Using a CMB-24D on a E131 network

[MikeToo]

I want to add a CMB24D to my existing E131 network.  I know the CMB24D has jumpers to 
change the comm from LOR to DMX.  My E131 network comes from my PC to a LAN SWITCH.
I would connect the SWITCH.  If this config will work, what would I use as the IP Address?
I don't believe the CMB24D has one does it?

[Mr. P]

Since you can't assign a ip address to the CMB24D you must use a bridge or a controller with a built in bridge such as a Falcon or SanDevice.

I forgot to mention that a Pixcon16 can be used as a bridge as well.

Edited August 31, 2020 by Mr. P

[k6ccc]

The CMB24D only has RS-485 communications (either LOR protocol or DMX protocol).  It does not have Ethernet capability.  Therefore, as Mr. P said, no IP address.

BTW, the only thing that the LOR / DMX switches does is change the wiring pinout from LOR (pins 4 & 5) to DMX (pins 1 & 2).  The controller will respond t either LOR or DMX protocol regardless of the position of the switch.

 

[MikeToo]

Thanks to all.... it is clear that adding an LOR controller to an Ethernet network isn't going to work for me... Appreciate the responses!!😁 

[Mr. P]

7 minutes ago, MikeToo said:

Thanks to all.... it is clear that adding an LOR controller to an Ethernet network isn't going to work for me... Appreciate the responses!!😁 

It can work, if you are already running E1.31 with controllers all you have to do is see if the controller has a built in bridge. I think some of the newer Alphapix controllers from HC have them as well.

[nunofernandes]

As everyone stated above, it can be done. Im doing it. What type of 1.31 controller do you have?

Does it have a bridge? 

I'm using the pixcon16 on 1.31, then outputting dmx to AC controllers and CMB24D's...multiple units.

 

[MikeToo]

1 hour ago, nunofernandes said:

As everyone stated above, it can be done. Im doing it. What type of 1.31 controller do you have?

Does it have a bridge? 

I'm using the pixcon16 on 1.31, then outputting dmx to AC controllers and CMB24D's...multiple units.

 

My controller is the AlphaPix Evolution, configured as E1.31.  It contains two RS485 ports (no bridge).  Per instructions from
HolidayCoro, I hardwire a Cat5 cable: BLUE wire to DMX- and BLUE/WHITE wire to DMX+ on the controller RS485 port.
On the AlphaPix setup, I've enabled the RS485/DMX512 port with 50 universes and put a single LED on the "A" side,  output 4,
RED output for testing. There is a test mode in the AlphaPix setup which I have enabled, selected ALL LIGHTS and start.....
RESULT: Lights connected to the AlphaPix cycle thru but the single LED on the CMB24D does not come on.
It may be an addressing issue.  The CMB24D DMX address = 10.

[nunofernandes]

On your sequence what channel are you trying to light up with that single led in the scenario above?

[nunofernandes]

Also, I dont beleive the "test mode" on the alpha pix is going to give you data downstream to the RS485 connection. Its only going to test the lights physically connected to the Alphapix. Youll have to run a sequence to make the other units respond

 

[MikeToo]

Haven't gotten that far.  When I initially powered up the CMB24D, the red "power" light flashed (no connection).  When I inserted the modified Cat5 cable between the AlphaPix and CMB24D, the light went solid (verifying connection). I've toyed around with addressing, etc. and NO LUCK.  I appreciate your suggestions and willingness to help but I think I am going to just "bite the bullet" and purchase some smartLED floods that I can connect to an unused port on the AlphaPix......

[nunofernandes]

Up to you, but I am running a similar setup with a pixcon16, 2 alpha pix4, 5 CMB24D's and 7 AC controllers all on DMX.

If you are addressing that CMB24D as dmx address 10, then your sequence should show the first channel on that controller as 10,11,12, the next port would be 13,14,15, and so on.

Port 4 where your connected would be 19,20,21 in the sequence 

The test mode on my alphapix 4 only lights up the lights physically attached to the alphapix, and not the dmx output going to the downstream controllers.

 

[k6ccc]

26 minutes ago, MikeToo said:

On the AlphaPix setup, I've enabled the RS485/DMX512 port with 50 universes and put a single LED on the "A" side,  output 4,
RED output for testing.

just to split hairs a little, that would be universe 50 - not 50 universes.  You can only have one DMX universe on a RS-485 network.

29 minutes ago, MikeToo said:

It may be an addressing issue.  The CMB24D DMX address = 10.

Could be.  Remember that the LOR controller IDs count in Hex, so make sure you really meant 10 or 0A.  Page 20 in the CMB24D manual goes over that.  Note, you may have gotten that right, but I mention it because it is VERY common for people to forget that controller IDs in LOR count in Hex.

My opinion is for initial testing, you are making your life harder than it needs to be.  Start with Controller ID 01, port 1.  Once you can make that work, only then, start changing IDs and ports.  Baby steps (especially when the more involved testing did not go as expected).

 

[MikeToo]

I'm convinced!..  There are two HolidayCoro videos on how to connect the AlphaPix to an LOR controller.  One shows it connecting the Orange & Orange/White wire into the AlphaPix RS485 connector, the other shows the Blue and Blue/White wires. Which is the correct method?  What configuration are you using?

[k6ccc]

28 minutes ago, MikeToo said:

There are two HolidayCoro videos on how to connect the AlphaPix to an LOR controller.  One shows it connecting the Orange & Orange/White wire into the AlphaPix RS485 connector, the other shows the Blue and Blue/White wires. Which is the correct method? 

That depends.  Wire color is not what's important (for the most part), it's what that color wire is connected to that does matter.  Natively, LOR uses pins 4 & 5 for data.  However on a few controllers (including the CMB24D), there are switches that select LOR vs DMX.  When set to DMX, it changes the wiring pinout to use pins 1 & 2.  Those switches have absolutely NOTHING to do with what data protocol the card will recognize.  So, if you are connecting to a LOR controller that does not have select switches for LOR vs DMX, you must use pins 4 & 5.  If you are connecting to a LOR controller that does have select switches, and you have those switches set to LOR, then you must use pins 4 & 5, but if you have those switches set to DMX then you must use pins 1 & 2.

Now, what color wire insulation is that?  If you are using a cable wired to the 468A or 468B standard (468B is by far the most common), then pins 4 & 5 are the White/Blue pair.  If you are using the DMX pinout, then you need to know.  468A has pins 1 & 2 on the White/Green pair, and 468B has pins 1 & 2 on the White/Orange pair.

However I can tell that you have it right, because you said in an earlier post that the status light on the CMB24D goes from flashing to steady when you plug it into the Alpha card.  If you had it wrong, the status light would remain flashing.  If you will ONLY ever connect a LOR controller that has switches to select LOR vs DMX, you can do it either way.  If you will EVER connect a LOR controller that does not have switches, you will need to use pins 4 & 5, so I would use that wiring for all the LOR controllers.  The exception is if you will also have native DMX controllers on that network. then those will need to be on pins 1 & 2.  The only time it gets complex is if you will have both DMX native controllers and LOR controllers that don't have select switches on the same network.  In that case, you get to build one or more crossover cables.

30 minutes ago, MikeToo said:

What configuration are you using?

Neither.  Although I have about 65K channels of DMX, it is all E1.31.  All my RS-485 networking is LOR.

 

[TheDucks]

I have never seen a COMMERCIAL patch cord built to anything other than 588B. (it does not matter if you use the cord on 568A as long as both ends were the same.)

FWIW unless you build ALL your own, stick the the 'standard' of store bought. will save a whole lot of grief when you fix a broken end

What counts is you get the LOR pins (4+5, unless a jumper is set to DMX) to the DMX pins (1+2) ON DMX ONLY DEVICES

 

[MikeToo]

17 minutes ago, k6ccc said:

That depends.  Wire color is not what's important (for the most part), it's what that color wire is connected to that does matter.  Natively, LOR uses pins 4 & 5 for data.  However on a few controllers (including the CMB24D), there are switches that select LOR vs DMX.  When set to DMX, it changes the wiring pinout to use pins 1 & 2.  Those switches have absolutely NOTHING to do with what data protocol the card will recognize.  So, if you are connecting to a LOR controller that does not have select switches for LOR vs DMX, you must use pins 4 & 5.  If you are connecting to a LOR controller that does have select switches, and you have those switches set to LOR, then you must use pins 4 & 5, but if you have those switches set to DMX then you must use pins 1 & 2.

Now, what color wire insulation is that?  If you are using a cable wired to the 468A or 468B standard (468B is by far the most common), then pins 4 & 5 are the White/Blue pair.  If you are using the DMX pinout, then you need to know.  468A has pins 1 & 2 on the White/Green pair, and 468B has pins 1 & 2 on the White/Orange pair.

However I can tell that you have it right, because you said in an earlier post that the status light on the CMB24D goes from flashing to steady when you plug it into the Alpha card.  If you had it wrong, the status light would remain flashing.  If you will ONLY ever connect a LOR controller that has switches to select LOR vs DMX, you can do it either way.  If you will EVER connect a LOR controller that does not have switches, you will need to use pins 4 & 5, so I would use that wiring for all the LOR controllers.  The exception is if you will also have native DMX controllers on that network. then those will need to be on pins 1 & 2.  The only time it gets complex is if you will have both DMX native controllers and LOR controllers that don't have select switches on the same network.  In that case, you get to build one or more crossover cables.

Neither.  Although I have about 65K channels of DMX, it is all E1.31.  All my RS-485 networking is LOR.

 

 I believe I had the orange & white/orange wires connected to the AlphaPix. The  CMB24D I have has jumpers to set based on LOR or DMX.  They are set for LOR. There are two RS485 connectors on the AlphaPix. They are 3-position screw terminals  The signals on these connectors are "DMX+", "DMX-", and "GND".  According to HolidayCoro I don't need to connect anything to GND,  I'm connecting the orange/white wire (1) to DMX+ and the orange wire (2) to DMX-. Does this sound correct?  Given this hookup the protocol jumpers (DMX vs LOR) should be set to LOR, correct?

 

[Mr. P]

If you are using the orange/white pair (pins 1 & 2) then the jumpers on the CMB24D need to be set to the DMX side. If you are using the blue/white pair (pins 4 & 5) then the jumpers would be set to the LOR side.

[MikeToo]

1 hour ago, Mr. P said:

If you are using the orange/white pair (pins 1 & 2) then the jumpers on the CMB24D need to be set to the DMX side. If you are using the blue/white pair (pins 4 & 5) then the jumpers would be set to the LOR side.

Here's my setup: AlphaPix ORG/WHT to DMX+, ORG to DMX-, CMB24D: LOR/DMX jumpers set to DMX
Power ON, red light on CMB24D flashes.... plug CAT5 cable in, red light continues to flash.... no change
never goes to solid.  ??? Suggestions...

[MikeToo]

On 9/4/2020 at 9:30 AM, k6ccc said:

just to split hairs a little, that would be universe 50 - not 50 universes.  You can only have one DMX universe on a RS-485 network.

Could be.  Remember that the LOR controller IDs count in Hex, so make sure you really meant 10 or 0A.  Page 20 in the CMB24D manual goes over that.  Note, you may have gotten that right, but I mention it because it is VERY common for people to forget that controller IDs in LOR count in Hex.

My opinion is for initial testing, you are making your life harder than it needs to be.  Start with Controller ID 01, port 1.  Once you can make that work, only then, start changing IDs and ports.  Baby steps (especially when the more involved testing did not go as expected).

 

So, I'm still here trying to get the my AlphaPix Evolution to talk to the CMB24D.  The AlphaPix has a RS485 interface.  It is a 3-pos screw terminal pos1 = "DMX+", pos 2 = "DMX-" and pos 3 = "gnd".  Doc for the AlphaPix says the Cat5 BLUE wire is goes into pos 1 and the BLUE/WHT wire goes into pos 2.  DONE. doesn't work (Red LED on CMB24D continues to flash).   Tried swapping the BLUE and BLUE/WHITE wires... not change.  (BTW the LOR/DMX jumpers are set to LOR). My CMB24D is 3-4 yrs old.  Is it possible the firmware needs to be updates?  Does the CMB24D need to be configured somehow to enable operation on a DMS net? How do you connect your AlphaPix to your LOR controller?

[nunofernandes]

Have you gone into the web browser for the alphapix to configure the correct universe for the output to the CMB24D?