DMX2-18 setting up

[bpratt]

Picked up one of these cards last year at the Qld mini, and just dug it out recently.

I've had an idea to grab some old bigw type led's to run a long string of them up my fence line. I can get lengths up to 100m for about $35, and whilst I understand I can only pretty much turn them on and off, it is something worthwhile I think.

Now the thing is, I don't understand how I can control and configure the DMX2-18 from my Falcon f16.

Is there a how to video for how to do this ?

 

[Goliath]

I was hoping somebody would have leapt in by now. I can only be of limited help. I have a Pixlite 16 LR controller, not the Falcon. I googled the Falcon V3 controller and in it's specs it seemed to indicate that it has 3x RJ-45 DMX outputs. I presume in your setup software somewhere you can assign universes to these outputs, or they are naturally assigned already. So your DMX2-18 plugs into one of these DMX ports, and you can daisychain other DMX controller cards onto that.

The DMX2-18 should come set with start address 1. I could not program fresh start addresses with the Pixlite for love or money. I had to fork out for the USB dongle, and use DA_start from David_AVD to set the required start addresses ( I have three DMX2-18 boards)

Hope this is some help.

 

[Notenoughlights]

I was hoping somebody would have leapt in by now. I can only be of limited help. I have a Pixlite 16 LR controller, not the Falcon. I googled the Falcon V3 controller and in it's specs it seemed to indicate that it has 3x RJ-45 DMX outputs. I presume in your setup software somewhere you can assign universes to these outputs, or they are naturally assigned already. So your DMX2-18 plugs into one of these DMX ports, and you can daisychain other DMX controller cards onto that.

The DMX2-18 should come set with start address 1. I could not program fresh start addresses with the Pixlite for love or money. I had to fork out for the USB dongle, and use DA_start from David_AVD to set the required start addresses ( I have three DMX2-18 boards)

Hope this is some help.

I did manage to get it to program start addresses using the Pixlite 16 MkII LR and to do that I used an app on the Google Play store called AuroraDMX, the free version works fine to set up start addresses, the paid version is great if you want to test individual channels with over 250 outputs. You do need to go into the apps settings and change the brightness to steps (0-255) instead of 0-100%
The app then can connect to the sACN server your boards are broadcasting via their IP address, also remembering to set the universe you've set the output DMX port/s to in your control boards software. You should now be able to set the start address using channels 1 and if needed, 2 using the app.

 

[AAH]

Under a F16 you will need to allocate 1 of the DMX/RS485 outputs as DMX and set a universe for it. Personally I prefer to use Universe 1 as the DMX one. Once you have that configured you need to setup in Xlights. Personally I use custom props for my 2 wire stuff with the 2 channel placed slightly oriented above and offset from them so that horiizontal or vertical effects over the prop or house will turn on half of the string before the other half.

 

[bpratt]

Thanks for that AAH, I've got it working now, but the start universe is what I use for my mega tree on that controller, so how do I change the universe for it to use ?

Not sure what you meant with the custom props either.

 

[AAH]

I just have a preference to use Universe 1 for dmx. As far as I know there is no limitation or requirement for it. The board has no idea what universe it is on as dmx doesn't transmit universe ID's. You will need to configure an output of the F16 as universe X and plug into that output. Everything on that output will be on the same universe regardless of whether there is 1 board on there or 30 boards daisy chained.
The attachment in my earlier post shows how I use a custom prop to create a set of 2 wire icicles. I have 8 2 wire icicles on 1 section of my fence and as they are effectively the same colour I give the 2 halves of the string slightly different positions so that a front to back or left to right fade in xlights will turn them on in turn.
If you have the "9 channel" switch turned on on the DMX2-18 then the whole of each attached string would be doing the same thing and you would only need to create 9 single channel elements.

 

[hyperscott]

Hi all has anyone had any luck with the Solar lights from lytwork, with the dmx2-18 board?

I also have some of the 3 wire lights that bunnings had years ago. I assume these cant be driven by this board either?

Thanks

 

[Notenoughlights]

Hi all has anyone had any luck with the Solar lights from lytwork, with the dmx2-18 board?

I also have some of the 3 wire lights that bunnings had years ago. I assume these cant be driven by this board either?

Thanks

I've found the solar lights that contain 3 aa rechargable batteries contain a boost circuit and run on 31vac so connecting them to the 8 function controllers they should work, and also should work with the dmx2-18. The single battery solar lights I have not had any luck with as the controller won't run at less than 20v

 

[hyperscott]

I've found the solar lights that contain 3 aa rechargable batteries contain a boost circuit and run on 31vac so connecting them to the 8 function controllers they should work, and also should work with the dmx2-18. The single battery solar lights I have not had any luck with as the controller won't run at less than 20v

@Notenoughlights - Thank you That makes sense. Now to get a power supply, for them. also need to sort out my old 3 wire might see if i can use one of the ESP8266 controllers i have laying around.

 

[AAH]

Not all of the solar 3 AA battery styles have a boost circuit in them to get up to about 30V. There's at least some of them over NZ way that are actually 4.5V strings with all the leds in parallel with every 2nd led the opposite polarity. This style can't be controlled with the dmx2-18 as the drive chip has a low voltage lockout at 6V.

 

[hyperscott]

@AAH - thanks for the heads up, I got mine from bunnings. Ill have to have a closer look.. need to source a powersupply first to use with the dmx2-18. Wont do any damage to the board will i if they are the 4.5v strings?

 

[Notenoughlights]

@blazesurfer Test the output of the solar string with a multimeter on the AC Volts range, it should help you determine the voltage the string runs on, and if there is a voltage boost circuit. I saw about 25VAC when testing the solar strings, hence why they aren't as lights with a mains power supply.

 

[hyperscott]

Hi All, One more quick question if i may, is this power supply a good options for most 2 string lights with the DMX2-18? - http://www.hansonelectronics.com.au/product/power-supply-s-400-31/

thanks

Scott

 

[AAH]

Hi All, One more quick question if i may, is this power supply a good options for most 2 string lights with the DMX2-18? - http://www.hansonelectronics.com.au/product/power-supply-s-400-31/

thanks

Scott

I don't stock that 1 too often now as the 200W version will generally run about 30 strings of the the commoner 2 wire 2 channel strings.

The IC's on the dmx2-18 have thermal and overcurrent protection so in theory nothing should happen to the board if you hook 4.5V strings up when you've got a 20V+ power supply connected.

 

[hyperscott]

I don't stock that 1 too often now as the 200W version will generally run about 30 strings of the the commoner 2 wire 2 channel strings.

The IC's on the dmx2-18 have thermal and overcurrent protection so in theory nothing should happen to the board if you hook 4.5V strings up when you've got a 20V+ power supply connected.

Thanks will put an order intoday for the one you stock