G3 Mp3 quick question before summer sale ends!

[crowninb]

I have purchased a G3 MP3 player and am now going to purchase 6 more ccr to give me a 12 ccr tree. My question is and sorry if it is a dumb one but what exactly plugs into the two networking ports on the G3 MP3 player? is it a standard USB cable which then leads to my first CCR controller or is it a USB485 connection? If its the second one then i need to buy two of the new HS485 connections. If its the first one then i just have to have cat 5 cable running out to my first controller and there is a 500k setting somewhere in the software on the MP3 player???

 

thanks any help is great would like to order soon but dont want to buy the new HS485 unless i have to. 

 

Brice

[Don]

The G3 MP3 Director supports 500k speeds, so no need to get the new -HS adapters.

 

The G3 MP3 Director will run your show without a computer. You will use either the Simple Show Builder or LOR Hardware Utility (MP3 Tab) to create the shows and place them on an SD card.

 

It can handle multiple networks, so you are going to connect it to your other controllers with CAT5 cable. Note that due to the multiple network support the device can *not* be in the middle of the controllers. It must be the first (or last, depending on how you look at it) controller in line.

[crowninb]

thank you don really appreciate the quick response. I am excited to try this out with my new 12 ccr tree

 

brice

[Orville]

The G3 MP3 Director supports 500k speeds, so no need to get the new -HS adapters.

 

The G3 MP3 Director will run your show without a computer. You will use either the Simple Show Builder or LOR Hardware Utility (MP3 Tab) to create the shows and place them on an SD card.

 

It can handle multiple networks, so you are going to connect it to your other controllers with CAT5 cable. Note that due to the multiple network support the device can *not* be in the middle of the controllers. It must be the first (or last, depending on how you look at it) controller in line.

Interesting you say the new G3 MP3 Directors have to be 1st or last.  I use the prior generation MP3 Showtime Director and I can put it in the middle of my controllers and it works just fine.  Matter of fact my 2012 Halloween and Christmas Display my MP3 Showtime Director was feeding controllers 2 and 4 in front of my house, and controllers 1,3, and 5 at the back of my house, MP3 Director cat5 went from Cat5 Jack1 on the director to controllers 2 and 4, Cat5 Jack2 on the MP3 Director went to controllers 1,3 and 5.  

 

So I'm curious what changed in the G3 that makes it have to be 1st or last, and couldn't be put in the middle between controllers?

 

As I've done it that way ever since I started with LOR in 2010 and using an MP3 Showtime Director for my first show.

 

So very interested in knowing why the new G3 MP3 Showtime Director can not be utilized in the same manner?    

 

Since I was considering buying a new G3 MP3 Showtime Director, after reading that I'm not too sure I'd want one, as the way my show and controllers are set up, my MP3 Director NEEDS to be in the middle of the chain for optimal placement to the controllers at each end of the house.

 

Or am I missing something or not completely understanding where the MP3 Director can be put?  Because it sure sounds like I can't put a G3 MP3 Director in place of where I use my current older generation MP3 Showtime Director.

Edited July 9, 2013 by Orville

[Don]

Look at the picture.

http://store.lightorama.com/g3mp3director.html

 

Network 1 and Network 2 are shown on the box.

 

You could use it in the middle, but you would need to break up your display into two networks.

 

If you don't want to do that, then you have to put it at the end/start of the chain.

[Orville]

Don, I have to admit, I'm still confused. 

 

From the photo of the G3 MP3 Showtime Director I see Net 1 as 2 Cat 5 jacks and Net 2 as a single Cat 5 jack, so if I'm seeing that right, there are actually 3 separate Cat 5 jacks on the G3 MP3 Director.

 

But I still don't get why it could not be put in the middle if Controllers 1-4 are split into two locations from Net 1,and controller 5 {and possibly above are} on Net 2.  However, I'm not quite sure I understand the difference in Net 1 and Net 2.   

 

To me, it looks like if I had controllers 1-4 on Net 1, that is controller 1 and 2 on one Cat 5 jack on Net 1 and controllers 3 and 4 on the second Cat 5 jack on Net 1 and then Controller 5 on the Cat 5 jack on Net 2, would that be considered at the beginning of the controllers starting with controller 5 and any successive controllers could be put on Net 2? 

 

Or would this scenario not work because controllers 1 - 4 are on Net 1 and Controller 5 is on Net 2 and the unit is in the middle of the Net 1 controllers?

 

Would any successive controllers on Net 2 start after controller 5 and be considered in the correct chain of controllers, i.e. controller 5, 6, 7, 8 could be on Net 2 and controllers 1-4 on Net 1 with the G3 Director in the middle of controllers 1-4?

 

This really does have me a bit perplexed on how the Net 1 and Net 2 Cat 5 jacks actually operate on the new G3 MP3 Showtime Director unit.    I've read through the manual that's available, but not sure I'm really getting this aspect of the new G3 MP3 Director.

 

Any pictoral diagrams anywhere that may help clarify this better?

[Don]

Don, I have to admit, I'm still confused.

 

Okay. Let's see what we can do.

 

From the photo of the G3 MP3 Showtime Director I see Net 1 as 2 Cat 5 jacks and Net 2 as a single Cat 5 jack, so if I'm seeing that right, there are actually 3 separate Cat 5 jacks on the G3 MP3 Director.

 

For Net 1 there is an RJ11 and an RJ45 jack. For Net 2 there is a single RJ45.

 

But I still don't get why it could not be put in the middle if Controllers 1-4 are split into two locations from Net 1,and controller 5 {and possibly above are} on Net 2.  However, I'm not quite sure I understand the difference in Net 1 and Net 2.   

 

To me, it looks like if I had controllers 1-4 on Net 1, that is controller 1 and 2 on one Cat 5 jack on Net 1 and controllers 3 and 4 on the second Cat 5 jack on Net 1 and then Controller 5 on the Cat 5 jack on Net 2, would that be considered at the beginning of the controllers starting with controller 5 and any successive controllers could be put on Net 2? 

 

Or would this scenario not work because controllers 1 - 4 are on Net 1 and Controller 5 is on Net 2 and the unit is in the middle of the Net 1 controllers?

 

I believe I said you could put the G3MP3 in the middle if you used two networks. In this theoretical example, controllers 1-4 would be on Net1, and 5-8 on Net2.

 

Would any successive controllers on Net 2 start after controller 5 and be considered in the correct chain of controllers, i.e. controller 5, 6, 7, 8 could be on Net 2 and controllers 1-4 on Net 1 with the G3 Director in the middle of controllers 1-4?

 

5-8 can be on Net2. Remember, though, you have to configure your sequences for multiple networks, just as if you were using a computer and multiple USB adapters.

 

This really does have me a bit perplexed on how the Net 1 and Net 2 Cat 5 jacks actually operate on the new G3 MP3 Showtime Director unit.    I've read through the manual that's available, but not sure I'm really getting this aspect of the new G3 MP3 Director.

 

Any pictoral diagrams anywhere that may help clarify this better?

 

C = Controller

<-> = Cable

G3 = Director

 

 

C <-> C <-> C <-> C <-> G3 <-> C <-> C <-> C <-> C

 

Everything on the left of the "G3" would be connected to Net1. Everything to the right would be connected to Net2.

 

[Gary Levelius]

One situation I think Don didn't mention is if your sequence only uses one network, then both RJ45 (CAT5) jacks become Net 1 just as they were in the previous Show director model.

 

-Gary-

[Don]

One situation I think Don didn't mention is if your sequence only uses one network, then both RJ45 (CAT5) jacks become Net 1 just as they were in the previous Show director model.

 

-Gary-

 

That must be a change from last year then, as that was not the case in 2012.

 

Will have to test that out.

[Don]

Gary,

 

Just looked it up in the most recent documentation. They did change it from the early versions that were out there.

 

Thanks for mentioning it.

[Ken Benedict]

Orville, use one of these on one port of the G3 MP3 Showtime Director: http://store.lightorama.com/rsnere.html

 

One input, two outputs.

 

Then go wherever you need that makes you happy.

[Orville]

 

Okay. Let's see what we can do.

 

 

For Net 1 there is an RJ11 and an RJ45 jack. For Net 2 there is a single RJ45.

 

 

I believe I said you could put the G3MP3 in the middle if you used two networks. In this theoretical example, controllers 1-4 would be on Net1, and 5-8 on Net2.

 

 

5-8 can be on Net2. Remember, though, you have to configure your sequences for multiple networks, just as if you were using a computer and multiple USB adapters.

 

 

C = Controller

<-> = Cable

G3 = Director

 

 

C <-> C <-> C <-> C <-> G3 <-> C <-> C <-> C <-> C

 

Everything on the left of the "G3" would be connected to Net1. Everything to the right would be connected to Net2.

Thanks Don.  That cleared it up.   I didn't know the G3 had a telephone jack on it, as the older MP3 Director I have has 2 Cat 5 and no telephone jack.   So by looking at what I could see of the G3 Director, I presumed it was 3 cat 5 jacks, 2 on Net 1 and 1 on Net 2 and that's what was actually creating the confusion to me.

[Orville]

One situation I think Don didn't mention is if your sequence only uses one network, then both RJ45 (CAT5) jacks become Net 1 just as they were in the previous Show director model.

 

-Gary-

Interesting Gary.  I was unaware of that since each area was labeled as a different network,   That also would help clear up the confusion I was getting by looking at the G3 Director photo.  As I thought it was 3 RJ45 {Cat5} jacks, not just two and a telephone jack, which the older model MP3 Showtime Director I have only has 2 RJ45 {Cat5} jacks on it and NO telephone jack.   Since the jacks on the G3 weren't clearly photographed in a way to show their detail, I presumed they were all of the RJ45 type.