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Supported DMX Adapters


bob

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This is a great set of diagrams that for some reason I could not find when I was looking. The key with all of them is pin position and not always color.

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bretk wrote:

bob wrote:
Yes, there's a very important difference:

ENTTEC Open DMX USB adapters have physical DMX output jacks.

LOR USB485 adapters do not.

The LOR USB485 adapter can be used to send either LOR protocol or DMX protocol to an LOR controller, over the regular physical CAT5 cable that you always use to connect to an LOR controller. It cannot be used to send DMX protocol to a DMX device that takes a DMX input cable.


Bob, can it send dmx protocol to a dmx device with a cat 5 cable like a set of coro megaballs?

Bret

I'm sorry, I don't know much about hardware, and I don't know what a coro megaball is. All I personally can really say is that you can send DMX protocol to at least some LOR controllers using an LOR USB485, with the same cables you would use to send LOR protocol to that same controller over that same adapter.
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Yep that's the ones! I think they are going to be a neat addition, but first time I have ventured into the dmx universe, so. Unsure how to actually connect my coroballs to the daisy chained lor 16pc

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let me see if I got this I can use a Enttec dmx box to control my dmx stuff I got that part but what about some thing like this, http://www.productionadvantageonline.com/Control-Adapters-Terminators/XLRJ45-5M.aspx can I use the rj45 coming out of my last controller plug it in the XLR dongel and go in to my first dmx light? then from that to my next dmx light and so on? Or do I have to put the Enttec open first in line and then send dmx out to all the LOR boxs and also to my DMX lights. Still just a little confused in the order and/or configurations I can use, has any one made a top-o-graphical map of how to use the dmx stuff? I am really specifacly looking at using LOR and DIY Renard boards togther can I use the XLR dongel out of last LOR then XLR then into my first Renard then to ren 2 ren3 ren4 ..ren10.

hope this makes sense to some one

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Dale wrote:

let me see if I got this I can use a Enttec dmx box to control my dmx stuff I got that part but what about some thing like this, http://www.productionadvantageonline.com/Control-Adapters-Terminators/XLRJ45-5M.aspx can I use the rj45 coming out of my last controller plug it in the XLR dongel and go in to my first dmx light?
I would suggest keeping two networks.

Keep your DMX stuff all coming out of the Enttec seperate from all other controllers.
S3 allows multiple networks setup very easy threw the Preference settings in Sequencer.
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rstately wrote:

Does that include the USB-RS485 Isolated adapter?

Is that the "USB-485-ISO"?

If so, sorry, I am not familiar with it. I imagine that it's probably the same with respect to this as a USB485, but I do not know. I will check with Dan, and see if I can get one to test with.
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OK, Dan says that a USB-485-ISO will probably be fine, but he's not sure, and he's going to send me one to try.

So, we think it will probably work, and we'll check to make sure, but it is not officially supported as of this moment.

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bob wrote:

The LOR USB485B is now officially supported as a DMX adapter.

sorry, but to be clear... if a USB485B is used, no other DMX dongle is needed...
IE: i can connect the USB485B between the pc and the 1st controller and just make a RJ45->DMX 3/5pin converter and connect that between the 1st controller and DMX fixture(s) and be good to go..
No Enttec device needed ?

If so an order will be placed shortly after the response...

TechToyNJ

(attempting AL -> LOR conversion)
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The USB485B device will output "Raw DMX". The Enttec Pro has more features and LOR is working to take advantage of but are not available as of 3.0.2.

I have tested the USB485B on one controller and it appears to work fine. I'll test more later but I bought an Enttec pro just in case.

I don't recall the pin numbers but I did have to make a special cat5 cable to connect the correct pin numbers to make it work.

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Wiring requirements vary from product to product for DMX on an RJ45 jack. As near as I can find, here's what's going on.

...........................Data + Data -
LOR .....................pin 4 pin 5
Lynx and most DMX pin 1 pin 2
Renard..................pin 5 pin 4

Notice that LOR and Renard are opposites of each other, so you can't just run a cat5e Ethernet cable from LOR to Renard (with DMX firmware) without an adapter. Renard didn't start out running DMX; it also has its own proprietary protocol which is not the same as LOR.

Software won't convert hardware issues; you'll have to build adapter cables, or find a reliable source of same. Make sure you mark which adapter does what so you don't mix up a LOR with a Renard adapter and then wonder why it doesn't work.

Just an observation - "Standards aren't"

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While some folks may differ with me, I always prefer to warn folks that choose to use a "non-intelligent" RS485 adapter (like the USB485 and Enttec Open USB) to send out DMX to controllers.

The DMX protocol runs at a higher baud rate and usually is continuously sending data out to DMX devices. Therefore, it's somewhat sensitive to timing issues. Given the non-intelligent adapters depend on the computer to send the right signals at the right time, if your computer gets overloaded or is a slower box and doesn't have much headroom on CPU horsepower, you could have lights out of sequence.

The beauty of the Enttec DMX PRO is that the CPU inside the dongle does all the hard work of getting the DMX timing right, and will repeat the most recent DMX levels without any input from the computer. The same thing applies to the Lynx dongle and some of the DIY DMX dongles as well. Yes, it costs more, but it's worth it in reliability.

So, as they say, "Your mileage may vary"

This isn't a slam on any piece of hardware, but understanding how things work may help you figure out what is happening out in your yard. DMX, being a new beast for many, just has some differences from standard LOR communication between computer and controller.

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mschell wrote:

While some folks may differ with me, I always prefer to warn folks that choose to use a "non-intelligent" RS485 adapter (like the USB485 and Enttec Open USB) to send out DMX to controllers.

The DMX protocol runs at a higher baud rate and usually is continuously sending data out to DMX devices. Therefore, it's somewhat sensitive to timing issues. Given the non-intelligent adapters depend on the computer to send the right signals at the right time, if your computer gets overloaded or is a slower box and doesn't have much headroom on CPU horsepower, you could have lights out of sequence.

The beauty of the Enttec DMX PRO is that the CPU inside the dongle does all the hard work of getting the DMX timing right, and will repeat the most recent DMX levels without any input from the computer. The same thing applies to the Lynx dongle and some of the DIY DMX dongles as well. Yes, it costs more, but it's worth it in reliability.

So, as they say, "Your mileage may vary"

This isn't a slam on any piece of hardware, but understanding how things work may help you figure out what is happening out in your yard. DMX, being a new beast for many, just has some differences from standard LOR communication between computer and controller.

Thanks. I think that is the clearest explanation I have heard. I appreciate your input as I get into DMX lighting this year.
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Is this what I want? Found on eBay for $132.99. Is there a cheaper source out there?

Edited by LORAdmin
Image removed. Corrupted.
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There are some additional features that the Enttec PRO has, such as supporting DMX input and being able to change the timing of the DMX signal, that I believe, S3 doesn't do.

However, be aware that you can't turn OFF the microprocessor in the PRO model. So, yes, it won't do any more than the Open device will do in terms of DMX output, but it will still be doing the creation of the DMX signal. The PRO won't depend on the computer to send the break signal at the right time to get the DMX packet right. It will do that automatically. That is something the Open model just can't do.

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CKSedg wrote:

Is this what I want? Found on eBay for $132.99. Is there a cheaper source out there?

That's probably not a bad price. I think I paid $125 a few years ago for mine...

Edited by LORAdmin
Image removed. Corrupted.
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Another thing the Pro does, compared to the open, is it has full DC to DC isolation between the output and the USB port. (So do the Lynx and RPM Pro style dongles). While they are built that way more to protect the microprocessor, it also keeps stray voltages out of your USB port.

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