On the fixtures, can you use a 3-pin XLR connector on the input connection and use a 5-pin XLR connector on the output connector if one is supplied?

• A. Yes
• B. No
• C. Only if the fixture is DMX512 compliant
• D. Only if the input is unshielded

Answer: (A)

DMX512 signals rely on a data pair and a shield, not on the exact number of pins in the connector. If the fixture’s input is wired for DMX on the 3-pin XLR, the data will use the two data pins (plus shield/ground). The output being a 5-pin XLR can still pass that same DMX signal to the next device—the extra pins on the 5-pin connector are simply unused for this signal. As long as the same DMX data pins are used and the line is properly terminated at the end of the chain, mixing a 3-pin input with a 5-pin output is acceptable.