WayneKremer Posted October 7, 2007 Share Posted October 7, 2007 From what I understood earlier, the ELL's and iDMX32 controller will work together with no problems. Now...where is the iDMX32 to be connected in the daisychain? Can it be connected mid-stream or is it required to be at the end?Reason? I'm planning on using controlling four LOR1602W's and fourteen DMX devices remotely using ELL's. Does the iDMX32 have an in and out CAT5 connectors like the controllers have? Thx! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LightORamaJohn Posted October 7, 2007 Share Posted October 7, 2007 The iDMX1000 does have two network connectors and will work with ELLs. You can access DMX channels 1-256 using either LOR I or LOR II software. This will be upgraded to 512 later in LOR II. Here is the brochure.http://www.lightorama.com/Documents/iDMX1000.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WayneKremer Posted October 8, 2007 Author Share Posted October 8, 2007 Ah! Excellent! Thank you!Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medman2000 Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 LightORamaJohn wrote: The iDMX1000 does have two network connectors and will work with ELLs. You can access DMX channels 1-256 using either LOR I or LOR II software. This will be upgraded to 512 later in LOR II. Here is the brochure.http://www.lightorama.com/Documents/iDMX1000.pdfHrm, I clearly have missed something as this is the first I've heard of the iDMX1000? Is this available and should I quit placing orders for the idmx32? Can someone clarify for me? Thanks! I have 17 dmx fixtures with too many channels to count, I just figured I'd need more than one idmx32, someone help!thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lkcubsrule Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 Well, it all depends on what kind of DMX fixture you have! If they are 17 moving yokes, they probably you'll need more than 1. If it's 17 fog machines, then you'll only need one.The reason you think you need extras is for the "smart" channels. Fog machines use "dumb channels"...which require no 'calculation' by the computer. It's either ON or OFF. On the other hand, If you have a moving yoke or scanner, and tell it to go to Point A @ 32.5 seconds, and be at Point B by 37 seconds, the "smartness" figures out how fast it should move, which way (up/down), etc. And, the 32 "smart" channels 'float' throughout...so you can have as many devices needing smart channels as you want, but only 32 can receive smartness at once. I would guess that just about nobody here will need more than 32 smart channels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WayneKremer Posted October 9, 2007 Author Share Posted October 9, 2007 I think he is referring to the name change. It sounds like the iDMX32 is now called the iDMX1000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medman2000 Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 I guess both. If the idmx32 is now called the 1000, easy enough. But maybe I even missed how the idmx32 works? It's 32 intelligent channels (I think I get what that means now) but can it otherwise control more than 32 "regular" channels? Like I have 12 units that each say they have 6 DMX channels (colorsplash200b):[*]6-channel DMX-512 LED washlight [*]Blackout/static/dimmer/strobe [*]Selector switch for sound active or automatic programs [*]Static colors and RGB color mixing in master/slave mode via dipswitches [*]Built-in automated programs via master/slave or DMX [*]Built-in sound activated programs via master/slave or DMX So I thought I needed 72 dmx channels, so ordered 3 of the iDMX 32. But it looks like none would be "intelligent" channels. So do I only need one iDMX32 controller for this?Thanks guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lkcubsrule Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 Hate to break it to you...but YEP!DMX can handle up to 512 channels (32 smart channels). After that, you move on to another DMX box.From those speces...It doesn't look like you'll even NEED smart channels! You might need it for color mixing....but I doubt it. I guess you can return 2! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LightORamaJohn Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 medman2000 wrote: I guess both. If the idmx32 is now called the 1000, easy enough. But maybe I even missed how the idmx32 works? It's 32 intelligent channels (I think I get what that means now) but can it otherwise control more than 32 "regular" channels? Like I have 12 units that each say they have 6 DMX channels (colorsplash200b)The iDMX32 hs been renamed to the iDMX-1000. The hardware can reference al 512 DMX channels, but right now LOR I & LOR II allow access to DMX channels 1-256.You would need only one of these to fully control your 12 COLORsplash 200bs.The most useful mode of the COLORsplash is probably RGB (just my opinion.) In this mode, you can control the intensity of the red, green & blue independently. You might want to fade, twinkle or shimmer colors. These three effects require intelligent channels. If you did fades on all 12 devices, that would be 36 simultaneously intelligent channels in use.The iDMX-1000 has 64 intelligent channels, so you can easily handle all the devices in the worst case. --- did this make it any clearer??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medman2000 Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 LightORamaJohn wrote: medman2000 wrote: I guess both. If the idmx32 is now called the 1000, easy enough. But maybe I even missed how the idmx32 works? It's 32 intelligent channels (I think I get what that means now) but can it otherwise control more than 32 "regular" channels? Like I have 12 units that each say they have 6 DMX channels (colorsplash200b)The iDMX32 hs been renamed to the iDMX-1000. The hardware can reference al 512 DMX channels, but right now LOR I & LOR II allow access to DMX channels 1-256.You would need only one of these to fully control your 12 COLORsplash 200bs.The most useful mode of the COLORsplash is probably RGB (just my opinion.) In this mode, you can control the intensity of the red, green & blue independently. You might want to fade, twinkle or shimmer colors. These three effects require intelligent channels. If you did fades on all 12 devices, that would be 36 simultaneously intelligent channels in use.The iDMX-1000 has 64 intelligent channels, so you can easily handle all the devices in the worst case. --- did this make it any clearer???Making much more sense, thank you! So I will be using 3 of the 256 DMX channels per unit to contol RGB each separately to make any of the 16million colors or whatever they claim. But these are non-intelligent channels, not counting towards the 64 intelligent channel number. But if I want to fade each one, 3 intelligent channels per unit = 36 because I have to fade the red, blue and green separately, right? So if I want to sometimes fade, and other times shimmer, am I using the same 36 intelligent channels, or do I use 36 intelligent channels for the fade, and a separate 36 intelligent channels for the shimmer?I also have 4 of the COLORado 3 fixtures, but they have the same type of intelligent channel needs if I understand the manual. I think they would push me over the total 64 intelligent channels though, at least I think Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LightORamaJohn Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 medman2000 wrote:Making much more sense, thank you! So I will be using 3 of the 256 DMX channels per unit to contol RGB each separately to make any of the 16million colors or whatever they claim. But these are non-intelligent channels, not counting towards the 64 intelligent channel number. But if I want to fade each one, 3 intelligent channels per unit = 36 because I have to fade the red, blue and green separately, right? So if I want to sometimes fade, and other times shimmer, am I using the same 36 intelligent channels, or do I use 36 intelligent channels for the fade, and a separate 36 intelligent channels for the shimmer?I also have 4 of the COLORado 3 fixtures, but they have the same type of intelligent channel needs if I understand the manual. I think they would push me over the total 64 intelligent channels though, at least I think Thanks!You will most likely be using 4 DMX channels per COLORsplash. You will set DMX channel 1 on each unit to select RGB mode -- since 000 selects RGB mode, you really don't have to do anything on that channel. Then use channels 2, 3 & 4 to control the intensity of the R, G & B LEDs. You may want to use channel 5 to control the strobe effect. If you just set the R, G, B & strobe channels to an intensity, then you use no intelligent channels. If you use a fade, twinkle or shimmer effect on any of these channels, then an intelligent channel will be used while the effect is on.The intelligent channel is only in use while needed for an effect. You can only have one effect going on on a particular channel at a time, so you can only use at most 1 intelligent channel per DMX channel. If you want to color sweep, you would have to do 3 simulatneous fades, one on each of R, G & B.The COLORado is a more complicated device. It has 7 colors, and 7 DMX channels to control them. There is also an 8th strobe channel. You could use as many as 8 intelligent channels per COLORado in the same way you used 4 on the COLORsplash.In a worst case scenario when you were using effects that require intelligence (fade, twinkle, shimmer) on each of the 4 COLORsplash DMX channels and the same on each of the 8 COLORado DMX channels, you woud need 4 * 12 + 8 * 3 intelligent channels which is 72. One iDMX-1000 can only support 64 intelligent channels. If you did not use the strobe channels, then the total intelligent channels required is 3 * 12 + 7 * 3 = 57. Remember this is if you use all these effects SIMULTANEOUSLY.You may want to set multiple fixtures to the same DMX address range so they respond as if they were one unit. This makes sense for color washing and also makes the sequences less cumbersome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medman2000 Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 Ok, making much more sense overall, thanks again. I'll email LOR directly and see if I can cancel my order for the 3rd unit, but still buy the first 2. Really appreciate the detailed answers. I suppose when the controllers ship the boards will be flooded with these types of questions, this will serve as a nice foundation for many of the users I'm sure.Thanks!medman2000 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WayneKremer Posted October 16, 2007 Author Share Posted October 16, 2007 Another question about ELL's and the iDMX1000....If the iDMX1000 is connected to an ELL receiver, should the iDMX1000 be powered by a power supply? Am I correct that the ELL will not power the iDMX1000? Thx!Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LightORamaJohn Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 WayneKremer wrote: Another question about ELL's and the iDMX1000....If the iDMX1000 is connected to an ELL receiver, should the iDMX1000 be powered by a power supply? Am I correct that the ELL will not power the iDMX1000? Thx!WayneThe ELL must be powered extrernally over the network cable. If there is no LOR controller or USB485B cabled to the ELL & the iDMX-1000, then you must have a 12 VDC power source plugged into the iDMX-1000. This power source will be put out on the network cable by the iDMX-1000 and power the ELL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WayneKremer Posted October 19, 2007 Author Share Posted October 19, 2007 John, thanks for the response! By the way, you may want to update your ELL user guide (manual) to include the iDMX1000 powering the ELL if connected to a 12V power supply.Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zman Posted October 20, 2007 Share Posted October 20, 2007 Good post! Thanks Wayne and John. Let me see if I have this straight though regarding powering the iDMX.On my roof, I will have an ELL attached to a box containing 2 CTB16PC's. My connections will be:ELL - Cat5 - CTB16PC(1) - Cat5 - CTB16PC(2) - Cat 5 to iDMX1000If I read this thead correctly, I think that means that I will NOT need to power the iDMX1000 with a 12v PS. This went against what I thought I read in the manual. If I decided to Y off the ELL and have one Cat5 going to the CTB16PC, and another directly to the ELL, I WOULD need to power the iDMX with a 12v PS. I assume any 12v PS(500milliamp) will suffice for power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin N Posted October 25, 2007 Share Posted October 25, 2007 Just a quick (and possibly stupid) question...what's an ell? I'm wanting to get into utilizing some DMX lights...but not too sure of the lingo. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medman2000 Posted October 26, 2007 Share Posted October 26, 2007 Kevin N wrote: Just a quick (and possibly stupid) question...what's an ell? I'm wanting to get into utilizing some DMX lights...but not too sure of the lingo. Thanks.(so glad someone else asked that question, now I can act like I knew what it was the whole time - looked through all my "stuff" and I don't think I have an "ell" - might have to ask for one for Christmas) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.farney Posted October 26, 2007 Share Posted October 26, 2007 medman2000 wrote: Kevin N wrote: Just a quick (and possibly stupid) question...what's an ell? I'm wanting to get into utilizing some DMX lights...but not too sure of the lingo. Thanks.(so glad someone else asked that question, now I can act like I knew what it was the whole time - looked through all my "stuff" and I don't think I have an "ell" - might have to ask for one for Christmas)ELL aka Easy Light Linker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin N Posted October 26, 2007 Share Posted October 26, 2007 I believe a BIG "DUH" is in order. Thanks you for your help. (I knew that was a stupid question). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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