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Author Topic: Can TV affect wi-fi controlled DMX fixtures?  (Read 6594 times)

Debbie Dunkley

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Can TV affect wi-fi controlled DMX fixtures?
« on: March 03, 2018, 10:35:06 AM »


I noticed a couple of weeks ago that one of my light sets - 4 generic PARs on a tripod - had 3 of the 4 lights randomly flickering. It still responded to the app controlling them - just this odd flickering once in a while. In the past if this has occurred it has happened rarely and just a quick unplug and replug of the light power cord would take care of the situation. However, on this occasion nothing cured the problem, unplug, replug, reboot router, close app, open app, check cables etc etc etc.
The other side stand of lights worked perfectly.
If I wound down the lights, the flickering stopped but when I would up, it started again. My fix given the time restraints was to keep the lights lower than I wanted to.
Once I got home, I checked the lights out and they worked 100%. Just to be on the safe side, I replaced the short connecting DMX cables anyway.
I did take note that the side that was the problem had a huge TV suspended from the ceiling and I wondered if this had something to do with it because winding up the stand brought the fixtures closer to the TV.
Used the same lights twice last weekend and no issues - till last night.
This time I was using my Blizzards.
So same thing happened to just 1 of the 4 fixtures this time. And lo and behold, it was the side that was right next to a huge TV.
Again, if I wound up the stand the light flickered and if I wound down,it stopped. We even unplugged the TV from the wall and from the cable box it was attached to. This time because the flickering was not as bad, I just left it to do it's thing - it wasn't too noticeable with only the one fixture being affected and it was at the end of the run so I could turn it so the flickering couldnt be seen.
Just set everything up at home and - no flickering no matter what I do.
So, although it doesn't make sense to me - does it make sense to anyone else that this could be caused by the proximity of the tv to the fixtures EVEN if the TV is switched off - or am I going crazy - again??? LOL

edit: I moved the fixtures close to my own TV at home to try to duplicate in every way but couldn't get them to mess up at all.

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Jonathan Goodall

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Re: Can TV affect wi-fi controlled DMX fixtures?
« Reply #1 on: March 03, 2018, 08:57:31 PM »

Forgetting the TV for a moment, what else is on that side that isn't on the other?
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Geert Friedhof

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Re: Can TV affect wi-fi controlled DMX fixtures?
« Reply #2 on: March 03, 2018, 10:15:26 PM »

Sounds (looks?) like using wrong cabling, bad connection, or no termination.
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Jeff Lelko

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Re: Can TV affect wi-fi controlled DMX fixtures?
« Reply #3 on: March 03, 2018, 10:31:37 PM »

Sounds (looks?) like using wrong cabling, bad connection, or no termination.

I disagree.  While those things can manifest similar symptoms, I don't think that's the problem here though I could certainly be wrong, especially along the line of bad connection or a slight defect in a cable.

What's interesting to me is that the problem increased when the stands were raised yet resolved when they were lowered (right?).  Going out on a limb here, have you checked the quality of your power at this location? 

I'm sure it's hard since you can't seem to recreate the problem!  Does this only happen at one specific venue?  Does this happen to be a smart TV?
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Debbie Dunkley

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Re: Can TV affect wi-fi controlled DMX fixtures?
« Reply #4 on: March 04, 2018, 03:41:30 AM »

Well I used the same lights tonight as I did last night - no issues and no TV.  This is intriguing....

BTW.. ALL my cables are DMX - No XLR mic cables at all. Good quality, cut to the right length and permanently fixed to the T bar for ease and quickness of wiring.

Yes Jeff... on the 2 occasions this occurred, the problem was there when  the stand was raised and went away when it was lowered - both times!
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Callan Browne

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Re: Can TV affect wi-fi controlled DMX fixtures?
« Reply #5 on: March 04, 2018, 05:18:54 AM »

Maybe the tv was using wifi, causing interference in the 2.4Ghz band?
I have Chauvet dongles that occasionally do this, but I have never done the level of testing as you did.
My fix was a dmx splitter and more cable - haven't had a problem since.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

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Gordon Brinton

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Re: Can TV affect wi-fi controlled DMX fixtures?
« Reply #6 on: March 04, 2018, 09:01:12 AM »

If you use 2.4 GHz light sticks to make your light trees wireless, then they are subject to common WiFi and bluetooth interference. There may be more equipment for that TV either hidden behind the wall or above the ceiling.

I have a similar problem in one venue because they have a WiFi router mounted on a tiny shelf up near the ceiling, right where my light tree goes. The only place my lights ever flicker is in that venue while standing in front of that router. I have resolved the problem by simply running my light trees hardwired while in that venue.

EDIT: You may also try lowering the wireless light stick instead of the whole tree. Plug the light stick into a DMX cable and let it hang from the tree in order to get it away from the TV. Not pretty, but it's worth a try.
« Last Edit: March 04, 2018, 09:07:04 AM by Gordon Brinton »
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Keith Broughton

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Re: Can TV affect wi-fi controlled DMX fixtures?
« Reply #7 on: March 04, 2018, 09:57:13 AM »

I had a similar problem (not near a TV) with the wireless DMX getting dodgy once the room filled with people (and phones).
Once the room was empty, all good.
Can't speak to the "near the TV problem"
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Debbie Dunkley

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Re: Can TV affect wi-fi controlled DMX fixtures?
« Reply #8 on: March 04, 2018, 12:00:38 PM »

On both occasions I was not using wireless dongles of any kind.

It happened on 2.4ghz and 5ghz.

At the first location, I do to remember seeing anything else but a TV next to the light tree. At the second location, there was a cable box, a dvd player and a whole nest of wiring - maybe even a router from what I could tell.
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Debbie Dunkley

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Re: Can TV affect wi-fi controlled DMX fixtures?
« Reply #9 on: March 04, 2018, 12:05:15 PM »

This week I'll go through my lighting systems and check every part of the DMX signal chain to make sure there are no weak points. This is so odd and a HUGE coincidence if nothing to do with the TVs.
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ProSoundWeb Community

Re: Can TV affect wi-fi controlled DMX fixtures?
« Reply #9 on: March 04, 2018, 12:05:15 PM »


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