Jump to content
Light-O-Rama Forums

Anyone use a USB485B for DMX this year?

jeffl

By jeffl
in LOR DMX

 Share

Recommended Posts

jeffl Member

jeffl

Posted
Posted

I ran this whole year on an Enttec DMX Pro and it worked flawless. Now that hat my show is over for the year I thought I would test my other adapters, a USB485B and Lynx.

I was testing and watching 8 pipes (fountain style), with the USB485B adapter did not work at all. Scattered results. The Lynx however worked just as the Enttec Pro and very smooth.

Unfortunately after tonight I won't have a display to test, but I'm curious what others had for results.

This was with LOR 3.1.4, 1 LOR network and 1 DMX. The DMX devices are Lynx Express v5.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
WilliamS Member

WilliamS

Posted
Posted

This is a lingering question to me too, as most of my display will be DC next year Im trying now to get the list together.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Paul Roberson Member

Paul Roberson

Posted
Posted

jeffl wrote:

I ran this whole year on an Enttec DMX Pro and it worked flawless. Now that hat my show is over for the year I thought I would test my other adapters, a USB485B and Lynx.

I was testing and watching 8 pipes (fountain style), with the USB485B adapter did not work at all. Scattered results. The Lynx however worked just as the Enttec Pro and very smooth.

Unfortunately after tonight I won't have a display to test, but I'm curious what others had for results.

This was with LOR 3.1.4, 1 LOR network and 1 DMX. The DMX devices are Lynx Express v5.


The USB485B adapter by itself can not do DMX. You would have to also have the LOR iDMX 1000. From the LOR iDMX 1000 out would be your DMX.



EDIT

I stand corrected I guess the LOR iDMX 1000 is not needed. :)
Link to comment
Share on other sites
heystew Member

heystew

Posted
Posted

while i did not used it in my final show.. i have used the LOR USB485 adapter multiple times to control various DMX fixtures..
these include:
- several cheap RGB stars that would have made up about 30 channels (10 stars)
- some moving head yoke lights
- RGB Pixel strings

the last would have been the most demanding.. i ran 126 pixels which would be 378 channels.

didn't have any issues with any of the above.. but then again i only ran them in my basement to test for a while.. some for hours at a time.. but not mixed in with the rest of my LOR setup.. see this thread for the adapter cable I used
http://forums.lightorama.com/forum75/30466.html (4th post)

Note: the reason that i did not use this in my final show is that I wanted the processing offload capability that the Enttec Pro provided. I used 12 of them (plus 4 LOR networks) so I needed to offload as much from the show computer as possible

Link to comment
Share on other sites
-klb- Member

-klb-

Posted
Posted

Paul Roberson wrote:


The USB485B adapter by itself can not do DMX. You would have to also have the LOR iDMX 1000. From the LOR iDMX 1000 out would be your DMX.


Reference this list of supported DMX adapters. It is listed as supported raw mode device.

http://forums.lightorama.com/forum75/28546.html
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Paul Roberson Member

Paul Roberson

Posted
Posted

-klb- wrote:

Paul Roberson wrote:

The USB485B adapter by itself can not do DMX. You would have to also have the LOR iDMX 1000. From the LOR iDMX 1000 out would be your DMX.


Reference this list of supported DMX adapters. It is listed as supported raw mode device.

http://forums.lightorama.com/forum75/28546.html


I stand corrected.:cool:

I need to do a better job keeping up with things.:) Thanks klb!
Link to comment
Share on other sites
heystew Member

heystew

Posted
Posted

Paul,
there are definitely reasons to use an iDMX however. If you use an MP3 director to run the show, i believe you need an iDMX.. also it can do standalone shows etc.
So they are definitely still a useful product, but by no means the only way to do DMX anymore.

dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites
WilliamS Member

WilliamS

Posted
Posted

My lingering question is if the LOR controllers can be used in a raw DMX universe, and Im aware the wires for the LOR controllers are not the same pinset as a true DMX controller. With a simple crossover cable out of the LOR controller to the rest of a true DMX controller would solve the wiring conflict. Why cant you run DMX throughout the setup?

For example 4 LOR 16 channel controllers and for example sake those would be addressed 1,17,34,41 and from there your DMX devices from the forward addresses. Once again example a DC 27 channel controller at 58,86,114 and so on. In between the Lor controllers becuase of the wiring being on 4,5,6 pins from the daisy chain to switch to 1,2,3 as the DMX setup would require?

Or am I overthinking the process.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
heystew Member

heystew

Posted
Posted

Goofyguy,
I've never tried the LOR controllers in DMX mode.. simply because i'm new to DMX as of 2 years ago.. whereas i had used LOR for much longer than that.
I think what you say should work just fine with the proper wiring.
My display is complex enough that I actually like having the two different protocols because it helps me break the display into different segments and I can keep things straight in my head more easily.

dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites
WilliamS Member

WilliamS

Posted
Posted

heystew wrote:

Goofyguy,
I've never tried the LOR controllers in DMX mode.. simply because i'm new to DMX as of 2 years ago.. whereas i had used LOR for much longer than that.
I think what you say should work just fine with the proper wiring.
My display is complex enough that I actually like having the two different protocols because it helps me break the display into different segments and I can keep things straight in my head more easily.

dave


With 2800 channels I would need a crew to try and keep everything straight. For me with the idea of about 500, once the software is setup the protocol is no longer and issue. Setting up 2800 channels with universes and controllers I bet it would get a tad overwhelming.



Im going to attempt it with some cheap hardware here in the next month or so. I think I have the right idea on making it all a DMX network only needing to change the output after the last LOR controller to match a DMX output. Only time will tell. Of course Im also in the thread about the pixels and thats tempting to figure out as well.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 3 weeks later...
CLD Kevin Member

CLD Kevin

Posted
Posted

I don’t know what the heck I’m doing wrong, but I’ve read several post over and over to make sure I was doing this right. Trying to run USB485B adapter in DMX raw and all that is happening is the lights are going crazy. Here is how I’m connecting...

I connected the 485B to the PC and is recognized on Comm3. I opened the Sequence Editor and changed the network preference so the adapter connected is on DMX universe 1, Raw DMX and changed the LOR network Regular to None. Closed Sequence Editor so it takes affect and reopened.

I then connected RJ45 pins 4 & 5 out of the 485B to pins 2 & 3 of the DMX device. (4 to 3 and 5 to 2).

Next I opened the Control Panel. The CommListener shows Listening on port 8837, Connection accepted (352), A8007Lzf Adapter opened and Connection accepted (628). So far everything looks good. I verified the “Control Lights” is checked under the Play button.

I opened up a sequence and made sure that the RGB channel I was testing is set to DMX Universe 1, channels 1-3. The DMX device is also set to 1-3. But when I play a sequence, the lights go crazy. Just flashing on and off. Tried reversing the pins, same result.

To verify nothing wrong with the adapter or the DMX device, I connected using an iDMX...works perfect first try.

WHAT AM I MISSING??

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jeffl Member

jeffl

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Have you tried connecting the 485 device straight to a lor controller ctb16pc or 1602w to make sure it works there before experimenting with the pin changes?

The software setup sounds correct.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
CLD Kevin Member

CLD Kevin

Posted
Posted

jeffl wrote:

Have you tried connecting the 485 device straight to a lor controller ctb16pc or 1602w to make sure it works there before experimenting with the pin changes?

The software setup sounds correct.


In my post I stated I connected to an iDMX and worked perfect. I didnt try a ctb16pc or 1602w, but thinking the iDMX should be good enough test? I can try it, but dont think its the adapter. I have 3 USB485B and all 3 had the same results. Wish I had a ENTTEC to try.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
jeffl Member

jeffl

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Sorry. I guess I'm not following how you tested with the iDMX. Can you do a picture like this so I get it straight.

PC -> USB485B -> iDMX -> DMX Device

Link to comment
Share on other sites
CLD Kevin Member

CLD Kevin

Posted
Posted

jeffl wrote:

Sorry. I guess I'm not following how you tested with the iDMX.  Can you do a picture like this so I get it straight.

PC -> USB485B -> iDMX -> DMX Device



Your picture is correct.

With iDMX: PC -> USB485B -> iDMX -> DMX Device

485B (Raw) PC -> USB485B -> DMX Device
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...