Mode Arcline is a relatively vintage lighting effect which is still available for hire from some companies, but should be installed with the full understanding that it uses a connector in a non compliant manner and could pose a significant shock risk if a grounded appliance is plugged into what appears to be a normal IEC socket. Non-standard use of connectors was rife in the early days of similar equipment and a certain grandfathering element has to be taken into account, and equipment like this only used by electrically competent people.
I fluffed the description of the output reset diode a bit. As soon as a high reset pulse is applied to the 4017 it will instantly be shunted by output 4 going low via the diode, meaning that the reset pulse only lasts as long as is needed to reset the chip to the first output (output zero).
The way the incoming pulses are filtered and then fully restored with new clean pulses on the output of each section makes the system very robust against external electrical interference. The use of four core cable for long runs between controller and tubes is to separate the power negative from the circuit negative so that the first tube in the run doesn't see rogue control glitches due to current spikes on the power causing misinterpretation of signals on the control line. The separate control negative carries no real current and will result in a cleaner 0v/control reference.
I've built the simple switched DMX interface box in a "Lego" style so that the same box can be used for other purposes in the future if required.
If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at:-
http://www.bigclive.com/coffee.htm
I fluffed the description of the output reset diode a bit. As soon as a high reset pulse is applied to the 4017 it will instantly be shunted by output 4 going low via the diode, meaning that the reset pulse only lasts as long as is needed to reset the chip to the first output (output zero).
The way the incoming pulses are filtered and then fully restored with new clean pulses on the output of each section makes the system very robust against external electrical interference. The use of four core cable for long runs between controller and tubes is to separate the power negative from the circuit negative so that the first tube in the run doesn't see rogue control glitches due to current spikes on the power causing misinterpretation of signals on the control line. The separate control negative carries no real current and will result in a cleaner 0v/control reference.
I've built the simple switched DMX interface box in a "Lego" style so that the same box can be used for other purposes in the future if required.
If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at:-
http://www.bigclive.com/coffee.htm
Why has nobody recreated / built similar since? Arcline strobes at raves early 90s were brilliant! If somebody brought these back onto the market I think there'd be keen interest!
Used to work in a club with LOTS of arcline in the rig, Always loved it as an effect from doing the slowly walking dots to the lightening bolt flash, This is the first time I've seen the controller in the light as I'm WAY too used to working in the dark by touch alone and remembering what all the controls did (not that most of the paint hadn't worn off anyway), Same venue had Astron 3 and Coemar Bello too (Bello is still one of my favourite old effects – Later replaced with Goldenscan HMI 1200's)
rolling shutter for the win 🙂
Just seen this made me go and dig out my copies of the original circuit diagrams sent to me via fax in 2000 when I worked at Gate Crasher in Sheffield whilst at uni . I spent plenty of time fixing these tubes electronically the other problem was the poly carbonate smashed when one dropped the tubes. I even have the diagram for the 4 zone controller that was rare I think Spot co had them . The circuit diagrams are marked up as being drawn in 1985
What happens if you feed in music, that has no beat?
Do you have any instructions or more details on how you made the DMX unit ?
The sound and lighting company I worked for in the 1990s used this product along with other Mode Lighting products. Lighting Controllers such as these were designed to be mounted in or near the DJ club console (lighting effects), not necessarily a standard 19" rack. During the period of the 1980 through 1990s there weren't many amateurs connecting these systems up…..so the connector used wouldn't have been a problem.
I got a a Halloween strobe lamp at Spirit Halloween, which is a store that rents a building and then turns it into Halloween decor store every year near us. It fits in a standard US bulb sockets, and dirt simple inside and is probably not worth the price. It uses a neon to trigger it. It has a HUGE flash lamp in it, but only a 33μF capacitor. So I stuck a huge 300μF cap in there. It now hurts to look at the reflection on the wall through my eyelids.
The 100 controller used to blow the factory fitted 20k resistor, yours looks like the original carbon one has been replaced with a ceramic
Classic lighting !!