# What is it #659458? (Matrix pin)



## Footer (Jul 8, 2010)

The entire thing is about 2" long. What is it? What was it used for? What specific gear was it used with? As usual, professionals please wait a week before posting.


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## CSCTech (Jul 8, 2010)

Odd, All I can think of is some kind of 1/8th inch terminator. Not sure why this would be needed though.


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## epimetheus (Jul 9, 2010)

Looks like a test pin from an old electrical test switch. Doubt this is right, but it could be...


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## WooferHound (Jul 9, 2010)

I figured it out after awhile. Some kinda size reference would have helped. I thought it was about 4 inches long from looking at the picture, but it's really only about an inch long (25mm). I have about 50 of them out in the garage with the rest of my gear.


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## WooferHound (Jul 11, 2010)

at first I thought it was a Pin spreader for Stagepin connectors, but at that time I thought the device was 4 inches long.
Here is a hint, it's used with analog lighting consoles . . .


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## Footer (Jul 11, 2010)

WooferHound said:


> at first I thought it was a Pin spreader for Stagepin connectors, but at that time I thought the device was 4 inches long.
> Here is a hint, it's used with analog lighting consoles . . .


 
Yup, your on the right track.... 

Here is a bone...



What did this thing do? Why would you use this system?


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## derekleffew (Jul 11, 2010)

Footer said:


> ... Why would you use this system?


To play
?

(Love how Mom and Sis are in the background doing dishes while the boys play.  You've come a long way, baby. )


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## DuckJordan (Jul 12, 2010)

derekleffew said:


> To play
> ?
> 
> (Love how Mom and Sis are in the background doing dishes while the boys play.  You've come a long way, baby. )


 
Way off topic but i had to laugh at that, If i showed my girlfriend that she'd look at me and tell me to go do the dishes. lol


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## Chris15 (Jul 12, 2010)

It may be helpful if one considers that the panel Footer posted a photo of is not is a typical configuration for use... More like someone got a little bored and played....


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## masterelectrician2112 (Jul 12, 2010)

It appears to patch specific dimmer numbers into submasters through an x, y coordinate system.


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## jonliles (Jul 13, 2010)

70 observable channels of dimming and 21 submasters? Not bad....I know of a couple of places in town that have a similar abandoned system.


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## CSCTech (Jul 25, 2010)

Digging this up, so what does this system do?


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## DuckJordan (Jul 29, 2010)

It does along the same lines as a 2 scene fader board but less control. It lets you control intensity on circuits.


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## Footer (Jul 30, 2010)

DuckJordan said:


> It does along the same lines as a 2 scene fader board but less control. It lets you control intensity on circuits.



Nope, not at all. It is in fact a matrix patch. It is used to assign each dimmer to a submaster. Across the top of the patch is each dimmer, accross the side was each submaster and which "bus" each playback was on. The console in this space is a *4 scene playback w/ submasters*. 


This is the channel section, 70 channels each on 4 scenes. 


This is the master control with submasters/blackout/grandmasters/etc. Also, the response units used to hook up to the now house console. This console is still completely operational. 


Detail of the submasters. The matrix patch was used to assign each channel to a submaster. Essentially, each scene had the possibility of assigning each channel to one of 6 submasters. There are a total of 24 submasters on the console. Each scene also had its own master along with a global grand.


Oh... and each fader lights up...


More to come on this space later, expect a collaborative article at some point soon. This space has 12k dimmers still in operation......


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## WooferHound (Jul 31, 2010)

I have a small analog console that has 24 channels that can be mixed down to 12 submasters. I used this console for a show last night and that is the patch I used for it.
Here are some pics of the console and the submaster patch . . .


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## derekleffew (Aug 28, 2010)

From http://www.transdiffusion.org/emc/studioone/atv_centre_-_ma.php :

> At ATV Centre all studio control rooms were fitted with a pin matrix patch panel - this enabled the lighting engineer to patch sets of lights on to one fader - for instance, all of the red lamps on one, all of the blues on another etc. Also by inserting different pins, you could select which load to run each dimmer at - longer pins for 5kW, and shorter pins for 2.5kW.
> 
> As well as provide flexibility, it also provided safety- in the past ?patching? lighting circuits had been via large connectors (one for each circuit carrying 240v - this again could take up a room). With the pin-matrix system, it would take the space of one small cupboard in the control room; and also the circuits were patched via low voltage signals of no more than 10v DC.


Never heard before of the "longer pins for 5kW, and shorter pins for 2.5kW." That's obviously a British permanent-install sort of thing.

From the same site, the Rank-Strand Galaxy 2 control desk:

circa 1979-1986.


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## jstandfast (Aug 29, 2010)

To answer the original question (" what is it "); it is indeed used in a matrix,but "it" is called a diode pin. I seem to recall on some systems ( Electrosonic maybe ? ) there were full value and half value pins........


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## mixmaster (Sep 2, 2010)

jstandfast said:


> To answer the original question (" what is it "); it is indeed used in a matrix,but "it" is called a diode pin. I seem to recall on some systems ( Electrosonic maybe ? ) there were full value and half value pins........


 
A company I once worked for had a Leprechaun?? board with similar pins, 24 ch two scene plus 12 subs IIRC... anyway, we had color coded pins. Reds were full intensity, greens were 50, I think we had pins for 75 and 25 too. I can't say I liked it. Dang pins would roll and bounce forever if you dropped one, and it seemed like I was always one or two pins short of getting a look that I wanted.


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## mstaylor (Sep 2, 2010)

I don't remember the colors but I certainly remember the little drawer to punch in diodes for the patch. It was indeed a leprecaun two scene.


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## DinoAgeDude (May 8, 2013)

I just purchased an LP1000 console and may need some of these pins, where can I get some ?


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## derekleffew (May 8, 2013)

If not Leprecon® | DMX Lighting Control, Architectural & Power / Dimming Touring Racks , then possibly Lite-Trol Service Co. Inc. service, repair and modification to architectural, theatrical and television lighting control systems since 1959. .


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## cdub260 (May 9, 2013)

Footer said:


>



Are you sure it's not a giant game of Snake?


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## jhochb (May 18, 2013)

Good Morning


i haven't seen these in years

I have a big bag of these from an AVO console in a variety of colors, each a difference value / percentage
For the sub & chase patch


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## DinoAgeDude (May 19, 2013)

Dear jhochb send me your address or phone number so I can talk to you about these pins. How much are you asking for them ?


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## jhochb (May 21, 2013)

Good Morning Dino

let me dig them out & see how many I have. 
I haven't seen them in eons. I still have a create or 2 I haven't peeked into sence I moved.


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## David Ashton (May 29, 2013)

and just to make life more interesting some manufacturers had positive pins, some negative, so you had to get the right polarity for your desk, I had both.


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