14
MAC Aura user manual
Standard mode
When the MAC Aura is set to
STD
standard mode, the Beam DMX channels 1 - 14 control the output of both
the Beam and the Aura. The behavior of the Beam and Aura are identical.
Extended mode
When the MAC Aura is set to
EXT
extended mode:
• Independent control of the Beam is available on channels 1 - 14
• A range of FX (pre-programmed effects with combined Beam and Aura output) is available on channels
15 - 19
• Independent control of the Aura is available on channels 20 - 25.
See “DMX protocol” on page 22 for details of the DMX commands available in the different modes.
Recommended Beam and Aura control method
Operating the MAC Aura in
EXT
mode will give full access to the fixture’s effects. Depending on the type of
console used and the intended precision of control, we recommend that you consider creating console
libraries for the Beam and Aura either separately or in combined multi-part fixtures. Your console’s user
documentation should give details of how it handles multi-part fixtures.
Separating Beam and Aura in this way may also be useful for pixel mapping applications where only the
Aura is controlled by a media server.
For each device, a Beam and Aura ‘fixture’ will need to be patched consecutively.
Suggested setup
Beam
: Use channels 1 through 19.
Beam provides control of all parameters for the main Beam and the FX section.
Aura
: Use channels 20 through 26.
Aura provides intensity, strobe and color control for the Aura array. Certain FX require Aura intensity to be
above 0% to be visible. Please consult the FX documentation available on www.martin.com for more
details.
Tailoring performance
Pan and tilt movement
The
P/T SPEED
settings set the maximum speed of pan and tilt movement.
FAST
optimizes for speed and
SLOW
optimizes for smoothness of movement.
NORMAL
is a compromise between these two. The default
setting is
FAST
.
The
PAN INVERT
and
TILT INVERT
commands reverse the direction of pan and tilt, and the
SWAP
command sends pan commands to tilt and vice versa. These settings are useful for symmetrical effects with
multiple fixtures.
Cooling
FANS
gives you a choice of two settings:
• The default setting
REGULATED
should suit use in all normal situations and ensure excellent service
lifetimes for all components.
•
FULL
maximizes cooling and reduces the operating temperature of the components in the head. It is
recommended when the MAC Aura is used intensively in a warm environment or in fixed installations.
Note that it will give increased fan noise compared to the other cooling modes.
Whatever cooling mode is selected, a thermal cutout shuts down power to the LEDs if the fixture
temperature exceeds safe limits. If this occurs, you must reset the fixture via the control menus or via DMX,
or cycle power to the fixture off and on again.
If a thermal shutdown occurs, you are pushing the fixture to its limits. Clean the fixture, particularly the air
vents, and check that there is sufficient airflow around the fixture. Consider increasing ventilation, reducing
the ambient temperature, or switching to
FULL
mode. Contact Martin for service if a thermal shutdown
persists.
