Thread: Skulltronix DMX Relay

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Is anyone familiar with the Skulltronics DMX relay, and if so, is there an advantage to this product over a typical DMX dimmer/relay pack?

SkullTroniX Lighting Page

It's made by Blue Point Engineering. There's some additional info on their site. Using dimmer packs requires you to wire up your own (120V-only) relays. This one comes with relays.

- Hook

Thanks for the response, but I am still confused. Most of the dimmer packs I have seen folks use on this site seem to have at least 4 channels with relays attached to edison sockets. Is there some advantage to the Blue Point product over for instance an Optima Matrix w/ 8 Edison sockets? Based on reading other threads, it is clear that a DMX relay pack is more expensive than a DMX relay/dimmer pack, but I cannot determine why. It seems to me that a relay/dimmer pack can do more, so I must be missing some benefit derived from the use of a DMX relay only pack. Sorry if this is as clear as mud.

Perhaps I should change my screen name to McStupid.

I have bought a differnt model 4 channel relay dimmer pack from skulltronix last year. It worked great for both dimming or triggering props...the biggest difference I see here is the other(Bluepoint/ Milford board)is 8 channels of relay control only. These 4 channel relay diimer packs have the ablity to have all 4 channels to do dimming or 4 channels turn on 120volts on or off. You can also set it to do 2 channels dimming and the other 2 channels to trigger props. I was using these with VSA.

here is a link to a simular question with a different model dimmer/relay pack:
DMX/ VSA programing problems

HW Guy, thanks for your response. Looks like I am aiming towards the same usage of a DMX relay/dimmer as you. I have seen some of Terra's terrific work as well as many others on this site and was impressed w/ the scope of DMX's capabilities. Do you use the Entec Open? In the thread you sent, it was described as a "piece of crap". I knew it had limitations, but I thought it would be ok to start out with. If you use it, have you had any issues? I am now wondering if I should go the Entec pro route.

Originally Posted by Hooked_on_Scares

It's made by Blue Point Engineering. There's some additional info on their site. Using dimmer packs requires you to wire up your own (120V-only) relays. This one comes with relays.

- Hook

Actually its not made by bluepoint, The bluepoint pack is made under licence from milford, this one is a milford pack.

First off guys .. a mechanical relay can NOT be used for dimmng purposes. They are either ON or OFF . Nothing in between .
I think you're getting boards confused

Originally Posted by McScreamin

HW Guy, thanks for your response. Looks like I am aiming towards the same usage of a DMX relay/dimmer as you. I have seen some of Terra's terrific work as well as many others on this site and was impressed w/ the scope of DMX's capabilities. Do you use the Entec Open? In the thread you sent, it was described as a "piece of crap". I knew it had limitations, but I thought it would be ok to start out with. If you use it, have you had any issues? I am now wondering if I should go the Entec pro route.

The open is OK for starters, but it does have limitations, last year I had to do a lot f fire fighting against the Opens limitations, and the best solution was to switch to the pro.

Originally Posted by wonderboy

First off guys .. a mechanical relay can NOT be used for dimmng purposes. They are either ON or OFF . Nothing in between .
I think you're getting boards confused

when most people talk about relays and dimmer packs in the same sentence they are talking about using the dimmer pack to control the relays, a handly trick to give cheapish DMX relay control.

McScreamin,

What else do you plan to control in your haunt? If you're looking to dim any AC lighting, the dimmer packs are the way to go. If you just need to do relay control, but also have servos you want to control, I sell a board that may be better suited. It's similar in price to the 4-channel dimmer you're talking about, but it controls 8-each of relays, servos, and LED strings. My signature has a link, if you're interested.

- Hook