TonyD Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Starting to see some controllers on Ebay now.Should I avoid the Gen 2 controllers? What is the difference? Is it features? Bugs? Stability? Is Gen 2 OK with the most recent firmware?I have no problem waiting until the LOR sale to get my first controllers, but if I can find a good deal on eBay i could increase my channel count significantly over what i could do with new controllers only in year 1.Thanks,Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wbottomley Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 The only difference between the two are RJ45 connectors are rotated 180 degrees, ghost loads, snubbers, and larger triacs. Both boards function the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyD Posted January 4, 2013 Author Share Posted January 4, 2013 So if i'm all LED would you recommend to stay away from the gen2? Or will snubbers take care of flickering and/or fading issues? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wbottomley Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 It depends on the firmware loaded. Some of my boards had trouble running LED's while others didn't. That's not a factor in my decision to purchase cheap controllers. A small device can eliminate that problem if it arises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plasmadrive Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 The only difference between the two are RJ45 connectors are rotated 180 degrees, ghost loads, snubbers, and larger triacs. Both boards function the same.Not sure that is true.. The G3s have a more powerful processor me thinks.. they also have dimming curves available that are not available on the G2. I also believe the terms "Ghost loads" and "Snubbers" are interchangeable to most here. They are not technically the same thing, but most use them the same.I am not sure if Super Speed works on G2.. Anyone else know for sure??? Anyone know of other changes?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wbottomley Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Not sure that is true.. The G3s have a more powerful processor me thinks.. they also have dimming curves available that are not available on the G2. I also believe the terms "Ghost loads" and "Snubbers" are interchangeable to most here. They are not technically the same thing, but most use them the same.I am not sure if Super Speed works on G2.. Anyone else know for sure??? Anyone know of other changes??Show me one thing I said is not true? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plasmadrive Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Show me one thing I said is not true?Poor choice of words perhaps on my part.. my apologies.. It was not my intention to slam your post.. (Notice I said "not sure....")When I read "Both boards function the same" I don't believe that is 100% accurate.. Since there are dimming curves available for the G3 and not the G2, that would make them potentially function differently. If I use them on LEDs and/or a combo of LEDs and incans, I can pick which channels get which curve. The G2 will not do that. LOR explained that the G2 does not have the processor power to support dimming curves. For me personally, this is kind of important for picking up controllers.. I would want only G3 if I was running LEDs just because of the dimming curves. I thought it important enough of a distinction to mention to the OP.I brought up the part about snubbers and Ghost loads to try to add some clarification since it appeared the OP was interested in comparisons and listing two items that most on here interchange as one may perhaps help sway his decision.As for my comment and question about the Super Speed.. it was a point that I would like to know as well.. that is why I asked.. since the OP was asking for differences... Thought this would be a good place for that question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyD Posted January 4, 2013 Author Share Posted January 4, 2013 <snip> Since there are dimming curves available for the G3 and not the G2, that would make them potentially function differently. If I use them on LEDs and/or a combo of LEDs and incans, I can pick which channels get which curve. The G2 will not do that. LOR explained that the G2 does not have the processor power to support dimming curves. For me personally, this is kind of important for picking up controllers.. I would want only G3 if I was running LEDs just because of the dimming curves. I thought it important enough of a distinction to mention to the OP.Thanks, this is helpful. The shows i like the most seem to do a lot of fading so i have a feeling the G3 would be the best for me.Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wbottomley Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 (edited) Thanks, this is helpful. The shows i like the most seem to do a lot of fading so i have a feeling the G3 would be the best for me.TonyTony, I want you to watch the attached video and tell me which controllers are Gen 2 and Gen 3, 16PC and 16D. Edited January 5, 2013 by wbottomley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyD Posted January 5, 2013 Author Share Posted January 5, 2013 Tony, I want you to watch the attached video and tell me which controllers are Gen 2 and Gen 3, 16PC and 16D. Well i see your point but you could probably put together a great show with manual DPDT switches. But i will play along and focus on the mega trees and guess the 2 right-hand trees in each set of 3 are gen 3. To my eye (at least in the video) they change colors "smoother". I have no idea if that is simply intended effects or due to different controllers (which i suspect will not be true).Obviously a great show can be made with any of the controllers, but if gen3 makes it a little easier for me because i don't have to worry about snubbers or the software is able to take advantage of the improved hardware it might make sense to spend the extra $$ to make sure i have the latest. Ok, now with that said, if you want to sell me a gen2 for $150 i'm all in Thank you for your time and input as always. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Boyd Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 (edited) I am not sure if Super Speed works on G2.. Anyone else know for sure???Plasmadrive, I don't know for sure, but I do know, when I did the update an all 7 of my controllers and 4 CCP controllers, including the firmware update, the six Gen 3 CTP16PCs, worked just fine on the Super Speed setting. My lone LOR1602W did not. It was the first controller I bought in June 2011, which I think, was before the Gen 3s came into existence for the lighting community. I updated all controllers to the latest firmware, including my 4 CCP controllers. I then started a sequence and everything ran perfectly with the exception of that one controller, no lights worked for that prop.For the OP, the LOR1602W worked for the fast and slow fades alike, just fine, before the update. I have -0- snubbers on any of the strings that were on this controller. IMHO, the Gen2 controllers will work for you. However, if you want to take advantage of the Super Speed network, I would suggest getting new, Gen3 controllers. The warranty and LOR support on new controllers is an added bonus.Hope this sheds some light. It is, just an opinion.Ron Edited January 5, 2013 by Ron Boyd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wbottomley Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 The warranty and LOR support on new controllers is an added bonus.And pre Gen3 controllers as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Boyd Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 And pre Gen3 controllers as well.Agreed 100% Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plasmadrive Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 Tony asked what the difference are between G2 and G3.. ok..now he knows..As for not being able to tell the operational differences... on MY display, I have a hedge that is about 150' long. There are 7 channels spread amoung 3 different controllers. 2 are G3 and one is still G2. When I do fades that are more then a second or two long, I can see the differences in how they dim. The lights on the G2 don't start to dim at the same time. It looks like a delay in the programming that I know is not there. So from MY experience with a much smaller display then Wbottomley, it makes a difference.. At least it does to me. Perhaps those watching can't tell, but I can and it bugs the crap out of me that they don't dim the same.... Next year they will all be on the same series of controllers just for that reason. With all that said, perhaps if you have a prop that uses only a single controller or controller series, you may not really notice any difference.. I still have many G2s that I use that way and they work just fine... My only controller split is this one hedge and it is visible. I would imagine the smaller your display the more chance you have of noticing side by side differences if you have both types of controllers... Just a thought..Now, as for the Super Speed... I am still wondering about that. Ron says it didn't work for him on G2.... is there an official LOR position on this? Anyone know for sure??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wbottomley Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 Well i see your point but you could probably put together a great show with manual DPDT switches. But i will play along and focus on the mega trees and guess the 2 right-hand trees in each set of 3 are gen 3. To my eye (at least in the video) they change colors "smoother". I have no idea if that is simply intended effects or due to different controllers (which i suspect will not be true).Obviously a great show can be made with any of the controllers, but if gen3 makes it a little easier for me because i don't have to worry about snubbers or the software is able to take advantage of the improved hardware it might make sense to spend the extra $$ to make sure i have the latest. Ok, now with that said, if you want to sell me a gen2 for $150 i'm all in Thank you for your time and input as always.Here's the answer to the mega-trees controllers. Starting from the left.... 3-16D's Gen2, 3-16D's Gen2, 3-16PC's Gen2, 3-16PC's Gen3, 3-16PC's Gen2, 3-16PC Gen2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyD Posted January 11, 2013 Author Share Posted January 11, 2013 Thanks i'm definately going to get a starter kit but I was hoping to get 1 or more used controllers to use for specific effects (arch, fan, etc). It's looking like they get snapped up pretty quickly here, at least rignt now after the season. Maybe something will pop up a few months from now and there won't be as much competition (ebay too). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
columbus27 Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 If it was me I would buy this kit http://store.lightorama.com/ctascpa.html you'll get a gen 3. And you are not saving that much coin buy buying it on Ebay. You can recoup that $50 of opportunity cost by getting some good deals on extension cords or lights. And the good thing about these controllers are that they keep their value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyD Posted January 11, 2013 Author Share Posted January 11, 2013 If it was me I would buy this kit http://store.lightor...om/ctascpa.html you'll get a gen 3. And you are not saving that much coin buy buying it on Ebay. You can recoup that $50 of opportunity cost by getting some good deals on extension cords or lights. And the good thing about these controllers are that they keep their value.Thanks for the tip. I didn't know they sell a generic starter kit (minus a controller). The only ones i've seen have ready-to-go controllers (more expensive). I can definately do a little work on my own to save a few bucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lesliemorris85 Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 I’d prefer gen 2 controllers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise Brunner Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 I have both gen 2 and gen 3. I truthfully cant tell the difference 99% of the time and that 1%, I am sure the person watching the display has no clue. I have had total failure of a controller and most if not all could not even tell. It really is not that big of a deal, in my honest opinion. But everybody has there own ideas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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