Lighting and control
MA Lighting grandMA3 light
Check software mode, physical output assignments and intensity overrides on the grandMA3 light before changing a working patch.
Model and purpose
- Manufacturer
- MA Lighting
- Model
- MA Lighting grandMA3 light
- Exact model / procedure scope
- 4010502; grandMA3 2.5 menus
- Base capacity
- 16384 grandMA3 parameters; 4096 in Mode2
- Connections
- 6 DMX outputs + 1 DMX input; 3 etherCON/RJ45; 6 USB
- Power / environment
- 100–240 VAC, 50/60 Hz; maximum 300 VA; 0–40 °C; 33 kg
A lighting programming and playback console with a smaller operating surface than full-size. It suits shows that need direct executor control and networked output, provided the actual patch fits the system capacity. This is the light console, not a light extension or an onPC controller.
Prepare your inquiry
- Date, city, venue and setup, event and pickup schedule.
- Intended use, area dimensions and equipment already supplied by the venue or production.
- Program and planned changes, available showfile and version/mode if known; fixtures, profiles and approximate universes, even while patch details remain open.
- Who will program and operate, rehearsal time and handover; say whether you are asking about a console, showfile review or assistance with a scope to define. Agree on the backup to provide and test.
Specify equipment only or whether setup, programming, operation and strike are also needed. Scope is confirmed in the proposal.
You do not need a final equipment list: tell us the result you want and the part you need help with. Availability and scope are confirmed in the proposal.
Features and connections
The surface has 15 motorized 60 mm faders, 60 separate playbacks and 16 assignable x-keys. It includes folding multitouch monitors, letterbox and command screens, a keyboard drawer and an integrated UPS. Check screen travel and ventilation space in the operating position.
The rear panel provides female DMX output and male DMX input connectors, all 5-pin, plus network ports and powerCON TRUE1 mains input. Connector shape alone does not establish the assigned universe. Identify the actual device and port in Connector Configuration.
Prepare a named show backup, the correct fixture profiles/modes, a universe and IP plan, suitable signal cables and a stable grounded supply. Generic network nodes provide physical outputs; they do not by themselves increase this console system’s parameter allowance.
For a program with several scenes, establish whether a usable showfile exists or programming still needs preparation. Record version, software mode, profiles and output system before assessing the console. Define who will test, operate and hand over the backup; renting hardware does not include programming or an operator by default. A showfile copy without a test does not establish recovery.
Prepare the system
- Record the installed software and whether the console is running grandMA3 or Mode2. Procedures here follow grandMA3 2.5. Save a separate show copy before editing patch, output stations or user settings.
- Set the console on stable support rated for its weight. Keep it dry and ventilated, with room for the display wing and keyboard. The internal UPS does not establish a verified runtime or replace show backups.
- Before joining a live system, agree on the session master, Streaming Version, interface and universe assignments. Compare actual output with the patch on an isolated fixture or agreed low-level test circuit.
Questions and troubleshooting
Why is the available parameter count different in Mode2?
The light has different base allowances in the two software modes. Physical sockets, universes, DMX channels and parameters are different counts.
- Confirm the exact light hardware and active software mode. Compare 16384 in grandMA3 with 4096 in Mode2; do not use full-size or older third-party capacity figures.
- In grandMA3, patch the intended fixtures and open System Info > Details to compare used and available parameters. Multi-byte attributes and the patch structure mean that a channel count is not a reliable parameter calculation.
- If the design exceeds the allowance, review the system and supported processing hardware before rehearsal. Do not switch software modes during a show or assume an ordinary output node adds capacity.
Devices In Session is red or a DMX port is missing: where should I look?
A red count can show the number actually present followed by the expected number in parentheses. It is a prompt to identify hardware, not proof that every listed station is online.
- In Menu > Connector Configuration, compare device name, IP and actual session members. Identify the physical console or node rather than relying on its row number, which can change.
- Check the intended port and universe: Out sends DMX without RDM, RDM sends DMX with RDM, In receives and Off disables. Use Show Connectors on the light to locate the rear connector. Compare the intended session and Streaming Version before changing membership.
- Record missing or duplicate entries and preserve the show and device configuration. Check power, cables and network reachability for the expected hardware. An older forum workaround involving removal and rejoining is not a general repair for current software or a live system.
A dimmer works in DMX Tester but ignores cues: what can inhibit it?
DMX Tester has a higher output priority than parked values. A successful tester check does not validate the normal playback and intensity-control chain.
- Compare the same fixture, address, universe and actual DMX value in tester and normal playback. Record the initial state and stop the isolated test before restoring normal cue control.
- Inspect Grand Master, relevant Group Masters and Solo status, including the user/profile context of other operators. Group Masters may limit or scale intensity; Solo can suppress unselected dimmers. A reported light case was resolved by finding Solo active under another user, but this is not a diagnosis for every show.
- Check parked values and output priorities. Deleting a Group Master executor does not remove the group’s limitation. Agree on one suspected control, change it reversibly at a safe test level and compare output; do not force all masters up or clear all parks across a live rig.
Can I bring my showfile and start without preparation?
An existing file helps, but version, software mode, profiles and real system outputs need confirmation. It does not prove programming is ready for a different rig.
- Work on a separately named copy and test patch, critical scenes and return to normal control in an agreed rehearsal.
- We can assess console only, showfile review or preparation and operation with a defined scope. Share known version, program and fixtures even before the patch is final.
What backup should be agreed for an operator handover?
Separate the delivered file from the control-recovery procedure. grandMA3 2.5 supports saving to an external drive; that does not replace checking the replacement system.
- Identify the approved copy, version and later changes; check it opens outside active operation and agree who hands it over.
- Include rehearsal time, minimum scenes and handover roles in the inquiry. The proposal should identify the copy and test to prepare, without guaranteed instant continuity.
Quick reference
| Check | Evidence to record |
|---|---|
| Capacity | Active software mode and used/available parameters |
| Output station | Hardware name, IP, port mode and universe |
| Intensity | Cue output, Grand Master, Group Masters, Solo and park state |
Precautions
- Do not lift the console by the display wing; open the wing with both hands. Keep ventilation clear and plan handling around the equipment weight.
- Do not open covers or service the UPS battery. Qualified service is required for internal faults. Shut down using the Power key and power switch before cleaning, following the hardware safety instructions; use a dry cloth without spray or liquid.
- Changing user controls, session membership or output assignments can affect fixtures in use. Preserve initial settings and rehearse recovery on the agreed test system. Do not start with a factory reset or firmware update.
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.
- Patch
- Assignment of fixture, profile, address and universe in the control system.
Documentation and sources
- grandMA3 light — product specifications
- Parameter comparison 2026
- Parameter calculation — 2.5
- Connector Configuration — 2.5
- Group Masters — 2.5
- Highlight, Lowlight and Solo — 2.5
- DMX priorities — 2.5
- Network session — 2.5
- Console hardware safety — 2.0
- MA — Save a Show File, version 2.5
Menus and procedures refer to grandMA3 2.5; hardware safety instructions are covered separately in version 2.0.
Guides to plan your system
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