Strand Lighting Specification
I. Vision.Net Control System
A. System Overview
1. System shall be a fully integrated digital lighting control system, utilizing digital communications between stations, and the control devices (dimmers, relays, and DMX-512 controlled equipment) in the system as required. Response to control shall not display any response latency and all system commands shall be executed in real time.
B. general:
1. Capacities
a. The system shall support up to 255 rooms with a maximum of 127 control channels per room, which can be connected to an unlimited number of dimmers, relays, or DMX-512 controlled equipment. The control connection to C21 and A21 dimming systems shall be via standard Cat 5 cable using the Vision.net control protocol. For DMX-512 applications an optional Vision Net to DMX 512 module shall be available .
b. Star wiring shall be supported using any number of available 4 port Vision Net data hubs.
c. Large scales systems consisting of multiple Vision.net networks may be linked using ShowNet Ethernet networks.
d. No central processor shall be required. Systems requiring a separate processor shall not be acceptable.
2. Interconnection
a. Each station shall be connected as an RS485 serial “daisy chain” using Belden 1583A Cat 5e cable.
b. It shall be possible to change standard control stations at any location on the data network without requiring additional wiring or alterations to the wiring specification. Touchscreen stations shall require a separate power feed to operate the station electronics.
3. Vision.net Configuration Interface
a. The system shall support a digital communications link for station configuration and set up.
b. An RS232 station shall be used for connecting a Personal Computer to the Vision.net data network (A cable fitted with 9 way D-type connectors shall be supplied with the Vision Net software for this purpose).
C. vision.net designer Configuration Software
1. General
a. Vision.net Designer software shall be a graphical set up and configuration programmed designed to operate under Windows XP and Windows Vista operating systems.
b. Vision.net designer shall be specifically designed to permit configuration re-configuration of systems by all authorized users. No special training shall be required.
c. An astronomical clock shall be available on any system touchscreens capable of being programmed to any geographical location in the world. The clock shall be able to execute any number of daily, weekly or date specific events at fixed times, or offset relative to sunset and sunrise.
d. The system shall support 127 control channels per room with up to 255 rooms per system. Any number of dimmers may be assigned to a room.
e. Each room shall be capable of having any combination or quantity of control stations.
f. It shall be possible to change stations at any location by replacing it with a different station type, and modifying the systems configuration file accordingly.
g. Each room shall have 32 presets available, regardless of the number of rooms or number of channels within each room. Presets shall be selected from control stations, or shall be “played back” automatically by time clock events. Each preset shall have its own programmable fade, delay and hold time and may be linked for sequential playback in a single sequence, or using system macros a continuous loop if required.
h. Programmable delay, fade and hold times shall be available in the following increments; instant, ¼ sec., ½ sec., 1 sec., 2 sec., 3 sec., 5 sec., 7 sec., 10 sec., 15 sec., 30 sec., 1 min., 5 min., 15 min., 30 min., 1 hr.
i. It shall be possible to allocate a name or label to every room, panel, station, preset and group in the system.
j. It shall be possible during system configuration to create Macros using the system smart command keys that carry out a sequence of standard system commands. It shall be possible to execute these Macros from any control station pushbutton, remote input or, automatically using the astronomical time clock. It shall be possible to assign any of the system commands to any station pushbutton, external device input, timeclock event, or Macro step.
k. In cases where an area is to be divisible for separate or combined control, it shall be possible to combine the constituent rooms either manually or with automatic partition switches. Rooms are combined using “Join” mode of operation where each room shall maintain its own presets, levels and channels. “Joining” coordinates the selection of presets within the combined rooms from any control station within those rooms.
l. The following commands shall be programmable to any system button:
i. Preset Recall
ii. Raise
iii. Lower
iv. Toggle – On/Off
v. Smart button commands including room combine, cross room commands and commands to Strand Lighting Light Palette and Rack Palette controllers
m. The system shall include an output simulation mode allowing the system designer to test all configurations prior to system installation.
n. Touchscreen configuration shall be supported with simple drag and drop commands. All touchscreen Vision.net commands shall also be available on Outlook VN control stations.
o. Touchscreens with ShowNet network connections may also be configured to connect to Palette series control consoles or Network control devices.
D. Vision.net Touchscreen stations
1. Specific Features
a. All Vision.net touchscreens shall be full color displays. Systems that do not support color displays shall not be acceptable.
b. Users may choose either a 6 inch or a 10 inch full VGA display
c. Each display shall support multiple tabs to allow users to organize their displays to meet a wide range of applications. Tabs shall support the following applications:
i. Progammable Sliders that can be scaled and programmed as both channel controls and submasters. Three fader sizes are available allowing system programmers to optimize the number of faders displayed on screen for maximum flexibility.
ii. Touchscreen buttons shall be available in a variety of sizes and shapes permitting system designers the flexibility to allow buttons to define their function through shape and color.
iii. All displays, faders, buttons and tabs shall have text labels in a choice of fonts, sizes and colors.
iv. Time clock display with full system programming
d. Systems with network connections shall also support tabs with:
i. Web Browser capability allowing access to Strand ShowNet network devices
ii. Remote control and monitoring access to Strand Lighting Palette, Light Palette and Rack Palette control consoles
e. Any screen can have a color graphic background to permit a wide range of custom graphic options for system designers. Backgrounds may be any bit mapped image. Alternately backgrounds my be assigned a wide range of colors.
E. outlook vn Control Stations
1. Mechanical
a. The control station face plates shall be free of visible fasteners and shall be of aesthetic appearance.
b. Station face plates shall be fabricated of 0.025” (0.64mm) aluminum with an aluminum die cast trim frame.
c. Control stations shall be supplied in a off-white powder coat paint finish. Control station legends shall be printed in grey.
d. On control stations with sliders, the sliders shall have 1.75” (45mm) travel with grey slider knobs.
e. Control station push buttons shall have grey button caps with long life red LED linear array indicators.
2. Operation
a. All control stations shall have a unique address between 1 and 255 configured at the initial system start up.
b. Touchscreen stations shall be fully programmable and available in 6 inch and 10 inch sizes.
c. An Outlook VN control station may consist of up to 8 LED’s, 8 push-buttons and 16 sliders.
3. Installation
a. 2 gang and larger control stations require flush mounted masonry (“ears-in”) back boxes, with a minimum depth of 3.5” (90mm). Back boxes must be grounded/earthed in accordance with local wiring practices to provide a discharge path to ground for static electricity.
b. Single gang control stations require a standard 4” square J-box (i.e. Raco #231), a 4” square extension (i.e. Raco #203) of sufficient depth to increase the overall mounting depth to a minimum 3.5” (90mm), and a 1 gang reducer ring with an inside opening of at least 2.94”H (76mm) x 1.98”W (51mm)
c. Control stations shall be supplied complete with a sub-plate which is screwed to the flush mounting back box with the screws provided. The sub-plate allows the control station to be hinged into position and secured with hexagonal set screws on the bottom edge of the trim ring.
d. 1/16" (1.6mm) Allen key shall be provided with each station.
e. It shall not be necessary to remove button caps or sliders, or to disassemble the control station for installation.
f. Touchscreen stations shall be available with surface and flush mount enclosures designed to simplify station mounting.
g. Vision.net data line terminations shall be via a screw-terminal plug and socket to facilitate removing a control station while maintaining the continuity of the data network.
F. outlook vn Slider with Pushbutton Stations
1. Specific Features
a. Each station shall have a MANUAL (Take Control) button which shall give control to the manually operated channel sliders.
b. An OFF button shall also be provided where OFF represents one of the 32 presets in the room to which the station is assigned. The preset recalled by the OFF button shall be programmed using the configuration software.
c. Stations shall be available with 3, 6, 9, 12 or 15 sliders plus a proportional master. It shall be possible to allocate several channels within a room to a single slider.
d. Channels not allocated to a slider shall either go out or remain at the previously selected preset level when MANUAL is selected according to the configuration software.
e. Sliders may also be configured in submaster mode allowing them to operate as group masters.
f. All buttons may be programmed to over right their default settings. Each button may be assigned any of the following functions:
i. Preset Recall
ii. Raise
iii. Lower
iv. Toggle – On/Off
v. Smart button commands including room combine, cross room commands and commands to Strand Lighting Light Palette and Rack Palette controllers
g. Each station shall have a RECORD button which will allow the current slider settings to be recorded into one of the presets available from the local pushbuttons. Fade, Hold and Delay times for these presets will remain unchanged by this record action.
h. Within each room, MANUAL buttons can be configured to operate on a “last action takes precedence basis” where recalling a preset or pressing another MANUAL or TAKE CONTROL button will cancel the current selection. During the configuration procedure it shall be possible to select “Override” mode for each room. In this mode an active MANUAL button can be canceled by toggle action. It shall be possible to define whether channels fade to the OFF preset or return to the previously selected preset when TAKE CONTROL is canceled.
G. outlook vn pushbutton stations
1. Specific Features
a. All button stations shall be fully configurable.
b. Each button may be assigned any of the following functions:
i. Preset Recall
ii. Raise
iii. Lower
iv. Toggle – On/Off
v. Smart button commands including room combine, cross room commands and commands to Strand Lighting Light Palette and Rack Palette controllers
c. Each station shall store all active control information at all times. No central processor shall be required.
H. Remote Device Interface / Relay Driver Interface
1. Specific Features
a. Each Interface shall accept up to 8 momentary contact closures at their inputs.
b. In addition to Vision.net data input, the Interfaces shall require an additional 24 volt dc power supply.
I. Portable Enclosure Kits
1. Specific Features
a. Portable Enclosure Kits shall enable standard stations to be converted to portable units. Kits shall be supplied complete with 25ft (8m) cable and mating connectors.
J. Data Cable Specification:
1. Vision.net stations Belden 1583A Cat 5 cable
2. DMX 512 Belden 9829
K. Documentation
1. An Operations Manual and Installation Instructions are supplied with each system. Project installation & connection drawings shall be supplied as specified.
L. ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIFICATION
1. For all control stations and associated equipment, the following recommendations shall apply:
a. Ambient temperature extremes: 32° - 104° F (0° - 40° C)
b. Recommended ambient temperature: 64° - 77° F (18° - 25° C)
c. Relative humidity: 10% - 90% non-condensing
d. General conditions: Office level cleanliness - Interior use only
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