Cant wrap my head around this...

[Mouse51180]

Im trying to understand all this DMX lighting. I have purchased my first LOR controller to do a setup this year. I have played with the software quit abit and am comfortable with it all.

I am curious about all this DMX stuff thought. I understand that I would need to get the iDMX1000 controller to work any DMX products, but what exactly are the DMX products???

If I search for DMX products online all I find are more controllers. I hear people talking about fog machines and laser strobe lights and I can see how those would need a special connectionto run those, but are there just DMX string lights?

Im not really sure if I understand the full potential or capabilities of what exactly the DMX universe can do that can not be dont with just the regulare LOR package...(other then the super number of channels).

Thanks for any help you can offer on clearing this up. I have tried reading all the DMX 101 and DMX for dummies posting, but I think I just need it broken down a little more.

Thanks again
Mouse

[Ponddude]

DMX is not anymore difficult than LOR. In fact, DMX is more or less the industry standard when it comes to lighting controls. DMX was initially invented to control theater style lighting. However, the DIY world (including myself) have used DMX to create their own controllers and lighting fixtures.

There are countless websites out there that explain the limitations and how DMX works. However, a brief little explanation would be that DMX-512 only allows for 512 channels. It also only allows for 32 devices per network. I also talk about American Idol. I am always impressed by the lighting they have there. Ton's of strobes, moving heads and RGB lighting. I think American Idol has some of the worst videography but am always in awe of the DMX lighting they have.

The most common types of DMX lighting probably would be moving heads. These allow for different movements, colors, gobos and various other effects created from one single light. They are usually expensive but the effect is incredible. I used a moving head last year and loved the effect that came from it.

I personally buy from Music Trends.

http://www.musictrends.com/

There are tons of others sites as well that sell things. The most common supplier would probably be Chauvet.

http://www.chauvetlighting.com/

DMX also offers DMX packs which allows you to do what LOR does, fade, twinkle, shimmer with standard lights. You can plug lower cost theater spotlights or flood lights and have them controlled via DMX.

Like I said before, there are also DMX Christmas light controllers, mainly for the DIY world, but are very powerful. I use RJ's stuff, Lynx Equipment, as well as the DMX equipment I offer. RJ's site is here:

http://diylightanimation.com/

Don't be afraid of DMX. Do some research and you will fall in love with DMX.

[Frank A.]

Hi mouse

Check this link

It has a link to our website that has dmx download

powerpoint presentation ---- on different pages there are sketches of

both LOR network and DMX network

and you can find zman's link to his website that has a dmx

tutorial

http://lightorama.mywowbb.com/forum75/22355.html

'dmx lighting' is the phrase i use to search lighting equipment controlled

by a dmx signal

Frank A.

[Mouse51180]

I guess what I am wanting to do is more geared towards the cosmic color ribbons and I was thinking that there was a DMX solution that might be a little easier on the wallet.

Dont think I can afford to outline the house in CCR at $200 per 16ft.

Still when I search the DMX lighting I am still only seeing like stage lighting not really anything geared towards christmas lights.

I guess its back to the drawing board.

[Tim Fischer]

As the resident cheapskate, I've been exploring lower-cost options to the CCR. So far I haven't discovered any. If you are happy with having the whole ribbon being the same color instead of the individual pixels, there are options out there. But for the capabilities that the CCR has, it seems to be fairly priced.

[cenote]

As tim stated, the pricing of CCR is very fare in the market. I have dabbled into the DYI side making my own lights, and done a lot of research on cost of PER/pixel to control for custom RGM strings. So far, unless you have access to decoders and are very handy in electronics, the cheapest available out there for now is the CCR, and of coarse your getting the LOR name behind it. So any problems will be handled quickly, verses DYI.

[zman]

Mouse, I think you will be happy that you are starting to look at DMX now. Wheter you get the CCR or DMX now, really start to understand about DMX and things like RGB pixels etc..., IMHO this is where our hobby is going to get a boost in the very near future.

RGB Floods is this years rave. Some are manged by 12v others are DMX controlled. The advantage here is unlimited color washing. Greg (Ponddude) stated it very simply, it is just like LOR except that it is a universal standard. For some reason, DMX seems to strike fear into most, but if you say LOR, it's like, "oh yea, no big deal".

The biggest advantage you get with DMX is options. There are a ton of things you can do with it. Lights, strobes, foggers, snow, animatronics, lasers, RGB fixtures/pixels and on and on. These all make your show special and unique, in helping you create the memories you want your visitors to have.

The nice thing about LOR is that Dan Baldwin understands this, and he has opened up the LOR controllers to listen for DMX and LOR. A great move.

DMX is what people do when they want more than "Blinky, Flashy"