upsdude9351 Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 This is my first post so please be gentle,, 16 channel LOR programmer, 4000+ led lights and I have pretty well mastered this form of programming. I am currently only using 13 of said 16 channels on my box, I currently have the basic software. I have been reading and looking @ videos till my head is spinning as far as incorporating DMX? My question is can I purchase the LOR IDMX, and incorporate that into my current equipment?, upgrading to the pro software is not a big deal,...And if I do purchase the LOR IDMX is it easier to incorporate into the show, rather than say the ENTTEC PRO? Will the LOR IDMX or ENTTEC PRO, truelly give me 512 more channels of programming capabilities as far as rgbs?, Or will I have to purchase more controllers? I am trying to use the K.I.S.S. method, "keep it simple stupid", here!!,, and yes that kiss method is my motto!,, any help or input from the "well versed", or "been there done that", would be greatly appreciated??? TIA,,,,,, :? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Benedict Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Yes, you can add the LOR iDMX unit to your existing CAT5 loop and it will give you 512 more dmx channels to play with.That's the easiest way, in my opinion. Not the cheapest, but the simplest. You can also use the Hardware Utility to test it. It will also run from a Director card. Cost about $250.Or, you could choose to use the ENTTEC PRO and get the same 512 channels. Cost about $150. But you have to use another usb port on your computer. It will not run from a Director card; only a PC. The Hardware Utility (at the moment) does not support testing through the Enttec, so you would have to use a 3rd party piece of software to test with. Cumbersome, but workable.Any others want to chime in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrison0550 Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 I'd say that's just about got it covered. If price isn't an issue then yea you could buy the IDMX and call it a day but to answer your other question you will still need controllers after the IDMX or enttec to control your rgb lights. Depending on what type of lights you are interested in. Say you just want the "dumb" rgb strips or strings then you would need a controller hooked up to them and then hooked to the IDMX or enttec.The cheapest way is to use either the enttec or the LOR usb485 as the connection to your show pc and connect the $7 dmx controllers from holiday coro or if you just wanted to use "dumb" strips you could get a LOR dc board and run 5 of them off that without any dmx controllers. Honestly there are so many different ways to incorporate rgb into your setup that it's hard to give you a straight "do this" answer without knowing what kind of lights you are looking to purchase or what kind of affect you are wanting achieve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Jones Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 one limitation of the iDMX is the number of intelligent channels. there are only 128 channels that can be running an advanced function at any one particular time i.e fade twinkle shimmer.with that in mind...If you plan on using less than 42 nodes (individual rgb leds) or 42 rgb strips then the iDMX is the simplestIf you plan on using more then Enttec Pro is probably going to better for you, although this will also require a software upgrade to the advanced level.Another consideration is to purchase a Cosmic Color Ribbon (CCR) from LOR- which will give you a RGB device with a controller and can be controlled through LOR- This would probably be the least expensive of all the options as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Dr. Jones wrote: one limitation of the iDMX is the number of intelligent channels. there are only 128 channels that can be running an advanced function at any one particular time i.e fade twinkle shimmer.On the other hand, if you go with "native" DMX, using the Enttec Pro or the USB485, then your computer has to do the "intelligent" effects (fade, twinkle, shimmer). Depending on the speed of your CPU, it may not be able to make these effects as smooth as the iDMX (or straight LOR). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Jones Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Steven wrote: Dr. Jones wrote: one limitation of the iDMX is the number of intelligent channels. there are only 128 channels that can be running an advanced function at any one particular time i.e fade twinkle shimmer.On the other hand, if you go with "native" DMX, using the Enttec Pro or the USB485, then your computer has to do the "intelligent" effects (fade, twinkle, shimmer). Depending on the speed of your CPU, it may not be able to make these effects as smooth as the iDMX (or straight LOR).My "other brand" Enttec Pro copy handled the fading rather smoothly as compared tp my Enttec open. The pro does some of the processing on the hardware compared to making the PC doing all the work. Just remember DMX is only 8-bit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upsdude9351 Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 Thank You all for the insight,, I believe I am going to go with the idmx,, I am trying to keep this as simple as possible,,, I do not mind paying a few extra bucks for simplicity, reliablilty and a little less frustration,, and possibly adding on some ccr's later,, thank you guys again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upsdude9351 Posted February 27, 2012 Author Share Posted February 27, 2012 ok,, doing a little more "research" here. Can the LOR IDMX run; say, dj lights with dipswitch programmable addresses like this,, http://www.stageape.com/pages/barrier.html these lights come with their own power supply plug and are master or slave compatible,, And if so is there any more boards or hardware (besides cabels), that need to be incorporated into the system? Like I said before I am trying to K.I.S.S. it here, and please dont take the link as a distraction to LOR, merely just a "scenario", :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denny Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 I run dmx controlled lasers, moving heads, snow machine, fog machine, etc. with the iDMX 1000 -- no problems at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Jones Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 I have run American DJ DJspot300 moving heads with the iDMX with no issues, in addition to snow machines and Color Kinetics products Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ponddude Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 This has helped a tremendous amount of people, so I would recommend reading over it. It explains the use of the iDMX, native DMX and LOR networks all playing nice together.http://seasonalentertainmentllc.com/pdf/UnderstandingDMX.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdeditch Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 I just noticed there is an update for LOR that some DMX upgrades are in it as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upsdude9351 Posted March 24, 2012 Author Share Posted March 24, 2012 OK, back for more,, received the idmx100, plugs,wiring etc. also purchased 2 eliminator lighting, ELECTRO 86. I have changed the i.d. address of the idmx to 10 and also 3, also upgraded from basic to the advanced software, communication is fine in HU, but when i try programming a sequence I get nothing out of the dmx lights through the sequence editor. I have tried adjusting the values to dmx @ maximum as well as lor @ 100%. I have 2 lor 16s in the network and then connect to the idmx through cat5. Keep in mind these are 4 channel rgb dj lights, the 4th channel is intensity/strobe, the first lights address is set to 1 the second is set to 8 as that is the next lowest available "dipswitch" address. I get full function from these in HU, with these light connected through the xlr inputs. In sequence editor I have "allowed" dmx editing,"converted" rgb channels, tried grouping channels, and still nothing through sequence editor. Am I doing something wrong with addressing?, software?,is it the 4th channel on these lights not allowing them to function? I go from comp=usb485=controller 1=controller 2= idmx, all through the cat 5 line. Does the idmx require a second comm port? GRRRRR,, please help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 upsdude9351 wrote: I have changed the i.d. address of the idmx to 10 and also 3, also upgraded from basic to the advanced software, When you run the sequence editor, does it say "Light-O-Rama Sequence Editor v3.2.4 Advanced" in the title? If it doesn't say "Advanced", then you can't control ID 10. What does "and also 3" mean?If it works through the Hardware Utility, then you don't need to make any hardware changes.Double-check the channel configuration to make sure you have the correct controller number for the iDMX (10) and the correct channel number (1 and 8) for the devices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upsdude9351 Posted March 26, 2012 Author Share Posted March 26, 2012 the version does say 3.2.4 advanced,, 3 was the first unit i i tried setting the idmx to as it is the 3rd controller in the network, it has now been changed back to 10, still nothing out of the lights in s.e. I have changed the dmx address on the lights from 1 all the way up to 128 and still no response. In s.e. I have enabled dmx editing, added channels, numbered them, allocated them to universe 1 and still no response, using both dmx values as well as lor values? Do you think it is the 4th channel not allowing these to work? channel 4 is the intensity. am i doing something wrong when converting these channels to rgb in s.e.?:shock: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upsdude9351 Posted March 26, 2012 Author Share Posted March 26, 2012 and after reading the seasonal entertainment guide "again", i noticed it stated that the listener com port would be open and running in a DOS window? I have never seen this window? Do I need a crossover cat 5 cable going from my traditional lor controller into the IDMX?, as I am communicating with the lights via XLR? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denny Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 You may have already answered this question as I have not gone back through the thread and read it for some time. But, how do you have your iDMX1000 set up in the configuration? Do you have it set as a LOR Controller or DMX universe? It should be set as a Light-O-Rama Controller, not as a DMX universe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 upsdude9351 wrote: allocated them to universe 1 and still no response, That sounds like your problem.As seen by the sequence editor, the iDMX1000 is not a DMX Universe.Your channel configuration needs to have "Device Type" set as "Light-O-Rama Controller". Unit should be 3 or 10, depending on how you have the iDMX1000 set.and after reading the seasonal entertainment guide "again", i noticed it stated that the listener com port would be open and running in a DOS window?That only applies to a "RAW DMX" device, like the Enttec. It does not apply to the iDMX1000.Do I need a crossover cat 5 cable going from my traditional lor controller into the IDMX?, as I am communicating with the lights via XLR?The iDMX is a converter, meaning it speaks 100% LOR on its Cat5 side. You do not need a crossover cables. Your DMX devices connect to the XLR connector on the iDMX1000.By the way, I see Denny posted the same thing while I was typing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upsdude9351 Posted March 26, 2012 Author Share Posted March 26, 2012 WOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!HOUSTON WE HAVE DMX FUNCTION IN S.E.!!!!!!!!! Thank You guys verrrrry much! you just made me the happiest guy in the world!! yes im simple! Thank You :] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denny Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 upsdude9351 wrote: WOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!HOUSTON WE HAVE DMX FUNCTION IN S.E.!!!!!!!!! Thank You guys verrrrry much! you just made me the happiest guy in the world!! yes im simple! Thank You :]Don't feel bad, I have had my iDMX1000 for several years. This year, with the implementation of DMX in LOR, I tried to do the same thing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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