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COLORado™ 6 User Manual 12 7/1/2009 4:46 PM
Data Cabling
To link fixtures together you must obtain data cables. You can purchase CHAUVET certified DMX
cables directly from a dealer/distributor or construct your own cable. If you choose to create your own
cable please use data-grade cables that can carry a high quality signal and are less prone to
electromagnetic interference.
DMX Data Cable
Use a Belden© 9841 or equivalent cable which meets the specifications for EIA RS-485 applications.
Standard microphone cables cannot transmit DMX data reliably over long distances. The cable will
have the following characteristics:
Type: shielded, 2-conductor twisted pair
Maximum capacitance between conductors: 30 pF/ft
Maximum capacitance between conductor and shield: 55 pF/ft
Maximum resistance: 20 ohms/1000 ft
Nominal impedance: 100 ~ 140 ohms
Cable Connectors
Cabling must have a male XLR connector on one end and a female XLR connector on the other end.
Caution Do not allow contact between the common and the fixture’s chassis ground. Grounding the
common can cause a ground loop, and your fixture may perform erratically. Test cables with an
ohmmeter to verify correct polarity and to make sure the pins are not grounded or shorted to the
shield or each other.
3-Pin to 5-Pin Conversion Chart
Note If you use a controller with a 5-pin DMX output connector, you will need to use a 5-pin to 3-pin
adapter. CHAUVET Model No: DMX5M, or DMX5F.
The chart below details a proper cable conversion:
3-PIN TO 5-PIN CONVERSION CHART
Conductor
3 Pin Female (Output)
5 Pin Male (Input)
Ground/Shield
Pin 1
Pin 1
Data ( - ) signal
Pin 2
Pin 2
Data ( + ) signal
Pin 3
Pin 3
Not used
Pin 4
Not used
Pin 5
COMMON
DMX +
DMX -
INPUT
OUTPUT
1
3
2
1
3
2
1
3
2
Resistance 120 ohm
1/4W between pin 2
(DMX -) and pin 3
(DMX +) on the
output of the last
fixture.
To avoid signal transmission
problems and interference, it is
always advisable to connect a DMX
signal terminator.
DMX connector
config
uratio
n