johnson8ryley Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Alright well, here it goes. Over the last 2 weeks I've been reading and learning about DMX. Currently I have a show with 4 LOR boxes with a LOR USB to cat 5 converter (came with starter package) but that is soon going to change. I plan on buying http://www.aliexpress.com/product-fm/491662850-5m-DC12V-LPD6803-digital-led-flexible-strip-with-DMX-LPD6803-controller-waterproof-by-silicon-tubing-wholesalers.html since it's basically a complete setup but what I'm confused about is how this all hooks up. I know that it goes PC>USB DMX Dongle>DMX Controller>DMX Device but I already have a USB converter connected for the boxes. 1) How would this setup work? 2) Can the DMX controller go Cat 5 and plug up to one of my other boxes? 3) What DMX Dongle would you guys recommend Also, I'm going to replace my arches with these stripes. How would each strip hook up? I'm sorry but I feel like I'm very close to finally figuring out how DMX works and if you guys could help me out, I'd appreciate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bretk Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 You need to separate your universes, bite the bullet and get an enttec pro, run it from a separate USB port, pick up or build dmx 5 pin to cat 5 adaptor for the enttec, run cat 5 to your kit from ray, and wire it into one of the 3 pin dmx plugs that come with the dmx 512 box, add power, hook up your ribbon, set up your dmx universe as in the excellent videos you can find in this forum, and sequence away in LOR S3 after you have created your rgb channels in the sequence editor. It's really not that hard once you wrap your mind around the integration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bretk Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Jeff,Good point about lors magic box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CShuler Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Jeff,Just wanted to say thanks for providing the link to David's videos explaining about RGB options. Can't remember which thread I initially saw your link, but had to say THANKS! Coming in as a newbie, this is all quite overwhelming, and I want to be sure to get what I want to do what I want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryMartin Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I'll second Jeff's comments here. I've tested most of the common chipsets and the 2801 works far better under DMX control than the 6803s.2801 based units are what I built my megatree with this year. Very nice fades at low levels but man, they're ridiculously bright at full power.The TSL3001 is also a very nice chipset, 12 bit color instead of the 8 bit that the 6803 and 2801 use. Bit better gamma correction on it too. Jim StJohn made a slick video panel for his display this year using the 3001 and it did a much better job creating proper color levels and contrast.Jeff Millard wrote:You may want to reconsider buying 6803 smart strips. Take a look at the videos on David Moore's Vimeo page in the link in my signature. 2801 strips are far better suited for DMX. LOR has used some technical wizardry to make 6803 strips dim well with the number of steps available in the 6803 chip. Dimming each of the three colors is how they are combined to create colors. there are 3 videos in the middle of the bunch about RGB devices that are very telling, and indicate how the steps will hobble your ability to create color. In one case, the 2801 has 8 steps prior to the 6803 first light. 8 to 1.Each color of a 2801 strip has 256 steps. If you enable DMX programming in the sequence editor you will have 256 x 256 x 256 colors. I think this is a no contest choice... but that's just my 2 cents. I have a 2801 strip and controller on order right now.Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny M. Carter Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Gary, do you prefer 5V or 12V? Why please?Donny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryMartin Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Pros and Cons to both. Here are some of the ones I'm aware of:5v - Lower power consumption, less power waste. (Pro) Can only go about 30 to 40 pixels before needing another power injection (Con)12v - Long runs possible without loss of "white" at full on. (Pro) 12v is easier to transport than 5v, more line loss with the lower voltage, have to be more careful tweaking the power supply. (Pro) 12v pixels get warm to hot when on full white for very long. Worries about device longevity because of the heat dissipation (Con) Since it's 12v, power on most pixels/strips are being dropped with resistors. Not quite enough room to pack constant current circuitry in there. Resistors waste power, creat heat (Con)My strings were 42 pixels, about 22' long. Yes, I can see a difference in white from the first to the last when viewing it in a static On, up close. No, I don't think it made any difference in how the tree looked so I went with the 5 volt version. If it bugs me enough in the future, I can always add another power tap to the *end* of the strings as well.I used 14-2 outdoor low voltage cabling to run the six runs from my power supplies to the three controllers. It was about 25' for each run. I am using adjustable power supplies so I then tweaked them up to about 5.2 volts at the controller with everything off. It drops to about 4.95 volts with everything full on. I thought that was a good compromise. I wanted my power supplies in the basement, but if you put them next to your controllers outside you can avoid that issue.Donny M. Carter wrote:Gary, do you prefer 5V or 12V? Why please?Donny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny M. Carter Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Thanks Gary for the great info!Donny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdeditch Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Donny M. Carter wrote: Thanks Gary for the great info!DonnyI agree great info. I have seen some DMX amplifiers LED RGB strip light Amplifier 10A 3 Rd just wondering if anyone has ever used these Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnson8ryley Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 Well guys thanks for the amazing responses. I'll look into the 2801 strip but really, I'm not sure how much dimming ill be doing with the arches. If they can dim a little bit, well, i might just be fine with the 6801's. Bret, your my bear of bad news but you've really helped me out. I really don't want to have to buy the enttec usb pro but I guess I'll have to. So, now that i know I have to get the enttec usb pro, how would this setup work? Computer>enttec pro>enttec pro to dmx controller via 5 pin to cat 5 adaptor>DMX512 controller via cat 5 to 3 pin dmx>RGB strip. Does that sound right? I'm a little confused though b/c the kit on ray wu's has 2 controllers? what for? is one just a power box or what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny M. Carter Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Give us a link for the strips your looking at. Maybe we can help you figure it out!Donny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnson8ryley Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 Donny, I think I'm going to use the 6801 setup from ray wu on my first post but, I'm also looking at this: http://www.cablehdtvs.com/products/Magic-LED-Strip-RGB-WS2801-IC-chips-SMD5050-with-Controller.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny M. Carter Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Sorry, can't believe I missed the first link. I have some of the 6803 from Ray! Here is a very short chase video with 3 strips connected end to end! The second strips are better dimming, but I'm not sure how well that controller will work with S3! More than likely it will be in a static type position and you would use S3 to change the effects. So you could find a more user friendly 2801 dmx controller and strip from Ray. I have more stuff coming from Ray this week, 2801 stuff. So I may decide on not using my 3, 6803 strips and dmx controller!Donny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnson8ryley Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 Donny, your my man that i need to talk to. How does this hookup go then? Right now I'm thinking it goes: Computer>enttec pro>enttec pro to dmx controller via 5 pin to cat 5 adaptor>DMX512 controller via cat 5 to 3 pin dmx>RGB strip but how do you have yours hooked up? Also, what dongle are you using? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnson8ryley Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 Also, Donny if you have maybe 5 minutes of spare time...could you make a video of how this is all hooked up? I'm more of a visual person so reading all this isn't very helpful. If you just showed how each one hooks up, that would help a lot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny M. Carter Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I'm using the LOR USB485. The hookup is computer> USB485> cat5 to 3 pin dmx cable> dmx controller> strip. I can make a video, but it will be a few days. It's a very simple setup.Also PM sent!Donny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnson8ryley Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 what converter are you using in your video? is that white cable a cat 5 which plugs into a DMX converter which goes to a DMX box? with that 6801 bundle, are you even using the other black box with the green plugs? sorry but your setup is basically what I'm imagining and I'm getting happy b/c hopefully I can get some serious help haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny M. Carter Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 johnson8ryley wrote:what converter are you using in your video? is that white cable a cat 5 which plugs into a DMX converter which goes to a DMX box? with that 6801 bundle, are you even using the other black box with the green plugs? sorry but your setup is basically what I'm imagining and I'm getting happy b/c hopefully I can get some serious help hahaI'm going straight from my LOR UBS485 to the dmx controller from Ray with a cable I made. Pins 4,5,&6 of the cat5 go to the 3 pins of the xlr jack!Donny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnson8ryley Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 So guys, sorry but I feel stupid. I thought that this http://www.aliexpress.com/fm-store/701799/209915969-314083682/LT-6803-DMX-Decoder-DC5-24V-input-LPD6803-specific-protocol-output-signal-Max256-steps-.html was two boxes b/c of the front and the back picture lol. so really, it goes Computer>enttec pro>enttec pro to dmx controller via 3pin to 5 pin converter>RGB stripwould anyone recommend any other DMX dongle? I'm up for suggestions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geronc Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 johnson8ryley wrote:would anyone recommend any other DMX dongle? I'm up for suggestionsThere is something else that works other than the enttec pro with LOR? J/K. Get the pro, you won't be disappointed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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