Little DMX help Please

[bhasse]

I have been programming with LOR since 2006 except for a break for the last 2 years while i was in Afghanistan. I am planning on a light show for 2012 and am looking at adding some new elements. I am looking at the RGB flood light kits and RGB CoroStar kits from Holiday Coro. I am comfortable putting these kits together. However, I am new to the DMX scene so I have a set up question. I am using LOR S3 software and have 4 16 channel controllers. I plan to purchase the HolidayCoro DMX dongle along with the kits mentioned above. How exactly do I connect the DMX dongle to LOR? Do I need to connect directly to computer like the LOR USB485B I already use for my existing lights or can I daisy chain the DMX dongle to one of the LOR controllers? Also can I use a mini show director to control the show or do I need to use my computer since I am adding DMX?

[zman]

Thanks for your service to our country.

First off, I don't think David's DMX Dongle is just that. To my knowledge, that is a programmer to assign the ID to the DMX modules he sells for the Stars and Floods. I looked on his site, and he does say LOR DMX Dongle, so maybe contact David and be sure what you are getting.

For LOR to output DMX, you really only need another USB485 device, and yes, you would hang it off your computer just like your network today. You need to be sure you have S3 Advanced to output DMX. You make the DMX assignment inside the Sequence Editor, Network Preferences.

I am not certain about the Show Director and DMX. Maybe someone else can chime in.

On the output from LOR you will need to make or buy a cross over cable. LOR outputs DMX on pins 4/5 and DMX needs to be set up on pins 1/2.

[-klb-]

You can do DMX with the current director/mini director, but you then need an iDMX, or a ELOR to convert the LOR network to DMX for the devices. With the iDMX, you are limited to 128 channels at a time doing fades/shimmers/twinkles at the same time. Any more you send the commands to at the same time turn into simple on. On the other hand, you may not need the advanced license if you use the iDMX or ELOR depending on how many unit ID's you need.

[Ponddude]

Everyone here is correct. All the above options certainly work. I get at least 2 or 3 complaints a week about the HolidayCoro adapter not working well with LOR. I always tell people to try and avoid it. I would recommend using the LOR USB485 dongle, with an LOR/DMX adapter to get your DMX universe. Nice and simple, nice and cheap and because it is an LOR product they will stand behind it. Other than that, Mark is spot on (as usual) for assigning the network and getting everything going.

Also, thank you very much for your service to our county. I know I certainly appreciate it!

[bhasse]

Thank you for the replies. I do have S3 Advanced so that should help. I tried contacting Holiday Coro today but no answer. With the current sale maybe it will just be a good time to purchase a second USB485B for DMX. Looks like I will just continue to run my show from my computer so I can avoid using iDMX for now. After reading Mark's reply I have another question. If I purchase the Holiday Coro flood kits and CoroStars do I need to purchase their dongle to assign the ID or can I just do that with the USB485B and the LOR software? Boy, I feel like I am starting all over again. Sucks to get out of the rhythm.

[Ken Benedict]

I have several of these DMX adapters and couldn't be happier for $39 : http://www.dmxking.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=26&category_id=1&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=2

Fully Enttec Pro compatible.

[MikeA]

I have several of these DMX adapters and couldn't be happier for $39 : http://www.dmxking.c...uemart&Itemid=2

Fully Enttec Pro compatible.

I thought the Enttec Pro was a dongle. If not, what exactly does it do?

[texascop]

The Enttec Pro is a dongle, or interface, between the PC and the DMX universe. I originally used the LOR 485 adapter for the DMX dongle but bought the Enttec Pro. If you use the LOR 485, you have to crossover the pins on the Cat5 cable since it is a non-standard DMX pinout. Also, the Enttec Pro does some of the DMX processing and takes that load off the PC. That may not be an issue depending on the capabilities of the PC you are using (processor capability).

The controllers sold by HolidayCoro take the signal from the either dongle (interface) and enable voltage (it is actually ground) to the Red, Green, Blue leds. The common wire is positive voltage.

So the LOR program outputs commands to the Enttec Pro or 485 DMX dongle (interface), which sends a signal to the specified controller number on the specified universe which enables the proper red, green, blue LED. The controller has to have a power source.

You assign controllers a unique number (for that universe) using the HolidayCoro programming cable. You assign the dongle (interface) to a universe using the LOR software.

I think I have this right.

[zman]

DMX, once you figure it out, is every bit as easy as LOR. EVERYONE trips over something when looking at it at first. Once the light bulb goes off, you slap your forehead and say "Man that is not hard at all". Everyone has a different epiphany moment, but they do have it.

With David's Coro products, you will have to assign a DMX ID to the modules that control the RGB pixels. Greg (Ponddude) and I both have DMX material on our websites that help to understand the DMX ID concept. DMX is really backwards from how you think about LOR. Instead of channels being in the controllers and plugging the lights into them, with DMX the Channels are in the lights and you just have to tell that light where it plugs into the DMX Universe of 512 channels.

To the above, you will need to assign a DMX ID one way or another. David's product was a bit flaky to get that done at one point. His software interface hiccups, but you can get it done. Or David I believe can do this for you when you buy them from him. You cannot use LOR to do this (that I am aware of)

Mike, Enttec is a DMX dongle. The Pro version offloads the DMX conversion from the computer so that it releases compute power from the CPU. This only comes into play when you have lots of fixture types, and using a lot of DMX channels. The DMX King is just a Enttec clone. It does the same thing. It becomes important, because LOR supports a select list of dongles. For all intent and purposes, the DMX King to LOR is an Enttec and it works. The DMX King is cheaper than an Enttec.

[Ken Benedict]

DMX adapter

DMX interface

and in the last few years,

DMX dongle.

Same thing, different names.

The DMX concept isn't that different from LOR; a signal is sent to all devices in the network and those with a matching address will respond.

Some devices (or controllers) have a single address, some have several addresses.

I have DMX devices that have one address, and several that have 16. Each of the 16 does something different, as I have programmed them in software.

LOR devices have up to 16. And like DMX, you can have duplicate addresses if you like. Then they would respond the same way.

DMX allows a "partial overlap" in addresses, but LOR does not.

So I can have a 6 channel dmx dimmer with address 14 and have another 6 channel dimmer starting at address 16. Handy for theatres and concerts when you need multi-point stage lighting.

LOR devices have a Unit address for the main box, then sub-addresses below that. No overlap.

When everything works right, you have a great show.

[Ponddude]

If you have any questions shoot me a PM or email and I would be happy to help.

Greg

[digitalfreeloaders]

I would also like to thank bhasse for his brave service and thank him for starting this thread, I am waiting for my lights to be delivered and am trying to figure this out as well, my question is since the lights are daisy chained will I be able to control them to work separately or will they all work at the same time doing the same thing. It sounds as if each light gets it's own address or id and is then like a virtual channel and can be controlled like a regular lor channel. I am hoping so I thought I would have to have all of them do the same thing at the same time because they are daisy chained.

Thanks so much for the info,

Jim

[bhasse]

My understanding is that DMX works similar to the way you are doing channels with LOR. I just received my order from Holiday Coro and assembled my first LED Flood. I assigned the DMX controller an ID with the Holiday Coro dongle and have it hooked up to LOR. I followed the instruction video on the Holiday Coro web site for using their dongle with LOR but can't get the sequencer to control the Flood light, the LOR control panel listener shows that it sees the adapter but still not controlling the lights. Any ideas from anyone? Is it the dongle from Holiday Coro? I see in one of the previous posts this dongle was mentioned as not working well with LOR. Maybe I should make a cross over cable and try my USB485B for DMX to see if the Holiday Coro dongle is the issue. Someone please help.

[SoCalJimH]

Don't forget to plug in the LOR 485USB into an available USB slot on your PC. You don't have to have anything connected to it, the Sequence Editor just has to 'see' it.

[zman]

I would also like to thank bhasse for his brave service and thank him for starting this thread, I am waiting for my lights to be delivered and am trying to figure this out as well, my question is since the lights are daisy chained will I be able to control them to work separately or will they all work at the same time doing the same thing. It sounds as if each light gets it's own address or id and is then like a virtual channel and can be controlled like a regular lor channel. I am hoping so I thought I would have to have all of them do the same thing at the same time because they are daisy chained.

Thanks so much for the info,

Jim

Each DMX fixture (light) will have an ID. That is how it plugs into the DMX Channels (Universe of 512). The lights will react to the commands sent only to it. If you have 2 of the same lights, and they are the same ID, they act the same (In DMX parlance this is called a Slave). If you have 2 of the same lights and each has a different ID, they act indendent of each other. They have to be programmed as such inside the sequence. The daisy chain is the means of propagating the DMX signal.

Here is your hookup - Computer -> DMX Dongle -> CAT5 -> DMX fixture -> DMX Fixture -> DMX Terminator (on end of chain)

You can substitute the US485B if you want. You have to ensure your network is set up and it sees the device(s). When you have David's DMX Dongle, is it seen inside the Sequence Editor ->Network Preferrences? Are you setting up your DMX Universe in the Network Preferences?

You only need a cross over if you are coming off the iDMX

Edited August 18, 2012 by zman

[digitalfreeloaders]

Each DMX fixture (light) will have an ID. That is how it plugs into the DMX Channels (Universe of 512). The lights will react to the commands sent only to it. If you have 2 of the same lights, and they are the same ID, they act the same (In DMX parlance this is called a Slave). If you have 2 of the same lights and each has a different ID, they act indendent of each other. They have to be programmed as such inside the sequence. The daisy chain is the means of propagating the DMX signal.

Here is your hookup - Computer -> DMX Dongle -> CAT5 -> DMX fixture -> DMX Fixture -> DMX Terminator (on end of chain)

You can substitute the US485B if you want. You have to ensure your network is set up and it sees the device(s). When you have David's DMX Dongle, is it seen inside the Sequence Editor ->Network Preferrences? Are you setting up your DMX Universe in the Network Preferences?

You only need a cross over if you are coming off the iDMX

Thank you very much, this clears a few things up for me, I especially appreciate the info on the terminator, looked it up and see it should be pretty easy to make. I am still a little fuzzy on exactly what type of resistor to use but will be searching for more info on that. Also I am glad do get a definite answer on where to hook up the dongle I was unsure if it was the computer or the lor. I sure appreciate the help, I should be getting the lights from holiday coro in the next few days and am excited to get them hooked up and start programming them into my sequences

Thanks again zman, much appreciated!!

JIm

[bhasse]

I have the HOliday Coro dongle set up in the network preferences and have the LOR control panel running. The listener window comes up and sees the dongle. All looks good, but then when I try to turn the lights on the DMX side with the sequence editor nothing happens. I have verified that the sequence editor is set up to control lights, but still no control of the lights. Going to test a string of lights on the LOR side just to make sure it is not something with my set up.

[bhasse]

OK so I tested the Holiday Coro donge in xlights and can't get it to work. So I made a cross over cable and hooked up to my LOR USB485B adapter and then tested in xlights and I can finally control my RGB flood light. However, when I go into the sequence editor and try to control the RGB flood nothing happens. I have the LOR control panel running and the listener is recognizing the adapter. i am using S3 advanced. I tested one of my regular LOR controllers and it is working fine. I read somewhere that the old USB485B adapters will not work for DMX, is this true? I am using my original USB485B that I started with back in 2006. Could this be the problem or is something else going on? Do I maybe need to get a new USB485B? Any help would be appreciated.

[bhasse]

Tried again using the USB485B but this time I started the DMX channel assignment at 2 instead of 1. Now it works! I remember readng a post about stating with channel 2 instead of 1, why does this make it work? Guess I need to order a second USB485B, since I can get the one I have to work and can't get the Holiday Coro dongle to work in LOR.

[MikeA]

For LOR to output DMX, you really only need another USB485 device, and yes, you would hang it off your computer just like your network today. You need to be sure you have S3 Advanced to output DMX. You make the DMX assignment inside the Sequence Editor, Network Preferences.

So I can use 2 USB485 dongles, 1 for my DMX and 1 for LOR? Do they need to be set to different Comm ports? Reason I ask about the comm ports is that no matter which USB port I use it says it is COMM5.