8 Output DMX Controllers build with US $15 in parts

keithsw1111

Senior elf
Joined
Oct 11, 2012
Messages
933
Location
Kellyville, NSW
I have posted Arduino source code for 3 projects which allows an Arduino Mega with an Ethernet shield to run as a DMX controller. Nothing new there except these support 8 channels of output ... not easy to do on an Arduino.


WS2811 supporting up to 8 outputs + 8 Relays for dumb light string control:
https://bitbucket.org/keithsw1111/arduinodmxws2811/overview
Parts:
Arduino Mega ~$9
Arduino Ethernet Shield ~$6
8 Channel 5V Relay Module ~$6


40 relays for dumb light string control:
https://bitbucket.org/keithsw1111/arduinodmxrelays
Parts:
Arduino Mega ~$9
Arduino Ethernet Shield ~$6
1-5 : 8 Channel 5V Relay Module ~$6ea


GE Color Effects supporting up to 8 outputs:
https://bitbucket.org/keithsw1111/arduinodmxgecoloreffects
Parts:
Arduino Mega ~$9
Arduino Ethernet Shield ~$6

These are all bench tested and working. They have not been speed optimised yet so no warranties can be made about overall performance.
 

keithsw1111

Senior elf
Joined
Oct 11, 2012
Messages
933
Location
Kellyville, NSW
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/MEGA-2560-R3-ATmega2560-AVR-USB-board-free-USB-cable-ATMEGA2560-2560/1994742540.html - $8.02


http://www.aliexpress.com/item/UNO-Shield-Ethernet-Shield-W5100-R3-UNO-Mega-2560-1280-328-UNR-R3-only-W5100-Development/1986371006.html - $5.99


The problem is the W5100 shields struggle to receive more than about 3 universes. I am sourcing some W5200 shields which have more memory and 20x speed SPI to see if that helps me handle 8 UDP packets every 50-100ms. These are a bit more expensive $12.80 each. Still not bad ~$20 for a E1.31 controller.
 

Jinxx

New elf
Joined
Oct 17, 2019
Messages
6
Hey Keith!

Pardon the resurrection of an old thread, but I stumbled across it while searching the forum for a way to use the Arduino as a DMX controller for dumb string lights.
It seems like this is what I was looking for, but following the link below returned "sorry your like has no power here" ie page not found. Any chance you moved the project to another site?

40 relays for dumb light string control:
https://bitbucket.org/keithsw1111/arduinodmxrelays

Btw, Thanks for taking as much time as you do with xlights and all that goes along with it! Especially for the addition of AC mode! Cheers.
 

darylc

404 darylc not found
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Dec 8, 2012
Messages
1,146
Hey Keith!

Pardon the resurrection of an old thread, but I stumbled across it while searching the forum for a way to use the Arduino as a DMX controller for dumb string lights.
It seems like this is what I was looking for, but following the link below returned "sorry your like has no power here" ie page not found. Any chance you moved the project to another site?

Maybe try https://bitbucket.org/keithsw1111/arduinodmxws2811/src/master/
 

Jinxx

New elf
Joined
Oct 17, 2019
Messages
6
That did the trick, thank you.

Clearly, there's more to this than simply adding some library files and uploading an arduino sketch. I see the .ino arduino sketch, and the associated .h library files to include. Cool. Got that. Then i see the .cpp files which means I'm supposed to compile something, but beyond that I'm at a loss as to what needs to be done.

Is this project discussed in more detail elsewhere so that I may piece together the remaining pieces to this puzzle?

Thanks again
 

splasheye

New elf
Joined
Nov 15, 2019
Messages
3
Jinxx, checking to see if you got this project up and running, if so can you please share. I have also had this type of thing in my mind also.
 

marcus_vix

New elf
Joined
Dec 17, 2015
Messages
4
That did the trick, thank you.

Clearly, there's more to this than simply adding some library files and uploading an arduino sketch. I see the .ino arduino sketch, and the associated .h library files to include. Cool. Got that. Then i see the .cpp files which means I'm supposed to compile something, but beyond that I'm at a loss as to what needs to be done.

Is this project discussed in more detail elsewhere so that I may piece together the remaining pieces to this puzzle?

Thanks again


Hi
Last year I used the project of Keith Westley with instructions of Tom Hammond http://www.itwinkle.org/index.php/controllers2/ws2811-and-rgb-lights-controller/how-to-build-it
6 strings with 50 ws2811 and 14 relay channels
But I have problems with freeze Arduino.
 
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