlevelsarehelduntil thenext validDMXinput, or thepack isswitchedoff
REMOTE CONTROL
Thedimmers of theNebulamay also becontrolledby RS-485 signalwhenfittedwiththeappropriatesoftware.Inthiscase
theRemoteLEDindicatesthat theNebulaisset torespond toremotecontrol fromwall-platesor computer.
DIMMER PARAMETERS
ThedimmerchannelsintheNebulahaveanumberofparameters which may besetindividuallyfor each dimmer.As
incorrectsetting oftheseparameters can preventtheNebulafromworking as expected,caremustbetakenwhensetting them
up.
Test and Set Dimmer levels
Normallyeach dimmerreceivescontrolfromtheDMXlineor RS-485 controlwherefitted.HowevertheTest/Setoptions
alloweach dimmertobeset toalevelwhich overridestheinputfromthesesources.Thisoverridelevelcan besettoany level
betweenOff and Full. An "All"function allowsall Test/Setlevelstobefadedup or downatthesametime.Each dimmercan
also beflashedinstantlytoFull for identification.The"All"function may also beusedwithFlash,allowing all dimmers tobe
flashedtoFull at thesametime.
TheTest functions areof useduring set-up tohelpcheck lamps or wiring problemswithouttheuseofacontrolpanel. The
Set function isalso useful wherelightssuch as orchestra or working lightsmust beleft on permanently.
Minimumand MaximumDimmer levels
Each dimmermay besettoitsownminimumlevel, and itsownmaximumlevel. The"All"function allowsall minimumor all
maximumlevelstobeset at thesametime.

6NEBULA OPERATION
Theminimumsetting can beusedtokeeplampfilamentswarmfor fast responsetime, or for exampletomaintainlighting
at aminimumlevel of illumination, arequirement oftenneededby orchestra lighting and working lights.
Themaximumsetting can beusedfor exampletoprolong lamplife, which isvery sensitivetoover-voltageconditions.For
thisreason, themaximumsetting has higherprioritythan theminimumsetting.
As bothMinimumand Maximumlevelsmay besettoanywherefromOff toFull, careneeds totakeninsetting theselevels.
Dimmer curves
Each dimmerintheNebulamay beset toanumberof dimmercurves. Curvesfittedas standard are:
Incandescent: TheIncandescentdimmercurveissuitablefor mostTheatreand TV applications using incandescentbulbs
whethernormaltungstenor tungstenhalogentype. Thecurveisspeciallytailoredtoprovidelinear apparent light underthese
conditions.
Non-Dim: TheNon-Dim curveselection isfor usewithloads which mustbeswitchedon and off, such as motors, smoke
machines, and othereffects. Each dimmerusing theNon-Dimcurveswitcheson at auserprogrammableNon-Dimlevel(see
below):any controllevelatthislevelor abovewill switch thedimmertoFull instantly. OnceOn, thedimmerwill stay on until
thecontrollevelgoes5% belowtheNon-Dimlevel. An "All"function allowsall Non-Dimswitch levelstobesetatthesame
time.TheNon-Dim facilitymay becombinedwiththeMinimum and Maximum settings toswitch thedimmeroutput between
any twoselectedoutput voltages.
Television: AmodifiedIncandescent dimmercurvesuitablefor adjusting thecolour temperatureof incandescent bulbs in
TV or Filmstudios. Thiscurveisnot intendedtousedas alinear dimming curve.
Fluorescent: Thiscurveissuitedtodimming mains ballastedfluorescentlamps fittedwithfilamenttransformers and pulse
ballasts. Theflickerapparent at lowdimlevelscan becontrolledby setting theOff level (see below).
Neon: Thiscurveissuitedtodimming neon dischargetubesfittedwithpulseballasts.Theflickerapparentatlowdim
levelscan becontrolledby setting theOff level (see below).
Linear Power: Thisdimmercurveoutputslinear RMSpoweragainstDMXlevelfor usewhentheNebulaisusedtocontrol
heating elementsinovens etc.
Linear Phase Angle: Thisdimmercurvesoutputslinear phaseangleagainst DMXlevel.
The"All" function allowsall dimmercurvestobesetatthesametime.Each dimmercan also beflashedinstantlytoFull for
identification. Othercurves, or customdimmercurvesmay beincludedby arrangement withTheatrelight.

NEBULA OPERATION7
Non-Dimlevels
WhenthedimmercurveissettoNon-Dimas describedabove,theNon-Dimswitching levelmay beprogrammed
individuallyfor each dimmerbetweenthelevelsof 10 and 90%. The"All"function allowsall levelstobeset at thesametime.
Off levels
For all dimmercurves,theOff Levelmay beprogrammedindividuallyfor each dimmer.If thecontrollevelsisbelowthis
level, thedimmerisoff; abovethislevelthedimmerfollowsthenormalselecteddimmercurve.The"All"function allowsall
levelstobesetatthesametime.TheOff Levelisofmostuseincontrolling unwantedflickerofFluorescentand Neon tubesat
lowlevels.
Proportional Dimmer levels
Each dimmermay beset toitsownproportional level. The"All"function allowsall levelstobeset at thesametime.
Theproportional level actsas amasterovertheincoming dimmercontrol level. For exampleif theproportionallevelisset
at50%,thedimmerlevelwill always beathalf ofthefadersetting on thecontrolpanel. Theproportion levelsetting may be
usedtobalancelightoutputofluminairessettothesameDMXaddress,which isusefulinbalancing cycloramafloodlights.
Thesetting may also beusedtoproportionallycontrolthemaximumoutput fromthedimmerfor examplewhere110 volt Par
cans areusedon a220-240 volt mains supply.
Theproportionalsetting has ahigherprioritythan themaximumsetting.As theProportionallevelmay besetanywhere
fromFull toZero, careneeds totakeninsetting thelevel.
Softstart Fade Times
Each dimmermay besettoitsownsoftstartfadetime.The"All"function allowsall softstarttimestobesetatthesame
time.Asoftstartfadeup limitstheinrush currentintocoldtungstenfilamentbulbs. Thisinitial current may beas much as 12
timesthenormal working current of thefilament: limiting thiscurrent greatlyprolongs lamplife.
Thesoftstarttimefor each dimmercan besetfrom0to1second in100 millisecond steps.Ashortertimegivesafaster
response; alongertimegiveslongerlamplife. For most stagelighting requirements, atimeof200 to400 milliseconds (0.2to
0.4seconds) issuitable.Longertimes(up to1second) shouldbeappliedtolargersize bulbs as usedinfilmand TV studios to
prolong lamplife.Thesoftstarttimeisappliedafterprocessing ofNon-Dimswitch levels.Thisallowslimiting high starting
currentsduring start-up ofcap-startmotors or othercapacitiveloads.If thisfacilityisnotrequired,thenNon-Dimchannels
shouldhavetheirsoftstarttimessettozero.Notethatan initialsoftstart timeof 2seconds isappliedtoall channelsafterthe
Nebulaispoweredon (excepting Non-Dimchannels).

8NEBULA OPERATION
DIMMER SETTINGS PRIORITY
Thedimmersettings describedaboveareprocessedinafixedpriority.Levelsareprocessedand passedtothedimmers in
thefollowing orderof increasing priority:
1/ TheDMXcontrollevel(or theFail DMXcontrollevel)and theScenesor Presetlevels(if fitted) for thatdimmeraremixed
on an HTP (Highest TakesPrecedence)basis.
2/ If theTest/Setlevelfor thedimmerissetbetweenOff and Full (or flashed),theTest/Setlevelreplacesthedimmerlevel.
If no Test level isset for that dimmer, no changeismade. All Test/Set levelsaredisabledby theReset command.
3/ If thecontrol level isbelowtheOff Level set for that dimmer, thecontrollevelissetzero.If thecontrollevelisabovethe
Off Level, no changeismade. All Off Levelsareset zero by theReset command.
4/ If thedimmercurveissettoNon-Dim,thecontrollevelwill beswitchedtoFull if overtheNon-Dimlevel, and switchedoff
if under.TheNon-Dimlevelmay besetanywherebetween10% and 90%.All Non-Dimlevelsaresetzero by theReset
command.
5/ If theMinimumsetting for thedimmerissetabove0%,thedimmerlevelcannotbelowerthan thatlevel. If theMinimum
setting is0% for that dimmer, no changeismadetothelevel. All Minimumlevelsareset zero by theReset command.
6/ If theMaximumsetting for thedimmerissetbelow100%,thedimmerlevelcannotbehigherthan thatlevel. If the
Maximum setting isFull for thatdimmer,no changeismade.Giving Minimum and Maximum ahigherprioritythan Non-Dim
permitsswitching betweenany twovoltagestosuit theapplication. All Maximumlevelsareset Full by theReset command.
NotethatthenormalIncandescentcurveisusedtodefineany Minimumor Maximumvoltagelimitsimposedon dimmers
selectedtoNon-Dim.
7/ If theProportionalLevelfor thedimmerissetlowerthan 100%,thecontrollevelfor thatdimmerismultipliedby the
ProportionallevelIf theProportionalLevelfor thedimmerissetto100% (F),no changeismade.All Proportional levelsare
set to100% (F) by theReset command.
8/ Finally, thefadeup rateof theresulting level islimitedby theSoftstartTimeprogrammedfor thedimmerchannel. If the
Softstarttimeissettozero for thatdimmer,no changeismadetothefadeup rate. TheSoftstart timeappliesonlytotheUp
faderate—it doesnotaffecttheDownfaderateofthecontrollevelappliedtoany dimmer.All Softstarttimesaresetto
300msecby theReset command.
9/ ThephaseOntimefor each dimmeristhencalculatedfromthefinaldimmerlevelaccording totheDimmerCurve
programmedfor that dimmer. All dimmercurvesareset toIncandescent by theReset command.

NEBULA OPERATION9
LEVELS DISPLAY
TheLCD screenmay beset toread out anumberof operating conditions.
Input DMXlevels
TheLCD screendisplays thelatest input DMXlevelsbeforemodification by any Test, Minimumor Maximumsettings etc.
Final Dimmer levels
TheLCD screendisplays thefinal control level appliedtothechosendimmercurvefor each dimmer. Thislevelshowsthe
level modifiedby thefollowing settings: Test, Min, Max, Non-Dim, Off, Proportional, and softstart.
Temperature history
TheLCD screendisplays thefollowing sixreadoutstakenfromasensor intheexit airflow:thecurrenttemperature,the
temperature30 minutesago,onehour ago,and twohours ago,themaximumtemperaturereachedovertheprevious two
hours,and theaveragetemperatureovertheprevious twohours.Thetiming isstartedfrominitialpoweron.Temperaturesare
indegreesCentigrade.
Voltage and Frequency
TheLCD screendisplays theRMSvoltageon PhasesA, B, and C,and thefrequency inHertzofeach phase.Voltagesare
showntothenearestvolt, and frequency tothenearest0.1Hz.Each phasevoltagemay beindividuallycalibratedagainsta
knownaccurateRMSvoltmeter. Calibration levelsareheldinFlash memory, and not affectedby any reset command.
Fan Status
WhensettothismodetheLCD screendisplays theCooling Fan level Thisdisplay also has afan test-at-full function, and
also showsthecurrent temperatureindegreesCentigrade.
Scenes Playback levels
Whenset tothismodetheLCD screendisplays theplayback levelsfromScene, Chasesand Shows.
Fan Status
Whenset tothismodetheLCD screendisplays thelatestcommands overtheRemoteRS-485 line.Thefirst21 valuesare
displayedinhexadecimalformat. Thisdisplay isofuseinsetting up wallplatesand installing remotecomputercontrolof
Nebuladimmers.
RESETTING NEBULADEFAULTPARAMETERS
All Nebulaparameters may bereset todefault values. Thesedefault valuesaredescribedinthenext section.

10 NEBULA OPERATION
NEBULAPARAMETERS
Therangeand valuesafterReset of thedifferentparameters oftheNebulaaredescribedbelow.All parameters areheldin
permanent flash memory.
DMXSTARTSETTINGSRange After Reset Notes
DMXStart ModeOn/Off, 1-4096 On, 1Addressesover512 haven*512 subtracted
DMXPATCH SETTINGSRange After Reset Notes
DMXPatch ModeOn/Off, 1-4096 Off, 1, 2, 3… Addressesover512 haven*512 subtracted
DMXFAILMODES Range After Reset Notes
FadetoBlack On/Off OnMutuallyexclusivewithHoldmode
FadetoBlack delay/fadetimesInstant-30 minutes5mins/30 secs
HoldLast LevelsOn/Off Off MutuallyexclusivewithFademode
DIMMERSETTINGSRange After Reset Notes
Test/Set LevelsDisabled, 0-100% Disabled
MinimumLevels0-100% 0%
MaximumLevels0-100% 100%
Non-Dimlevels10-90% 50% Hysteresis=+0%, -5%
Off levels0-90% 0% Hysteresis=+0%, -1%
DimmercurveIn,ND,TV,Fl,Ne,LP,LA InIn=Incandescent, ND =Non-Dim
TV =TV/Filmcolour tempcontrol, Fl, Ne=Fluo/Neon dischargetubes, LP/LA =Linear Power/Linear PhaseAngle
Proportional Levels0-100% 100%
Soft Start Times0-1.0second 300 msecUptimeonly(Downtimealways instant)
KEY LOCK Range After Reset Notes
KeyLock On/Off Off OnlyaccessibleinMenu Level 0

NEBULA OPERATION11
SCENES SETTINGSRange After Reset Notes
Local ScenesOn/Off Off If On, turns off Shows
RemoteScenesOn/Off Off If On, turns off Shows
AreaID1-8 1Setsscenes/showsareamatch
Report ID1-250 1For usewithreport software
Scenesnumberrange1-64 Scene1
Sceneslabels8alpha-numericdigitsLook 1-64 IncludesU/case, L/case, and symbols
Scenesdimmerlevels0-100% 0% With“All”up/dn cmd, and storeDMXcmd
ScenesUpfadetimesInstant to30 minutes10 seconds WithUp>Dntimecommand
ScenesDownfadetimesInstant to30 minutes10 seconds DownstartsafterDelay completes
ScenesDelay timesInstant to30 minutes1second Delays Downfadeafterstart of Upfade
SHOWSSETTINGSRange After Reset Notes
Local ShowsOn/Off Off If On, turns off Scenes
RemoteShowsOn/Off Off If On, turns off Scenes
ShowtypesShowor ChaseChaseShowstops at End scene, Chasere-starts
ShowxfadetypesProportional/slopeTimeProportional fade(best for Shows)
ChasexfadetypesProportional/slopeSlopeConstant Slopefade(best for Chases)
Chasedirection Forward, autoreverseForward Chasemay beset tobeautoreversing
Show/Chasenumberrange1to20 Chase/Slope1
Show/Chaselabels8alpha-numericdigitsTitle1-64 IncludesU/case, L/case, and symbols
Show/ChaseStart sceneScene1-63 1Show/Chasesaremin2sceneslong
Show/ChaseEnd scene(Start Scn +1) to64 64 Show/Chasesaremin2sceneslong
Cue/stepwait timesStop, 0.1secto30 mins 10 seconds “Wait”istimebetweencuesteps

12 NEBULA OPERATION
DIMMER INSTALLATION
TheNebulalikeall SCR dimmerpacks isan inherentgenerator ofEMI(electro-magneticInterference)and requirescareful
installation following good wiring and earthing practice. Thepotential for powerproblemswithadimmerinstallation increases
withthenumberofdimmers.Involving professionalassistancewithprovenexperienceishighlyrecommended, as correcting
problemslatercan bevery expensive. Thefollowing pointsshouldbeconsideredinordertoachievereliableoperation,and to
ensureminimuminterferencetootherequipment such as audioand videoequipment inTheatresand TV Studios:
SUPPLY TRANSFORMER
1.Locate the dimmers and the supplytransformer as close together as possible.
2.Ensure the transformer isof the correct type and rating for the non-linear load of the dimmers you are
installing.
3.Onlarger installations consider using adedicated transformer for the dimmer installation.
DIMMER SUPPLY CABLING
1.Keep the supplycabling between the transformer, switchboard and dimmers as short as possible.
2.Minimuminductance inthe supplycabling iscritical. Keep all phase and neutral cables tightlybunched
together. Onsmaller installations use of neutral screen or composite cables isrecommended. Onlarger
installations ensure that all phase cables are bound close to the neutralcable(s).Avoidsolidbuss-bar riser
systems.
3.Use of aneutral conductor that isat least 1.5times the area of anyphase conductor isrecommended. This
becomes more important inlarger installations.
DIMMER LOAD CABLING
1.Install the dimmers as close to the lighting loads as possible.
2.Donot use common neutrals. Each dimmer must have its ownphase and neutral conductor, preferablya
twisted pair.
3.The phase and neutral for each dimmer must be grouped together or be adjacent cores inacomposite cable.
4.Dimmer load cables are asource of EMI interference. Keep dimmer load cables clear of all other power and
data cables. Run dimmer cables inearthed metal conduitor trunking ifEMI interference maybe an issue.
5.Ensure all equipment and exposed metal iscorrectlyearthed.

NEBULA OPERATION13
DMX-512 INSTALLATION
As theDMX512 communication systemhas no built error checking,theDMX512 wiring installation mustfollowproper
practicetoachievereliableoperation.Thefollowing points(butnotlimitedto) needtobeconsideredfor any DMX512
installation.
1.Alwaysuse agood qualityshielded twisted paircablesuitablefor the DMX512/RS485 communications
standard ANSI E1.11-2004.
2.Although aDMX512 data link onlyrequires one twisted pairplus the shield, itisrecommended that DMX512
cables be twotwisted pairs and shieldand that all five pins of the XLRconnector be wired.
3.Ensure the correct 5pinXLRconnectors are used and that theyare wired correctly.
4.Never allowthe shieldto be connected to earth, XLRmetal bodyor anyother metalobject except when done
byamanufacturer withinaDMX512 device.
5.Never disconnect the shieldat one or both ends of aDMX512 cable.
6.DMX512 wiring must be adaisychain, starting at the control consoleand looping fromdevice to device.The
signal must not have anysplits or Tconnections, except when using an electronicsplitter.
7.The last device inthe line shouldbe terminated with a120 ohmresistor.
8.Inpermanent installations keep DMX512 cabling at least 600mm awayfrompower and dimmer load cables.
9.Preferablyrun the DMX512 cabling inearthed metal conduitor trunking.
10.Whilst the DMX512/RS485 standard allowsfor up to 32 devices on aline, keep the number well belowthisto
ensure reliability.
11.The use of electronicDMX512 splitters isrecommended. These allowthe signal to splitinto several legs,
making cabling simpler and ensuring that failure of one device or cabledoes not fail the wholesystem.
DMX512 splitters re-shapeand bufferthereceivedDMX. Isolatedsplitters also helptoprevent issuescausedby earth
loops and heavy loading. Electronicsplitters may becascaded. Theatrelight DMXSplitters areavailableas an 8
channel 19 inch, 1Urack mounting configuration, or as a4channel stand-aloneportableversion

14 NEBULA OPERATION
NEBULADIMMER OPERATION
Theexamplesbelowassumeastartfromthetop menu level—pressing theBack keyseveraltimesalways goestotop
menu:thescreenshows“Theatrelight NZ”,togetherwiththemodel, numberofchannels,thesoftwareversion,and the
current DMXStart number. If thekeys arelocked, theLCD will show“Keys Locked”.
UNLOCKING THE KEYS
Thekeys may beunlockedas follows:
1.To unlock the keypad, hold3+4+6until the message “KeysLocked” disappears (about 8seconds).
2.Release all keys: the screen shows“Changes saved to flash memory”.
LOCKING THE KEYS
Afterchanging any settings, you can disablethekeys toprevent unauthorisedchangesas follows.
1.Press the Back keyseveral times to reach the top menu. Thisalso saves the latest changes.
2.To lock the keypad, hold3+4+5until the message “KeysLocked” appears (about 2seconds).
3.Release all keys: the screen shows“Changes saved to flash memory”.
SETTING DMX STARTOR PATCH MODE
Thecurrent DMXmode(Start Modeor Patch Mode)isshownon thetop menu. To set DMXStart Mode:
1.Fromthe top menu, press Menu twice.
2.Press Up5or Down6to select Start or Patch mode, then press “on” (Right4)to set the mode On.
SETTING DMX STARTOR PATCH ADDRESSES
To changetheDMXaddress/s:
1.Whileinthe menu above press “setup” (Menu).
2.InStart Mode, press Up5or Down6to adjust the DMXaddress, Left 3or Right4to adjust tens/hundreds.
3.InPatch Mode, press Up5or Down6to adjust the DMXaddress, Left 3or Right4to change dimmers.
SETTING DMX FAIL MODE
To set theDMXFail Modetoeither“FadetoBlack” or “HoldDMXlevels” :
1.WhileInthe DMXStart Address Menu above, press “fail” (Menu).
2.Press Up5or Down6to select the mode, then press “on” (Right4)to set the mode On.

NEBULA OPERATION15
SETTING DMX FAIL MODE TIMES
To set theDMXFail Modetimes:
1.WhileInthe Fail Mode Menu above, press “times” (Menu).
2.Press Left3or Right4to select the Delayor Fade times, then press Up5or Down6to set the time.
3.Press Back until you reach the top menu: the screen shows“Changes saved to flash memory”.
SETTING DMX FAIL SCENE
To set theDMXFail Scenenumber:
4.WhileInthe Fail Mode Menu above, press “times” (Menu).
5.Press Left3or Right4to select “Fade to Scene”, then press Up5or Down6to set the scene.
6.Press Back until you reach the top menu: the screen shows“Changes saved to flash memory”.
SETTING DIMMER TEST/SETLEVELS
Test/Set levelstakeovercontrol fromany input DMXor othercontrol level. To set Test/Set levelsfor each dimmer:
1.Fromthe top menu, press Menu twice, select “Dimmer Settings”, press Menu.
2.Select “Test/set dimmers”, press Menu.
3.Press Left3or Right4to select the dimmer, Up5or Down6to adjust the level.
4.Press “All” (Left key)with Up5or Down6to adjust all test levels.
5.Press “Flash” (Menu key)to flash the dimmer ifrequired to identifythe channel.
6.Press “All” (Left key)with “Flash” (Menu key)to flash all dimmers.
7.Press Back until you reach the top menu: the screen shows“Changes saved to flash memory”.
SETTING DIMMER MINIMUM LEVELS
To set Minimumlevelsfor each dimmer:
1.Fromthe top menu, press Menu twice, select “Dimmer Settings”, press Menu.
2.Select “Minlevelssetup”, press Menu.
3.Press Left3or Right4to select the dimmer, Up5or Down6to adjust the level.
4.Press “All” (Left key)with Up5or Down6to adjust all levels.
5.Press Back until you reach the top menu: the screen shows“Changes saved to flash memory”.

16 NEBULA OPERATION
SETTING DIMMER MAXIMUM LEVELS
To set Maximumlevelsfor each dimmer:
1.Fromthe top menu, press Menu twice, select “Dimmer Settings”, press Menu.
1.Select “Max levelssetup”, press Menu.
2.Press Left3or Right4to select the dimmer, Up5or Down6to adjust the level.
3.Press “All” (Left key)with Up5or Down6to adjust all levels.
4.Press Back until you reach the top menu: the screen shows“Changes saved to flash memory”.
SETTING NON-DIM LEVELS
To set Non-Dimlevelsfor each dimmer:
1.Fromthe top menu, press Menu twice, select “Dimmer Settings”, press Menu.
2.Select “Non-Dimlevels” (on page 2), press Menu.
3.Press Left3or Right4to select the dimmer, Up5or Down6to set the level.
4.Press “All” (Left key)with Up5or Down6to adjust all dimmers.
5.Press Back until you reach the top menu: the screen shows“Changes saved to flash memory”.
SETTING OFF LEVELS
To set Off levelsfor each dimmer:
1.InMenu Level 0, press Menu twice, select “Dimmer Settings”, press Menu.
2.Select “Off levels” (on page 2), press Menu.
3.Press Left3or Right4to select the dimmer, Up5or Down6to set the level.
4.Press “All” (Left key)with Up5or Down6to adjust all dimmers.
5.Press Back until you reach the top menu: the screen shows“Changes saved to flash memory”.
SETTING DIMMER CURVES
To set theDimmerCurvefor each dimmer:
1.Fromthe top menu, press Menu twice, select “Dimmer Settings”, press Menu.
2.Select “Dimmer curve setup” (on page 2), press Menu.
3.Press Left3or Right4to select the dimmer, Up5or Down6to set the curve.
4.Press “All” (Left key)with Up5or Down6to adjust all curves.
5.Press Back until you reach the top menu: the screen shows“Changes saved to flash memory”.