RJ45 - RJ45 Breakout Box

Steve22537

Steve22537

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With the plethora of custom made products on the DIY market that use a RJ45 for DMX its become quite confusing as to what cable needs to be used to adapt one product to another. Whilst all using DMX as the underlying protocol may projects have come up with there own standards for the DMX pin outs, and with the advent of P-DMX (Power + DMX) it is becoming dangerous if the wrong cable is used. So in an effort to allow the creators of Christmas Displays to create I have come up with a RJ45 - RJ45 Breakout Box which can be easily configured in the field to adapt any type of RJ45 configuration to another with the minimum of fuse. So now Uncle Frank's DMX controller can be used in your display.

I have also given thought to allow the integration of Power into the RJ45 connector allowing P-DMX to be used, and if there is a need then I shall modify the current design to be capable of providing this.

I will create a table to allow the Breakout Box to be easily configured in the next few days.

Steve

EDIT: Update PCB with Power Injection
 

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  • RJ45 - RJ45 Breakout Box Rev A PCB.jpg
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Steve,
I am not too sure if I understand what you are trying to achieve. If you are intending to use link packs, it looks like you can only patch 4 signal across the and not all 8. If you were intending to use short pieces of wire you don't need a complicated matrix.
ATM the matrix appears configures as a 4x16. An 8 x 8 using only single layer pads may also be an easier option.

Sorry if I have misinterpreted what you are trying to do.
 
Thanks Kool,

I had intended to use removable links and was only going to give the options of Data +, Data -, Power and Ground. Unless I've missed something then only 4 lines need to be changed and not 8.

I'm not far off completing the matrix.

Steve
 
when you think about it, there is only standered dmx, lor an rennard use the same pins.
if you look at the DR4 there is a simple set of jumpers for ren or dmx
 
smartalec said:
when you think about it, there is only standered dmx, lor an rennard use the same pins.
if you look at the DR4 there is a simple set of jumpers for ren or dmx
Click to expand...

LOR and Renard do use the same pins (4/5), but the polarity (+/-) is reversed!

Something to watch out for if you are mixing these in a DMX network. Both types of boards can run DMX, if you load the Renard DMX firmware.
 
Alec, without looking to far I've already found 6 different standards and 2 different ones are made by the same group, and these are the well know devices, I haven't even started looking at all the Uncle Frank's Controllers.

What I'm trying to achieve is to allow some sort of integration between different types of controllers, and allow users to change products without having to trash all there existing controllers.

Only one group has taken the initiative to work with a well know industry recognised standard. So in the interest of uniform standards I've decided that any product I design or modify will fall inline with the ESTA Standards, and hope others will also adapt ESTA Standards to there products.

This device will also allow users who don't want power on there CAT5 cable to isolate the power.
 
Steve since we're talking about going with standards, why not make one end of the board standards compliant, and the other end one that you can pick, so you can either go to or from standards.

Wouldn't be useful for going to something that is Non-Compliant -> Non Compliant.

Personally, I'm going to make keystone adapters for all of my boards that are Non-Standards compliant, so that way I can have one scheme for Power and Data.
 
Schematic with Cross Reference Table has now been posted in the first post. Any errors please let me know, but please double check before making comments.

All I need is a show of hands as to possible numbers and I'll get some boards made. Price will be around $A10.00 each + postage, yet to be verified.

Thanks

Steve
 
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