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Stepping Into the World Of DMX.....Water is Cold!


worksopian

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For this Christmas, I have added 2 CMB24D and another 16 channels of LOR AC control to add to my previous 32 channels.

I have also bought the Alphapix 16 pixel tree kit from Holiday coro. My question is, because the Alphapix has DMX outputs I would like to use one of them to output DMX to my LOR controllers, can I use this as universe 1 and have the RGB pixel tree start at universe 2?

 

Universe 1 would be 48 LOR AC

                                   1 LOR CCP

                                  48 LOR Dumb RGB

Universe 2 thru 17 would be the tree and a star (maybe 2 stars @ 100 pixels each)

 

Will this work?

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

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I don't know the AlphaPix setup, but I would assume you can set it up that way.  No problem at all for the LOR software.

 

But here is my question - why?  If you already have the LOR RS-485 adapter (since you were previously running a LOR based show), why do you want to move your LOR controllers to DMX?  You don't gain anything, and you lose - a little.

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>> Stepping Into the World of DMX.....Water is Cold!

 

Deep too.

 

The AlphaPIx16 controller has 3 RS485 outputs so you can hang 3 RS networks off of this with 1 universe each. This can support dumb controllers, or you can put your LOR gear into DMX mode and hang them here.

 

If you look up AlphaPix16 on HolidayCoro they have a link to topology and wiring.

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I don't know the AlphaPix setup, but I would assume you can set it up that way.  No problem at all for the LOR software.

 

But here is my question - why?  If you already have the LOR RS-485 adapter (since you were previously running a LOR based show), why do you want to move your LOR controllers to DMX?  You don't gain anything, and you lose - a little.

The reason i want to go this way is that my set up is in my basement and I already have one hole in the wall for the cat5 cable and didn't want to add to it. Am I right in thinking that I only lose twinkle and shimmer or is there something else that I lose?

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The reason i want to go this way is that my set up is in my basement and I already have one hole in the wall for the cat5 cable and didn't want to add to it. Am I right in thinking that I only lose twinkle and shimmer or is there something else that I lose?

 

You lose input triggers for either show start or interactive sequences.  Actually you don't really lose shimmer and twinkle, but they are processed differently.  I have over 3,600 channels of E1.31 that twinkle just fine - but it means that the show computer has to control the twinkle or shimmer rather than simply telling a controller to twinkle these channels for the next tt.tt seconds.

 

I use inputs for both show start for my landscape lighting show (when it gets dark), and some interactives (when someone walks up or down the front porch steps or walkway).  BTW, inputs don't work on Enhanced LOR networks either.

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>> Stepping Into the World of DMX.....Water is Cold!

 

Deep too.

 

The AlphaPIx16 controller has 3 RS485 outputs so you can hang 3 RS networks off of this with 1 universe each. This can support dumb controllers, or you can put your LOR gear into DMX mode and hang them here.

 

If you look up AlphaPix16 on HolidayCoro they have a link to topology and wiring.

John,

I thought I had looked through all the info on Holiday coro, and knew that the controller had the 3 separate RS485 outputs I just wasn't sure if I could have my LOR stuff on universe 1. 

The diagrams I see on Holiday Coro don't really include the RS485 outputs!

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You lose input triggers for either show start or interactive sequences.  Actually you don't really lose shimmer and twinkle, but they are processed differently.  I have over 3,600 channels of E1.31 that twinkle just fine - but it means that the show computer has to control the twinkle or shimmer rather than simply telling a controller to twinkle these channels for the next tt.tt seconds.

 

I use inputs for both show start for my landscape lighting show (when it gets dark), and some interactives (when someone walks up or down the front porch steps or walkway).  BTW, inputs don't work on Enhanced LOR networks either.

Thanks for the fast reply Jim,

I think I can live without the triggers, at least for a while. I am far more interested in creating a visual display to wow my visitors than making any kind of interactivity.

I'll probably purchase some Pixel tree sequences this year but intend to learn to program my own in the future.

I have one of the Falcon controllers on order for next year too so that i can "pixelize" the house!

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If you run your lor controllers off the alpha pixelite controller you will need a crossover cable if you run them in lor DMX mode off the lor RS-485 you don't need the crossover cable ,check on the Holiday Coro website it will explain why you need the crossover cable.

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