ETC Net3 Four Port DMX Gateway User Manual

Four-Port Gateway Setup Guide

Protective Cover

• protects delicate
electronics

DMX Termination

• switch directly behind the
connector for convenience

Retaining Screw

• secures the module
in the gateway

DMX RJ45 Module

(RJ45 8-pin female)

DMX In Module

(XLR 5-pin male)

Overview

This Setup Guide will guide you through the setup of the Net3 Four-Port DMX/RDM gateway (version 5.x software and later)
including hardware, electrical and data connections. Software configuration of your gateway is covered separately and relates
specifically to the software versions that may be running in the gateways.

• For Net3 configuration, please refer to the Gateway Configuration Editor (GCE) Online Help System.

Ethernet Connection

• PoE (IEEE 802.3af)

• 10/100Mbps data speeds

• Auto-sensing

• Auto-negotiation

• RJ45 and etherCON compatible

Reset Button

• hard reboot

Four Module Bays

• use any combination of modules
including the blank plate, DMX
Out (XLR Female), DMX In (XLR
Male), RJ45 and terminal strip
modules.

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Menu Button

• Activates the LCD backlight

• Advances display pages

Power Indicator

• Solid blue LED
indicates power

Activity Indicator

• Solid green LED indicates

LCD

• Flashing LED indicates

• Displays gateway status
and configuration data

DC Power Input

Strain Relief

• strain relief clip for
dc power cable

• 8-28Vdc

• Positive tip

• 3.5mm barrel

• 5 Watts usage

Activity Indicator

Grounding Post

Copyright © 2011 ETC. All Rights Reserved. Product information and specifications subject to change.

• Solid green LED indicates
network connection.

• Flashing LED indicates network
activity

network connection.

network activity

Power Indicator

• Solid blue LED
indicates power

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Pull Tab

• for easy module removal

DMX Out Module

(XLR 5-pin female)

DMX Terminal
Strip Module

(8-pin male)

DMX Gateway Modules

There are four different modules available for use in the Four-Port gateway: DMX Out (5-pin female), DMX In (5-pin male),
RJ45 (8-pin female for input or output) and DMX Terminal Strip (8-pin Weidmuller for input or output).

• The terminal strip module comes with ETC’s standard DMX termination preparation kit (part number 4100A012) which includes instructions and
all parts required for installation. If you are connecting to Category 5 wire for DMX, request the DMX termination preparation kit with IDC
connectors from ETC (part number 4100A1013).

• The DMX RJ45 module can use a standard Category 5 cable to transmit DMX512 to other devices utilizing the same connector.

NOTE: The DMX RJ45 module will not function as an Ethernet network port.

Any of these modules may be configured as DMX input or DMX output using configuration software. Additionally, there is a blanking plate for any
unused module bay.

WARNING: RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK! Power must be removed from the gateway before removing any modules or covers to

service the unit.

With power removed from the Gateway, you can move and swap DMX modules as needed for required configuration or replacement.

Help from ETC Technical Services

If you experience difficulty during setup or installation of the Net3 gateway, additional information is available from www.etcconnect.com, or by
contacting ETC Technical Services at your local office listed on the bottom left side of this document.

DMX Basics and Pin-Outs

The Net3 Four-Port gateway sends and receives DMX512 control signals. This unit can contain up to four DMX ports in any combination
using 5-pin DMX input connectors, 5-pin DMX output connectors, RJ45 connectors, or terminal strip connectors. DMX cables must be
acceptable for DMX data transmission (not microphone cable) and connections should follow the standard pinouts per the charts below.
The optional secondary data pair is not used by the Net3 Four-Port gateway.

DMX512 Pinout for 5-pin XLR Connectors

1

Pin# Use

Common

1

(shield)

Data -

2

Data +

3

unused

4

5

unused

1

5

4

2

3

Female (output) Male (input)

Push

5

4

2

3

DMX512 Pinout for RJ45 Connectors

Female

Push

1 8

Pin# Use

Data 1 +

1

Data 1 -

2

not used

3

not used

4

not used

5

not used

6

Signal Common

7

Signal Common

8

Wire Color

White/Orange

Orange

White/Green

Blue

White/Blue

Green

White/Brown

Brown

DMX512 Pinout for Terminal Strip Connector

Female

18

Pin# UseWire Color

Common (shield)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Data -

Data +

unused

unused

unused

unused

unused

Clear/Shield

Black

Red

S1

75LBC182

DMX Termination

The DMX network supports up to 32 devices connected to each DMX line. Termination is required for all DMX
networks and belongs at the source (beginning) of a DMX network line and at the last device physically connected in
the line. A termination switch is located on each DMX module (yellow switch labeled Termination S1) to enable or
disable DMX termination. This switch is factory defaulted to “On” for every module. The most common reason to
disable termination is to support “touch and go” connections. “Touch and go” implies that you land DMX wiring on the
input connector for the gateway and continue to another DMX device (daisy-chain). This practice is uncommon when
using DMX gateways.

Power Up Using DC Power

When using an external power supply, the gateway must be connected to a network before being powered.

Menu Structure

The Net3 Four-Port gateway has only a one button interface. Pressing the [Menu] button repeatedly cycles through the menu,
displaying mostly informational data. On certain menu items you are prompted to press and hold the [Menu] button for a period of 5
seconds to change a state or switch between operating modes. The Net3 menu structure is displayed below for your convenience.

Replacing the DMX Transceiver Chip

Occasionally a DMX device can encounter an electrical surge that causes the DMX transceiver chip to fail. This DMX
chip (mfg# 75LBC182 / ETC# Z1458-F) is located under the cover next to the termination switch. As needed, you can
replace this DMX chip with another. It is best to remove this chip with an IC puller, if the tool is available to you.

RDM Basics

Net3 gateway software supports Remote Device Management (RDM) protocol. By default, RDM discovery is not enabled on Net3
gateways. To enable RDM on the Net3 Four-Port gateway, use ETC’s Net3 Gateway Configuration Editor (GCE) software. Please see the
GCE online help files for more information on activating RDM on your Net3 gateways.

About RDM

Remote Device Management (RDM) is a protocol enhancement to DMX512 that allows bidirectional communication between a lighting
system controller and attached RDM-compliant responder devices over a standard DMX line. This protocol allows configuration, status
monitoring, and management of these devices.

An RDM Controller is the device that initiates communication with one or more RDM Responder devices. Examples of responders are
RDM-enabled edge devices such as color scrollers, dimmers, moving lights, and LED fixtures. RDM supports 32 RDM devices per-port,
just like DMX. Compliant DMX512 and DMX512-A devices (non-RDM devices) are fully functional when RDM is present. RDM was
developed by ESTA Technical Standards and can also be referenced as ANSI E1.20.

Optional Accessories

Rack Mount Kit (4260K1001)

The Net3 Gateway Rack Mount kit is capable of holding up to two Net3
Gateways for mounting into a standard 19” rack enclosure. If you only
need to mount one unit, a blanking plate is provided with the kit. This
blanking plate can be installed on either side of the rack mount bracket.

Net3 Menu

FOH1

1 2 3 4

Port 1 Output

sACN 3/4:511

Port 1 RDM Enabled

Discovery On #12

Port 2 Input Pri***

Custom (AIP)

Port 2 RDM Disabled

Port 3 Input Pri 100

sACN 2:512

Port 3 RDM Disabled

Port 4 Output

sACN 1

Port 4 RDM Enabled

Discovery Off #0

• displays either the “gateway name” or the “IP Address”.

• displays each port and its status ( = output,  = input, no indication = disabled port

• a port that flashes indicates it either has no patch data or no valid DMX is received on that port

• displays the port priority mode (either “Output”, “Input Pri ***”, where *** indicates the port is set with per-address priority,

or “Input Pri 100” (where 100 is the priority value for that port). Displays either “Input” or “Output”.

• displays the patch information formatted as “universe”, “universe/address”, “universe/address:length”, “universe:length”
or “Custom (AIP)”.

• displays the port RDM status (either “Enabled”, “Disabled”, or “Standby”). Can be enabled or disabled at the
gateway only if the

• displays discovery status (either “Fast”, “On”, or “Off”).

port is set to “Output” mode by holding the [Menu] button for 5 seconds.

Hanging Hardware Kit (4260K1005)

The Net3 Hanging Hardware kit allows pipe mounting of a Net3
Gateway in a variety of orientations. You can vary the way the
U-bolt (or c-clamp) attaches to the bracket and the way the
bracket mounts to the gateway. The bracket attaches to any
edge on the bottom of your gateway.

DMX Front Panel Kits

4260K1002 - DMX out / 4260K1003 - 2 DMX in / 2 DMX out

These kits provides front panel access to the DMX connectors on
a Net3 Four-Port Gateway when installed in an equipment rack.
You must use these kits in combination with one Net3 Four-Port
gateway and a Rack Mount Kit (4260K1001), not included.

A connector blanking plate (4260A3013) is required to cover an
unused connector opening when fewer than four DMX
connectors are required on the front panel.

The front panel connector bracket
replaces the rack mount kit
blanking plate.

Static IP Address

10.101.50.107

IP Subnet Mask

255.255.0.0

IP Gateway

10.101.50.101

TFTP Server

10.101.50.43

ACN Gateway Version

3.0.0.0.0.40

Hold button 5 sec to

Reset Dynamic IP

Hold button 5 sec to

Download Software

Hold button 5 sec to

Restore Defaults

Mac Address

00:C0:16:00:00:1A

• displays either “Static” or “Dynamic” IP Address.

• displays the current IP address of the gateway.

• displays the current Subnet Mask of the gateway.

• displays the current IP address for a network router (or the gateway’s own IP address).

• displays the current Trivial File Tr ansfer Protocol (TFTP) server IP address for the gateway. The TFTP server is

typically an ETC console or computer running Gateway Configuration Editor (GCE) software.

• displays the version number of the software currently running on this device.

• if the IP mode is set in Gateway Configuration Editor (GCE) to Static, “Switch to Dynamic IP” displays. If the IP

mode is Dynamic, “Reset Dynamic IP” displays. Resetting the Dynamic IP erases the current IP from memory
and requests an IP from the DHCP address service after reboot.

• software is retrieved from the current TFTP update

• restoring defaults will cause the gateway to reset all settings to the factory defaults.

server .

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