Lighting and control
Chauvet Professional Color STRIKE M
Match firmware and DMX mode before separating the RGB plate from the white beam or reusing a pixel-mapped show.
Start a rental or purchase inquiry with a date, venue and scene reference.
Model and purpose
- Manufacturer
- Chauvet Professional
- Model
- Chauvet Professional Color STRIKE M
- Documented product
- COLORSTRIKEMV2; manual Rev. 15 / DMX chart Rev. 10
- Light / movement
- 14 RGB sections; 28 white sections; 180° tilt
- Control / connectors
- DMX, RDM, Art-Net, sACN; IP-rated 5-pin XLR, etherCON and Powerkon
- Power / environment
- 100–240 VAC, 50/60 Hz; −10 to 45 °C; 12.1 kg; IP65 with installation conditions
A tilting strobe/wash combining a color plate with white tube elements. It can create broad color looks, white bursts and segmented patterns, but the available controls and pixel grouping depend on the selected personality. Plan the look around the actual fixture and software rather than treating all strobe profiles as interchangeable.
Combine color, white accents and cameras
To assess a scene with Color STRIKE M, describe the background color, the white accent and when the orientation should change. These choices help compare positions and the personality needed to control plate, tubes and segments. For recording, camera positions and exposure also matter; a PWM setting alone does not establish a suitable result.
- Confirm the unit’s product, revision and firmware before choosing a profile. A mode in a previous show does not prove it is available or behaves the same on the supplied fixture.
- Locate the tilt path, audience sightlines and system connections. The bracket and alignment pins do not replace checking loads, secondary attachment and accessories at each position.
- Agree cue timing, intensity and strobe use with the operator, and rehearse the intended scenes with camera crew. IP65 describes protection under conditions; it does not validate audience exposure or replace that rehearsal.
Questions to define your proposal
- Which white accents and color background are required?
- Will cameras or strobe restrictions apply?
- Which version and profile will the supplied units use?
- Does the venue provide general lighting and an operator?
A solution to assess with GLMedia
We can add Color STRIKE M accents to existing lighting and prepare looks for the program. Review version, profile, camera and responsibilities before quoting. Include preparation and operation as needed; if strobe is unsuitable, assess continuous color or another visual resource.
Start a rental or purchase inquiry with a date, venue and scene reference. GLMedia can help assess this type of effect, alternatives and whether mounting, patching, programming or operation should be considered in the proposal; a final program is not required.
Features and connections
The cited manual lists 8, 11, 13, 24, 30, 47, 68, 74, 96 and 97 channel modes. The official change history adds the 96-channel personality in 4.0.7; verify that the installed firmware offers it before patching.
Network in/out, DMX in/out and power input have different functions. Select the intended Protocol and match IP/universe for Ethernet control or address/mode for wired DMX. Prepare compatible IP-rated cables/caps, the fixture profile and a documented electrical circuit allowance.
The mounting bracket requires a suitable rated clamp and verified support; overhead use requires a safety cable. Leave clearance for tilt and ventilation. Alignment pins do not establish the load capacity of an assembly.
Prepare the system
- Record SKU, fixture firmware and component versions from Information, then compare the console profile with that revision. Save the show and current fixture settings before changes.
- Match Protocol, DMX Channel and DMX Address/Start Address to the actual patch. Check the full footprint for overlaps and the universe boundary. A different personality changes the following addresses as well as the controls.
- Acclimate the fixture after a large temperature change. Connect grounded, protected mains, never a dimmer or rheostat. Test one isolated unit at low intensity with documented steady-light settings and a clear tilt area before using strobe effects.
Questions and troubleshooting
The color plate responds but white does not: which controls should I separate?
Check the personality and its master hierarchy before editing console libraries. For the documented 30-channel mode, the common intensity control can limit both sections.
- Confirm the exact mode on fixture and console. In that mode, compare channel 3 Master dimmer, channel 4 Plate dimmer and channel 5 Beam dimmer in the official chart.
- On an isolated unit, keep the shutter in its documented no-flash state and test each section at a safe low level while checking the common master. Inspect the console’s main and cell controls where its profile uses separate selections.
- Compare actual DMX values before recording independent cuelists. If the raw route works but the console controls differ, preserve the profile and investigate its mapping rather than opening the fixture.
Observe which section changes with each parameter and save received values. If the separation differs from the profile, we can review personality and firmware before rejecting the unit; do not sweep the control channel.
Why is a pixel pattern grouped, reversed or ignored after changing mode?
Channel count does not alone describe pixel layout. The 68-channel chart groups physical pixels; the 96 and 97 modes have different control assignments.
- Compare the selected mode’s pixel map and the order expected by the show. Check the actual DMX chart before reusing a profile from another fixture.
- Record Pixel Invert and LED Array Swap before changing them. The manual says array swaps can survive a factory reset, so a reset does not prove the default pixel order. Test one segment at a time.
- If the mode provides pixel/desk priority, inspect the correct mode-specific channel. Firmware 4.0.7 changed pixel priority behavior and strobe interaction; compare the matching chart instead of copying values from another mode.
An intensity fade feels delayed: how do I separate curve, cue and signal?
A reported delayed response is a symptom, not proof of a faulty fixture or a setting that affects every attribute.
- Compare one fixture’s Dimmer Mode with the intended response: OFF is linear; DIM1 is faster and DIM3 is slower. Record the original setting and compare an isolated steady-light fade.
- Compare the console’s fade and delay times with actual outgoing DMX changes. If DMX changes promptly but intensity fades differently, investigate the fixture’s dimmer response; do not extrapolate that result to tilt or every parameter.
- Record firmware and repeatable conditions if the problem remains. Official history identifies a Beam FX correction in 4.0.5 for the 30-channel mode; it is not a universal cure for slow response. Plan version changes outside the active show with the applicable procedure.
Can a festival show programmed for another strobe be adapted?
We can assess a Color STRIKE M showfile adaptation, but a personality intended to simplify cloning does not guarantee equivalent movement, pixels or effects.
- Compare required functions, installed version and mode chart before cloning. Keep a show copy and test plate, white and tilt cues separately, then compare the combined result.
- Where a function has no documented equivalent, we can revise the cue, divide tasks across fixtures or assess another effect. File preparation and an operator-led rehearsal can be included in the proposal.
How can it support recording without relying on strobe?
We can plan a continuous-color look and reserve flashes for agreed moments, or assess dedicated lighting for people. Cameras need their own test even with adjustable PWM.
- Share planned shots, frame rate, shutter and intensity cues. Compare a stable shot and level changes; inspect the recording, not just the monitor.
- If flashes are unsuitable for the venue or format, assess color and movement accents without strobe. An IP rating approves neither audience exposure nor band-free footage.
The venue already has lighting: what does this effect add and what should be hired?
We can assess color and white accents for specific moments while using the existing general lighting. First identify what the scene lacks: impact, background or a musical transition, without automatically replacing people lighting.
- Request the inventory, desk and existing looks. Agree who programs and who calls the effect during the show; connecting signal alone does not add fixtures to the file.
- Separate units/accessories, profile adaptation to the actual version, camera checks and programming. Review documented firmware changes before the event, without offering an update as a generic fix.
- If time or budget is limited, prioritize simple color accents or adjust existing-system looks. Let the client compare the result provided by each scope.
Quick reference
| Selected footprint | Highest starting address |
|---|---|
| 30 channels | 483 |
| 68 channels | 445 |
| 96 channels | 417 |
| 97 channels | 416 |
Precautions
- Maintain at least 50 cm from adjacent surfaces for ventilation and keep flammable material outside 20 cm. Keep the tilt path clear, avoid direct viewing and coordinate strobe use and audience notices.
- For outdoor IP65 use, power/data connections need suitable sealed cables and unused ports need secured covers. Do not submerge or treat the rating as approval for permanent extreme, saline or flood-prone installation.
- Inspect housing, lenses and cables; stop if damaged or seriously malfunctioning. Disconnect before cleaning and refer internal repairs to qualified service. Adjustable PWM requires a camera test with the actual exposure settings; it does not guarantee universal flicker-free footage.
Terms on this page
- DMX
- A data protocol controlling lighting functions; each model defines what its channels mean.
- RDM
- Management communication for querying or configuring compatible equipment over a compatible path.
- PWM
- Modulation of LED output; interaction with a camera may produce recorded bands or variations.
- Patch
- Assignment of fixture, profile, address and universe in the control system.
Help configuring this equipment
- User Manual — Rev. 15 (PDF) — chauvetprofessional.com
Start with the model instructions and match the edition to the unit you will use.
- DMX chart — Rev. 10 / V4.0.7 (PDF) — chauvetprofessional.com
Compare the full personality and function order with the console profile.
Documentation and sources
- Color STRIKE M — product specifications — chauvetprofessional.com
- Official firmware change history — github.com
Procedures use manual Rev. 15, chart Rev. 10 and the official version history. Installed firmware and menu options must be confirmed on the unit.
Guides to plan your system
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