DMX issues

[Donald Miclette]

I am trying to find out how to connect my dmx lights to xlights. I have a dmx cable running from my roof to the main box but I don't know how to get xlights to read my d001 or a001 so I can sequence them in. Anyone good with dmx who can help me ?

 

[David_AVD]

You'll need to tell us what you've got the DMX cable plugged into at the control box end.

 

[OzAz]

there's a couple of videos on the Virtual Christmas Summit Youtube page on setting up and sequencing DMX fixtures

 

[Donald Miclette]

You'll need to tell us what you've got the DMX cable plugged into at the control box end.

This is all new to me but I made the cable to attach to the pins on my Hinkspix pro. I have a LitMavin dmx 512/192 controller but I have to figure out how to connect that with 3pin xlr dmx cable

 

[Donald Miclette]

This is all new to me but I made the cable to attach to the pins on my Hinkspix pro. I have a LitMavin dmx 512/192 controller but I have to figure out how to connect that with 3pin xlr dmx cable it only has an output nothing more

 

[OzAz]

Hi Donald, if you're using the DMX output of the HinksPix then you don't need a seperate controller like your LitMavin to control DMX fixtures with xLights.
You just setup the fixtures in xLights and add DMX effects to them.

The HinksPix is probably 3 pin out (assuming same as alphapix and falcon controller DMX output) I just used some network cable to an RJ45 connector on the enclosure, then used an RJ45 to 3 pin XLR converter cable from the enclosure to the first DMX fixture.

Are your fixtures 3 or 5 pin XLR? If 5 pin you can buy or make 3 pin to 5 pin XlR converters.

One of the videos in the link I posted earlier show how to setup DMX fixtures using a falcon controller, but same as hinkspix or any other controller. Just need to find the corresponding DMX section in the hinkspix setup page.

 

[Donald Miclette]

Good evening OzAz . Yes Hinkspix pro systems do have a 3 pin dmx out. Right now I have my LOR being ran off of it. I tried running the dmx lights and LOR off the 3 pins but it shuts the connection off to my LOR and I still can't get connection to my lights. I tried using the numbers on the booklet that came with it and watching the video you sent me but I can't get the actual numbers from the book to work but when I used some of his numbers I had it moving in xlights model view but not in real life. Any suggestions on any of this ?

 

[OzAz]

First off LOR and DMX are different protocols. Don't know about the Hinkspix, but some controllers have 2 RJ45 connectors, one for LOR and one for DMX, others have a switch or terminal block you change to use the right protocol.

EDIT: just realised that you might be using LOR in DMX mode. So it could be a DMX channel conflict. If you LOR box is channel 1 then the first DMX fixture would have to be address 17 (1 + 16 LOR channels - if it's a 16 Ch LOR box)

 

[Donald Miclette]

I can snap some pictures if that would give you a better understanding of what I have going on

 

[OzAz]

One other thing Donald, you can buy USB to DMX dongles for $20-30 (I've got one of these, but I'm sure you can get same in USA somewhere) they're handy for testing DMX fixtures and practicing sequencing them in xLights without tying up a controller.

Also try a Zoom session, there's usually heaps of people in there who can help out, I'm at work at the moment so it's a bit tricky to do that

 

[OzAz]

I can snap some pictures if that would give you a better understanding of what I have going on

Yeah thats always a good idea, Controller and Layout tabs
Aslo have you run a Check Sequence now you have it partly working? It might show issues like channel overlaps

 

[Donald Miclette]

This is the dmx pins right now being used for LOR which is what Holiday Coros tech support walked me through and the other picture is the 2 rj45 connections and one is internet in from my modem and the other is internet out to my xlights.