Martin MAC series moving heads troubleshooting

Common MAC series moving heads 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.

• MAC Ultra Performance / Ultra Wash: one or two dead LEDs in the light engine (most visible at low output)

  Likely cause: Physical LED die cracks — only a light-engine swap resolves it.

  Step-by-step fixGet the fix →

• MAC Ultra (Performance/Wash): pan or tilt off, won't hit home, or position drift after transport

  Likely cause: Auto-cal re-learns the hall-sensor/magnet and absolute-encoder references the pan/tilt driver PCBAs use to find position.

  Step-by-step fixGet the fix →

• MAC Aura PXL / Aura XIP: erratic output, color glitching or jittery movement

  Likely cause: The Aura PXL/XIP LED engine and movement update from incoming DMX; degraded or slow data makes color and pan/tilt look glitchy even though the fixture is healthy.

  Step-by-step fixGet the fix →

• MAC Encore Performance: "Could not upload new CMY effect system firmware" after a firmware update

  Likely cause: The Encore updates the CMY module as a separate step; an interrupted or failed CMY write throws this message, and a completed re-upload or power cycle resolves it.

  Step-by-step fixGet the fix →

• MAC Encore: colors don't match across a group of fixtures / CMY looks off

  Likely cause: Small mechanical variance between CMY flags makes identical DMX values render slightly different colors; per-fixture CMY calibration trims each unit to a common reference so a group matches.

  Step-by-step fixGet the fix →

• Updating firmware on newer MAC fixtures (Aura PXL, Aura XIP, Ultra) — Companion cloud, USB stick, or P3

  Likely cause: Newer LED MACs moved off the old standalone uploader to the Companion cloud model with USB/P3 export options; using the sanctioned path and not interrupting the write avoids corrupting the fixture.

  Step-by-step fixGet the fix →

• MAC (Encore/Ultra): "calibration error" or effects land in the wrong place — no valid calibration data

  Likely cause: Effect home offsets live in EEPROM; if that data is missing or unreadable the fixture flags calibration error and effects mis-home.

  Step-by-step fixGet the fix →

• MAC Ultra / MAC LED fixtures: output dims by itself or shuts off; LED temp cutoff / LED temp sensor error

  Likely cause: The Ultra self-limits to protect the LED array; clearing the airflow restriction removes the cutoff.

  Step-by-step fixGet the fix →

• MAC Ultra: FRAMINGx ANG ERR or FRAMINGx INS ERR on display (framing shutter fault)

  Likely cause: The framing system self-checks blade angle and insertion on reset; a transient miss clears on power-cycle, but a repeatable code on the same blade points to that blade's motor/sensor needing service.

  Step-by-step fixGet the fix →

• MAC Ultra: gobo wheel position error / wrong gobo indexing

  Likely cause: The gobo wheel indexes against a position sensor on reset; a bump or a loose gobo throws the count, and a reset + recalibration re-establishes correct indexing.

  Step-by-step fixGet the fix →

• MAC Viper: safely adjusting lamp / stopping head movement for service

  Likely cause: Disabling pan/tilt removes the crush/pinch risk of an unexpected home move while hands are in the fixture.

  Step-by-step fixGet the fix →

• MAC Aura: pan or tilt error / "absolute position not found" after reset

  Likely cause: The tacho wheel + optical sensor tell the fixture where the axis is; a slipping belt or bad tacho feedback means it can never confirm home, so it faults out.

  Step-by-step fixGet the fix →

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.

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