Finalizing my first DMX order

[scubado]

I finally received a first payment from this remodel project I've been working and I'm putting together an order with Holiday Coro for 13, 3 channel controllers. The adapter for programming the controller channels, is it a USB cable with with the appliance end cut off and a RJ45 jack added on? Or is there more to this adaptor?

My next question is aimed at those that are running their DMX lights from just the USB485 adaptor. Is this method working well for you? Are you wishing you got an Anttec Pro or similar? What is a rough cutoff to switching to a pro adaptor? I know those that have them, love them. My DMX setup will be only 13 RGB channels.

[bdeditch]

scubado wrote:

The adapter for programming the controller channels, is it a USB cable with with the appliance end cut off and a RJ45 jack added on? Or is there more to this adaptor?

Thats about all it is and then you hook the ends into the Data wires, very easy

My next question is aimed at those that are running their DMX lights from just the USB485 adaptor. Is this method working well for you? Are you wishing you got an Anttec Pro or similar? What is a rough cutoff to switching to a pro adaptor? I know those that have them, love them. My DMX setup will be only 13 RGB channels.
Save yourself the hassles that everyone seems to have by just going off the extra LOR Usb, get yourself the Enttec or the Sirs Electronic knock off which work just as good

[crackchecker]

I second what bdeditch said. I have had a lot of issues with running my dmx off of the USB485 adaptor. Delays and lag... Has a lot to do with how fast your computer is. For the day after I custom built my computer, it screamed! But, by todays standards its using a walker...

The way I understand it is; the Enttec Pro (or similar unit) takes the stress off the computer processor.

[flogger7]

I have been very happy with this one:

http://www.holidaytechnologies.com/catalog/product.php?id_product=58

Use your USB485 for programming the controllers. You just need to make a cat5 cable that moves the signal from pins 4 and 5 over to pins 1 and 2.

The DMX fusion pro also works well because it has all 3 types of outputs; you can go directly onto RJ45 without a bunch of XLR to RJ45 adapters.

You can get the USB485 to work; but you probably will need to offset your channels +1 in the software vs what they are actually set to. Its a known issue.

[Steven]

scubado wrote:

The adapter for programming the controller channels, is it a USB cable with with the appliance end cut off and a RJ45 jack added on? Or is there more to this adaptor?

I believe there is a USB-to-serial chip located in the USB plug housing.

[scubado]

flogger7 wrote:

I have been very happy with this one:

http://www.holidaytechnologies.com/catalog/product.php?id_product=58

Use your USB485 for programming the controllers. You just need to make a cat5 cable that moves the signal from pins 4 and 5 over to pins 1 and 2.

The DMX fusion pro also works well because it has all 3 types of outputs; you can go directly onto RJ45 without a bunch of XLR to RJ45 adapters.

You can get the USB485 to work; but you probably will need to offset your channels +1 in the software vs what they are actually set to. Its a known issue.

Thanks for the advice and the link to the fusion pro. I had seen it once before and ran out of time trying to find the link to it again. I have the fusion on order and the DMX controllers. The RGB ribbons I'm waiting for final bill for my order.

Thanks to you others for responding also, everyones advise has been very helpful.

[JonB256]

crackchecker wrote:

I second what bdeditch said.  I have had a lot of issues with running my dmx off of the USB485 adaptor.  Delays and lag...  Has a lot to do with how fast your computer is.  For the day after I custom built my computer, it screamed!  But, by todays standards its using a walker...

The way I understand it is;  the Enttec Pro (or similar unit) takes the stress off the computer processor.

As you say, the Enttec Pro style USB dongle unloads the computer (and I can vouch for that because I used 3 of them last year), but you'll really like how much using E1.31 unloads it. USB Ports for any style adapter, particularly if you use two or more, create a noticeable amount of "interrupt" overhead. An Ethernet based DMX dongle (E1.31 or sACN or ArtNet) even eliminates that slowdown. Plus, many ethernet adapters provide 4 universes per adapter.

E1.31 support is coming (soon? eventually?) to LOR S3.
I'm ready.

[crackchecker]

JonB256 wrote:

As you say, the Enttec Pro style USB dongle unloads the computer (and I can vouch for that because I used 3 of them last year), but you'll really like how much using E1.31 unloads it. USB Ports for any style adapter, particularly if you use two or more, create a noticeable amount of "interrupt" overhead. An Ethernet based DMX dongle (E1.31 or sACN or ArtNet) even eliminates that slowdown. Plus, many ethernet adapters provide 4 universes per adapter.

E1.31 support is coming (soon? eventually?) to LOR S3.
I'm ready.

I can't wait. well, actually I am... I'm figuring that when LOR decides to release the E1.31 support that everything you need to run dmx will change in priority. I once thought that 512 channels would be hard to eat up in dmx until i started to really layout my show and what I wanted to do. The universe went by by fast.

[JonB256]

Yes, last year was my first LOR & DMX year. It became clear that, for location and channel count purposes, I would need three universes. I had lots of open channels per universe (~1000 of available 1536) but it made wiring easier.

I used one ENTTEC Pro USB dongle and two Lynx USB DMX dongles. There were a few times (not in the same spot each time) that the show would pause for a very long 1/2 second, then catch up. I'm certain it was USB related.

[scubado]

Last Friday I received my 12 DMX controllers from Holiday Coro. Yesterday I received my Fusion Pro from Holiday Technologies and today received my 23 rolls of RGB ribbon. Now I have some work and learning ahead of me. :cool:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220961447959&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123 I don't know how to get the frown out of the link, but the link works.

[scubado]

I replaced my home made RGBW light tubes on my garage eave tonight with RGB ribbon. OMG! what a difference! My old lights used 5mm leds, the ribbons have an even light spread and do a better job lighting the garage. So far I only tried them with a battery hooked up, needed to check my solder joints before hooking up to a controller in case I bridged a joint. I would've had time to get a controller hooked up, but I couldn't find where I put the soldering iron that I was using earlier.

[bdeditch]

scubado wrote:

I replaced my home made RGBW light tubes on my garage eave tonight with RGB ribbon. OMG! what a difference! My old lights used 5mm leds, the ribbons have an even light spread and do a better job lighting the garage. So far I only tried them with a battery hooked up, needed to check my solder joints before hooking up to a controller in case I bridged a joint. I would've had time to get a controller hooked up, but I couldn't find where I put the soldering iron that I was using earlier.

If you want to see bright, you should see the LED Fluorescent tubes I got, not made in China but the US. One of those could replace 2 of the regular ones. And they run off a driver like the strip lights.