How to Use the Controls, Inputs, and Outputs on Your Rockville MV-400 Moving Head Light

Introduction

This article walks you through every control, input, and output on the Rockville MV-400 moving head light. Whether you are setting up for the first time or need a quick refresher, these step-by-step instructions will guide you through powering on the unit, navigating the menu system, and configuring your light. No technical experience is required.

Requirements:

• Rockville MV-400 moving head light
• Included power cable (PowerCon connector)
• DMX controller and DMX cables (optional, for DMX mode)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Rear Panel: Inputs and Outputs

All connections are located on the back of the unit.

• DMX In: Connect a DMX cable from a DMX controller or a primary light to this port.
• DMX Out: Connect a DMX cable from this port to a secondary light to daisy-chain your setup.
• Power In Socket: Connect the included power cable here. Line up the grooves on the PowerCon connector with the grooves on the port, then twist the connector until you hear it click into place.
• Power Out Socket: Use this to send power from the first light to a second light without needing a separate power source for each unit.
• Power Switch: Flip this switch to turn the light on or off.

2. Powering On the Light

1. Connect the power cable to the Power In socket as described above.
2. Flip the power switch to the ON position.
3. Wait for the loading bar on the LCD display to fill completely.
4. Once loaded, the display will show the current mode, DMX address, and temperature of the light.

3. Accessing the Menu System

Press the left button on the control panel to enter the main menu. The following menus are available:

• Setup
• Mode
• Manual
• Show
• Info
• Plant

Use the navigation buttons to scroll through menus and select options.

4. Setup Menu

The Setup menu contains the following options:

• DMX Address: Set the DMX address for the light.
• Encoder: Turn the encoder on or off.
• Pan Invert / Tilt Invert: Reverse the direction of the pan or tilt movement.
• Clear / Keep: If set to "Clear," the light will default to its starting position after blacking out. If set to "Keep," it will return to the last mode it was set to.

5. Mode Menu

The Mode menu lets you choose how the light operates:

• Run Mode: Choose between DMX, Auto, or Sound.
• DMX Channel Mode: Select the number of DMX channels the light will use.
• Auto Mode Selection: If the light is set to Auto mode, choose which auto program it will run.
• Sound Mode Selection: If the light is set to Sound mode, choose which sound-reactive program it will run.

6. Manual Menu

The Manual menu gives you full hands-on control of the light:

• X (Pan): Adjust the horizontal pan of the head. Increasing the value moves the head left; decreasing moves it right.
• X Fine: Fine-tune the pan position for precise adjustments.
• Y (Tilt): Adjust the vertical tilt of the head. Increasing the value tilts the head up; decreasing tilts it down.
• Y Fine: Fine-tune the tilt position for precise adjustments.
• X/Y Speed: Control the speed at which the head moves during pan and tilt.
• Focus: Modify the focus of the beam.
• Dimmer: Set the brightness of the light. The maximum value is 255.
• Strobe: Set a strobe effect. A value of zero means no strobe; increase the value to speed up the strobe.
• Color Mixing (Red, Green, Blue, White): Set a custom color by adjusting the intensity of each color channel individually.
• Color: Layer a secondary preset color on top of your custom color mix.
• Mode: Apply a built-in effect mode (such as color change) to the light.
• Speed: Adjust the speed of the selected effect mode.
• Direction: Control the direction of movement or color rotation.
• Background Color: Set a background color for certain effects.
• Back Dimmer: Control the brightness of the back dimmer independently.
• Reset: Revert all manual settings back to their defaults.

7. Show Menu

The Show menu controls the LCD display settings:

• Language: Change the display language.
• Back Light: Adjust the brightness of the display backlight.
• Flip Display: Flip the screen orientation for when the light is mounted upside down (hanging from a truss, for example).

8. Info Menu

The Info menu provides technical information about the light, such as firmware version and operating details.

9. Plant Menu

The Plant menu is intended for manufacturer use. Refer to the included manual for more details on this section.

Troubleshooting and FAQs

Q: The display is upside down after mounting the light. How do I fix it?

Go to the Show menu and use the Flip Display option to rotate the screen 180 degrees.

Q: The light blacks out and resets to its starting position. How do I keep it in its last mode?

Go to the Setup menu and change the setting from "Clear" to "Keep." This ensures the light returns to its last active mode after a blackout.

Q: The head is moving in the opposite direction from what I expect.

Use the Pan Invert or Tilt Invert options in the Setup menu to reverse the direction of movement.

Q: I connected a DMX controller but the light is not responding.

Make sure the DMX cable is connected to the DMX In port, confirm the DMX address matches what your controller is sending, and verify the run mode is set to DMX in the Mode menu.

Q: How do I daisy-chain multiple lights together?

Connect the DMX Out port of the first light to the DMX In port of the second light using a DMX cable. You can also use the Power Out socket to send power to the next unit.

Conclusion

The Rockville MV-400 gives you full control over pan, tilt, color mixing, effects, and more, all accessible through a straightforward menu system on the rear panel. Remember to use the Setup menu for initial configuration, the Mode menu to choose how the light operates, and the Manual menu for hands-on adjustments.