New XTBA Products

New XTBA Products

XTBA is continually striving to add new features to existing products, and to develop exciting new products for the Lighting World! Check back here for the latest news on develpments

VERY SMART SPLITTER – SMART SPLITTER VIEW GETS VERY SMART...

After nine years the XTBA Very Smart Splitter has been retired from production. Introduced in 1997 its unique line checking system is not lost however as it is now to be found built into the Smart Splitter View.
So in addition to monitoring line termination the Smart Splitter View can display incoming DMX channels, check DMX parameters, transmit DMX for testing, hold the last good data frame (if enabled) and also retime DMX for non communicating DMX systems.

We will still keep spares for the Very Smart Splitter in the unlikely event a unit falls over (hasn’t happened in the last seven years) and can still build the old unit for special order.

DALI Products are now available from XTBA...

Following customer demand XTBA now manufactures a DMX to DALI converter and (oddly) a DALI to DMX converter.

DALI (Digitally Addressable Lighting Interface) is the international standard of connecting lighting fixtures (ballasts) on a two wire interface network. It is beginning to be used extensively in the field of ‘architectural’ lighting for its ease of installation and control. Compared to DMX512, DALI is a very slow protocol. However offices and shopping centres have little need to run high speed chases or ten cuts a second light changes so for these installations DALI is an ideal solution. Increasingly in ‘architectural’ lighting what were once termed as ‘theatrical lighting’ DMX512 fixtures are also being used, led lights, moving lights etc. Up to now the two could not be mixed but now they can.

DMX to DALI Converter

The DMX/DALI card will translate 64 channels of DMX up to 64 channels of the DALI protocol. The unit can be addressed anywhere in the DMX stream via the bcd address switches. The unit will also allow manual control of any and all DALI channels to allow for on site testing without the need for DMX control. In addition the converter will allow the user to program the DALI address of any DALI unit making installation of a complete system simple as all functions can be controlled from one card. The converter is mains powered and connections by push terminals so installation is made as simple as possible. View the Manual

DALI to DMX Converter

The DALI to DMX converter is a slightly stranger proposition as it unsurprisingly converts DALI to DMX512. This is not as potty as it might first appear (well you be the judge) as an increasing amount of DMX driven equipment (led and moving lights) are being used in ‘architectural’ installations requiring their own DMX control. The DALI/DMX converter will allow both types of unit to be driven from a single DALI controller saving cost and installation problems. View the Manual

In addition to the above XTBA can offer a custom service for DMX/DALI interfaces. DALI to analogue converters are also available.

XTBA DMX AUDIT - Improved software and features

XTBA's DMX Audit has been updated and many additional features added - click here to read detailed specifications. New features include a "Smart Fix" function which, with only a few button presses, will change the speed of the incoming DMX to slow, medium or fast to quickly get you out of trouble with dodgy DMX.

Smart Splitter View - Improved software and features

XTBA's SMART SPLITTER VIEW is a one in five out (with loop through) data splitter. Available in single isolation version as in the Smart Splitter or as a fully isolated version as in the Smart Splitter 5i or as a case version for hanging in the rig.

In addition to being the splitter the Smart Splitter View can show (via an easy to read display) the received channel levels and data parameters allowing for easy fault finding and checking of data. In receive mode the viewed channels can be scrolled left and right and displayed in decimal or percent.

The Parameter menu will display: break time, mark time, start code, number of dimmers, system ok. If the View detects any error the 'system ok' will change to error and the data led will flash.

The user options menu allows the View to be set for decimal or percent. Hold or lose last frame on data loss. In this mode The Smart Splitter View will remember the last valid frame of DMX and (if enabled) will transmit this on the data loss. Option to turn off the display after five minutes, the display is turned back on by pressing any of the three keys. Store or lose the options on power down. The View units also have an input relay override so data will pass through if the unit is off.

Smart Splitter Rig Mount View - Improved software and features

XTBA’s SMART SPLITTER VIEW packaged for on the road use in metal case for hanging in the rig. Why take a DMX tester up into the truss when this splitter has all the testing facilities you need? Comes with bolt fitted for hanging. The specification is the same as the Smart Splitter View.

Ethernet Products:

As the Ethernet protocol for lighting control evolves XTBA will be continuing to develop the range of Ethernet products, here are the current offerings:

Ethernet to DMX Convertor

XTBA's SMART LINK E-D provides a 1U 19” rack interface between Ethernet and DMX512 lighting protocols.

The Smart Link E-D provides for a single lighting Ethernet input to two DMX512 output streams. Each output can be assigned to its own universe. LED indicators for Power, Data 1 & 2, and Data Error.

DMX to Ethernet Convertor

XTBA's SMART LINK D-E provides a 1U 19” rack interface between DMX512 and Ethernet lighting protocols.

The Smart Link D-E provides for two DMX512 input streams a single lighting Ethernet output. Each input can be assigned to its own universe. LED indicators for Power, Data 1 & 2, and Data Error.