Using DMX controllers with LOR software

[David_AVD]

This question comes up a fair bit in chat. People want to use LOR software and 3rd party DMX controllers. So, what are the options?

If you buy an iDMX1000 LOR-DMX interface, you can connect your 3rd party DMX controllers to that. Just be aware that the iDMX1000 is not cheap and there is a limit to the number of intelligent channels it supports.

The other way you can go is to use LOR S3 software with an "open DMX" style dongle. You will need to have the "Advanced" version of the LOR S3 software however. As the software is a one-off cost, this will work out much cheaper than using multiple iDMX1000 interfaces.

The LOR USB485 dongles are actually "open DMX" compatible so can be used instead of buying a new dongle. Unfortunately the pinout of the RJ45 connector on these is different to the ESTA standard pinout so you'll have to buy or make a simple wiring adapter.

 

[fasteddy]

Here is a presentation with diagrams on converting a LOR dongle output to DMX so that you can run DMX gear from the LOR dongle or using LOR controllers in DMX

http://auschristmaslighting.com/forums/index.php/topic,1139.0.html

 

[David_AVD]

Some important information that just sprang to mind about DMX and LOR S3:

You must start the LOR control panel before opening LOR sequencer, you'll get no DMX output. When DMX is really running, you'll see another LOR window (DOS type) saying "listening", "opened connection" etc.

Without the control panel part of LOR running in the background, the DMX plugin will never start and you'll have no DMX output.

 

[AAH]

Another cautionary note. As of version 3.1.2 if you have a sequence with LOR controllers and dmx controllers in it and are trying to test the dmx for instance the sequencer will not allow the lights to be controlled unless a lor adaptor is detected. I'm not sure if the reverse applies yet as i haven't got that far down the track. You also cannot select a specific dmx adaptor in the network selection unless the LOR software actually detects it.

 

[Benslights]

what i had to do first time with running the boards in dmx is start the commslistener file manually then every time after that is started when i opened the control panel.