Lighting
ETC ColorSource Spot troubleshooting
The ETC ColorSource Spot problems live-event techs bring to Ask Roadie most (also called ColorSource Spot Deep Blue, CS Spot). Pick your symptom, or describe your own in plain words, and get the likeliest fix first, with the manual page when there is one.
Common ColorSource Spot errors & problems
What techs run into most, and what's usually behind it. The step-by-step fix for your exact unit is in Ask Roadie.
- Step-by-step fixGet the fix →
DMX address will not change / edits do not stick until several power cycles
Likely cause: Lock mode blocks all edits; the relay path introduced a data timing issue that a direct wired-DMX connection avoids.
- Step-by-step fixGet the fix →
Fan is loud / can I control or quiet the fan
Likely cause: Thermal management is closed-loop in firmware; there is no DMX/RDM fan-speed parameter, so the only lever is the fixture temperature.
- Step-by-step fixGet the fix →
Fixture flashes to full/turns on with NO DMX present
Likely cause: The Spot is designed to hold/play a stored look on signal loss; an unintended stored preset is what "turns it on" when the console goes away.
- Step-by-step fixGet the fix →
Fixture jumps to full/white or a color even though DMX is connected (brief flashing)
Likely cause: v1.7.1 fixed the false DMX-loss detection that let the active preset flash through; removing the active preset removes what would play during the false loss.
- Step-by-step fixGet the fix →
How do I set the DMX address on a ColorSource Spot
Likely cause: The onboard UI is a 4-button menu (Mode + Up/Down + display); the timeout guards against accidental edits, which is why un-confirmed changes are lost.
- Step-by-step fixGet the fix →
How do I update the fixture firmware
Likely cause: The pre-1.3.0 bootloader cannot accept the newer firmware image directly, so the bootloader must be staged first; UpdaterAtor is the only supported delivery path.
- Step-by-step fixGet the fix →
Need the core specs at a glance (weight, power, output, source, optics)
Likely cause: Baseline reference for pull-sheet and rigging/power planning.
- Step-by-step fixGet the fix →
Visible flicker on camera / shooting the fixture on video
Likely cause: Raising the PWM/refresh frequency above the camera sensor readout rate eliminates rolling-band artifacts; this is set per-fixture over RDM, not via DMX.
- Step-by-step fixGet the fix →
Which DMX control mode / how many channels
Likely cause: Mismatched personality is the 1 cause of "colors are wrong" — e.g.
Not on the list? Describe it your way, or paste the error code off the display. Ask Roadie works the problem with you until it's fixed or you have a clear next move.
How Ask Roadie helps with the ColorSource Spot
- 1. Pick the ETC ColorSource Spot. It's already in the list.
- 2. Describe what you're seeing. In your own words, or the error code off the screen.
- 3. Get the likeliest fix first. Steps in order, the manual page when there is one, and a note when other techs have confirmed it.
- 4. Still broken? Tap 👎 and it keeps going from where you left off.
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