Does anyone know if I could connect a rainbow brain (from seasonal entertainment) to a switch port from my e1.31 network or if I would need some type of adapter? Thanks!
The rainbow brain input is DMX and it is a DMX controller which outputs 3 channel high current outputs to the rainbow floods. So no you dont plug the rainbow into your e1.31 switch. you will need a DMX output to drive it though and the J2sys ECG-D4 is great for this, the ecg-d4 will plug into your e1.31 network and its outputs can plug into the rainbow brain input.
DMX and E1.31 are different forms of communication, so a DMX controller (like the rainbow brain) will not work with an E1.31 communications and a E1.31 controller will not work with DMX What you need is either an E1.31 to DMX converter and the ECG-D2 may offer you the best value if all you want is E1.31 coming out of the computer, or you could use a standard USB DMX dongle instead to run your DMX universe.
Thanks guys for the quick answers, that's what I need to know. Here's the back story. I currently have a lor DC board controlling some rainbow floods. I need the DC board for another project, controlling some 12v light strips for my wireframes, so I was thinking of switching the floods to a rainbow brain. But since I will have to buy something else as well as the brain, I'll be better off just getting a second DC board.
You may not have to buy anything if you decide to use your LOR dongle as a DMX dongle instead, then run your LOR DC controller in DMX mode and then you can run both your rainbow brain and the DC controller from the same DMX network
You may then be interested in reading the running LOR controllers in DMX mode presentation One note though is the LOR dongle will output using the LOR pins where as a native DMX dongle will output using the DMX pins
