smailliw Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 I read the instructions but just don't quite grasp it. I check the boxes for ports j3, j4, j5, j6 and these ports should allow me to ethernet cable out to the next pixcon16 controller. I then plug the ethernet cable into the J3 port on that box and so on. However they units are not passing data on to the next one. The controllers only seem to work if I plug into the silver ethernet port. Can someone dumb down how to get this working. Otherwise I will need to buy a switch and all new ethernet cords. Thank yo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 Are you trying to connect these via E1.31 or Enhanced LOR networking? Also to avoid confusion, please refer to it as a Cat-5 cable - NOT as an Ethernet cable (which implies E1.31 networking). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDucks Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 The only (real) reason for new cables, is they don't reach. Ethernet is a Star layout. you might tuck the switch into one of the LOW VOLTAGE (not into an AC controller) cases. Do secure it so it does not bump into (short) the card. OTOH I really recommend color coding the different network types You realllllly don't want to plug a LOR (rs485) INTO AN ETHERNET SWITCH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smailliw Posted October 27, 2020 Author Share Posted October 27, 2020 Honestly I am not 100% sure. I think the answer is E1.31. In the sequencer prop definition I am choosing DMX in the drop down list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 6 minutes ago, smailliw said: I check the boxes for ports j3, j4, j5, j6 and these ports should allow me to ethernet cable out to the next pixcon16 controller. J3, J4, J5, J7, & J8 are RS-485. J3 & J4 CAN be used to daisy chain ELOR networking or as DMX output (if using the board in E1.31 mode). J5, J7, & J8 are only DMX outputs (only when the board is in E1.31 mode). There is no Ethernet switch built in, so if you are using E1.31, each Pixcon16 needs a Cat-5 cable (carrying Ethernet E1.31 traffic) to a network switch. OK, just saw your reply. I see you are running E1.31. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smailliw Posted October 27, 2020 Author Share Posted October 27, 2020 1 minute ago, k6ccc said: J3, J4, J5, J7, & J8 are RS-485. J3 & J4 CAN be used to daisy chain ELOR networking or as DMX output (if using the board in E1.31 mode). J5, J7, & J8 are only DMX outputs (only when the board is in E1.31 mode). Does this mean I need to use J5, J7 or J8 to run cat5 cable from controller 1 to controller 2 and then from controller 2 to controller 3? J3 and J4 don't seem to be working for this. I have tried J3 or J4 out on controller one into J3 or J4 of controller 2 and nothing works. I have even tried using the silver port and still nothing is working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. P Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 You CANNOT daisy chain a Pixcon16 on an E1.31 network. You can on a a LOR RS485 network but the way you are describing CANNOT be done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 6 minutes ago, smailliw said: Does this mean I need to use J5, J7 or J8 to run cat5 cable from controller 1 to controller 2 and then from controller 2 to controller 3? J3 and J4 don't seem to be working for this. I have tried J3 or J4 out on controller one into J3 or J4 of controller 2 and nothing works. I have even tried using the silver port and still nothing is working. No. It means that J5, J6, & J8 are each used to bridge a DMX universe from E1.31 to one of those RS-485 ports. Then you would connect those via Cat-5 cable (carrying DMX data over RS-485) to DMX devices such as DMX controlled lights, DMX controllers, DMX controlled snow machines, etc. Since you are running the Pixcon16 controllers in E1.31 mode (recommended in my opinion), you MUST connect each Pixcon16 via the silver connector to a Ethernet network switch. BTW, don't connect an Ethernet connector (the silver one) to a RS-485 connection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smailliw Posted October 27, 2020 Author Share Posted October 27, 2020 Thank you. I was misunderstanding completely. OK I just need to buy a switch and longer cat5 cables as I though I was hopping from one controller to the next like you could with the LOR1602Wg3 controllers for the traditional lights. I did buy 2 FD50 rgb floods. I can plug these into the J3-8 ports if I am understanding you correctly correct? Or do they need to go to the switch also? Thank you for your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. P Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 No, the 50w floods cannot plug into a Pixcon16 if you are running the Pixcon16 on a E1.31 network. I think you are confused about the two different types of networks. LOR RS485 network is the one that comes off a usb adapter out of the usb port on your computer. The E1.31 network is what comes out of the ethernet port of your computer. A Pixcon16 can work on both networks depending on how you program it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smailliw Posted October 27, 2020 Author Share Posted October 27, 2020 Mr P. I am definitely confused. This learning curve has not been easy for me. Thank you for the responses. Fortunately I have plenty of time to adjust the design plan and get longer cables and a switch with ample ports. Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. P Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 You can check out some of LORs set ups on this page which may help clear some things up. http://www1.lightorama.com/typical-setups/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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