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DMX 101: A DMX 512 Handbook
12 Elation Professional ®
While 4000 feet may be specified by the standard, most manufacturers recommend DMX runs of no more than
1000 feet (300 feet between devices) before using a repeater to regenerate the signal. Each device should have
input and output connectors, but these are usually wired together. No re-transmission or amplification is
performed.
Devices are connected in a daisy-chain fashion, from the controller to device #1, then device #1 to device #2, and
so on. The final device in the daisy-chain must be terminated. The terminator absorbs signal power which
would otherwise be reflected back into the cable and degrade the data. A terminator simply places a 110-120
Ohm, 0.5 Watt resistor across the two transmission wires.
NOTE: DMX cannot be split reliably by making Y-cables or T-connectors. DMX splitter/repeaters (such
as the Elation Opto Branch 4) typically use optical isolation to protect each segment from electrical
faults on other branches. These can be used to increase the number of devices on one network
beyond the limit of 32. Each branch of a splitter/repeater can support up to 32 devices.
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