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Can I run rgb without a dongle?


spoonjr

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I have 3 LOR controllers, the advanced LOR program, a 27 channel rgb controller, several ribbons of rgb lights, 12V converter and the standard 485 that came with my start up LOR programmer. Can I run the rgb by using "raw dmx" or do I need to get something else? I have seen a photo that shows I can plug a cat 5 into my 27 channel rgb controller, then daisy chain to the LOR controllers. Is this possible?

 

Do I program my regular 110V lights in the software for a show, and add rgb channels in setting them to "raw dmx" and will all the lights work?

 

Thank you for any help, I am new at this and of course have dove straight into the deep end rather than wading in.

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If you bought the 24 channel dc controller from lor you could run it like any other lor controller. You can't use your 110 volt controllers for rgb's

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I got the 27 channel from Holiday Coro, will that still work?

yes that will, for dumb strips only, not the smart pixel ones.

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You should get a dmx dongle this will run on its own lor network and your 16 channel lor 110 volt controllers will be on their own network

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Yeah, you have to have a dongle or go the e 1.31 route that will create multiple dmx universes for dumb, smart or a combination of dumb and smart lights.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Going with another dongle just for RGB, thank you everyone for the help.

another just another for RGB?  Hope you realize that a dmx dongle is not the same as the USB 485 used for LOR controllers.

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  • 5 months later...

Spoonjr. You have to use a dongle if the only DMX controller you are using is the Holidaycoro 27 channel dumb controller. Hope this helps.

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  • 9 months later...

I have similar question as spoonjr's original question based on this statement from holidaycoro's KB on combining LOR and DMX controllers:

 

http://www.holidaycoro.com/kb_results.asp?ID=117

 

"....The LOR [RS485] dongle can be setup as an "open" DMX adapter and output DMX instead of LOR... This setup is known to be "flaky" as the dongle is passive, not active.

Setup diagram: Show PC running LOR S4 Adv > LOR RS485 Adapter/Dongle > Cat5 Cable > LOR Controller > Cat5 Cable > LOR Controller > HolidayCoro DMX to LOR Adapter Cable > DMX Controller (3, 27 ch) > Cat5 Cable > DMX Controller."

 

This seems to be implying that the LOR RS485 USB adapter can output DMX data to control LOR units, and will work with regular DMX512 controllers once the adapter cable is used to switch the pinout on the RJ45 connectors.

 

Jason D.

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Jason, that is correct, however there have been many reports of issues. As I don't run DMX (except over E1.31), I don't have the expert advise - only noticed comments on the forum.

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yes, I read more after my post as well :)

 

I think the issue comes down to the timing. Without a specific DMX dongle, the show PC is responsible for the timing to send the DMX required 44 control packets per second. In a complex sequence, it could get behind which would cause issues. Prob better to keep LOR on a LOR network where the control packets are only sent when necessary. I think I may opt for an E1.31 controller with both SPI outputs and RS485 output (like the AlphaPix) to add another DMX universe of dumb RGBs.

 

Jason

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I used an LOR dongle with 100 pixels + 4 240v channels and not a single problem.

 

Timing was perfect.

My show PC is very powerful though.

 

Daughjs, I am currently editing a tutorial of how to use a Raspberry Pi and a cheap DMX dongle from Ebay to make a cheap E1.31 to RS485 DMX bridge. It is very easy and can be done for less than $30 with the Raspberry Pi Zero.

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