Trying to stop "broken record" syndrome since I've seen the same questions posed over and over again. So, perhaps this might get the attention of some newbies as well as people going through the motions.

Issue 1: Mix and matching.
This pertains to DMX mode vs. Master/Slave mode. You can NOT mix this on the same wire topology. Lightings behaving in Master/Slave mode, while using DMX cabling, do NOT work in DMX mode. You must choose a mode. Do not put your fixtures that are in master/slave mode into onto the same line that you're running DMX on. Don't cross paths.

Issue 2: Master/Slave mode. Master/Slave mode works exactly like it sounds. One unit acts as a master and whatever it does, the slaves attached to it do the exact same thing. The limitations with Master/Slave mode are that you must use identical fixtures as well a there is almost aways a finite number of maximum fixtures that can be used as slaves. Read your manuals for more information on specifics. It may be possible to mix similar fixtures, but again, check your manuals. Don't expect non-identical fixtures to play together properly. I have seen some fixtures that say that they can support master/slave mode for 2 fixtures(1 master, 1 slave), 4 fixtures(1 master, 3 slaves)and even 8(1 master, 7 slaves). Bigger numbers could be possible IF the manual states so

Issue 3: Sound Active mode. A lot of people like the "easy show" concept of sound active. It's neat, it works great. The big thing I see people asking over is really in regards to sound active mode. People want the control of DMX, but with syncronization of sound active mode among like fixtures. You can't have it both ways, unfortunately. In DMX mode, throwing a fixture into Sound Active mode throws that fixture(or fixtures)into Sound Active mode, and in this mode, each responds to sound active mode independently. Each fixture responds to Sound Active on its own, not in an organized group. Even if all the fixtures are on the same channel(s), the won't behave as one unit in DMX Sound Active Mode.
Sound active in Master/slave mode works as follows: The master does the sound active mode, and the slaves follow that fixture. In this case, you give up control of the fixture itself, but you do get syncronization of sound active mode response.

My suggestions are as follows:
Those who need sound active mode-type functionality yet need the syncronized "randomness" of Master/slave Sound response, the best solution is to program scenes and chain them together in a chase-type sequence. It's really the only way to get this accomplished.

This is not a shortcoming of DMX, Master/Slave mode or Sound Active. It's just the reality of the situation.

Keep playing, keep learning. And for everything else, keep asking!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Jingles,

Well put Chris.

Also, for the sake of clarification, the term 'Stand Alone' operation needs to be thrown out there.

Simply, stand alone operation entails the fixtures working entirely independent of any sort of controller. This means that master/slave modes are actually under the category of stand alone operation.

There can be a variety of flavors of this mode of operation. For example, master/slave, independent sound-active, sound-active master with slave units, independent stand alone operation (not sound active, not master/slave; just single units doing their own thing)...and many, many more.

i agree. and the only thing i edited was i made this topic a "featured" topic so that way it stays at the top for all new users to see. sincerely,

Ok, but answer this. I put the P36 into master / slave mode. The master has to be set on the DIP switches to sound active right? The other dip's are set to what? When I tie them together - I get nothing on the other fixtures - if it's 1 or 10?????

This should be in the manual ill check and report back to ya. Sincerely,

ok from the manual, no master/slave mode but u have these other options.
"Sound Active Mode:
In this mode the P36 LED will react to sound, and chase through the
different colors.
1. Plug the fixture in and put dipswitch #10 in the “ON” postion.
2. The fixture will now change via sound.
Auto Mode:
1. Plug the fixture in and put dipswitches # 9 and 10 in the “ON”
postion.
2. Adjust the speed by adjusting dipswitches 1-7.
RGB Mode:
1. Plug the fixture in and put dipswitches #8, 9, and 10 in the “ON”
postion.
2. Dipswitch #1 alone will project Red at 25% intensity, dipswitch #2
alone will project Red at 50% intensity. Combine dipswitches 1 & 2
and Red will be projected at 100% intensity.
Dipswitch #3 alone will project Green at 25% intensity, dipswitch
#4 alone will project Green at 50% intensity. Combine dipswitches
3 & 4 and Green will be projected at 100% intensity.
Dipswitch #5 alone will project Blue at 25% intensity, dipswitch #6
alone will project Blue at 50% intensity. Combine dipswitches 5 & 6
and Blue will be projected at 100% intensity."
Sincerely,

When I do what the book says, nothing happens at all. When I put one light into any mode - I can't get the others to follow at all???? What should I put the dip switches on the slave lights in?

I've been trying to get it to work for nearly a year so I've just assigned them all to the same DMX channel and run scenes for them now.

cad the reason if you hook up one and try to get the others to follow is cause there is no master/slave mode. so therefore there are NO slave lights. so which ever mode you chose from the manual enter them all in that way. Sincerely,

My Bad, I was thinking that the P36 had master/slave mode. That explains why I never could get them to link