which dongle

[Dennis Laff]

I want to start using dmx with lor   anybody have any ideas on which dongle to use  idmx   enntec  or holiday coro actidongle?

[harrison0550]

Honestly I wouldnt use any of the above. Pre e1.31 over LOR they were the only choices to run dmx but now since LOR was gracious enough to give us e1.31 we can use e1.31 to dmx bridges that will give you multiple universes out of one device vs one universe per dongle. Cost wise and future expansion wise thy are much cheaper.......

 

http://www.diyledexpress.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=22&zenid=b13d5eaf5a83add62fc092e08185c0c0

 

or http://www.j1sys.com/ecg-d2/

 

or http://www.j1sys.com/ecg-d4/

 

I was hoping we would see an LOR version this year as well. I guess only time will tell.

 

Hope that helps

[Dennis Laff]

Can I use any of the boards above for dumb rgb strings or are they just for smart pixels thanks again Dennis

[harrison0550]

All of the boards I linked to are simply a way to get the dmx signal out of your pc. None of them are controllers themselves.

 

You will still need to have a controller. There are 2 main choices out right now when it comes to jumping into pixels and rgb. There are the products from LOR the CCR's, CCB's and CCP's that are awesome and require very little work to get up and running and there is the DIY world that requires a bit more research and time invesment but can be well worth it.

 

If the DIY world is more of what your looking for I would highly recommend downloading fasteddys lighting 101 manual here..... http://auschristmaslighting.com/forums/index.php/topic,1889.0.html

I couldnt tell you the amount of people who have had their aha moment just reading through that pdf and seeing all the diagrams etc.

 

You can also find myself and many other LOR users in the chat room on the Aussie forums to help out and answer any questions you may have.

[Dennis Laff]

Thanks for the info i'll check it out

[ryanfodgod]

Hey If i get the ecg-d4 I can still use any controllers right? or do i have to use p2 or the p12r?

[Steven]

Can I use any of the boards above for dumb rgb strings or are they just for smart pixels thanks again Dennis

Last year I wired several dumb RGB strings to these controllers ($9 each).

[harrison0550]

Hey If i get the ecg-d4 I can still use any controllers right? or do i have to use p2 or the p12r?

 

The d4 is simply an e1.31 to dmx bridge so you can hook up controllers like the one Steven linked to above or any other dmx conroller like Rays 27 channel boards or even your LOR controllers in DMX mode.

 

The P2 and P12 are pixel controllers that just hook directly up to your e1.31 network they dont require a bridge. The link I posted above has a breakdown of all the different controllers and how they hook up and diagrams with explinations of each.

 

 

The how it all goes together e1.31 presentation should also help make better sense of it all.   http://auschristmaslighting.com/forums/index.php/topic,1211.0.html

Edited April 16, 2013 by harrison0550

[ryanfodgod]

Sweet thanks for clearing that up for me! I was thinking of just getting the Holiday coro dongle. but after adding up all the channels i'm going to need for this years stuff i bought, i'm realizing ill need three universes. and the ecg-d4 is just a better fit! thanks getting excited for 2013's display..

[harrison0550]

No problem.

 

"DMX512 is a bus network no more than 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) long, with not more than 32 devices on a single bus"

 

If your adding up your channels and realized you need 3 universes keep the above in mind when buying controllers. While a universe is 512 it is limited to the amount of controllers you can put on each network. 

 

Example #1 take those little 3 channel dmx controllers Steven linked above 32 X 3 = 96 so you could really only use 96 channels of that universe because you maxed out the device limit.

 

Example #2 say you are using the 27 channel Ray Wu/ holiday coro controllers. Putting 18 of them on one universe = 486 channels. So going that route you are staying below the 32 device limit.

 

Make sense?

 

[ryanfodgod]

this is what im planning jumping into rgb this year.

 

 

                 6 strings of smart c9 nodes 42 pixels from seasonal entertainment--------756 channels

                 3 rainbow ribbons another 42 pixels from seasonal entertainment----------378 channels

                 6 100 count dumb strings from seasonal entertainment                ---------- 18 channels

                 9  100 count dumb strings from ray wu                                          ----------  27 channels

                 10 coro stars from holiday coro                                                       ---------  30 channels

           and 96 light o rama channels...

           just getting my feet wet with rgb i think this sounds right.                     totaling     1209 channels??????                 

[harrison0550]

Cool. I'm glad you posted that so I can break down how to control it for you or at least how I would personally control it.

 

6 strings of smart c9 nodes 42 pixels from seasonal entertainment--------756 channels

3 rainbow ribbons another 42 pixels from seasonal entertainment----------378 channels

 

All of these can be ran with either seasonal ent pixel controllers or a J1sys P2 or P12 or Sandevices 68X directly from the e1.31 network. Nothing else required to drive these than the controller as it will plug right up to your network.

 

                 6 100 count dumb strings from seasonal entertainment                ---------- 18 channels

                 9  100 count dumb strings from ray wu                                          ----------  27 channels

                 10 coro stars from holiday coro                                                       ---------  30 channels

 

Here is where you are going to need either a dongle or an e1.31 to dmx bridge to get the signal out to the controllers for these. Here you can use seasonal ent controllers, the 3 channel $10 controller steven posted above or the 27 channel ray wu/holiday coro controller.

 

96 light o rama channels...

 

I would leave these on thier own LOR 485 network. They perform best there and you want have to fool with renumbering channels or your LOR controllers.

 

 

So how would I do this setup...................

 

 

 

[harrison0550]

OR if you wanted to use the little 3 channel controllers for the stars or even strings rather than the 27 channel controllers....................

 

Now at the bottom coming out of the D4 you can easily daisy chain the 3 channel controllers one after the other up to 32 devices off of that one port on the D4. This is true for the 27 channel boards as well you can daisy chain them too. I only split things up to show how easy it is to hook everything up but you can absolutly keep adding dmx devices down the line just like you can with LOR controllers just as long as each has its own address. Also the pixel controller could have been a P12 or an e68X. Hopr that helps.

 

Edited April 16, 2013 by harrison0550

[ryanfodgod]

      Dude. more help than you know. I have six of the seasonal entertainment pixel controlers coming, and may buy three more for the rainbow ribbons. and thinking of ray wu's 27 channel controller for 9 mini trees. and holiday coros 3 channel controler with on board dip switch addressing.(ive heard the fading on these controllers is spot on.)        this is my second year with light o rama and i thought i would add some rgb this year. I quess I got carried away.  

 

here's a bad video from 2012 but you get the idea..

 

http://youtu.be/K_R8OaGcEN8

Edited April 17, 2013 by ryanfodgod

[harrison0550]

Hmmmmm well I didnt realize you already had controllers. That does change things a bit as the (someone correct me if I'm wrong) seasonal ent are not e1.31 controllers meaning they will need to hook up to the e1.31 to dmx bridge rather than directly up to the e1.31 network. I'm not familiar with the seasonal ent devices enough to give you real world experience answers on them. However they do have a downloads page here http://seasonalentertainmentllc.com/downloads.htm and from what I can tell none of the controllers are e1.31 as all their diagrams are using the elor, dongles or e1.31 to dmx bridges.

 

Edited April 17, 2013 by harrison0550

[ryanfodgod]

 Yeah I think your right. thats why I was leaning towards the ECG-D4. then id be good to go with any controllers.

[Ponddude]

Right now none of our lighting devices support E1.31 but its coming...

[rainyoregonchristmas]

Since we seem to be on questions about connecting SE stuff, I have one.  I tomorrow I will receive my G3-MP3 Director.  I also have   20 rainbow mini pixel strings from SE.  What, among all of the options suggested so far on this thread, would be the best for a connection between them?

 

This is for a standalone Mega Smart Pixel tree, there will be nothing else connected to the G3 except the pixels.

[Ponddude]

Folks, I will say it again and again and again...The 32 device limit and just splitting the DMX signal is the most worst idea possible.  Sure it will work but it will not work for long.  We had dozens and dozens of customers come to us last year during the season for Blenders and MultiPort Blenders because they used this idea of just splittling a data signal and it didn't work. They had failing nodes, signal degredation and it really ruined their idea of what their display should look like.  There are reasons this limit is set and it has been tested time and time again.  Sure it will work but chances are very good it won't for long...especially when you are using cheap Chinese products that are made with low cost components.  Really think about this wiring decision before you move forward with your projects and consider how much effort you may have to put into isolating problems during the season.

 

Greg

[Shubb]

Not only does Andy give a complete, detailed instruction....

 

He also includes little pictures and diagrams!!

 

 

OR if you wanted to use the little 3 channel controllers for the stars or even strings rather than the 27 channel controllers....................

 

Now at the bottom coming out of the D4 you can easily daisy chain the 3 channel controllers one after the other up to 32 devices off of that one port on the D4. This is true for the 27 channel boards as well you can daisy chain them too. I only split things up to show how easy it is to hook everything up but you can absolutly keep adding dmx devices down the line just like you can with LOR controllers just as long as each has its own address. Also the pixel controller could have been a P12 or an e68X. Hopr that helps.