LOR DMX to control smart pixels

sunstream

New elf
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Mar 27, 2015
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Golden Point, Ballarat Victoria
Hi All
I am using LOR advanced software and have purchased some ws2811 strip which I want to run.

Bought a DMX521 decoder from Ray Wu. Connected it up and the box ran internal sequences on strip OK

Wrote a short test sequence and set output to dmx universe 1 channels 1 to 1oo. The decoder is not going to internal sequence so I think it senses the DMX input but no lights running.

Any ideas welcome.
 

i13

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Jul 5, 2013
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Would you be able to post links to the DMX512 decoder and strip? It would help to know exactly what you're working with. Similarly any other components of the display such as your source of DMX signal would help too.

I would strongly suggest using E1.31 instead of DMX512 if you ever plan to have more pixels. DMX512 is limited to just 512 channels which is not much once you have pixels. You'll almost definitely need a different controller type but that'll be required anyway once you add more pixels and exceed 512 channels.
 

sunstream

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Mar 27, 2015
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Golden Point, Ballarat Victoria
The configuration I hope to end up with is 2 x 16 channel LOR controllers for most 240v light strings the DMX to chain of 4 27channel controllers which control strings of dumb pixels on animated faces and lastly four leaping arches using smart pixels plus a shooting star of smart pixels. I had planned on doing the arch sequences myself but at the moment would be happy if I could trigger an inbuilt sequence from the controller and turn it off again.

For testing I am running LOR S3 software through LOR dongle to controller
DC5V input DMX to WS281 Converter;max170 pixels controlled;512 channel output

Then to strip
5m led digital strip,DC12V input,WS2811IC(256 scale);10pcs IC and 30pcs 5050 SMD RGB each meter;waterproof
 

i13

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Unfortunately I have never heard of your converter.

It has been a while since I've looked into LOR hardware but the problem may be that their dongle outputs the LOR protocol rather than standard DMX512. I know it is possible to use LOR controllers with a crossover cable and a DMX source but I'm not sure if DMX controllers can work with a LOR dongle (you'd still need a crossover cable). I'm sure it would not work with an ordinary CAT5 cable between the dongle and converter. It surprises me that the converter senses anything. DMX only uses three of the wires in the CAT5 cable; LOR uses a different three wires and I'm unsure if the LOR signal is identical or not to the DMX.

Note that the 240V controllers won't work well if your lights have plugpacks. There is also no controller available that can control lights that have an 8 function controller AND only two wires going to the lights.

I know I said this before but I would recommend an E1.31 setup. Many E1.31 controllers have a proper DMX output too so they'll replace the dongle and still allow you to use LOR controllers and 27 channel ones. This would take a bit more technical knowledge to set up but there's more forum support and it's a VERY expandable setup.
 

plasmadrive

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Jan 12, 2012
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Elk Grove, CA
The converters you are using will only accept DMX512. They will not accept e1.31. If you are trying to feed those from your Ethernet port it won't work.

LOR has only one way to output DMX512 via the dongle and that is with an iDMX1000. There are other ways, such as an ELOR.. but you can't connect straight from the USB-RS485 converter (dongle) that I know of and get standard DMX512.
 

i13

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Plasmadrive is right which is why I said you'd need an E1.31 controller with a DMX output if you want to use an E1.31 setup. This would mean you'd no longer need your converter as most E1.31 controllers have pixel outputs too. I do believe that LOR software works with very simple open DMX USB dongles though. These are much cheaper than an iDMX1000 and will control everything (I think you need crossover cables still). Again though, I suspect the reliability of an E1.31 system is better (it is with Vixen 2) but can't speak for LOR software.

Another thing I should have pointed out is that you're lowering the 170 pixel limit by having other devices sharing the dongle. You could still have 170 pixels but some of them would need to share channels with other controllers which means you wouldn't be able to control them separately from your other items. Multiple DMX devices can be set to respond to the same channel outputs from the dongle.

Your setup uses 140 channels elsewhere so this leaves enough channels for 124 pixels. This is a rough number and I can only tell you precisely once I know how many channels you'll actually use in total on the 27 channel controllers. To understand this, imagine a very simple setup with just two of the 27 channel controllers. If you only use 20 channels on the first one then the second one may as well be set to start at channel 21 (not 28) to leave more channels for other things. From memory this can't be done with LOR controllers because their starting channels can only be set in increments of 16. You would need to start your 27 channel controllers at higher channel numbers too if the converter is stuck starting at channel 1 but the same concept applies.
 
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