PicoPyro

Pico Pyro v1.0.1

DMX controlled dual pyrotechnic channels.

Hardware Overview

• Status LED - (WHITE, GREEN, RED, BLUE, PURPLE)
• Continuity LED - (GREEN)
• Fire LED - (RED)
• Configuration Button
• Arming Cover
• DMX In/Out

• Power+ (3v-50v)
• Power-
• Pyro 0/1-
• Pyro 0/1+

Modes

The Pico Pyro can be in one of three modes, these are indicated by the status LED.

By default the system enters active mode when turned on.

To enter setup mode the configuration button must be pressed while being turned on. Setup mode cannot be entered after booting.

If the system detects an invalid configuration during boot the system will enter failed mode. To resolved the system must be turned off and back on into setup mode.

Active

• Status LED is solid GREEN when DMX is detected, RED when no DMX signal is detected.
• Continuity LEDs are GREEN when the voltage threshold is met across the pyrotechnic channels. These are used to show if there is a good connection across the hardware connected.
• Fire LEDs are RED when the specified pyrotechnic channel is fired. This occurs when the DMX authorization and fire values are met for that channel.

Setup

• Status LED BLUE.
• Continuity LEDs are GREEN when the voltage threshold is met across the pyrotechnic channels. These are used to show if there is a good connection across the hardware connected.
• Fire LEDs and hence pyrotechnic channels off and cannot activate.

Failed

• Status LED PURPLE.
• Continuity LEDs off and cannot activate.
• Fire LEDs and hence pyrotechnic channels off and cannot activate.

DMX Table

The DMX values to activate the different channels are specified in the configuration tool.

Setup

Once entering setup mode the system can be configured using the built-in website. This is accessed by connecting to the WiFi network that is broadcast and navigating to the IP address in the chosen browser.

SSID - PicoPyro
Password - itsathing
URL - http://10.66.0.1

The user should be presented with the following...

• Voltage threshold - (0-1023) - Value used to activate the continuity LEDs. This value is dependant on the supplied voltage. When supplied with around 12v an advised threshold value is 100.
• DMX Address - (1-251) - Base address for all DMX channels.
• DMX Pyro0 Auth - (0-255) - Value required to activate channel
• DMX Pyro1 Auth - (0-255) - Value required to activate channel
• DMX Pyro0 Fire - (0-255) - Value required to activate channel
• DMX Pyro1 Fire - (0-255) - Value required to activate channel

Usage Tips

Ensure all connections are attached.

Arming cover can be removed for rehearsals to test the behaviour of the system without activating pyrotechnic channels.
When the arming cover is removed the channels are electrically disconnected and cannot fire. The continuity LEDs will temporarily stop working. Fire LEDs will work as expected but won't fire the pyrotechnic channels.
The recommended method of removing the arming cover is by placing a cable tie through the loop and pulling backwards.

Do not set the activation value to 255, this will increase the chance of accidental activation.
Instead use a selection of unique, different values.

The easiest way to integrate this system into lighting software is by patching 4 dimmer channels.

Electronics

Voltage dividers are used for the continuity detection.
Low voltage dropout is in the voltage regulator.

Troubleshooting

• The status LED should be constant GREEN when in normal operation.
  • Flickering to RED DMX connection is unstable
  • Flickering off supplied voltage is too low (especially during firing)
• When not activating as expected this could be because the Grand Master is lowering the values slightly.
  • To combat this happening set the 'cue' to ignore the Grand Master

Legal

We accept no responsibility for the consequences of activating a pyrotechnic.