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The sale "flyer" suggests one Linker unit connected directly to the PC and the other connected to a Controller.

In some of the very early discussion I thought there was a requirement to be roughly "in line of sight."

Leading to my questions:

1. How difficult might communications be from inside the house (where the PC is) to outside (where the controllers are)?

2. I am planning on controlling lights for my neighbors to the left and right of me. From a configuration standpoint, should my "sending" Linker be roughly centered in my front yard, and put the "receiving" Linkers on the neighbors' property lines closest to me?

3. The sale flyer shows pricing for a pair of units ... will they be available individually? Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I need three. (one for each neighbor and one for me)

4. From a power standpoint, are there any limitations which controller models these can be connected to?

Thanks ..

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From what I have heard you only need ONE sender and all you want reciever. The sender sends ALL of the channels out just like the Cat-5 would so neighbors could have the recievers but you only need the one. Distance? I think Dan posted it was 300-500 FT. And I think every controller can use it except the ctb-008 (non-D). Below is what Dan had said eariler about Robin's...


7
/
1,2,3,4,5,6, 8,9,



Diagram


--Daniel L

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The current wireless units only have 1 RJ45 connector so the chain ends at the wireless unit. To answer your question, you put the wireless unit at #6 then #7 would have a wireless unit to receive data and #8 would also need a wireless unit to receive and supply data to the remaining units.

The way it works is one at the end of the daisy chain you can put a wireless unit. The daisy chain may have zero to a large number of controllers in it. From that wireless unit you can connect to any number of other wireless units so you could have one on the other side of you driveway, one accross the street, one on the roof....

Now I ask myself why there is only one RJ45 connector on the unit and I do not have a good answer. I am going to thingk about that because if there were two then you could stick the RF unit into the middle of a daisy chain and it could then broadcast to another unit that was also in the middle of a daisy chain..... (thanks for the question! it helps us all and keeps us all thinking)

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Thanks Daniel ...

The diagram helped ... and raised another question, which is can there be cable-connected controllers beyond the "receiving" device. Here's my diagram.

NEIGHBOR #1
1. Receiving Linker connected to controller #11
2. controller #11 cable-connected to controller #12
3. controller #12 cable-connected to controller #13

ME (in the Center)
1. PC cable-connected to controller #21
2. controller #21 cable-connected to controller #22
3. controller #22 cable-connected to controller #23 with attached Sending Linker

NEIGHBOR #2
1. Receiving Linker connected to controller #31
2. controller #31 cable-connected to controller #32
3. controller #32 cable-connected to controller #33

I appreciate the help in verifying these configuration details.

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Jerry Plak wrote:

Hey Group

Check out the LOR Support page and look at the RF-V4 userguide and data sheet.


http://www.lightorama.com/support.html


Jerry Plak


Thanks!

Very minor inconsistency, page 4:
...network speed of either "Long range" (19.2 Kbps) or "Average" (56K bps.)

Its just easier to parse that with the eye when the units are designed the same way (like 19.2 Kbps and 56 Kbps).

But I'd note... I'm very pleased with the professional appearance of LOR products.
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Rick,

Both Dan and I have used the units to get out of our houses without problems, but neither of our houses are aluminum sided.

We had one large scale application of the devices last Christmas. A contractor decorated a park that is essentially a concrete slab with holes in it. A palm tree stuck through each hole. From the pictures, the park appeared to be about 400' x 100'. He put a controller on each of the 60 trees each with a wireless unit. A vault in the center of the park for the fountain was used as the base for the single transmitting unit. He said it was wonderfull and has two other projects like it planned. This is exactly as member Daniel understood.

You can definitely buy only one.

I updated the manual to answer the controller power limitations. It's near the end after "Specifications."

Daniel was also correct in being confused about the single RJ45. Dan & I just didn't think about it. The current unit we are producing has two, so you can put it anywhere in the chain.

You can mix cable and wireless. There is an "industrial" diagram on the LOR support page that shows a variety of cabling options.

I edited jmccorm's inconsistency out of the manual.

We'll try to keep the docs updated as you guys point out incomplete/confusing stuff. Thanks,

John

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John,

I've just been reading the Easy Light Linker manual.

It says that the unit, if used direct from the PC, is powered by the USB-485 convertor

and the "sophisticated" setup diagram shows that also.

Now I only have the serial 485 convertor; does this mean I will not be able to use the EEL?

Heeelp!

Martin

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Being that it connects with a cat5 cable and being that eihter the USB or the serial adapter should be sending out the exact same signals I don't think you will have any problem. This is only my opinion (guess).

TED

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Ted,

Thanks.

My concern is the powering of the unit.

The USB-485 appears to supply power to the line, but I'm not sure about the serial device doing that.

Martin


[ edit: reading further through the EEL manual I see it requires 150mA when transmitting. No way a PC serial comm port will supply that! I guess I'll have to stump-up for a USB convertor......DOH! just when I've purchased the serial device and software too :( /edit]


[edit2: I really shouldn't jump in here without doing more research should I. The L-O-R webstore description of the USB-RS485 Adapter with booster states that "If you are going to connect a wireless unit directly to a PC ........... you should choose the USB485B /edit2]

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grandad,

It's true that the only way we (LOR) provide to power the RF-V4 with no attached controllers from a PC is the USB485B.

If you're a risk taker, you could make a special RJ45 to RJ45 cable. you would need to connect through pins 4,5 and use a power brick to put +9vdc on pin 3 with ground on pin 6. Pins are numbered 1-8 when looking into the connector with the locking tab up.

Adapters 101: The SC485 powers its RS485 drivers from the attached controller(s), so its has no power to give. The small USB485 powers its RS485 drivers from the USB +5v, which is too low a voltage to power LOR accessories. The USB485B works like the small unit except that it upconverts the +5v.

John

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John,

Thanks for the info. I could certainly cobble together the necessary PSU for the EEL and run it from the serial port but, hey! the USB-485B is not that expensive, so to keep things simple (and within warranty :)) I'll probably go for the USB-485B.

It must push the USB specs a bit though if it powers itself and the EEL (200 mA max I believe)

On another tack; Will I be able to power an EEL direct from a DC-MP3 if I use a 9volt brick to power the DC-MP3 ? It looks like I may be able to.

Martin


[edit: sorry 12 volt brick /edit]

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grandad wrote:

On another tack; Will I be able to power an EEL direct from a DC-MP3 if I use a 9volt brick to power the DC-MP3 ? It looks like I may be able to.
[edit: sorry 12 volt brick /edit]
Yes you can power the wireless from a DC-MP3... Go with at least a 300ma power brick.
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Dan,

Great; thank you.

I want to give myself as much flexibility as possible.

Y'know, the more I read the new manuals, the more questions I have.

Expect more from this old pedant I'm afraid :laughing:

Martin

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Ray,

Actually, I have been working with Dan on LOR for more than a year, but decided to jump in with both feet last October. The additional resources have allowed us to expand, we have office space in NJ and a warehouse in NY, employees to offload Mary, Dan & myself. We decided to produce the MP3 Director, wireless, USB adapters and kits first, but we have several software and a bunch of hardware projects in the pipeline. We expect one or two things to hatch every two months or so. We have a lot of bandwidth so this year should be very interesting, we're always talkng to people to see what they want, hopefully we will make the right choices.

John

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Well I think your on a winning team, all things being what they are I predict you will continue to grow and prosper , maybe even rubbing elbows with Bill Gates some day :D, Thank you all for the great products and customer support.

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RayNMesa wrote:

Well I think your on a winning team, all things being what they are I predict you will continue to grow and prosper , maybe even rubbing elbows with Bill Gates some day :D, Thank you all for the great products and customer support.


If that happens maybe we could be invited to live in the Baldwin Estate and our bedrooms could be covered in LOR controllers!
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