Lighting and control
Astera Titan Tube FP1
Identify the original FP1 and check its selected control source, runtime target and PowerBox path before repatching or resetting.
Ask about rental or purchase with a visual reference, date, venue and approximate duration, even without final dimensions or quantity.
Model and purpose
- Manufacturer
- Astera
- Model
- Astera Titan Tube FP1
- Variant / reference
- Original FP1, not FP1-BTB; manufacturer manual dated 2020-08-26
- Light / control
- RGBMintAmber engine; up to 16 independently controlled pixels
- Power / environment
- 24 VDC, 2 A input; 0–40 °C; 1.35 kg
- Battery / protection
- RUNTIME setting 1–20 hours; IP65 with the specified rubber plug in place
A rechargeable LED tube for visible scenic lines, color effects and light near camera. Its output depends on the programmed look, battery condition and runtime setting. The original model’s app connection and firmware must be checked separately from later BTB tubes.
Define the visible tube and the kit it needs
For a recording background or scenic accent, tell us whether the tube will appear in frame, light a surface or do both. That helps assess color, intensity, position and supports. This page covers the original FP1: confirm tube revision and the actual control/charging system before finalizing a proposal, without transferring FP1-BTB features.
- Describe total powered time, including checks and waiting, and the intended look. RUNTIME manages power; required battery life needs assessment against actual battery condition, charge and intensity.
- Identify tube, supports, chargers or case and control route as separate components. For wired DMX, check the compatible PowerBox and combined cable; for radio or app, the link and bridge required by the original model.
- Propose a camera comparison at intended colors and levels, plus a link check in the operating positions. A color test alone does not validate battery life, radio or mounting.
Questions to define your proposal
- Will the tube appear in frame or light a surface?
- How long must it stay on, including waiting?
- Which original tube, bridge and charging system are available?
- Do you need brand color, desk cues or an autonomous effect?
A solution to assess with GLMedia
We can prepare original FP1 tubes around framing, duration and control. Identify compatible supports, charging and bridge/transmitter, with color and runtime checks for the intended use. If battery and level do not fit, assess compatible power or another fixture; use an agreed visual reference for branding.
Ask about rental or purchase with a visual reference, date, venue and approximate duration, even without final dimensions or quantity. We can help assess tubes, alternatives, the required kit and mounting, configuration or operation to include.
Features and connections
The tube has no direct XLR socket. Wired control uses an Astera FP1-PWB PowerBox and the specified combined power/data cable; an individual charging supply alone does not establish a DMX route.
AsteraApp control, standalone effects and wireless DMX are different input paths. Prepare the compatible app bridge or DMX transmitter for the actual revision. CRMX/W-DMX compatibility follows the documented receiver/transmitter combination; wireless does not mean every radio system is interchangeable.
Match the console personality to pixel count, selected DMX table and optional strobe channel. A profile number reported in a forum is not a universal patch definition. Prepare approved holders, their locking pins and a secondary attachment for overhead use.
Prepare the system
- Confirm the original hardware and record firmware, Input Select, DMX settings and battery state. Save the show and existing settings before changing input or radio links.
- Charge with the specified FP1-CHR supply or PowerBox. Keep the charging case open and let the tube cool; a powered operating tube is not proof that its battery is charging normally.
- Agree on a test tube, low brightness and a clear target group. Check its status screen and actual received output before changing multiple units; do not begin by resetting the entire rig.
Questions and troubleshooting
The tube keeps a pattern with the desk at zero: which input is active?
AUTO can latch the first active input. A standalone pattern or app-controlled state can therefore persist while the console’s patch is correct.
- Read the active source on the status screen. For intended wireless DMX, select CRMX wirel. DMX explicitly on the isolated tube and compare its link status, address and personality.
- If the receiver is linked to a different transmitter, preserve the current setup and use UNPAIR CRMX only on the intended test unit before linking the agreed transmitter. Unpairing the radio is different from app grouping or changing the Radio PIN.
- After the link is established, compare the actual DMX values for a single steady look. Do not treat a successful app connection as proof of CRMX reception or copy a full-reset workaround from another system.
Record the active input shown on the tube and compare it with the intended route. If the desk visualization also shows the pattern, check show content too; that observation alone does not establish a tube fault.
Does a long RUNTIME setting promise the same brightness for the whole event?
The tube reduces power to target the chosen duration from a full battery. A long runtime and maximum brightness are not the same operating condition.
- Plan setup plus event time and margin, then set RUNTIME from a full charge. For an illustrative 6-hour event plus 1-hour setup, the target already needs 7 hours before margin; this is planning, not a measured autonomy result.
- Compare the required scene at that setting and check battery condition and temperature. The cited original manual says RUNTIME remains active on external power, so compare this setting when a cabled tube appears dim.
- For slow or absent charging, inspect the battery/status message and approved supply rather than forcing a restart. A nominal 3-hour charge can take longer when hot. Rehearse the required look and recovery with the actual battery before relying on the duration.
The tube is powered from a PowerBox but receives no wired DMX: where do I trace it?
Charging and receiving data are separate checks. Trace the source through the box and combined cable to the tube.
- Confirm the specified PowerBox and power/data cable, with a known compatible cable on one test output. Select Wired DMX at the tube rather than leaving an unintended input latched.
- At the PowerBox, compare the intended XLR or network source, box universe and status indication. In the cited manual, receiving XLR takes priority over network inputs; an unintended active cable can change which source is used.
- Match tube address, pixel count, table and strobe option to the same universe and console profile. If intermittent behavior remains, record box/tube versions and the failing segment. Do not apply a BTB firmware fix, arbitrary refresh rate or homemade cable as a general repair.
How should visible tubes be planned for a long recording day?
We can propose a setup around framing, colors and total use time, including rehearsal and waiting. RUNTIME manages available output; it does not promise full intensity throughout the day.
- Check the intended look with the actual camera and battery, and plan charging or unit changes outside the take. A short color comparison does not establish full runtime.
- RUNTIME assumes a full battery; changing it does not restore charge. Standby powers CRMX down: we agree and rehearse how to wake the tubes before the cue, alongside charging or replacement plans.
- If battery duration and required level do not fit, assess compatible power/cabling or another type of fixture, along with supports and operation.
Is an app enough, or should the tubes join the show console?
Simple preparation may suit autonomous colors or effects; changes tied to lighting cues call for assessment of a console control route. The original FP1 needs the appropriate bridge for app control.
- Identify the original tube, bridge or transmitter, profile and accessories in the proposal. Do not assume direct tube Bluetooth from another revision.
- For wired control, verify compatible PowerBox and combined cable; alternatively assess the wireless link in actual operating positions. Configuration, checks and operation can be scoped for the event.
Can brand color be repeated across tubes, screen and camera?
We can prepare an approximation and validate it against an agreed reference. AsteraRGB treats color in its own space; copying screen RGB values to a tube does not guarantee the same appearance on a surface or camera.
- Request the brand reference and define where it must match: visible tube, lit wall or recorded image. Compare the intended background, camera and light level.
- Save accepted values and control mode, together with intensity and RUNTIME. Compare again if the profile, look or camera setup changes.
- The scope can include color preparation and a joint video rehearsal. If a useful match cannot be achieved, prioritize branding on the screen and use tubes as scenic complements against an approved visual reference.
Quick reference
| Route | What must be present |
|---|---|
| App | Compatible bridge, correct target group and accepted input |
| Wireless DMX | Compatible transmitter, receiver link, input and patch |
| Wired DMX | PowerBox, combined data cable, source/universe and tube patch |
Precautions
- Use the specified sealing plug for the stated IP protection; do not submerge. Do not assume the charger, open connector or PowerBox shares the tube’s protection rating.
- Do not cover the tube; keep 0.3 m from illuminated objects and allow cooling before handling. Use approved mounting accessories and a suitable secondary safety connection above people.
- Do not open or service the battery, or use/charge a damaged tube. Recharge after use and avoid storage fully depleted. The radio link, camera appearance and required runtime need checks with the real system.
Terms on this page
- DMX
- A data protocol controlling lighting functions; each model defines what its channels mean.
- Patch
- Assignment of fixture, profile, address and universe in the control system.
- Personality
- A control mode defining the channels and functions used by a fixture.
Help configuring this equipment
- Astera FP1 Technical Reference Manual — 2020-08-26, copy hosted by V2Lights (PDF) — v2lights.co.uk
Start with the model instructions and match the edition to the unit you will use.
- GDTF: profile author, revision and modes — gdtf-development.com
Distinguish the Manufacturer tag from user contributions. Check mode and revision; a compatible file for this equipment is not confirmed here.
Documentation and sources
Scope: original FP1 using the Astera-authored technical manual dated 2020-08-26, hosted by V2Lights. Confirm installed firmware and applicable hardware documentation; later BTB variants require their own procedures. Carry out these checks with the tubes and configuration planned for the event.
Guides to plan your system
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