Dmx fog machine help

[Dfoca793]

Hey everyone. Looking to get one or two dmx fog machines this year for the Halloween display but need a little help setting them up in light o Rama s3. I know that you have to make a universe for dmx and everything but how would setting up the channels go. Like do they run off of one channel for the bursts and that's it? Just have to turn the channel on and off? If someone could at least point me in the right directions. Thanks 

[EmmienLightFan]

Yep.

 

Just daisy chain the DMX fog machines, address them either individually or each with the same address. I would do them individually. This means you can control each one on its own.

Some foggers also have a safety channel, but most just have one channel which turns it on or off. If you leave it on for more than around 30 seconds it will start doing occasional bursts of fog.

[Dfoca793]

11 minutes ago, EmmienLightFan said:

Yep.

 

Just daisy chain the DMX fog machines, address them either individually or each with the same address. I would do them individually. This means you can control each one on its own.

Some foggers also have a safety channel, but most just have one channel which turns it on or off. If you leave it on for more than around 30 seconds it will start doing occasional bursts of fog.

Okay simple enough. Now for the cable that run to it. I would need something like an actidongle right? I won't be able to run cat 5 to it then have a adapter for the dmx cable into the back of the unit. 

Thanks 

[EmmienLightFan]

1 minute ago, Dfoca793 said:

Okay simple enough. Now for the cable that run to it. I would need something like an actidongle right? I won't be able to run cat 5 to it then have a adapter for the dmx cable into the back of the unit. 

Thanks 

You have several options.

Do you have any pixel controllers?

[Dfoca793]

Just now, EmmienLightFan said:

You have several options.

Do you have any pixel controllers?

Not yet but I do have one coming 

[EmmienLightFan]

4 minutes ago, Dfoca793 said:

Not yet but I do have one coming 

Which one is it?

[Dfoca793]

2 minutes ago, EmmienLightFan said:

Which one is it?

Alphapix 16 output

[EmmienLightFan]

4 minutes ago, Dfoca793 said:

Alphapix 16 output

The AlphaPix 16 had 4 RS485 DMX outputs, I think.

 

You can create a special cable with one end RJ45 and the other XLR.

 

To go between the fog machines, you can either buy ready made DMX cable, ready made microphone cable, which should be fine, or two XLR ends and use cat5.

[Dfoca793]

Just now, EmmienLightFan said:

The AlphaPix 16 had 4 RS485 DMX outputs, I think.

 

You can create a special cable with one end RJ45 and the other XLR.

 

To go between the fog machines, you can either buy ready made DMX cable, ready made microphone cable, which should be fine, or two XLR ends and use cat5.

Okay that works. Could I also use an actidongle? Only asking because i dont think I'm going to use the pixel controller for Halloween just yet 

[EmmienLightFan]

Just now, Dfoca793 said:

Okay that works. Could I also use an actidongle? Only asking because i dont think I'm going to use the pixel controller for Halloween just yet 

Yes, you could.

 

You can even just use another Light-O-Rama dongle. They can control either DMX or LOR.

[Dennis Laff]

You need to buy a fog machine to determine how to control it some of the cheaper units aren't controlled with DMX  and turning it on and off with a lor ac controller might not work because most need a warm up time before they produce fog 

[Dfoca793]

2 minutes ago, EmmienLightFan said:

Yes, you could.

 

You can even just use another Light-O-Rama dongle. They can control either DMX or LOR.

Ooo okay thanks for the info 

[Dfoca793]

2 minutes ago, Dennis Laff said:

You need to buy a fog machine to determine how to control it some of the cheaper units aren't controlled with DMX  and turning it on and off with a lor ac controller might not work because most need a warm up time before they produce fog 

Yaa that's what in afraid of so that's why I was looking into dmx fog machines 

[EmmienLightFan]

1 minute ago, Dennis Laff said:

You need to buy a fog machine to determine how to control it some of the cheaper units aren't controlled with DMX  and turning it on and off with a lor ac controller might not work because most need a warm up time before they produce fog 

I think the OP has selected a DMX one.

You don't need to worry about warm up times with these. They have a thermometer and maintain a constant temperature,

[EmmienLightFan]

It is possible to use non-DMX fog machines.

You need to put a relay in instead of the switch on the wired remote.

 

You can either use a DMX relay board or plug the relay into an LOR controller.

 

It is much easier to use a DMX one, though.

[Dfoca793]

2 minutes ago, EmmienLightFan said:

It is possible to use non-DMX fog machines.

You need to put a relay in instead of the switch on the wired remote.

 

You can either use a DMX relay board or plug the relay into an LOR controller.

 

It is much easier to use a DMX one, though.

Yaa I like the ease of use lol. Now for the next question how many universes could I run off of one dongle is there a limit? 

[EmmienLightFan]

1 hour ago, Dfoca793 said:

Yaa I like the ease of use lol. Now for the next question how many universes could I run off of one dongle is there a limit? 

One dongle does one universe.

[Dfoca793]

13 minutes ago, EmmienLightFan said:

One dongle does one universe.

Okay so if I want to do another universe I would have to go a different route. Not saying I'm going to use the whole entire first universe but just looking at my options. 

[Dennis Laff]

Since you have the alphapix 16 you have 3 ports that are DMX that's 3 universes you can use for your fog machine no dongle needed

[EmmienLightFan]

23 hours ago, Dennis Laff said:

Since you have the alphapix 16 you have 3 ports that are DMX that's 3 universes you can use for your fog machine no dongle needed

The OP says he may not be using the AlphaPix 16 for Halloween, which is when he wants to use the fog machines.