We could tell just by lookin’ atcha. You’re a bit of a control freak, aren’t ya?
Just kidding! CONGRATULATIONS! You have purchased a GREAT little DMX controller! Bravo! Now that you’ve got your SNOKONTROL™, you should carefully
unpack the box and check the contents to ensure that all parts are present and
in good condition. If anything looks as if it has been damaged in transit, notify
the shipper immediately and keep the packing material for inspection. Again,
please save the carton and all packing materials. If a xture must be returned
to the factory, it is important that the xture be returned in the original factory
box and packing.
1.3 Powering Up!
This unit must be powered directly off a switched circuit and cannot
be run off a rheostat (variable resistor) or dimmer circuit, even if the
rheostat or dimmer channel is used solely for a 0% to 100% switch.
Please verify that the controller you receive is suitable for your local power
supply. See the label on the unit or refer to the specications chart for more
information. The listed current rating is its average current draw under normal
conditions. Check the device to make sure that is the correct line voltage is
used.
Warning! Verify that the voltage on your unit matches the line voltage
applied. Damage to your controller may result if the line voltage applied does not match the voltage indicated. This unit must be connected
to circuits with a suitable Ground (Earthing).
1.4 Getting A Hold Of Us
If something happens goes wrong, please visit www.blizzardpro.com/support
and open a support ticket. We’ll be happy to help, honest.
Disclaimer: The information and specications contained in this document are
subject to change without notice. Blizzard Lighting™ assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions that may appear in this user manual.
Blizzard Lighting™ reserves the right to update the existing document or to
create a new document to correct any errors or omissions at any time. You can
download the latest version of this document from www.blizzardpro.com.
Please read these instructions carefully. They include
important information about the installation, usage and
• Please keep this User Guide for future use. If you sell the unit to someone
else, be sure that they also receive this User Guide.
• ALWAYS make sure that you are connecting to the proper voltage, and that
the line voltage you are connecting to is not higher than that stated on the
decal or rear panel of the xture.
• This product is intended for indoor use only.
• To prevent risk of re or shock, do not expose to rain or moisture.
• Make sure no ammable materials close to the unit while operating.
• The unit must be installed in a location with adequate ventilation, at least
20in (50cm) from adjacent surfaces. Be sure that no ventilation slots are
blocked.
• ALWAYS disconnect from the power source before servicing or replacing
fuse and be sure to replace with same fuse size and type.
• ALWAYS secure xture using a safety chain. NEVER carry the xture by its
head. Use its carrying handles.
• DO NOT operate at ambient temperatures higher than 104°F (40°C).
• In the event of a serious operating problem, stop using the unit
immediately. NEVER try to repair the unit by yourself. Repairs carried out
by unskilled people can lead to damage or malfunction. Please contact the
nearest authorized technical assistance center. Always use the same type
spare parts.
• NEVER connect the device to a dimmer pack.
• Make sure the power cord is never crimped or damaged.
• Never disconnect the power cord by pulling or tugging on the cord.
• Avoid direct eye exposure to the light source while it is on.
maintenance of this product.
Caution! There are no user serviceable parts inside the unit. Do not open the
housing or attempt any repairs yourself. In the unlikely event your unit may
require service, please contact Blizzard Lighting at support@blizzardpro.com.
1.5 Instructions on Our Instructions
We try to make these manuals easy to read and as fun as reading an instruction manual can be. So, when you see text formatted in certain ways, it should
say to you “Hey! Look at me! I MEAN something, dammit!”
Special TextWhat It Means
LEDText displayed on the xture’s LED control panel
<MENU>Button <X> to be pressed
MENU --> SHMDA sequence to be followed
000 <-> 255A range of values
• Controls 24 intelligent lights of up to 16 channels, totally 384 channels
• 30 banks, each with 8 scenes; 6 chase, each with up to 240 scenes
• Record up to 6 chases with fade time and speeds
• 16 sliders for direct control of channels
• MIDI control over banks, chases and blackout
• Built-in microphone for music mode
• Auto mode program controlled by fade time sliders
• DMX in/out: 3-pin XLR
• LED gooseneck lamp
• Plastic end housing
2.2 General Overview
The Controller is a universal intelligent lighting controller. It allows the control of
24 xtures composed of 16 channels each and up to 240 programmable scenes.
Six chase banks can contain up to 240 steps composed of the saved scenes and
in any order. Programs can be triggered by music, midi,automatically or manually. All chases can be executed at the same time.
On the surface you will nd various programming tools such as 16 universal
channel sliders, quick access scanner and scene buttons, and an LED display
indicator for easier navigation of controls and menu functions.
#Button/Fader/Connection Does...
1Scanner Select ButtonsFixture selection
2Scanner Indicator LEDsIndicates the xture(s) currently selected
3Scene Select Buttons
4Channel Faders
Universal bump buttons representing scene
location for storage and selection
Adjust DMX values of channels 1-16 after
pressing the respective scanner button
5Program ButtonEnters programming mode
6Music/Bank Copy Button
Activates Music mode -or- functions as the
command copy button during programming
7LED DisplayDisplays pertinent operating data
8Mode Indicator LEDs
Provides operating mode status - (manual,
music or auto)
9Bank Up ButtonIncrements scene/step in bank/chase
10 Bank Down ButtonDecrements scene/step in bank/chase
11 Tap Display Button
12 Blackout Button
13 Midi/ADD Button
14 Auto/Del Button
Tapping can set the chase speed -or- toggles between DMX value and percentage
Sets the shutter/dimmer value of all xtures to ZERO
Activates MIDI external control -or- con-
rms the record/save process
Activates Auto mode -or- functions as the
delete button during programming
15 Chaser ButtonsActivates/accesses chase 1-6
16 Speed Fader
17 Fade Time Fader
18 Page Select Button
19 MIDI Input Jack
Adjusts scene hold time or step speed
within a chase
Sets the fade time between two scenes in a
chase (crossfade)
Toggles between fader page A and B while
in manual mode
For external triggering of banks & chases
using a MIDI device
20 DMX Output JackDMX signal output
21 DC Input JackPower input, DC9V @2.0A
22 USB Lamp Jack ONLYONLY for use with included USB LED lamp
23 Power SwitchTurns the unit On/Off
The following are common terms used in intelligent light programming, so pay
attention! We’ll be using them throughout the manual.
• Blackout is a state by where all lighting xtures light output are set to 0
or off, usually on a temporary basis.
• DMX-512 stands for Digital MultipleX is an industry standard digital communication protocol used in entertainment lighting equipment. For more
information read the DMX Primer and DMX Control Mode Sections later
in the manual.
• Fixture refers to your lighting instrument or other device such as a fogger
or dimmer of which you can control.
• Programs are a bunch of scenes stacked one after another. It can be programmed as either a single scene or multiple scenes in sequence.
• Scenes are static lighting states.
• Sliders are a delicious small burger or sandwich, but here they are used in
the same context as faders.
• Chases can also be called programs. A chase consists of a number of
scenes stacked one after another.
• Scanner refers to a lighting instrument with a pan and tilt mirror; however, in the SNOKONTROL controller it can be used to control any DMX-512
compatible device as a generic xture.
• MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface, and is a standard
for representing musical information in a digital format. A MIDI input would
provide external triggering of scenes using midi device such as a midi
keyboard.
• Stand Alone refers to a xture’s ability to function independently of an ex-
ternal controller and usually in sync to music, due to a built in microphone.
• Fade Slider is used to adjust the time between scenes within a chase.
• Speed Slider affects the amount of time a scene will hold its state. It is
also considered a wait time.
• Shutter is a mechanical device in the lighting xture that allows you to
block the lights path. It is often used to lessen the intensity of the light
output and to strobe.
• Patching refers to the process of assigning xtures a DMX channel.
• Playbacks can be either scenes or chases that are directly called to execu-
tion by the user. A playback can also be considered program memory that
can be recalled during a show.
Plug the power supply to the system back panel and to the mains outlet.
Plug in your DMX cable(s) to your intelligent lighting as described in the xtures
respective manual. For a quick lesson on DMX see the DMX Primer section in
the Appendix of this manual.
3.1.2 Fixture Addressing
This unit is capable of controlling 24 xtures, with up to 16 DMX channels per
xture, or 12 xtures with up to 32 channels of DMX per xture (using Page A
only, 32 channels apart).
*The table below shows data for 24 individual xtures with up to 16 channels of DMX each. For xtures
that require up to 32 DMX channels (up to 12 xtures total), assign the starting addresses that correspond
with those of Page A (1-16), and they will continue on Page B (17-32).
DMX
Page
Fixture
Button
1A1001113A71931, 7, 8
2B10171, 514B72091, 5, 7, 8
3A20331, 615A82251, 6, 7, 8
4B20491, 5, 616B82411, 5, 6, 7, 8
5A30651, 717A92571, 9
6B30811, 5, 718B92731, 5, 9
7A40971, 6, 719A102891, 6, 9
8B41131, 5, 6, 720B103051, 5, 6, 9
9A51291, 821A113211, 7, 9
10B51451, 5, 822B113371, 5, 7, 9
11A61611, 6, 823A123531, 6, 7, 9
12B61771, 5, 6, 824B123691, 5, 6, 7, 9
SCAN
Button
Address
Start
DIP Switch
Settings (SET
TO ON)
Fixture
Page
Button
Button
SCAN
DMX
Start
Address
DIP Switch
Settings (SET
TO ON)
Please refer to your individual xture’s manual for detailed DMX addressing
instructions. The table above refers to a standard 9-DIP Switch binary congu-
rable device.
3.1.3 Pan & Tilt Channels
Because not all intelligent lighting xtures are alike or share the same control
attributes, the Controller allows the user to assign the correct pan and tilt chan-
nel for every individual xture.
1. Hold <PROGRAM> + <TAPSYNC DISPLAY> until the display ashes.
2. Press the <SCANNER> or <PAGE SELECT> button that represents the
xture whose faders you would like to reassign.
3. Move the pan channel fader of the the selected xture.
4. Press the <TAPSYNC DISPLAY> button to conrm.
5. Move the tilt channel fader of the the selected xture.
6. Hold <PROGRAM> + <TAPSYNC DISPLAY> until the display ashes.
WARNING: This will reset the controller to its factory defaults. ALL PROGRAMS
AND SETTINGS WILL BE ERASED!
1. Turn the unit off.
2. Press and hold <BANK UP> & <AUTO/DEL>
3. Turn the unit on while you continue to hold <BANK UP> & <AUTO/
DEL>
4. The settings will be reset to factory defaults.
3.1.5 Fixture Copy
This allows the user to copy the attributes of one xture to another (IE Scanner
1 to Scanner 2)
1. Press and hold the <SCANNER> button to be copied.
2. While holding the rst button, press and hold the <SCANNER> button to
receive the copied data.
3. Release the rst <SCANNER> button, then the second.
4. The Scanner LED indicators will ash to conrm a successful copy.
3.1.6 Fade Time Assign
This allows the user to assign fade times either globally or to PAN/TILT channels only. This is useful because typically the user will not want to fade gobos/
colors/etc.
1. Turn the controller off.
2. Hold the <BLACKOUT> and <TAPSYNC DISPLAY> buttons simultane-
ously.
3. Turn the controller on.
4. Press the <TAPSYNC DISPLAY> button to toggle between the two
modes. Either all channels (A) or PAN/TILT channels only (P).
5. Press <BLACKOUT> and <TAPSYNC DISPLAY> to save the setting.
All LEDs will blink to conrm the selection.
3.2 Manual Mode
Manual mode allows direct control of all scanners. You are able to move them
and change attributes by using the channel faders.
Note: All changes made while in Manual Mode are temporary and will
not be recorded.
1. Press the <AUTO DEL> button until the Auto Trigger LED is unlit.
2. Select a <SCANNER> button.
3. Move the faders to change xture attributes corresponding with each
fader channel.
4. Pressing the <TAPSYNC DISPLAY> button toggles between displaying
A program (bank) is a sequence of different scenes or steps which are called
one after another. SNOKONTROL can store up to 30 programs of 8 scenes
each.
3.3.1 Entering Program Mode
1. Make sure that MANUAL mode is selected.
2. Press and hold the <PROGRAM> button until the Program LED blinks
rapidly.
3.3.2 Create A Scene
A scene is a static lighting look. Scenes are stored in banks. SNOKONTROL
features 30 bank memories, and each bank holds up to 8 scenes. In total,
SNOKONTROL is capable of storing up to 240 scenes.
1. Ensure that the BLACKOUT LED is not lit. If it is, press the <BLACK-
OUT> button to deselect.
2. Press and hold the <PROGRAM> button until the Program LED blinks
rapidly.
3. Set the SPEED and FADE TIME sliders at their lowest level.
4. Select the xture(s) you wish to include in the scene by pressing the ap-
propriate <SCANNER> buttons.
5. Create your look by using the sliders.
6. Tap the <MIDI/ADD> button.
7. Using the <BANK UP> and <BANK DOWN> buttons, select a bank
from 01-30.
8. Using the <SCENES> button, select the scene (1-8) that you wish to
program. All LEDs will ash to conrm. The LED display will indicate the
scene number (1-8) which was programmed.
9. Repeat steps 5-7 as necessary. Up to 8 scenes may be recorded to each
program bank.
10. To exit program mode, press and hold the <PROGRAM> button.
3.3.2.1 Review A Scene Or Chase
This section assumes that you have already recorded scenes and chases in the
controller.
To Review a Scene:
1. Select any one of the 30 banks by pressing the <BANK UP>/<BANK
DOWN> buttons.
2. Select a <SCENE> button (1-8) to review.
3. Move the faders to change xture attributes.
To Review a Chase:
1. Press any one of the 6 <CHASE> buttons.
2. Press the <TAPSYNC DISPLAY> button to view the step number on the
display.
3. Press the <BANK UP>/<BANK DOWN> buttons to review all scenes in
1. Use the <BANK UP>/<BANK DOWN> buttons to change program
banks as needed.
2. Press the <AUTO/DEL> button repeatedly until the Auto Trigger LED
turns on.
3. Adjust the program speed using the SPEED fader and the fade time using
the FADE TIME fader.
4. Alternately, tapping the <TAPSYNC DISPLAY> button to change scenes.
This is useful for allowing xtures to follow the beat of music, etc.
3.3.4 Check Program
1. Press and hold <PROGRAM> button until the PROGRAM LED blinks.
2. Use the <BANK UP>/<BANK DOWN> buttons to select the program
bank to review.
3. Press the <SCENES> buttons to review each scene individually.
3.3.5 Editing A Program
1. Press and hold <PROGRAM> button until the PROGRAM LED blinks.
2. Use the <BANK UP>/<BANK DOWN> buttons to select the program
bank to edit.
3. Select the desired xture using the appropriate <SCANNER> button or
<PAGE SELECT> button.
4. Adjust and change xture attributes using teh channel faders.
5. Press the <MIDI/ADD> button to prepare the save.
6. Select the desired <SCENES> button to save.
3.3.6 Copy A Program
1. Press and hold <PROGRAM> button until the PROGRAM LED blinks.
2. Use the <BANK UP>/<BANK DOWN> buttons to select the program
bank to review.
3. Press the <MIDI/ADD> button to prepare the copy.
4. Use the <BANK UP>/<BANK DOWN> buttons to select the program
bank to copy.
5. Press the <MUSIC BANK COPY> button to execute the copy. All LEDs
on the controller will blink to conrm. All 8 scenes in the program bank
will be copied.
3.4 Chase Programming
A chase is created by using previously created scenes. Scenes become steps in
a chase and can be arranged in any order you choose. It is highly recommended
that prior to programming chases for the rst time; you delete all chases from
memory. See Delete All Chases for instructions.
3.4.1 Create A Chase
A Chase can contain 240 scenes as steps. The term steps and scenes are used
The <BLACKOUT> button brings all lighting output to ZERO (OFF).
3.7 MIDI Operation
The controller will only respond to MIDI commands on the MIDI channel which
it is set to full stop. All MIDI control is performed using Note on commands. All
other MIDI instructions are ignored. To stop a chase, send the blackout on note.
1. Press and hold the <MIDI/ADD> button for at least 3 seconds.
2. Select the MIDI control channel (1~16) via the <BANK UP>/<BANK
DOWN> buttons to set.
3. Press and hold the <MIDI/ADD> button for 3 seconds to save settings.
4. To release MIDI control, press any other button except the <BANK> but-
tons during step 2.
MIDI NOTE Function (ON/OFF)
00-07Scenes 1-8 in BANK 1
08-15Scenes 1-8 in BANK 2
16-23Scenes 1-8 in BANK 3
24-31Scenes 1-8 in BANK 4
32-39Scenes 1-8 in BANK 5
40-47Scenes 1-8 in BANK 6
48-55Scenes 1-8 in BANK 7
56-63Scenes 1-8 in BANK 8
64-71Scenes 1-8 in BANK 9
72-79Scenes 1-8 in BANK 10
80-87Scenes 1-8 in BANK 11
88-95Scenes 1-8 in BANK 12
96-103Scenes 1-8 in BANK 13
104-111Scenes 1-8 in BANK 14
112-119Scenes 1-8 in BANK 15
120Chase 1
121Chase 2
122Chase 3
123Chase 4
124Chase 5
125Chase 6
126BLACKOUT
DMX (aka DMX-512) was created in 1986 by the United States Institute for Theatre
Technology (USITT) as a standardized method for connecting lighting consoles to lighting
dimmer modules. It was revised in 1990 and again in 2000 to allow more exibility. The
Entertainment Services and Technology Association (ESTA) has since assumed control over
the DMX512 standard. It has also been approved and recognized for ANSI standard clas-
sication.
DMX covers (and is an abbreviation for) Digital MultipleXed signals. It is the most common
communications standard used by lighting and related stage equipment.
DMX provides up to 512 control “channels” per data link. Each of these channels was originally intended to control lamp dimmer levels. You can think of it as 512 faders on a lighting
console, connected to 512 light bulbs. Each slider’s position is sent over the data link as an
8-bit number having a value between 0 and 255. The value 0 corresponds to the light bulb
being completely off while 255 corresponds to the light bulb being fully on.
DMX data is transmitted at 250,000 bits per second using the RS-485 transmission
standard over two wires. As with microphone cables, a grounded cable shield is used to
prevent interference with other signals.
There are ve pins on a DMX connector: a wire for ground (cable shield), two wires for
“Primary” communication which goes from a DMX source to a DMX receiver, and two wires
for a “Secondary” communication which goes from a DMX receiver back to a DMX source.
Generally, the “Secondary” channel is not used so data ows only from sources to receivers. Hence, most of us are most familiar with DMX-512 as being employer over typical
3-pin “mic cables,” although this does not conform to the dened standard.
DMX is connected using a daisy-chain conguration where the source connects to the input
of the rst device, the output of the rst device connects to the input of the next device,
and so on. The standard allows for up to 32 devices on a single DMX link.
Each receiving device typically has a means for setting the “starting channel number” that
it will respond to. For example, if two 6-channel xtures are used, the rst xture might
be set to start at channel 1 so it would respond to DMX channels 1 through 6, and the next
xture would be set to start at channel 7 so it would respond to channels 7 through 12.
The greatest strength of the DMX communications protocol is that it is very simple and
robust. It involves transmitting a reset condition (indicating the start of a new “packet”),
a start code, and up to 512 bytes of data. Data packets are transmitted continuously. As
soon as one packet is nished, another can begin with no delay if desired (usually another
follows within 1 ms). If nothing is changing (i.e. no lamp levels change) the same data will
be sent out over and over again. This is a great feature of DMX -- if for some reason the
data is not interpreted the rst time around, it will be re-sent shortly.
Not all 512 channels need to be output per packet, and in fact, it is very uncommon to
nd all 512 used. The fewer channels are used, the higher the “refresh” rate. It is possible to get DMX refreshes at around 1000 times per second if only 24 channels are being
transmitted. If all 512 channels are being transmitted, the refresh rate is around 44 times
per second.
DMX has become the standard for lighting control. It is exible, robust, and scalable, and
its ability to control everything from dimmer packs to moving lights to foggers to lasers
makes it an indispensable tool for any lighting designer or lighting performer.
The unit you’ve received is a rugged, tough piece of pro lighting equipment,
and as long as you take care of it, it will take care of you. That said, you’ll need
to take care of it if you want it to operate as designed. You should keep the
xture clean, especially if you are using it in an environment with a lot of dust,
fog, haze, wild animals, wild teenagers or spilled drinks.
Cleaning the surface routinely with a suitable cleaner is useful for keeping the
faders clean and in good operating condition.
Common sense and taking care of your equipment will be the single biggest
thing you can do to keep it running at peak performance and let you worry
about designing a great light show, putting on a great concert, or maximizing
your client’s satisfaction and “wow factor.” That’s what it’s all about, after all!
Returns (Gasp!)
We’ve taken a lot of precautions to make sure you never even have to worry
about sending a defective unit back, or sending a unit in for service. But, like
any complex piece of equipment designed and built by humans, once in a
while, something doesn’t go as planned. If you nd yourself with a unit that
isn’t behaving like a good little unit should, you’ll need to obtain a Return
Authorization (RA).
Don’t worry, this is easy. Just visit www.blizzardpro.com/support and open a
support ticket, and we’ll issue you an RA. Then, you’ll need to send the unit to
us using a trackable, pre-paid freight method. We suggest using USPS Priority
or UPS. Make sure you carefully pack the xture for transit, and whenever
possible, use the original box & packing for shipping.
When returning your xture for service, be sure to include the following:
1. Your contact information (Name, Address, Phone Number, Email address).
2. The RA# issued to you
3. A brief description of the problem/symptoms.
We will, at our discretion, repair or replace the unit. Please remember that any
shipping damage which occurs in transit to us is the customer’s responsibility,
so pack it well!
Shipping Issues
Damage incurred in shipping is the responsibility of the shipper, and
must be reported to the carrier immediately upon receipt of the items.
Claims must be made within seven (7) days of receipt.