It is helpful to first review basic RC4 OneTouch™, which provides access to the 4 most common dimmer curves. Enhanced OneTouch™ provides access to many more curves — all the curves available in RC4 Series 3 devices.
Accessing special feature dimmer curves using Enhanced OneTouch™OneTouch™RC4 OneTouch™ uses DMX channel levels to represent channels and curves, which are then adopted by a dimmer when a single small button is pressed. Back in 1993, James David Smith, chief product designer at RC4 Wireless, envisioned a day when wireless dimmers would be so small that there would be no room for rows […]
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A. Dimmer curves have been mapped to DMX levels starting at absolute DMX level 20 (not 20%, 20 out of 255)
B. Each individual level, 20 and above, selects a different dimmer curve
C. At the time of this video there are 11 dimmer curves available. Additional curves may be added with future firmware updates.
1. A value of 20 selects ISL slow curveISL slow curveLEDs do not dim linearly: when dimmed to a linear 50%, they appear only slightly less bright than at 100%. The level must drop to 25% to appear at half brightness. To make LEDs appear linear, they must be controlled with the Inverse Square Law curve. All good quality LED dimmers use this technique. RC4 […]
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2. A value of 21 selects ISL fast curveISL fast curveLEDs do not dim linearly: when dimmed to a linear 50%, they appear only slightly less bright than at 100%. The level must drop to 25% to appear at half brightness. To make LEDs appear linear, they must be controlled with the Inverse Square Law curve. All good quality LED dimmers use this technique. RC4 […]
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3. A value of 22 selects linear dimming curveLinear dimming curveA linear dimming curve is directly proportional to the DMX channel value on a console. If the DMX channel is at 50%, the power being delivered to the light source will be 50%.
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4. A level of 23 selects non-dim curveNon-dim curveSome devices being controlled by a dimmer should only be turned on and off; gradations of dimming are inappropriate. Examples of these kinds are load are relays, solenoids, and pneumatic valves. In cases like this, a non-dim curve is used. The RC4 non-dim curve uses hysteresis to ensure the output will never unintentionally oscillate, even […]
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5. A value of 30 selects the AC wave generator for AC synthAC synthAC synthesis is the creation of alternating current (AC) using direct current (DC) electronics and special software. In RC4 Series 3 dimmers, this is done using two 2 DC dimmers in tandem. AC power is needed to make a telephone ring, or make EL wire light up. It is the kind of power that comes from a […]
Read more » This is the curve used to ring a telephone
See the complete outline of Enhanced OneTouch™ curves and associated channel levels.
II. Using DMX channel 25 for the AC wave curve (AC synthesis)
A. Manually set the channel at 30 (not 30%, the absolute level of 30/255) on the console
1. All RC4 OneTouch™ assignments must be made with only one DMX channel up. All other channels must be down, at zero
B. Using a small tool like a paper clip, push the Set A buttonSet A ButtonAll RC4 dimmers have Set buttons for each individual dimmer output. The first button is the Set A button. On a 2-channel device these are Set A and Set B buttons. A 4-channel device adds Set C and Set D. The most common use of the Set button is to assign a DMX channel and […]
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1. Dim A and Dim B LED indicators will be rapidly oscillating. This is the AC wave.
2. DMX channel 25 controls the amplitude of the AC wave
Ringing a telephone bell requires a small step-up transformer with a center-tap on the secondary side, as demonstrated in a separate tutorials.