XYrZbest Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 (edited) So i am getting ready to do my light o rama show for this Christmas, last year was my first year and got the whole lighting thing worked out but to control it was very tedious. I ran cat 5 from the LOR controllers outside into my garage and used a Cat 5 to USB adapter from light o rama and plugged it into to my old laptop in the cold garage, while I did the programming inside the controlling was very hard to do in the garage. This year i would like to use my much more powerful desktop which is upstairs this means i would have to run cat 5 up to my room just for LOR... I did my research and believe that this is not the case... If i were to use DMX and E1.31 i could control this from my room with out running cat 5 so here goes my assumption. I would run the cat 5 into the garage and convert into DMX with a crossover cable allowing for it to communicate with a E1.31 bridge, the crossover cable would connect to one of the 4 universes on the bridge and then would output as E1.31 using IP, from there i would plug it into my Ethernet jack in my garage and then connect it to my network, this would give it an IP and allow me to go to my network connected desktop upstairs, and access the whole LOR setup over E1.31 and IP from there i would use LOR S3 advanced with support for E1.31 and connect to the LOR network using the IP allowing for me to connect to lights... This is the map that i planned out and assume would work Lights -> 2 CTB16PC LOR Controllers (Daisy Chained)-> RJ45 Crossover Cable (LOR to DMX) -> E1.31 Bridge -> Network (Ethernet) -> Computer -> LOR S3 (Using my normal shows and standard controls) This is what i believe is true from the research and reading i have done on the internet, if this is not true someone please tell me before I order my supplies to add this functionality to my setup. Here is the area i have questions about... 1st --- If I want to add DMX lights (non LOR) to my setup can i connect these to the second RJ 45 connector on the E1.31 bridge and will this allow for me to control the DMX lights on the LOR S3 and will all of these lights on the same universe... or does S3 not use universes?2nd --- Can I expand in the future adding another E1.31 board to my setup adding another IP on my network and still use all the lights in the same show3rd --- Can I add support for E1.31 sACN allowing me to control the light show on any device on my network and if I use an external IP and port, control outside my network... and what would I need to add this functionality to my setup4th --- WHERE CAN I FIND A E1.31 BRIDGE!!!! I have searched for a good one that uses RJ45 connectors for DMX in and E1.31 out (but i guess i could just use 3 pins for dmx) and have found 2 reccomended ones that are both out of stock i found one kit but don't know how hard and how long it will take to build. Does anyone have any recommendations or ideas for what E1.31 Bridge i could use I only need 1 maybe 2 (in the future) DMX universes Bridgeshttp://www.diyledexpress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=22&products_id=245http://www.j1sys.com/ecg-d4/ Kit (in stock i might get it if it isn't that hard to build)http://www.diyledexpress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=157 Other Options (Would These Work???)E682 ???http://www.advateklights.com/shop/mantis-pixel-mapping/38-pixlite-4-controller.html These 2 Look the most compelling for what I need and there price would they work for what i needhttp://www.advateklights.com/shop/mantis-pixel-mapping/38-pixlite-4-controller.htmlhttp://www.j1sys.com/ecg-d4/ or maybe the kit...http://www.diyledexpress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=157 Edited November 15, 2014 by XYrZbest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLD Kevin Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 Just so I understand you…..You already have an Ethernet cable running into your garage? Is this cable connected to your home network which connects to your PC upstairs? Does the cat5 cable home-run from your desktop computer to the garage or does it go to a central location (like the master closet) and branch out throughout your house. I’m thinking you won’t be able to do what you want….but need more info. I dont think you cant share your regular home network with the E1.31. I just started using E1.31 this year and it worked great for me….but I for sure don’t know all the answers. I used a laptop to run my show and programmed on my desktop. I believe what others do is have 2 LAN cards in there desktop computer. One for the home network and the other for show via E1.31. But this puts you right in the same problem….needing another cat 5 cable. However, if that cat5 cable in the garage home-runs to the PC upstairs, then you could use that. You just wont be able to use it for your home network. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XYrZbest Posted November 16, 2014 Author Share Posted November 16, 2014 i have one cable that i run into the garage during Christmas time for LOR usually plus into my laptop in the garage using the usb adapter this year i would like to plug into the E1.31 bridge and send that over teh network using ip and access it from my pc connected to the network Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLD Kevin Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 (edited) If you have a cat5 cable in place between you PC up stairs and the garage, then yes you can use it for both DMX and LOR devices via E1.31 bridge as you stated. I would not share the E1.31 with your home network. Use it dedicated for E1.31 when you run it. If you want to use your home network and E1.31 at the same time from the same PC....then install a 2nd LAN card. Edited November 16, 2014 by CLD Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XYrZbest Posted November 16, 2014 Author Share Posted November 16, 2014 If you have a cat5 cable in place between you PC up stairs and the garage, then yes you can use it for both DMX and LOR devices via E1.31 bridge as you stated. I would not share the E1.31 with your home network. Use it dedicated for E1.31 when you run it. If you want to use your home network and E1.31 at the same time from the same PC....then install a 2nd LAN card.I thought i could just run the board as an ip on my network is this not possible, and if i make a seperate network can i use the wireless for one and the lan for the other and not add a 2nd card Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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