Pathway DMX Pathfinder CR Manual - Manual (Page 14)

DMX Distribution System Page 14
Operation
Proper use of the DMX Distribution System involves the electronic routing, or
patching, of one or more source DMX signal lines to one or more output (receiving)
stations, via the input and output modules in the distribution rack (DMXPathfinder).
This technique eliminates the possibility of accidentally creating a "star" wiring
configuration in the DMX Distribution System, as described in 1.2.10. With a
dedicated signal repeater at the start of each run of cable to a receiving station,
correct point-to-point wiring is maintained. The built-in opto-isolation stage in each
repeater protects the DMX source (usually an expensive console) and the
processor/matrix sections of the DMXPathfinder from damage should high voltage
find its way onto the line from a faulty receiving device.
.1 Basic Patch Methods
All DMX signal line routing requires the use of the Personal Computer
running the DMX Q-Connect application software. Please refer to Section 4,
the DMX-Q Users Guide, to learn how to use this software. DMX-Q allows
the user to patch any number of DMX station lines to any of the sixteen DMX
source lines. Multiple source lines can be patched at the same time, but only
one source line may be patched to any one station line. No additional patch
cabling or manual patching is required to establish a connection between a
given source line and station line -- the connection is made via solid-state
crosspoint matrix devices in the DMXPathfinder’s I/O modules.
Since a given source line can be routed to any number of station lines, a
large number of output stations may receive the same DMX data
simultaneously. This concept is called fan-out, and the system permits
virtually unlimited fan-out.
Note that since basic I/O patching is done electronically in the distribution
rack using a file prepared and transmitted from the personal computer, in
most cases the user never has to deal directly with the rack or its internal
components.
.2
Termination