Terminators and their installation

Terminator is terminating resistor, which is located between the two wires with the data (pins 2 and 3 type connector XLR) at the end of the cable maximum distance from the transmitting device.

As the terminator resistor is typically used 90-120 ohm power 1/4 Watt. If you strictly follow the instructions of the standard EIA485, you should install resistors-par 120 ohm terminators at both ends of the line. However, in DMX512 systems at one end of the line always found only the transmitting device (ie remote control), on the other end there are always devices that only take a signal (no transmission). Therefore, in systems installation DMX512 terminators makes sense only in the most distant from the terminal end of the line.

Some devices are equipped with built-in terminators, and switches that can connect to the built-in terminator line. This switch must be switched position only at the last device in line.