Slight Miscalculation

I'm pretty happy with what I accomplished with my large system tonight. Only had an hour or so to work on it, but I got the antennas for the wireless microphone system mounted on the rear patch panel, and I got all the audio cables hooked up (to the mixer). I have a couple of changes I'm contemplating, but it's coming along pretty good.

I had to make my own patch panel mounting plates for the antenna extensions using blank plates. That went perfectly (for a change), taking only a few minutes. I still need to hook up all the patch panel (non-audio) cables to the two rack-mounted computers... mostly just USB and CAT-5 cables, since I run DMX, DVI, VGA, and RS-232 over CAT-5. Then I need to label all the connectors... that takes a little time. With all that done, I'll be able to test the audio side of this system out. It will take some time to get the lights and video working, because the light control/video computer is brand new, and there's software that must be installed. I can use the system without the light controller if need be, because I went ahead and reinstalled an Eliminator ET-8 Pro in the rack. The lights would run in sound-active mode, which is how they've been run in the past. I AM anxious to have the lights running with MyDMX though, as soon as possible. Tomorrow will be a busy day for me. Hopefully I can take care of all my commitments so I can get back to work on this system.[emoji4]


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dunlopj said:

Ummm....you seem happy...

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Happy???... Yes, but not without some discomfort.[emoji1]Sitting on the floor in my office (hard wood), poking around in that rack is tough on the back and joints.[emoji4] When I stand back up, which so far I've been able to do[emoji1], I have to walk around all hunched over and funny looking until everything kinda works its way back into place.[emoji1] It's HELL to be old![emoji1]

I will admit that I enjoy doing this kind of stuff. I put this large system together almost 3 years ago, and had not really changed it much since. I changed out the BBE 882i for an equalizer, then for a DBX DriveRack, but other than that, the system was pretty stable and worked out better than I hoped.[emoji4] I'm looking at it now though, and almost every piece has been replaced. It's a little scary... what if it doesn't work as well as it did previously? At the same time, I'm having fun and learning new stuff as I go.[emoji4]

ittigger said:

We can change your name to Gollum.

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I may walk like Gollum, but let's hope I don't meet the same end![emoji1]


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Gotter done!... Everything in the large rack is mounted and wired, including RS-232 for the Eliminator light controller, and MyDMX 2, both of which are running over CAT-5. The last of the cables I ordered came today, allowing me to get everything hooked up. So far, I've only tested to make sure everything powers up, and it does. Tomorrow I'll start testing one component at a time. Hopefully I didn't get anything wired up incorrectly or miss getting something wired up at all, but I guess we'll see. It will take a little time to get software installed and get everything running properly... probably most of next week. I'm pretty excited to get the wiring part finished. It was fun, but it took too long, and I was beginning to get tired of this project... Short attention span.[emoji1] Oh, and I still need to label the patch panel. I laid it out pretty logically, but if I don't label the connectors, I'll forget which connector is which in a couple of days, and my logic by that time may be COMPLETELY different.[emoji1]

Pictures tomorrow... too late to take any tonight. Goodnight ODJT.[emoji1]

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DJ Bobcat said:

...Oh, and I still need to label the patch panel. I laid it out pretty logically, but if I don't label the connectors, I'll forget which connector is which in a couple of days, and my logic by that time may be COMPLETELY different.[emoji1]...

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Things would be SO much easier if it wasn't for this OCD crap I've got.[emoji1] Been working on these stupid labels for my patch panel for about an hour now. I'm on the third try. There's only 12 labels. This is CRAZINESS!!![emoji1] First time they were too large. Second time they were too low. Doing it a third time and abbreviating some of the labels a little differently. Need to get them on a little straighter too. Don't really like the black on white, but that's all I got. Would prefer white on black. Guess I better get back to it... don't think the label fairy's gonna come and label this thing for me.[emoji4]




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steve149 said:

Brother P-Touch Labeler .. Various colors and sizes .. I have a handheld and a USB one .. great for cables.

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Yep... got two of them also, but no white on black tape. Naturally, you can't go to a store in OKC and buy white on black tape, so I ordered it. When it comes I'll redo the labels yet again, but for now this will have to do...

steve149 said:

To be even less OCDish (in case the blacks don't match) .. they make white on clear tape. And of course you need to change the USB connector in the silver shell.

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LOL... The silver USB connector was actually intentional, originally. When I built this system a few years ago, I didn't label the connectors, so the silver one was used to differentiate the connectors for the DJ PC (left) from those of the Video PC (right). Plus, the silver one is where the controller plugs in. I might change it out once I get used to where the connectors are. Even though they're labeled, it will eventually be automatic to plug stuff in.[emoji4] There's also a different RJ-45 connector (sticks out) that I use to connect the router. Really not necessary because it's the last RJ-45 jack, but for some crazy reason I like that it's unique from the other RJ-45 jacks.[emoji1]

Good idea on the White on Clear tape. Downside to white on clear is that there is a painted number (1-16) under each label, so those numbers would show through.[emoji4] I'll order some anyway. There will be other places to label on flat all-black surfaces.


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steve149 said:

Neutrik also makes panel tag mounts ...
dss | B&H Photo Video

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HEY... Those are cool. I have never seen those before! I think I'll get some. Thanks![emoji4]


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DJ Bobcat said:

Gotter done!... Everything in the large rack is mounted and wired, including RS-232 for the Eliminator light controller, and MyDMX 2, both of which are running over CAT-5. The last of the cables I ordered came today, allowing me to get everything hooked up...

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Just finished updating the wiring diagram for my large system. The diagram is something I'll keep on hand to help troubleshoot any problems that may occur in the future. The wiring is far too complicated to troubleshoot from memory alone... especially when your memory is not so good.[emoji4] In counting the cables, there's about 40 of them inside the rack, and that does not include power cords. As much as you try, with that many cables, it's really difficult to keep it neatly organized. I tried to use the shortest length cables possible to keep from having a lot of excess to manage. The down side to having so many cables is it takes some time to find the source of problems, should something stop working properly. In my limited experience, though, not having to handle the cables after they're installed inside the rack, cables last a very long time. I can't remember having to replace an internal cable, and I can only remember one (1/4") coming loose. It should be even better this time around, since I was able to keep anything from placing tension on any cable. I know there are guys who don't like these large racks, and I'm not thrilled with the size and weight involved, but I can't imagine how I could unload, set up, tear down and load these same or similar components in a reasonable amount of time at every gig.


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Here's some pics I took of the front and the back of my large rack system. It's shown with my 30"x30" table, but my small system was sitting on the table at the time...



I DID set the small system up so it could be connected to the large rack if I want to use it in the configuration pictured, because I really like the Denon MC6000 MK2 controller in the small system. Tomorrow I'll get my primary controller and monitors out of the minivan and set them up with the new large rack, so I can start testing. The wife will be at work, giving me free reign over the house. I'm looking forward to seeing what this system can do.

Since I couldn't start testing today, I've been thinking about other issues. How will I deal with the loss of one of the drawers in my large system, and how will I carry the new items that will go along with my new small system? I have four new hand-held microphones that go with my large system. I've got two hand-helds and one body-pack that used to go with my large system, but now go with my small system. I have a 1U drawer in the small system, large enough to hold the keyboard, mouse, and the body-pack, but not tall enough for the hand-held mics. I think I need a case for those two microphones. I also need a case for the four new hand-held mics that go with the new large system. They would fit in the large drawer at the bottom of the rack, but they need to be covered with something. I'd prefer a small case. I've been looking around and found a few options. These microphones are large; 9.5-10 inches by almost 2 inches at the widest point, so some of the available small cases aren't long enough (inside dimensions).

steve149 said:

Did you re-mount the casters?...

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Nope. That's the way this rack came. Haven't found it to be at all unstable, and I push it up and down a pretty steep ramp when unloading and loading it in my minivan. Never had any close calls with it trying to tip over.


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