Description
The Lady Dimmer is a compact 4-channel DMX dimmer for analog LED strips. It runs on 12–24 V and handles up to 8 A in total. Above all, it fits where a dimmer rack never will — inside a prop, a costume or a small decoration.
Which LED strips does the Lady Dimmer drive?
Any dimmable analog strip within the 12–24 V range. Use a single-colour strip, a common RGB strip, or an RGBW strip that occupies all four channels. You can also mix types on one unit.
How many metres can one Lady Dimmer handle?
The limit is 3 A per channel and 8 A across the device. A 12 V strip rated at 14.4 W per metre therefore gives you roughly 6.5 metres. Heavier strips give you less, so check the power rating first.
How do you set the DMX address on the Lady Dimmer?
A 12-bit DIP switch sits directly on the board. Nine of the switches set the DMX address between 1 and 255, while the rest carry other functions. Therefore no display, no menu and no configuration software are involved. You flip the switches once and the dimmer keeps the setting.
Lady Dimmer PWM frequency on DIP 11
Dimming runs on 8-bit PWM with 256 levels, at either 490 Hz or 3.9 kHz. We work a lot for television, so we designed the high setting for camera work. At 3.9 kHz the light appears flicker-free on most studio cameras.
Rotary BCD encoders on request
We also build a variant with rotary BCD encoders instead of the DIP switch. You then dial the address in decimal rather than counting bits. Ask us for this version when you re-address units in the field.
Pass-through DMX on RJ-45
A pair of RJ-45 connectors carries DMX in and out, so inexpensive Cat5e cable replaces XLR runs. Daisy-chain several dimmers from one source and address each one separately. The DMX standard allows 32 devices per line. For a console with XLR output, follow the pinout in the user manual and make an adapter cable.
5 V output for a wireless DMX module
The board also provides 5 V and solder pads for a wireless DMX receiver. As a result, a moving object needs no data cable at all. Use it in venues with low electromagnetic noise, because wireless DMX becomes unreliable in dense crowds.
Lady Dimmer specifications at a glance
- 4 dimmer channels for single-colour, RGB or RGBW analog strips
- 12–24 V DC input, 3 A per channel and 8 A in total
- 8-bit PWM dimming with 256 levels, at 490 Hz or 3.9 kHz
- DMX address 1–255 on a 12-bit DIP switch
- RJ-45 DMX in and out for daisy-chaining on Cat5e cable
- 5 V output and pads for a wireless DMX module
Where does the Lady Dimmer work best?
Small and medium decorations lead the list, especially those that move. A single 12 V battery powers a large number of segments for a whole show. We use this dimmer in our own LED dance costumes, synchronised to music. Feed it from any DMX console, or from a LEC 3 or SPI LED Controller running our LED Strip Studio software. One show file then drives analog and digital strips together.
