From wall mounted dimmer/switches to DMX Control

[Jetmanjames]

I am curious to know if there is such a product that could be used to convert our wall mounted dimmer/switch type controls to a DMX controlled type. We have 8 banks of lights that are currently controlled with a dimmer/switch. The kind you would see in a home. In the future, it would be nice to be able to control the house lighting along side the stage lighting on a lighting mixer. Do such things exist?

[waynehoskins]

Not a plug-and-play replacement, no. I'd think your best bet is something along the lines of ETC's Smartpack wall-mount racks. You'd have to have an electrician rework conduit and wire, but that's relatively easy.

[Esoteric]

Wayne is right, it can be done but you have to add DMX controlled dimmers (ETC Smartpacks are great) but there will need to be a little extra wire and conduit run, plus the cost of the dimmers.

What area are you in?

Mike

[Jetmanjames]

I'm in Easter Washington State.
Great info. Thanks guys! It probably won't happen anytime soon but now I know that it is possible.

[tpichler]

Are you sure that you have 8 banks of lights running through a single wall dimmer switch? Sounds like a serious power problem to me. If you do have a single dimmer switch it may be possible you already have a dimming system. If this is an older building it may have an older 4-20ma dimmer setup. If so, you could just purchase a DMX to 4-20ma converter board and use the old system but with DMX control for a long time. Then you can spend your new money on new DMX fixtures and leave the house lights alone.

[Jetmanjames]

No I have 8 banks of lights, each with their own dedicated switch/dimmer. So 8 banks, 8 switch/dimmers.

[marc]

Another option is the Leviton/NSI 2408CD (8x2400W) or 2404CD (4x2400W). I've installed several of these. My only suggestion is to mount them in a location where noise is not an issue.

[D.R.HADDOCK]

Originally Posted by Jetmanjames

I am curious to know if there is such a product that could be used to convert our wall mounted dimmer/switch type controls to a DMX controlled type. We have 8 banks of lights that are currently controlled with a dimmer/switch. The kind you would see in a home. In the future, it would be nice to be able to control the house lighting along side the stage lighting on a lighting mixer. Do such things exist?

There are control systems available like "Y BUS" where you put controlers at the switching point and all these controlers connect via cat 5 to a single bus line and can be controled from one or several locations around the room.
but it is propriety software and not compatable with normal dmx lighting systems.
if you want to use normal dmx to control these lights you can get dmx control kits from places like JAYCAR and put them around the room connectted by dmx data cables these can then be controled with normal lighting dmx systems.