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RGB strip controller


Caleb Linburg

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I have been reading tons of documents about RGB and I still have 1 question that seems to have answers both ways. Do you need a DMX controller like the Enttic or can you just use a cheap DMX decoder?

I have seen this guide of how to hook an RGB strip to a CAT-5 cable.
http://www.lightuplawrence.net/Home/how-to-1/rgb-dmx-wiring

If you don't need a DMX controller like Enttic do you jus plug this in to a second RJ45 jack?

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Caleb Linburg wrote:

Those seem to be sold out and expensive. Would a module like this work alone, just for color changing (no dimming)?

http://www.aliexpress.com/product-fm/383004267-DMX-MODULE-connect-DMX-module-with-DMX-digital-console-to-achieve-dimming-or-various-changes-in-wholesalers.html


Yes, but you can get them from David here for a lot less!
http://www.holidaycoro.com/category-s/1837.htm
While your there check out David's videos if you haven't already!
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Thank you for letting me know about the cheaper price. Are you saying using the strip, that module and wiring it would work with lor? I just don't want to spend $120 on something I don't really need.

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Are you referring to the price of the LOR DC controller? How many strips do you plan on running? LOR will support dmx devices with no problem. There are some thongs you need to do in order to run both LOR protocol and dmx. There are a few threads talking about that! Depending on how many channels you want to run, there are a couple of solutions.

Donny

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Gotcha! Yes running these would be cheaper if; you have an extra LOR USB485 to output dmx, then you need to need to make a cable to change the protocol from LOR to dmx, then you can hook up the dmx modules. The advantage to the modules is you can put them close to the stripes, but remember they need to be waterproofed. When you order them, remember to get them programmed to the channels you want them to be!

Donny

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Caleb Linburg wrote:

Those seem to be sold out and expensive. Would a module like this work alone, just for color changing (no dimming)?

http://www.aliexpress.com/product-fm/383004267-DMX-MODULE-connect-DMX-module-with-DMX-digital-console-to-achieve-dimming-or-various-changes-in-wholesalers.html


Yes that would work. They are $39 ea w. shipping

This one is $22 w/ shipping

http://www.aliexpress.com/fm-store/701799/209915969-307297559/DMX-512-Module-decoder-DC5V-input-P-N-LN-DMXMODEL-3CH-5V.html
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What i dont understand is why the 3 channel controllers are so popular, it means you then have to run both a power and a data cable to each one unless your doing power over ethernet which im personally not a big fan of. Its OK if you want a decentralized setup, but if your not needing this type of setup then why not use a standard DC controller.
you can get a cheap DMX 27 channel controller from Ray
http://www.aliexpress.com/fm-store/701799/209915969-378111925/Easy-DMX-LED-controller-dmx-decoder-driver.html
it is rated for 1 amp per output with a total ampage of 15 amps for the board. This is less than what the LOR DC boards do but you can run 5 complete 5 metre dummy strips from this controller without overloading it.

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The LOR DC controller can control 5 dumb strips with one power supply. The small modules you are looking at will only control one strip and you have to supply signal and power to each one along the way. The strips cannot be easily connected end-to-end because they lose power and the signal degrades without a $7 RGB amplifier for each strip. So you either run an amplifier or another little dmx module.

These questions have been asked many times before in the last few months and various solutions have been found for those people.

You might do more searching here on this forum and looking at online videos for people who have already have done this.

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Ken Benedict wrote:

The LOR DC controller can control 5 dumb strips with one power supply. The small modules you are looking at will only control one strip and you have to supply signal and power to each one along the way. The strips cannot be easily connected end-to-end because they lose power and the signal degrades without a $7 RGB amplifier for each strip. So you either run an amplifier or another little dmx module.

These questions have been asked many times before in the last few months and various solutions have been found for those people.

You might do more searching here on this forum and looking at online videos for people who have already have done this.



Ken what do you use to control them?
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Ken I am a little confused how these work. I heard something that if you have an extra channel on a controller you get 4 RGB strips to run. Now I have 8 extra channels I am not using. Does this mean I could run 40 strips by buying say 5 CMB16D-QC controllers?

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Donny M. Carter wrote:

Are you referring to the price of the LOR DC controller? How many strips do you plan on running? LOR will support dmx devices with no problem. There are some thongs you need to do in order to run both LOR protocol and dmx.

Donny


Did you mean like butt floss?(thongs).....:cool:
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