Beginner RGB questions

[jtomason]

So I'm obviously very late adding these to the display, but I need some help from the veterans here... 

I ordered a CMB-24D that should arrive tomorrow.  I presume that I daisy-chain it in to a regular LOR unit, add it in sequencer, and off to the races.   I have 3 dumb RGB strips for it that I will use to frame windows.  Questions:

1. What is the recommended way to wire to these?  I bought 18/4 wire, I presume I can snip the connector off the RGB strip and just connect it up with that wire - or should I have ordered pigtails and planned to leave the connectors on the strips?

2. Any sequencing tips?

 

I also ordered the following from Holiday Coro: 

http://www.holidaycoro.com/Four-Pixel-Arches-Kit-p/817.htm

That includes this controller: AlphaPix 4 V3 - E1.31 & ArtNet to SPI Pixel Controller w/LCD Display - 4 SPI + 1 RS485 Outputs  http://www.holidaycoro.com/productdetails_popup.asp?productcode=722-V3

I really leaped without much research given how late I was getting to this.  Any sage advice on connecting this into the LOR setup?  (CTB16D's)

 

Thank you VERY much in advance.

 

Joe

 

[k6ccc]

Yes, the CMB-24 is Daisy chained just like any other controller. As for wiring, I cut off the connectors and solder and heat shrink the wires. Keep in mind that all my dumb RGB is used year round.

For your arches, the AlphaPix controller, that is controlled via Ethernet from your computer, and not via a LOR network. The channels are set up as DMX universes in the LOR software. That requires an Advanced or Pro level LOR license. Dealing with DMX over Ethernet (called E1.31) requires a little learning curve, but there are many people here who can help out.

Sent from my Droid Turbo via Tapatalk, so blame any typos or spelling errors on Android

[PhilMassey]

Yes to daisy chaining, don't forget the dip switches to set the ID.

18/4 is fine, solder and heat shrink. Four pin pig tails out of the controller for easy connection.

The color fade tool and chases are your friends.

No experience with the Alphapix but if it is E1.31  would I prefer a separate E1.31  over ethernet network for my pixels which is connected to the PC's ethernet port, not LOR.

 

[PhilMassey]

Wow, the Timing.......

[jtomason]

22 minutes ago, k6ccc said:

That requires an Advanced or Pro level LOR license.

Excellent point - looks like I'll be doing the second upgrade this year - assuming they ever ship the stuff.  Apparently they are quite busy this time of year - who knew?   LOL   (de AB2M)

34 minutes ago, PhilMassey said:

Yes to daisy chaining, don't forget the dip switches to set the ID.

OK, so it can't be set via the HW utility, then..  Thanks - I would have gone crazy if it's not front-and-center in the manual.  

 

[k6ccc]

9 minutes ago, jtomason said:

Excellent point - looks like I'll be doing the second upgrade this year - assuming they ever ship the stuff.  Apparently they are quite busy this time of year - who knew?   LOL   (de AB2M)

OK, so it can't be set via the HW utility, then..  Thanks - I would have gone crazy if it's not front-and-center in the manual.  

 

Yes, they are busy this time of year!  BTW, welcome to another ham.  There are quite a few of us here.

The CMB24D has dip switches for unit ID setting.  If I remember right, you can set it with the Hardware Utility - HOWEVER, next time the power is cycled to the controller, it will read the dip switches.

 

[jtomason]

9 minutes ago, k6ccc said:

The CMB24D has dip switches for unit ID setting.  If I remember right, you can set it with the Hardware Utility - HOWEVER, next time the power is cycled to the controller, it will read the dip switches.

 

Well then, THAT would have made me INSANE.  

[k6ccc]

Well then, THAT would have made me INSANE.   [emoji3]

Yep!

Sent from my Droid Turbo via Tapatalk, so blame any typos or spelling errors on Android

[lightingnewb]

On 12/5/2016 at 11:34 AM, k6ccc said:

Yes, they are busy this time of year!  BTW, welcome to another ham.  There are quite a few of us here.

The CMB24D has dip switches for unit ID setting.  If I remember right, you can set it with the Hardware Utility - HOWEVER, next time the power is cycled to the controller, it will read the dip switches.

 

 

Has anyone ever experienced a CMB24D having channels improperly mapped? The one I bought from someone who no longer operates their store is mapped in a weird pattern or the connectors are mislabeled.

[k6ccc]

21 minutes ago, lightingnewb said:

Has anyone ever experienced a CMB24D having channels improperly mapped? The one I bought from someone who no longer operates their store is mapped in a weird pattern or the connectors are mislabeled.

There isn't any channel mapping in any of the LOR controllers.  That is actually a feature that has been requested in order to map around a failed channel.  How does it appear to be mapped?

Here is the LOR manual:  http://www1.lightorama.com/Documents/CMB24D_Man_Web.pdf

 

[lightingnewb]

8 hours ago, k6ccc said:

There isn't any channel mapping in any of the LOR controllers.  That is actually a feature that has been requested in order to map around a failed channel.  How does it appear to be mapped?

Here is the LOR manual:  http://www1.lightorama.com/Documents/CMB24D_Man_Web.pdf

 

 

1 was really 3

2 was really 4

3 was 1

4 was 2

5 was 7

6 was 8

7 was 5

8 was 6

My work-around for this, in the sake of saving time, was to create a spreadsheet that listed in one column one of my controllers. (Each row was a circuit). As a part of the set-up test for the lights themselves, we went through each channel for each RGB strip. I wrote any notes of changes on the spreadsheet and am using the spreadsheet as the ultimate dictator for the channel configuration in the LOR editor.

k6ccc, I should note that I did NOT buy this controller from LOR, but from a trusted LOR partner who closed up shop this year.