san device

[Steelers95]

Going over all the possibilities for next years show. Want to add some rgb's and have been going back and forth between sticking strictly with light-o-rama products such as the cosmic color pixels or trying to incorporate dmx devices such as the san devices. I currently have the basic software and know that I would need to upgrade to the advanced version to be able to use dmx products. Can anyone help me out and tell me what else I would need to get started if I were to use a product like the e6804? and how many pixels can a controller like that handle?

 Any help would be greatly appreciated....Thank's

[George Simmons]

I don't know about the E6804, but the E682 can control up to 12 universes.  That works out to about 2048 pixels.

[Ron Boyd]

The 682 & 6804 will run 7 universes in Multicast and 12 universes in Unicast. That's a ton of pixels.

Edited March 26, 2014 by Ron Boyd

[Steelers95]

This may be a stupid question but whats the difference between multicast and unicast

[Ron Boyd]

Multicast sends all universes to all controllers. Unicast sends only data meant for a specific controller with a specific ip address.

[Steelers95]

so for a basic setup I would need the elor, the advanced version of the light o rama software, and the e6804 controller plus rgb lights.

[sax]

A couple things here.

First, the sans device will control both smart and dumb RGB lights. The handling is totally different for each. IMHO the sans device is better used for pixels.

Second, if you want to do just RGB, that is not necessarily pixels. The cost involved as well as programming difficulty are increased with pixels. So when you say RGB, it can be either pixels (smart RGB) or dumb RGB. Depending on the time and money you want to invest as well as your desired display should determine how you proceed.

With the sans device, if you will be controlling dumb strips you will still need a DMX controller in addition to the sans device card. The sans device will take away the need for a LOR to dmx dongle but you will lose 4 ports on the 682 to do this. I don't know about the smaller sans card.

Also, when using the sans for pixels, be aware that you have limited distance from controller to lights. As an example, I am able to get well over 100 ft of extension from controller to dumb RGB lights with 200 bulbs. Max I can get without modification on 100 pixels is 25 ft. This is with awg 18 cable and 400 watt power supply. So keep that in mind.

I have the sans device for my pixels and holiday coro dongle for use for my dumb lights. This is my second year and I jumped into RGB the first year, dumb RGB that is. I am adding pixels this year and have just now started testing. For fun I am using the sans device to control my dumb lights but I hate loosing the 4 ports. As I expand I will need those ports.

To run dmx on the sans you do not need an elor. The sans is seen from your network with s3 sw setup for a e1.31 device.

To run dmx without sans you would need a dongle. Holiday coro dongle works as an entec pro dongle and costs much less than the real thing. No elor needed here either.

To do pixels, you need a device like the sans. For dumb the dongle works great.

Other than a power supply and housing for your card and supply the only other thing you need are the lights. Assuming you have the advanced license. I would also recommend superstar. I love that SW.

Good luck,

Sax

[Ron Boyd]

Don't need the ELOR. Just the Advanced License, E6804 and Pixels and a power supply the same voltage as the pixels. 12v or 5v, your choice.

 

The 6804 plugs into your ethernet jack on your PC and goes out over E1.31. Study up on the E1.31 protocol. The amount of info you'll find seems a bit overwhelming at first, but it's not really difficult. Just make sure you dot your Is and cross your Ts. Make sure all connections are correct. Check them and re-check them. If you use pigtails, do a continuity test to make sure all wires match up.

 

Welcome to the wonderful world of Pixels and RGB.

 

 

+1 on the Superstar.

Edited March 27, 2014 by Ron Boyd

[Steelers95]

Hey thanks, you guys have really helped me out over the past few months. I have been trying to figure out which way to go and the more I learn the more I keep changing my mind. Which website would you suggest to buy a san device from and which pixels work best with these types of controllers?

[Steven]

This year, I'm building a pixel tree using an E682, which I bought directly from San Devices, and a bunch of 5v WS2811 pixels that I ordered from Seasonal Entertainment.

[Steelers95]

Do you know if the san devices ever go on sale?

[Steven]

Seasonal Entertainment sells SanDevices products. They will have a sale starting June 9, 2014, but I don't know if it will include SanDevices products.

[sax]

I bought my sans direct from sans web page. Pixels and smart strips direct from china (yeah, Ray). On his website he has pixels pre wired for sans devices. They are just a touch more but you won't have to solder the end. Some people claim they have received bad cables or connections from him but I haven't yet. I do, however test and expect to say "ha ha! They were right! " but so far I haven't ever had an issue. And if you contact him you will get better shipping.

To me the sans is already reasonably priced. But I never saw it go on sale all of last year.

The manual is on the sans web page. You can download it and get a head start. The quick guide is most useful.

I was super afraid of the difficulty I was going to face and all the chatter in these forums about not getting connection. The only issue I had....and please don't repeat it....is I put power on the wrong connections. What I mean is I put the power on the left bank and tried to power it up. Power for the sans card actually comes from the right bank power connector. ( of course you could also use a seperate power plug on the card, but if you want to feed from your power banks it comes from the right one). At least on the 682 card. Once I got it up and running I connected without issue.

The sans card is a powerful little card. You won't regret it.

Holiday coro does have a preseason sale going now. Several light strips and pixels on sale. I have bought a few things from there in the past with success. Never bought from seasonal. But no one beats china prices.

Good luck

[Deacon]

Go for the San Device E682 or E6804, you can't go wrong either way. I'd order straight from the San Device website (via PayPal), great service and a great product. Also Holiday Coro is having a sale on some pixels and power supplies, its a pretty good deal in my opinion comparable to Rays store. Rays still a great deal but have to account for shipping.

[wbaker4]

You will need ELOR if you want to use LOR's Show Directors.

 

Running just from a PC - ELOR is not needed.

[Max-Paul]

Sax, I am reading your post and I think there are a few misunderstandings.

A couple things here.

First, the sans device will control both smart and dumb RGB lights. The handling is totally different for each. IMHO the sans device is better used for pixels. When did a 682 or 6408 start to support dumb RGB lights?

Second, if you want to do just RGB, that is not necessarily pixels. The cost involved as well as programming difficulty are increased with pixels. So when you say RGB, it can be either pixels (smart RGB) or dumb RGB. Depending on the time and money you want to invest as well as your desired display should determine how you proceed.

With the sans device, if you will be controlling dumb strips you will still need a DMX controller in addition to the sans device card. The sans device will take away the need for a LOR to dmx dongle but you will lose 4 ports on the 682 to do this. I don't know about the smaller sans card. Wouldn't  be a lot cheaper to just use a LOR D.C. card if one already has any of the LOR A.C. cards with the 485 dongle?

Also, when using the sans for pixels, be aware that you have limited distance from controller to lights. As an example, I am able to get well over 100 ft of extension from controller to dumb RGB lights with 200 bulbs. Max I can get without modification on 100 pixels is 25 ft. This is with awg 18 cable and 400 watt power supply. So keep that in mind.  Hate to burst your bubble, but a 400 watt power supply is not the holy grail. What really matters is the wire size, and helps if you are using 12Volts vs 5 volts.

I have the sans device for my pixels and holiday coro dongle for use for my dumb lights. This is my second year and I jumped into RGB the first year, dumb RGB that is. I am adding pixels this year and have just now started testing. For fun I am using the sans device to control my dumb lights but I hate loosing the 4 ports. As I expand I will need those ports. Thats sans device and DMX controller.

To run dmx on the sans you do not need an elor. The sans is seen from your network with s3 sw setup for a e1.31 device. The ELOR board is a interface between LOR's 485 to E1.31 output.

To run dmx without sans you would need a dongle. Holiday coro dongle works as an entec pro dongle and costs much less than the real thing. No elor needed here either.

To do pixels, you need a device like the sans. For dumb the dongle works great. Dongle and the DMX controller you have spoken of. Or the LOR D.C. board.

Other than a power supply and housing for your card and supply the only other thing you need are the lights. Assuming you have the advanced license. I would also recommend superstar. I love that SW.

Good luck,
Sax

Basically good info just missing pieces that if I had been a newbie would have confused me some.

[Ron Boyd]

Max,

The E682 can run Balanced DMX. I don't know how it works because I just use pixels for mine and dmx controllers for the basic stuff. Just thought I would clarify that one. Here's a screen shot of the manual.

 

 

[Max-Paul]

Ok Ron, understand that there is a DMX output port on the 682 and believe also the 6804. But what is your point?

[Ron Boyd]

When did a 682 or 6408 start to support dumb RGB lights?
 

Your quote, just answering your question. You also need a basic controller for them but you can run Basic RGB from an E682.

[Max-Paul]

Ok, so really the 682 or 6804 can not control dumb RGB lights without something else. That something else is what really controls the dumb RGB lights, not the two before mentioned controllers. So this really validates my question and the answer is really NO, they do not control the dumb RGB strips aka lights.