"Easy DMX Tester" AudioLight Intl Model HD-121

dmoore

dmoore

Senior elf
Joined
Apr 26, 2010
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Location
Houston, TX, USA
I finally got one of these DMX testers:

http://www.aliexpress.com/product-fm/378078156-EASY-DMX-TESTER-wholesalers.html

It has the following features:

* Metal box construction
* Can be powered with 4xAA batteries or using the AC adapter (though mine came with the wrong type transformer plug for US use)
* Backlit LCD screen (somewhat poor contrast in ambient light conditions)...have yet to figure out how to adjust it
* Three pin XLR IN/OUT plugs

I can't get a manual for it and it's just not exactly iPhone "easy" to figure out otherwise.

I *think* the company that manufactures them is: http://cngdjs.com/_d270575481.htm I sent them an email but their email doesn't take and won't deliver.

Does anyone else who has this item have a manual or know the menu tree on the device?

Thanks,
David
 
I'm getting closer to getting a manual... though the sales guys says "it is impossible that our goods without manual." Maybe Ray is selling the tester for $40 and the manual for $50? :)

Here are some other photos of the internals of the unit. It does appear to record and playback DMX sequences which would be very helpful for RGB testing (fades, solid colors, alternating patterns, chases, etc).
 

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And here it is. Not really that informative but better than nothing.
 

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zman said:
Dave,

I have been trying to figure out the applicability of these testers. I have a unit that states if there is a DMX signal like this one:

http://www.productionadvantageonline.com/Testers/DMXDD-3.aspx

Outside of verifying that you have a good DMX signal what benefit do you see for this type of unit?
Click to expand...

While testers may not be useful to an LOR user with three controllers, when you move into several thousand channels with hundreds of devices, splices and solder joints, it's good to have testing tools to solve problems as soon as possible with reliable data. Of course everyone has different needs but here is what I found would have been very useful last year:

Hardware:
* Ideally a form factor that is small enough to put in a tool pouch (I wear a tool belt during display setup)
* Back-lit LCD screen so I can see it at night when out troubleshooting. Something more than just a 2x40 display unit would be ideal.
* Runs on battery power
* Ideally it would have CAT5 (pin 1/2) input and outputs
* Ethernet output for E.131 testing

Funcationality/Software
* The ability to do chases over a selected group of channels (1-24, 1-512) with a selectable rate. This is used to determine if sequential items in pixel strings are working and/or are in the right order. It would also be useful for the device to be able to chase complete RGB channels (white) in orders of 1+2+3 then 4+5+6 then 7+8+9, for faster checking - doing this it's obious where your bad LED's/channels are if a pixels doesn't light as white in color.

* The ability to output a single ON/OFF command for an entire universe. This is useful to check for "holes" in channels/controllers

* The ability to record and playback commands. This would be useful for running common test commands like fading through different colors, demoing strings, burn-in testing, etc

* The ability for the tool to "listen" for incoming data and show either individual channels or a "map" of where the channels on a given universe are being activated.

* The ability to display data in %, HEX or decimal formats

* The ability to output over DMX and also into E131 devices. I will say that David AVD's E131 test tool was very useful to have last year...it just required that I go in and out of the house to perform testing.

* I maybe dreaming here but - the ability to display the actual 485 wave to see the "quality" level of the signal. Though you could also do with with a portable scope I supose (http://www.chipkin.com/articles/rs485-on-a-scope)


I really doubt that I'll find one single device that does this all but I can deam... :)

Here is the best one I've found yet:
http://roadietools.com/pdf/PI-XMT-120-ENG-02.pdf

Here are some other examples:
http://www.balancedtech.com.au/artistic/handheld.htm

http://us.ebid.net/for-sale/dmx-analyzer-tester-lcd-pcb-easily-view-dmx512-data-36988318.htm

http://www.goddarddesign.com/mini4_09.html
 
Lets try to keep it on topic gents.

David, on the expensive side of things, you could use a netbook with a usb-> dmx dongle. Although, this item would sure be a good item for one of the guys to make up and sell/co-op, not sure if anybody's up for it. I'm far too inexperienced with the e1.31 to understand how to even start. If anybody wants to develop something, i'm in for pitching in, but not up to the entire project on my own.
 
chilloutdocdoc said:
Lets try to keep it on topic gents.

David, on the expensive side of things, you could use a netbook with a usb-> dmx dongle. Although, this item would sure be a good item for one of the guys to make up and sell/co-op, not sure if anybody's up for it. I'm far too inexperienced with the e1.31 to understand how to even start. If anybody wants to develop something, i'm in for pitching in, but not up to the entire project on my own.
Click to expand...

You are absolutely correct and I do have a netbook that I used to reprogram the Tiger boards and to do some testing, though it just wasn't easy to use when on the top of a ladder, behind the bushes, walking around the yard. Maybe some sort of tablet PC might be better?
 
If you put some clothes on it woudl be easier... If you are running around in your toolbelt in the winter, nothing is going to be easy..

Oh, and that was ontopic, i was merely discussing the OP's posts.
 
Had an idea while browsing DIYC. DynamoBen and a few others are working on the PropController project, and I think this could be somewhat easily adapted to fit most/all of the needs of this project.

I just posted my interest for an Ethernet Version, when it comes in, I'll let you all know how it goes along. If it were to be combined with a Graphical Back Lit LCD Most of the features could be implemented.

I'll keep you all updated.
 
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