Little DMX help Please

[Shubb]

The reason you may have seen 6 different layouts to run DMX may be because 6 different people are using 6 different methods.

If you are using standard RGB strings or dumb strings you can use a LOR DC controller. You have complete control over the

color, but the entire string or strip will be the same color.

With the smart strings, or digital strings (or strips) you have complete control over every pixel (or bulb). So any pixel can be on/off and be any color at the same time. But you must use either a DMX decoder, or a pixel controller.

The Sandevices E682 mentioned above is one way. It is a pixel controller that will control and power digital strings and will run from LOR using E1.31. With one E682 you can run 1020 individual pixels.

Scott

[jgp01]

Ok I have a few questions about digital strips, If this is a bad place to start, I appologize and please re-direct me.

I am very comfortable with DMX and "dumb" RGB strips and actually use a lot of them in my display. Next year I'd like to add some digital strips, but the types and controllers etc. is mind boggling! Does anyone know any general particulars to look out for, or stay away from? Is there any pros or cons to any IC type (eg: 2811, 6803, 2801 etc etc etc).Or 5V vs. 12V? Is there a plus to powering each strip individually or from 1 "large" P.S.? Is there a really good FAQ anywhere that explains any of this any better (I know about the Auschristmas site and faq). I looked at the Sandevices site and their controllers and again there isn't very much info. Any Links or help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

[harrison0550]

Ok I have a few questions about digital strips, If this is a bad place to start, I appologize and please re-direct me.

I am very comfortable with DMX and "dumb" RGB strips and actually use a lot of them in my display. Next year I'd like to add some digital strips, but the types and controllers etc. is mind boggling! Does anyone know any general particulars to look out for, or stay away from? Is there any pros or cons to any IC type (eg: 2811, 6803, 2801 etc etc etc).Or 5V vs. 12V? Is there a plus to powering each strip individually or from 1 "large" P.S.? Is there a really good FAQ anywhere that explains any of this any better (I know about the Auschristmas site and faq). I looked at the Sandevices site and their controllers and again there isn't very much info. Any Links or help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

It looks like most of this thread is discussing "dumb" rgb products and the entec open dongle. It probably would have been better to start a new thread but you were spot on with the right section of the forums. I dont want to confuse anyone in this thread with "smart string info" so I sent you a pm answering all your questions.

[Ken Benedict]

Subject has been covered before,

here: http://forums.lightorama.com/index.php?/topic/22328-rbg-dumb-strips-how-many-can-be-connected-together/page__hl__+2811%20+6803#entry213266

and here: http://forums.lightorama.com/index.php?/topic/21785-few-questions-about-rgb/page__hl__+2811%20+6803#entry207689

and here: http://forums.lightorama.com/index.php?/topic/20547-stupid-dmx-newbie-question/page__hl__%2B2811+%2B6803

and there's much more from people who have asked these questions, gotten answers, and got the hardware working great.

Good luck searching (don't wear your mouse out).

[jgp01]

Thanks all!!

[Sgt. Christmas]

Rookie Trying to Understand

 

Ok guys and gals.  I'm so far behind the power curve on this sport that I'm trying to make up the ground entirely to fast and it's starting to make my head hurt.  Due to military obligations and never being home for the holidays because of that, I'm just starting.  I've pretty much got a good grip on LOR systems at this point even though I just started this year but I'm having problems understanding the LOR to DMX side of things.

 

I've done a bunch of research and there are a few sticking points that I'm having.  One being is the DMX "dongle" basically just the crossover from pins 4,5,6 for LOR to 1,2,7 for DMX or is there something else the dongle does to change the LOR signal to one DMX understands?  Can you run a crossover cat5 to control holidaycoro dumb controllers using the raw DMX thru the LOR controller?

 

I've purchased 2 HC dumb controllers and wired everything up and everything works fine when using it in XLights but It seems to not be working when using it in the LOR system for some reason.

 

Thank you in advance for any info/advice.

 

Travis

[Sgt. Christmas]

Rookie Trying to Understand

 

Ok guys and gals.  I'm so far behind the power curve on this sport that I'm trying to make up the ground entirely to fast and it's starting to make my head hurt.  Due to military obligations and never being home for the holidays because of that, I'm just starting.  I've pretty much got a good grip on LOR systems at this point even though I just started this year but I'm having problems understanding the LOR to DMX side of things.

 

I've done a bunch of research and there are a few sticking points that I'm having.  One being is the DMX "dongle" basically just the crossover from pins 4,5,6 for LOR to 1,2,7 for DMX or is there something else the dongle does to change the LOR signal to one DMX understands?  Can you run a crossover cat5 to control holidaycoro dumb controllers using the raw DMX thru the LOR controller?

 

I've purchased 2 HC dumb controllers and wired everything up and everything works fine when using it in XLights but It seems to not be working when using it in the LOR system for some reason.

 

Thank you in advance for any info/advice.

 

Travis

To add to this, tonight I've finally got the red and green sides of things to work directly from the computer using LOR software but for whatever reason blue isn't working on either.  When I let the controllers run in their stand alone operation everything works just fine (colors that is) so it's not a wiring issue on the controllers I don't believe.  The cat5 cable I fabricated is pins 1,2, and 7 on the dmx side and 4, 5, and 6 on the LOR side.  I know I could have done both on each side to make it not matter which side is connected into either system but didn't care much to take the time to do that being this late in the season and my learning curve.  That's more of an off season thing to do in my book.

[CRU1966]

FYI, I am using the HolidayCoro usb programming cable to run my LOR show so you shouldn't need a special LOR to DMX cable.  You will need to make a crossover cable though - pins 1,2 to 4,5 (not sure why you are using pins 6 and 7).  Also, the LOR software has some kind of DMX address issue.  In the LOR sequence I have the first DMX controller address as 1,2,3 (red, green, blue) but the actual DMX controller is programmed to 2,3,4 - basically the LOR sequence addresses for DMX need to be -1 to whatever addresses you actually have programmed in the DMX controller.  Hope that helps.  Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

Craig

[CRU1966]

I was a little unclear - I am using the HolidayCoro usb cable to run the DMX portion of my LOR show.  I use the regular LOR usb cable for my LOR controllers.  So the DMX is on a different/separate network than the LOR controllers.

 

Craig

[Sgt. Christmas]

I'll give that a little play later and see if that's what the issue is when it comes to why my blue isn't working.  That would make sense because all worked fine through XLights and running on the stand alone programs in the holidaycoro controllers.  As for the pins, if I remember correctly why it is, it's that the third is an actual ground to help avoid power surges in the event of moisture.  The 1,2 to 4,5 leave only the data negative to rebuff this where the pinning of 6 to 7 adds that extra ground and protection which you would normally just clip off anyways so might as well just solder it up and have that available.

 

Not 100% since I'm still learning but made sense with all my research on the subject so why not right.

[Ken Benedict]

FYI, I am using the HolidayCoro usb programming cable to run my LOR show so you shouldn't need a special LOR to DMX cable.  You will need to make a crossover cable though - pins 1,2 to 4,5 (not sure why you are using pins 6 and 7).  Also, the LOR software has some kind of DMX address issue.  In the LOR sequence I have the first DMX controller address as 1,2,3 (red, green, blue) but the actual DMX controller is programmed to 2,3,4 - basically the LOR sequence addresses for DMX need to be -1 to whatever addresses you actually have programmed in the DMX controller.  Hope that helps.  Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

Craig

 

There's been reported problems trying to use the programming cable as the show cable.

 

Use the Actidongle.

[Ken Benedict]

See also: http://forums.lightorama.com/index.php?/topic/22981-programming-holidaycoro-dmx-controller/

 

and: http://forums.lightorama.com/index.php?/topic/26122-lor-with-multiple-holidaycoro-3-channel-dmx-controllers/?p=245330

 

and the all important one: http://forums.lightorama.com/index.php?/topic/23185-lor-1-channel-frustration/

[Sgt. Christmas]

Craig,

 

You was 100% right on my blue.  Rather then being 10, 11, 12 and 20, 21, 22 as the two controllers are programmed.  It was 11,12, 13 and 21,22,23.  That made life a great deal easier trust me.  Just have to figure out the channel to color now since they aren't correct either but that's a non issue.

Thank you.