Lighting and control
Astera Titan Tube FP1
Identify the original FP1 and check its selected control source, runtime target and PowerBox path before repatching or resetting.
Ask GLMedia about renting Astera Titan Tube FP1 for your event. Availability and configuration are subject to confirmation.
Model and purpose
- Manufacturer
- Astera
- Model
- Astera Titan Tube FP1
- Variant / reference
- Original FP1, not FP1-BTB; manufacturer manual dated 2020-08-26
- Light / control
- RGBMintAmber engine; up to 16 independently controlled pixels
- Power / environment
- 24 VDC, 2 A input; 0–40 °C; 1.35 kg
- Battery / protection
- RUNTIME setting 1–20 hours; IP65 with the specified rubber plug in place
A rechargeable LED tube for visible scenic lines, color effects and light near camera. Its output depends on the programmed look, battery condition and runtime setting. The original model’s app connection and firmware must be checked separately from later BTB tubes.
Prepare your rental inquiry
- Date, city, venue and setup, event and pickup schedule.
- Intended use, area dimensions and equipment already supplied by the venue or production.
- Color, brightness and total powered time, including checks and waiting.
- Chargers or case, compatible control, placement and replacement plan.
Specify equipment only or whether setup, programming, operation and strike are also needed. Scope is confirmed in the proposal.
You do not need a final equipment list: tell us the result you want and the part you need help with. Availability and scope are confirmed in the proposal.
Features and connections
The tube has no direct XLR socket. Wired control uses an Astera FP1-PWB PowerBox and the specified combined power/data cable; an individual charging supply alone does not establish a DMX route.
AsteraApp control, standalone effects and wireless DMX are different input paths. Prepare the compatible app bridge or DMX transmitter for the actual revision. CRMX/W-DMX compatibility follows the documented receiver/transmitter combination; wireless does not mean every radio system is interchangeable.
Match the console personality to pixel count, selected DMX table and optional strobe channel. A profile number reported in a forum is not a universal patch definition. Prepare approved holders, their locking pins and a secondary attachment for overhead use.
Prepare the system
- Confirm the original hardware and record firmware, Input Select, DMX settings and battery state. Save the show and existing settings before changing input or radio links.
- Charge with the specified FP1-CHR supply or PowerBox. Keep the charging case open and let the tube cool; a powered operating tube is not proof that its battery is charging normally.
- Agree on a test tube, low brightness and a clear target group. Check its status screen and actual received output before changing multiple units; do not begin by resetting the entire rig.
Questions and troubleshooting
The tube keeps playing a color pattern or ignores CRMX: what should I compare?
AUTO can latch the first active input. A standalone pattern or app-controlled state can therefore persist while the console’s patch is correct.
- Read the active source on the status screen. For intended wireless DMX, select CRMX wirel. DMX explicitly on the isolated tube and compare its link status, address and personality.
- If the receiver is linked to a different transmitter, preserve the current setup and use UNPAIR CRMX only on the intended test unit before linking the agreed transmitter. Unpairing the radio is different from app grouping or changing the Radio PIN.
- After the link is established, compare the actual DMX values for a single steady look. Do not treat a successful app connection as proof of CRMX reception or copy a full-reset workaround from another system.
Does a long RUNTIME setting promise the same brightness for the whole event?
The tube reduces power to target the chosen duration from a full battery. A long runtime and maximum brightness are not the same operating condition.
- Plan setup plus event time and margin, then set RUNTIME from a full charge. For an illustrative 6-hour event plus 1-hour setup, the target already needs 7 hours before margin; this is planning, not a measured autonomy result.
- Compare the required scene at that setting and check battery condition and temperature. The cited original manual says RUNTIME remains active on external power, so compare this setting when a cabled tube appears dim.
- For slow or absent charging, inspect the battery/status message and approved supply rather than forcing a restart. A nominal 3-hour charge can take longer when hot. Rehearse the required look and recovery with the actual battery before relying on the duration.
The tube is powered from a PowerBox but receives no wired DMX: where do I trace it?
Charging and receiving data are separate checks. Trace the source through the box and combined cable to the tube.
- Confirm the specified PowerBox and power/data cable, with a known compatible cable on one test output. Select Wired DMX at the tube rather than leaving an unintended input latched.
- At the PowerBox, compare the intended XLR or network source, box universe and status indication. In the cited manual, receiving XLR takes priority over network inputs; an unintended active cable can change which source is used.
- Match tube address, pixel count, table and strobe option to the same universe and console profile. If intermittent behavior remains, record box/tube versions and the failing segment. Do not apply a BTB firmware fix, arbitrary refresh rate or homemade cable as a general repair.
Quick reference
| Route | What must be present |
|---|---|
| App | Compatible bridge, correct target group and accepted input |
| Wireless DMX | Compatible transmitter, receiver link, input and patch |
| Wired DMX | PowerBox, combined data cable, source/universe and tube patch |
Precautions
- Use the specified sealing plug for the stated IP protection; do not submerge. Do not assume the charger, open connector or PowerBox shares the tube’s protection rating.
- Do not cover the tube; keep 0.3 m from illuminated objects and allow cooling before handling. Use approved mounting accessories and a suitable secondary safety connection above people.
- Do not open or service the battery, or use/charge a damaged tube. Recharge after use and avoid storage fully depleted. The radio link, camera appearance and required runtime need checks with the real system.
Terms on this page
- DMX
- A data protocol controlling lighting functions; each model defines what its channels mean.
- Patch
- Assignment of fixture, profile, address and universe in the control system.
- Personality
- A control mode defining the channels and functions used by a fixture.
Documentation and sources
Consulted October 22, 2026. Scope: original FP1 using the Astera-authored technical manual dated 2020-08-26, hosted by V2Lights. Confirm installed firmware and applicable hardware documentation; later BTB variants require their own procedures. These rehearsal checks have not been physically tested by GLMedia.